Powder Scale

[Broski]

Recommendations for a new powder scale?

[Hi-Power Jack]

For action pistol shooting, I use the Cheapest powder scale I can find.

 

I really use my chronograph to determine how much powder to load.

 

But, many people are unable to easily use beam scales (can't read them),

so then I'd use an electronic scale - they're about  $100.

 

For precision loading, you will probably want a higher quality scale.     

[Rustygun]

I recommend the Dillon digital scale.  It is not cheap but it is very easy to use and very accurate.

 

https://www.dillonprecision.com/d-terminator-electronic-scale_8_7_25213.html

 

 

[Bamboo]

For general reloading I use one of these from amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/

with an RCBS brass pan: 

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/177229/rcbs-scale-pan-for-rcbs-scales-502-505-510-1010

 

That little Gemini scale works very well without a lot of fuss. 

 

Also have a jennings pocket scale that works well, but that model is no longer made.

 

For a little more precision I have a Minipro-50 scale that works well, but is sensitive to drafts, vibration, etc.  and can be frustrating for general pistol/blaster rifle loading,  so I use that mainly for precision rifle. 

[BaggerJoe]

This seems to be a good buy:

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/814722/rcbs-rangemaster-750-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity-110-volt

[oteroman]

Smoking deal. I just bought the new Dillon. I would grab that.


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[mikeinctown]

I own the $25 from amazon Frankford Arsenal scale. It's accurate to within .1 or maybe .01 and does what I need it to. I get close on the powder measure, weigh a single charge then weigh up 10 and if they are the same I start making ammo. I'd rather put that $$ into buying bullets or another training class.

[Foxbat]

From the scale you really need repeatability far more than "accuracy". 

[rooster]

Good old balance beam scale for me.  It's slow but accurate.  I saw a video on you tube where a guy zeroed the scale and put 1 little flake of powder and the scale pointer moved.  I had an electronic, and I was always recalibratiing, resetting zero and screwing arround so went back old school.

[mikeyjones]

From the scale you really need repeatability far more than "accuracy". 

In other words precision.


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[Foxbat]

Precision is a foreign word for someone not involved in measurements.  But yes, precisely. 

[muncie21]

On 7/19/2017 at 0:56 PM, mikeinctown said:

I own the $25 from amazon Frankford Arsenal scale. It's accurate to within .1 or maybe .01 and does what I need it to. I get close on the powder measure, weigh a single charge then weigh up 10 and if they are the same I start making ammo. I'd rather put that $$ into buying bullets or another training class.

I'm with Mike on this one.  I use a pair of cheap (~$20) digital scales that read x.xx in grains. I could care less about the second decimal, I focus on the first one. 

 

I drop 10 powder charges into a cup and check the weight on both scales and then drop another 10 to verify the first.  If both drops are within a tenth of each other I press on.  Only time this method has had an issue was when one of my scales was dropped and showed a drastically different (e.g. >0.2 grain; I'm OK if the scales are +/- 0.0grain of each other) variation.  I verified the 10-drop charge with my beam scale (twice) and concluded that the scale that got dropped was no bueno.

[zipollini]

I use this for all my precision rifle reloading so use it for all my pistol stuff also.

 

 

[Flatland Shooter]

I use a 50+ year old RCBS 505 balance beam scale.  (Also have a 30 year old one for backup.)

 

I dabbled with a digital scale a while back.  It really slowed me down and I just didn't like it.

 

The old 505 must be good or they would not still manufacture them.  

[Bamboo]

 I have an old RCBS 5-10 I keep as a backup in case of massive EMP.      Very good scales.  Once I got used to digital they became my go-to, but they can be kind of finicky compared to a balance.  

[R1_Demon]

I just recently purchased a My Weigh GemPro 250 (but not from Brownells)

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/powder-handling/powder-scales/250-precision-scale-prod59271.aspx 

 

It works really well and is very consistent (precise  ).  I normally put 10 powder charges in the tray/bowl and then average them.  That's the number I go with as my consistent average of my drop.  Then I normally drop five more and see how close it is to that average number and most times it is pretty much right there (within 0.02).

 

However, one thing I do NOT use is the little pad that it comes with.  Some people were putting this under the scale as a "cushion" and complaining that the scale sucks because if irregular readings/results.  Uhhhh..duhhh.  It wasn't on a solid surface and thus caused major inconsistancies.  They found out after they removed this pad or cushion and placed the scale on a hard surface that it worked flawlessly.  LOL  So, you will see a ton of bad reviews on this scale regarding that, but 99% of them are because of the pad placed underneath the adjustable feet to make it level.  Personally, I think it was just for packing and not intended to go under the scale, but what do I know.  LOL.

 

Any which way, it has been much more consistent and non-finacky than my small Hornady scale I had (GS-500 I think it was).  That would change every powder drop and I could take the same power drop, lift it off the scale and put it back and it was a different grain reading.  It finally drove me nuts enough to buy something much better and I'm glad I did.

[Bamboo]

Some vendors include a free "anti vibration pad" with their scales and I also had bad experiences with them.  I use a 3/4" thick piece of marble window sill that the scale is placed on and that seems to help a lot with consistency.  Works good for both the digital and balance scales. 

[R1_Demon]

Bamboo - Thank you...that's what I was thinking of and couldn't think of the wording at that moment.   Yes, that's what they include with it.  To me, I'd rather do exactly what you did and be careful of any outside interference instead of putting some sort of pad under the scale.  Like I was saying, when I was looking for scales to upgrade mine, this was the biggest "negative" (really the only one) that I saw both in written and video form and it made sense to me, so I took the plunge and bought it knowing I wasn't going to use the pad under the scale anyway.