Powder Scale

[adwade74]

What is the best/most accurate powder scale ?

[adwade74]

Digital or beam ?

[aandabooks]

Don't know if it is the best but my budget at $150 for a scale a couple years ago lead me to the RCBS 10-10. That is the best I could find for the price. I'm sure if I would have upped my budget there are better to be had. What is your budget?

[parashooter38]

rcbs 10/10 scale is great think it will stand up much better than an electric scale be sure you get the green one because the tan one is metric

[Absocold]

Most accurate powder scale bar none is probably the Prometheus Beam Scale. Most accurate digital is probably the Denver Instrument MXX-123. Neither is what you would call easily affordable.

As to which scale is the best, you'll get all sorts of opinions. Figure out just how much accuracy you need, then make up your own mind which scale will work best for you.

I used to run a beam scale, they can't be beat for sensitivity. After decades of handloading and seeing just how much difference hundredths of a grain matter to pistol accuracy (almost none) I now run a cheap digital. Much easier to use, accurate enough for anything you need done.

Make sure it's on a flat, stable surface. Keep fluorescent lights, active AC power cables and strong magnets away. Calibrate before each use with a test weight.

http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-205205-Arsenal-Reloading-Scale/dp/B002BDOHNA$30. I keep a beam scale on standby in case it ever craps out or I'm cooking up some "time to embarrass the rifle shooters" loads. So far this cheap little digital has worked like a champ.

The important thing to remember is that when you're running a progressive press, the actual charge weight is irrelevant. Press-mounted powder throwers measure powder by VOLUME. You use a scale to easily check it's the amount of powder you were wanting and to verify the ability of your dispenser to throw the same charge consistently. So you only need a scale to make sure your dispenser is behaving. No need to buy an expensive scale unless you need a very high amount of precision.

[Hi-Power Jack]

What is the best/most accurate powder scale ?

For USPSA, I use the worst/least accurate powder scale (cheapest, too).

Then I use my Chrony to check the velocity (Make sure it makes PF).

[9x45]

Digital scales today are very cost effective and very accurate. No need to spend more than $20-30.

[noylj]

Do Google search for Sartorius or Mettler. Those are the ONLY brands I ever worked with in over 40 years in various laboratories.

https://www.sartorius.us/us/startpage/?gclid=CjwKEAjw1_KwBRDEz_WvncL4jGwSJAAEym0dgcoc3WP-Tr8fwdnDHaYncD3ZyLwow5Yt1cZhsUWEOxoC2NPw_wcB

http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/supportive_content/specials/maw_google_mettler-toledo1.html?cmp=sea_37010127&bookedkeyword=mettler&matchtype=e&adtext=64008628823&placement=&network=g

Or, you accept the reality that reloading has always been a +/- 0.1 grain activity and that most/all scales out there for reloading easily meet that criteria. After that, there is what you like.

My first was a 5-0-10 beam, because I hated the small poise having to moved into a notch and preferred the thumb wheel. Didn't make it any better, just more what I wanted.

When the first affordable electronic came out (Ainsworth), I bought it and got rid of the beam. Still have the Ainsworth, but prefer the scale that came with my ChargeMaster and my Lyman 1500. None may be "better," just that I like them better.

It is easier to mis-read a beam than an electronic.

[Absocold]

Eh, lab scales. They make a nanotube scale now that will weigh individual protons. If your organization's net worth has at least three commas in the figure you can even afford one.

But he's specified he wants opinions on powder scales. And accuracy to hundredths of a grain is good enough even for unlimited class benchrest shooters.

Before we get all crazy on the topic, everyone take a deep breath and remember that a scale's accuracy isn't nearly as important as the standard deviation. It really doesn't matter if your scale is occasionally off by a tenth of a grain as long as it's not off by more than a tenth. So high-priced super scales, perfectly flat engineering tables and measuring your local gravity fluctuation are beyond the scope. Especially when a $150 scale is more than good enough for any shooting sport and most do just fine with a $30 scale.

With that being said, I myself measure individual loads to the ten-thousandth of a grain and if I can't get the weight right I break out my diamond scalpel and start shaving the powder flakes until I get it right. And that's just my practice ammo, with my match loads I stop fooling around and get serious about precision.

Then I go to the range and shoot badly anyway.

[9x45]

You have a scale that reads to .0001 in grains?

[Steve RA]

I'm guessing that was a tongue-in-cheek statement !

[jlo86cj]

All the high accuracy scales seem to be unstable in my reloading environment. I have the best luck measuring 10x loads on my RCBS 505.

[9x45]

I'm guessing that was a tongue-in-cheek statement !

Oh, I get it. Like saying you zero your hunting rifle in at one mile.....

[firewood]

For the 2 years I've been handloading I have used an RCBS 5-0-5

I like this scale even though I didn't think I would like a beam scale.

Last month I bought a Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series which is the next step above the digital a previous poster mentioned.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EE6GHU8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

At half the cost of the 5-0-5, this is what I would get if I didn't have a scale. But still, I'm keeping both scales on my bench as so far I've found that I tend to use both when loading ammo.

[longbeard]

I just purchased this little guy and it works fine. Previously I just used my Lee safety scale, but maintaining a good zero on that scale became a pain. It bears mentioning that powder charges weigh the same on both scales.

http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Electronic-Scale-1500-Grains/dp/B015ZLBL7Y

[StraightSh00ter]

I got a $20 AWS scale on Amazon that reads to .01gr. I thought I wanted the extra decimal to see if/how things fluctuate. But the scale is small, and if you are one to weigh out 10 charges and take an average, you basically get the same resolution. It does come with calibration weights, and it seems to be pretty perfect so far (repeatable reading of the 2 calibration weights and the powder tray).

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446612906&sr=8-1&keywords=milligram+scale

I'd eventually like to get a bench-top scale with an A/C adapter. Probably either the Dillon or the one Brian sells.

I guess it depends on what you want it for though - I just need mine for USPSA loads.

[Foxbat]

I use the RCBS one, the one that also comes with their ChargeMaster:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RCBS-RC98920-RCBS-ChargeMaster-1500-Scale-Only-/371144277829?hash=item5669ec3f45:g:UlgAAOSwd4tUGRsp

Don't ask me why... but I just love its feel.

[427Cobra]

I use a Gen 2 Prometheus for precision rifle loading, it wasn't cheap, but totally worth it, to check my 650 charges I use a cheap digital

[BeerBaron]

Yeah if we are talking case activated powder drop on a progressive there's no need for an uber scale. $30 digi is good enough. Otherwise it's like checking your wheelbarrow tyre pressure with an f1 tyre probe!

[rustybayonet]

I do r&d for the auto industry. The beam scale is the most accurate. But since I am a plinker in real life, I use a digital. I have noticed on most digital scales where you place your cup or how the powder sits in the cup will change the reading by upto .1 gn

[jtaylor996]

All the high accuracy scales seem to be unstable in my reloading environment. I have the best luck measuring 10x loads on my RCBS 505.

This is exactly my setup. But I calibrate with the Lyman cal weights every time I use it.

[Tom S.]

Beams are deemed most accurate, but they do have their issues. Knife edges and bearing surfaces must be kept clean and free of any damage. All scales, beam or digital should be checked before use with known weights, preferably in the same weight you'll be using the scales for. Safest practice is to recheck the scales when done.

[JunotFranco]

What are you reloading?

[Troyboy]

Do Google search for Sartorius or Mettler. Those are the ONLY brands I ever worked with in over 40 years in various laboratories.

https://www.sartorius.us/us/startpage/?gclid=CjwKEAjw1_KwBRDEz_WvncL4jGwSJAAEym0dgcoc3WP-Tr8fwdnDHaYncD3ZyLwow5Yt1cZhsUWEOxoC2NPw_wcB

http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/supportive_content/specials/maw_google_mettler-toledo1.html?cmp=sea_37010127&bookedkeyword=mettler&matchtype=e&adtext=64008628823&placement=&network=g

Or, you accept the reality that reloading has always been a +/- 0.1 grain activity and that most/all scales out there for reloading easily meet that criteria. After that, there is what you like.

My first was a 5-0-10 beam, because I hated the small poise having to moved into a notch and preferred the thumb wheel. Didn't make it any better, just more what I wanted.

When the first affordable electronic came out (Ainsworth), I bought it and got rid of the beam. Still have the Ainsworth, but prefer the scale that came with my ChargeMaster and my Lyman 1500. None may be "better," just that I like them better.

It is easier to mis-read a beam than an electronic.

May I ask a favor of you? I also have a Lyman Microtouch 1500, but I lost my A/C adapter over the summer. Can you tell me what the amperage is? The manual only shows 6Volt, and Lyman is not returning my calls or emails.

[Vassago]

6V, 200mA should do it if you have a 6V 500mA laying around that will certainly be enough.

As long as the voltage and polarity is correct you will be fine, if the scale doesn't turn on or the A/C adapter gets hot use a higher amp one.

(Using an adapter which can deliver more mAmps than required is no issue)