I have a Hornaday GS 1500 that calibrates with a "PASS" but when I do the same weight measurement on my RCBS 505 beam scale it shows it uis off in the measurement. I place an RCBC 100g weight on my beam scale and it measures 100g, I put the same weight on my Hornaday scale it measures 103.4 g which is 3.4grains more than the beam scale weights it at. Do you think that the digital scale is no good anymore? I calibrate the digital scale and it shows "PASS" but the weight measurement in not consistant with the RCBS beam scale. What do you think? Should I just cut my loses and buy another digital scale? I have been lucky and all my powder reloads were on the beam scale, the only thing I used the digital scale was to weight casings and bullets. Thanks, I think I have the answer but would like a second opinion.
QUESTIONS ON DIGITAL SCALES??
- Thread starter 74man
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Hugger-4641
Member
I would send it to Hornady for calibration, they may just replace it with a new one.
Got a reply back from Hornaday that the scale has a one year warranty and I bought it in Dec 2013 but never used it until the beginning of this year. Glad I only used my RCBS 505 Beam scale to weigh my powders when I reload. Guess I will just have to send it to the recycling center on the next trip and maybe buy a new one of higher quality or stick with RCBS products who warranty most of their products for life. I will definitely buy a higher quality scale for future use. Hornaday will not warranty the scale past a year (12mos), I thought it was worth a try but not deal. They also said that they haven't made that model in 5 years, must have had some trouble with it in the past. IT WAS MADE IN CHINA.
Digital scales have temperature problems too. Mine drift unpredictably in cold weather, the display changing as the room heats up, or cools down. That is why when I reload rifle ammunition in cold weather, I use this.
This Redding has the agate bearings in the base, which I like. Digital scale drift is another good reason not to load maximum loads. You might end up with a top strap busting load. Oppsie!
This Redding has the agate bearings in the base, which I like. Digital scale drift is another good reason not to load maximum loads. You might end up with a top strap busting load. Oppsie!
sparkyv
Member
All measurement devices have quirks / limitations, digital or analog. I too am a chemist, and I find lower to moderately priced electronic scales provide low quality results and are too finicky for my likes. I'll stick with a decent analog balance, thank you very much. Once lined out, it provides much more reliable results, and issues can be readily be identified should rarely something head South.
Jim Watson
Member
I get by with a PACT digital. I hit "tare" at the start of work, use a check weight but only calibrate against their 20 and 50 GRAM weights occasionally. I have check weights close to my usual pistol and rifle loads and consider them more reliable than a calibration against weights so far outside the normal operating range.
I still have my old Lyman D7 which has only one fault, its beam tends to walk in the bearings and end up with the end of the pivot touching the bearing housing. It is accurate if I check the centering regularly.
I still have my old Lyman D7 which has only one fault, its beam tends to walk in the bearings and end up with the end of the pivot touching the bearing housing. It is accurate if I check the centering regularly.
CaptHank
Member
How I long for one of the Mettler Balances I had in my lab.
N555
Member
I used to work on electronic industrial scales.
I don't trust digital scales.
Then it comes down to accuracy versus precision.
Digital scale is more likely to read closer to the actual weight assuming they are working correctly and calibrated. Precision isn't all that, you could observe that dropping the same charge on a cheaper scale 5 times gives 2 or 3 different weights. Assuming isn't good enough when my gun could blow up.
A beam scale is going to give very high precision or repeatability. Accuracy should be with in about a 10th or a grain of reality, repeatability should be down a dozen or so individual specks of fine ball powder or roughly individual sticks of a larger stick powder.
I don't trust digital scales.
Then it comes down to accuracy versus precision.
Digital scale is more likely to read closer to the actual weight assuming they are working correctly and calibrated. Precision isn't all that, you could observe that dropping the same charge on a cheaper scale 5 times gives 2 or 3 different weights. Assuming isn't good enough when my gun could blow up.
A beam scale is going to give very high precision or repeatability. Accuracy should be with in about a 10th or a grain of reality, repeatability should be down a dozen or so individual specks of fine ball powder or roughly individual sticks of a larger stick powder.
armoredman
Member
I had a digital scale from Barrys when they first came out. It was extremely untrustworthy and was donated to a pawn shop. No, I mean literally donated. I have an Ohaus 505 I love...
I was instructed to gather the bits and pieces to make up my reloading kit by my friend when I was being taught, years ago...and he said " This is all you will really need..the rest is just going to be fancier ways of doing the same thing at a higher cost to your pocket book. Digital Scales did not work for me, and I suspect that you are learning that lesson also...so if you are able to read and learn from others experiences...gravity and a good beam scale work...get yourself a 505 beam scale and go sling some powder.
Double_J
Member
I am a Manufacturing Quality Engineer for an Aerospace company with quite a bit of experience dealing with scales. We use digital scales all the time, and have them calibrated on a regular basis. Something people need to account for is that scales have a range and you want to use the smallest scale you can (i.e. a 100 gram max scale for a 80-90 g ram working load). This is to keep the scale in the linear range of operation for more accuracy and repeability. I also follow the rule of verifying the scale prior to use with a check weight, that gets applied multiple times to verify how repeatable the measurement is, if the measurements are not the same each time the scale is not used.
Like all things in this world you get what you pay for, and almost all electronic devices come from China, and most analog devices are the same. I would say get a good digital scale and verify calibration every use and during use to ensure no drift. The standard "reloading scale" is built to a price point and the only difference is the color on the case, they all come from the same plant. I would also see about finding a metrology lab and make friends with a calibration tech for periodic inspection. I do that for my personal torque wrenches and other measurement tools that can be calibrated.
Like all things in this world you get what you pay for, and almost all electronic devices come from China, and most analog devices are the same. I would say get a good digital scale and verify calibration every use and during use to ensure no drift. The standard "reloading scale" is built to a price point and the only difference is the color on the case, they all come from the same plant. I would also see about finding a metrology lab and make friends with a calibration tech for periodic inspection. I do that for my personal torque wrenches and other measurement tools that can be calibrated.
nettlle
Contributing Member
I have never trusted digital scales, digital mics, or digital calipers. Tried several different beam scales. My RCBS 10-10 is by far the best beam scale I have ever used.
hutch51
Member
Quick and dirty "calibration" weights.
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/coin-specifications
1 gram = 15.432 grains (check this for yourself).
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/coin-specifications
1 gram = 15.432 grains (check this for yourself).
