Gem Pro 250?

[HoustonB77]

Like everybody else I'm trying to lower my SD and I think my scale might be the weakest link. I'm currently using a Hornady single stage press, Hornady Sonic cleaner, Lapua brass, Berger bullets, Forster dies, and H4350 in my 260. I have tried just about everything I can think of and I'm still at a 13 SD. I think the week link may be my scale. I am currently using an old RCBS balance beam and I think its time to upgrade. Any of yall folks using the Gem Pro 250? I've been doing a good bit of research and this scale keeps popping up. I have also considered a Scott Parker but my buddy mailed him a check 5/15 and still hasn't seen his. For now my budget is about $300 or less. I realize a $700 electronic scale would be better but honestly I would rather spend that extra money on bullets, powder, and brass. I don't want to go crazy I just want something decent that's reliable. Any input would be appreciated.

I'm also up for buying used if anybody has anything laying around that they don't use anymore.

 

[Walt K]

It's not a bad scale for the money. But it can be a bit less sensitive and slow to respond to trickling. It can also trend to drift a bit but not excessively which is very easy to correct simply by taring it out. It will eat batteries fast maybe a couple of hours or so. Make sure you check out the warranty. My first one bit the dust rather quickly. Second one is OK. It seems the quality can be hit or miss on these units.

 

[HoustonB77]

Thanks. Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[spife7980]

Its wont be more accurate than the beam scale but it will make the time go by much quicker than the beam so I suggest the chargemaster. Saw them on sale for 250 awhile back so keep your eyes peeled. It over throws 10% of them but thats fine as thats only 10% of the time Im focused on it compared to the beam which is 100% of my focus and time to accomplish the same task.Just toss it back in the hopper and go back to doing whatever else at the same time.

 

[cuz]

I've had my GemPro 250 for about 4 years with no problems. They tend to run about $150. I only use it to verify random powder drops for my handgun loads but it seems to be fairly accurate. I don't know if it would be up to snuff for precision rifle loading.


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[raven88]

I am using a charge master and verify with a gem pro 250......I also have a beam scale that I have used to verify. My issue with the gem pro is that it drifts and I frequently have to recalibrate (tare) and that is frustrating. The charge master puts the charge out, I set that on the gem pro and verify weight and then powder the case. I'd like to speed up this part of the workflow, and the best "mousetrap" I have seen so far is the autotrickler, but it's expensive.

 

[HoustonB77]

Thanks for the replys guys. Natchez has a heck of a deal on the charge master also

 

[spife7980]

Thanks for the replys guys. Natchez has a heck of a deal on the charge master also

269 -10% + 15 shipping makes it 258 to my door, not a bad price at all. Again, it wont be better than the .1 grain resolution of your beam scale that youre looking for in the original post (wont be worse though), but it wont require constant attentiveness like sitting starting at a little swinging bucket will.

 

[Ayoung1]

I use a Chargemaster to drop .1 grain below my target weight and trickle up on a Gempro 250. My only complaint is the Gempro is slow to respond when trickling up like that.

 

[HoustonB77]

I use a Chargemaster to drop .1 grain below my target weight and trickle up on a Gempro 250. My only complaint is the Gempro is slow to respond when trickling up like that.

This is what I was thinking about doing.

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[gilk]

http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/gempro-250-digital-scale-review/

 

[Sendit6.5]

I use a Chargemaster to drop .1 grain below my target weight and trickle up on a Gempro 250. My only complaint is the Gempro is slow to respond when trickling up like that.

This is exactly what I do and I have the same complaint but it's certainly manageable! I could never go back to a beam scale

When I have the money to blow I'll probably jump up to an A&D FX120i and the Auto Feed/Auto Trickler system. For me, this is a 'want' and not a 'need' as my current system works just fine with low Es/sd.

http://www.autotrickler.com/auto-trickler.html


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[Sheldon N]

I've run a GemPro 250 for quite a while with no issues. Holds accuracy to 0.02gr as good as the high end scales, just finicky and you have to build your workflow around it. Tips from my loading experience...

Weigh static loads, don't try to trickle.
Weigh once, add a specific number of kernels to hit target weight (cut them out of a pile with a straight edge and sweep into pan), reweigh if you want or trust the kernel math.
Watch the negative number on the scale when you lift the pan. As soon as it drifts 0.02 then either set the empty pan on the scale (it auto zeros) or press the tare button if you want.
Make a check weight from a stainless screw that's close to your powder charge weight. Confirm it weighs the same every loading session. Check during loading if your OCD dictates a need.
Keep the scale moving, loads on/off/on/off seem to drift less than empty pan sitting still or a full weight sitting still.
Leave scale on, keep the room temp constant, no wind, no static, level base, and no electronic interference nearby.

I can feed a Dillon 550 progressive press at one case every 30 seconds, that's priming, seating bullet, adding powder through funnel to make a finished round out of prepped brass. If I'm loading on a loading block just putting powder charges into primed cases it's closer to 3-4 cases per minute, weighing charges within +/- 0.02gr.

Don't get me wrong, I'll probably buy a A&D FX120i and autotrickler at some point for the convenience factor, but I don't expect any increase in accuracy or a substantial gain in speed.

I also have a Scott Parker tuned beam scale, and have tested it. It's both slower and less accurate than the GemPro with the above workflow.

 

[HoustonB77]

I've run a GemPro 250 for quite a while with no issues. Holds accuracy to 0.02gr as good as the high end scales, just finicky and you have to build your workflow around it. Tips from my loading experience...

Weigh static loads, don't try to trickle.
Weigh once, add a specific number of kernels to hit target weight (cut them out of a pile with a straight edge and sweep into pan), reweigh if you want or trust the kernel math.
Watch the negative number on the scale when you lift the pan. As soon as it drifts 0.02 then either set the empty pan on the scale (it auto zeros) or press the tare button if you want.
Make a check weight from a stainless screw that's close to your powder charge weight. Confirm it weighs the same every loading session. Check during loading if your OCD dictates a need.
Keep the scale moving, loads on/off/on/off seem to drift less than empty pan sitting still or a full weight sitting still.
Leave scale on, keep the room temp constant, no wind, no static, level base, and no electronic interference nearby.

I can feed a Dillon 550 progressive press at one case every 30 seconds, that's priming, seating bullet, adding powder through funnel to make a finished round out of prepped brass. If I'm loading on a loading block just putting powder charges into primed cases it's closer to 3-4 cases per minute, weighing charges within +/- 0.02gr.

Don't get me wrong, I'll probably buy a A&D FX120i and autotrickler at some point for the convenience factor, but I don't expect any increase in accuracy or a substantial gain in speed.

I also have a Scott Parker tuned beam scale, and have tested it. It's both slower and less accurate than the GemPro with the above workflow.

Thanks for the great info. The scale should be here tomorrow and I'm going to try to follow your methods. Do you leave the scale on 24/7? I've read that some people do and I was planning on it.

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[waveslayer]

I used to use my GemPro 250 all the time. I invested in 2 RCBS Chargemaster. I have never looked back , I am getting single digit SD's. Case prep is super important and powder with primer played a big factor for me

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

 

[Sheldon N]

Thanks for the great info. The scale should be here tomorrow and I'm going to try to follow your methods. Do you leave the scale on 24/7? I've read that some people do and I was planning on it.

Yes, I just leave it plugged in and on all the time. I will agree with other posters that good load development makes a chargemaster or other options completely viable choices. I actually run Dillon thrown charges for a lot of my shooting and still get single digit SD's due to properly selecting a charge weight that's in the middle of a node.

 

[rlh_20]

When I first started using the GemPro it would drift quite a bit. I started wiping it down with Static Guard before every session and haven't had a problem since. Nearly three years with no problems.

 

[Okanogan]

I used the GemPro for a couple years with the plug in power run off a UPS. It worked well for me but was slow to steady out. After a couple of years, I thought it was drifting on me so I checked in with the manufacturer to see what it would take to fix it. Ended up sending in the battery cover and $25 and getting a new replacement unit. Good service/ support in my opinion as I was out of warranty.

I also bought a Chargemaster and played with the program setting as per internet wisdom. It still tended to slightly over throw charges occasionally. With an advertised accuracy of +/- 0.1 grains you shouldn't expect better. In practice, I think I got more like -0.1 and +0.2. It was far better than throwing charges though for stick powders. For very fine powders like H110 and CFE BLK, I can do better throwing charges.

I have since upgraded to FX120i and autotrickler and love the set up for precision rifle reloading. If you have the coin, this is a great set up.

I can't say that my ES/SDs have improved noticeably from my Gempro days. (When I cross checked the FX120i and the Gempro, I got results with-in +/- 0.02 grains) I spend much less time weighing powder with the FX120i set up. I usually throw a light charge and have the autotrickler finish it off. This is similar in practice to the new auto-thrower available with the autotrickler but I do it manually.

In my opinion, with either the FX120i or the Gempro the powder weight variance contribution to ES/SD can be pretty much eliminated. While that may not cut your SD/ES much it at least allows you to move on to looking at other variables.

 

[HoustonB77]

I used the GemPro for a couple years with the plug in power run off a UPS. It worked well for me but was slow to steady out. After a couple of years, I thought it was drifting on me so I checked in with the manufacturer to see what it would take to fix it. Ended up sending in the battery cover and $25 and getting a new replacement unit. Good service/ support in my opinion as I was out of warranty.

I also bought a Chargemaster and played with the program setting as per internet wisdom. It still tended to slightly over throw charges occasionally. With an advertised accuracy of +/- 0.1 grains you shouldn't expect better. In practice, I think I got more like -0.1 and +0.2. It was far better than throwing charges though for stick powders. For very fine powders like H110 and CFE BLK, I can do better throwing charges.

I have since upgraded to FX120i and autotrickler and love the set up for precision rifle reloading. If you have the coin, this is a great set up.

I can't say that my ES/SDs have improved noticeably from my Gempro days. (When I cross checked the FX120i and the Gempro, I got results with-in +/- 0.02 grains) I spend much less time weighing powder with the FX120i set up. I usually throw a light charge and have the autotrickler finish it off. This is similar in practice to the new auto-thrower available with the autotrickler but I do it manually.

In my opinion, with either the FX120i or the Gempro the powder weight variance contribution to ES/SD can be pretty much eliminated. While that may not cut your SD/ES much it at least allows you to move on to looking at other variables.

Sounds great to me. It just came in the mail today. I'm going to plug it on over night and try it out in the morning. Fingers crossed but I have high hopes.