Digital Scales-Input

[applevalleyjoe]

I'm thinking about buying a digital scale to measure powder/double-check the load that my Redding 3BR is dropping. As I've read these pages I've noticed the Acculab VIC 123 mentioned several times; Hornady GS 1000; any number of My Weigh iBalance and OHaus models; and any one of the three variations of the RCBS Chargemaster including the 1500 Combo, 1500 scale, and the 750 scale. There's also Lyman, Cabela, and PACT. Also, ebay has a huge number of low to medium priced Chinese digital scales on sale and most of these include the TARE and self-calibration modes.

If you have a digital powder scale, what brand do you have, why did you purchase it, and how is it working out for you? Would you recommend it?






If you are usi

 

[Tun_x]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Newbie in for the info

 

[jasonk]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

On a scale of 1 to 10, how anal are you? Do you have OCD? How far will you be shooting?

I own 2 Chargemasters and love them, I've done the MyWeigh/Acculab style too, but when I found myself adding or removing 1 kernal of powder I knew that I had gone overboard.

The 2 Chargemasters are fast and more accurate than my shooting will realize.

PS...Don't trust your nice rifle and face to a Chinese scale on Ebay.

 

[ggarrett1911]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Been using my little RCBS Rangemaster 750 for a little over a year, no complaints on it so far. Loaded everything from 223 AI to 375 Cheytac with it.

And +1 to jasonk about the Chinese scales on Flea-bay!

 

[wilshire1412]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I have a Pact dig scale that I have been using for a couple 2 or 3 years. I like it, I do the calibration before I use it and then verify the charge weight on an RCBS 10-10 scale every time I change anything signifigant. I have not seen any noteable error as of yet between the digital vs. the balance beam scale.

 

[Suasponte]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Denver Instrument! It is grain sensitive and you can control the sensitivity also! Great scale, I have had most all the digitals on the market and sold all of them.

They are laboratory grade scales!

Terry

 

[Bronco]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I'm on my second Dillon, fairly early adopter of digital scales. First Dillon got fried by lightning. It does everything I need and is quick and accurate.

The Denver Instrument looks good also.

 

[Rhys]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I've got the Acculab VIC-123. If this one ever cans I'll get another or the DI version of the same scale. Only mild OCD weigh all charges regardless of use to inside the .02 gr increments.

I don't do as much case prep as I used to since one of the first questions I consider when going to another caliber is can I get Lapua brass for this thing. If not I still trim them all, neck turn, debur and chamfer flash holes from both sides, cut primer pockets to depth, sort by weight, fire form size and repeat the neck turning.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Get any digital scale for "speed", and keep your beam to check that it doesn't drift in zero or calibration during warm-up, that no line voltage changes and no stray electical fields are affecting the accuracy as you work.

What's not to love about new technology! Digitals are MODERN! Surely, every one needs an impressive looking cutting edge, DIGITAL scale, right!!!

But, no, they ain't for me. I trust gravity and beam scales. I don't trust electronics, especially in cheap, marketable priced, scales. After some 20 years of precision electronic instrument repair/calibration to the National Bureau of Standards in space & defence businesses, I don't trust cheap digitals from moment to next moment without a cross check on my beam scale and that isn't fast. It only needs to be off just ONCE, and I may never care again.

I sure don't trust that ANY commonly affordable reloading powder scale is accurate to within 20 thousants of a grain, no matter what the display shows.

 

[Swampkat]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

How much difference would it make on ES and down range results using a scale measuring xx.x(like chargemasters) compared to a scale measuring to xx.xx(like DI mxx-123)?

 

[BeerAlchemist]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Finally opened my RCBS 750, calibrated it, and then tested it with the overpriced calibration set. It was dead on to the different weights immediately after calibration; however, it did wonder a little, but I figure this will settle down after being on for a while. It proved my neighbors cheap Chinese Ebay scale off a little...go figure, so now he's in the market for a better scale.

 

[angeldriver]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

Acculab VIC-123 very nice. Dead on every time. I wouldn't go back to anything else ever again. I do still use a set of check weights during every session just to make sure everything is still in spec.

 

[brandon33]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I have had good luck with my jennings Mack 20. Well worth a look.
http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/jennings-jscale-mack-20.aspx

 

[Joe-n-TX]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

There are so many other varibles than a few kernels of corn. It's so easy to get caught up in the OCDs of reloading.

I love it!

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I use an older Dillon for weighing powder and checking brass. I have a Denver Instruments labratory scale for setting up the bullet operations.

 

[kwild]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I bought an acculab too and it kicks ass. So much faster then a beam scale and alot more accurate. I will occasionally load too much and have to remove a kernal or two.

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I primarily use a Chargemaster for everything (and love it) but for those specific loads that need the OCD treatment, I remeasure and adjust using the VIC-123. If you need tenths of a grain accuracy, you'll need to measure to the hundredths for accuracy. The Chargemaster and VIC combination will do just that.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Digital Scales-Input

I use the Chargemaster to throw the first charge, and fine tune it on an AccuLab-123. The beam scales are very accurate, but not near as fast as the good digital one's. The scales that are accurate to .1 grains will vary a little bit. Is it enough to show on a target? I guess it depends on your rifle and your skill level with that rifle. But I do believe fine tuning aload down to each granual will help on the ES numbers. For $230 for an Acculab, why not be accurate to .02 grains!!??