Ever Checked Your Electronic Scale?

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have been using an RCBS electronic scale for a year now and assumed it accurately measuring powder. I always checked the calibration using the included weights, and the weight of the powder pan was always the same to the .10 of a grain. But having read about other people not being able to have their scale remain consistent, I bought an RCBS 10-10 to check.

It turns out that the electronic scale shows charges to be .3gr above their actual weight. It's a shame there is no way for me to adjust the calibration, other than send it back to RCBS.

[Sonnypie]

The only electronic scale I have is a piece of poop anyway. But I do check it with the reference weight that came with it.
I use a beam type for checks.
Is yours just a weighing scale, or a measuring/weighing type scale?
Because, some powders are very inconsistent to feed. Trying several different types might show it to not necessarily be the scale at fault.
And usually there is a way to zero a scale. Even my "toy" from China has a calibration procedure in it's instructions.

[dragon813gt]

What digital scale are you using? If it's a Chargemaster there are a lot of functions you can access that aren't in the manual. And I have to ask. What are you checking your beam with? Is it with a set of check weights? And I mean a full set that runs from a low weight to the max for the scale with weights in between? And if so have you used it on the digital as well? Beams can be off as well. There is a reason scales have to be certified for lab use.


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[HARRYMPOPE]

I have used digital scale so and off for quite a few years.I have had RCBS Lyman and PACT.All have eventually gotten out of whack or given strange results.I now rely on my old non magnetic dampened Redding "powder and bullet scale" that is always reliable (just a bit slow)

[Mike W1]

Ran some extensive tests on my little PACT BBK a few years ago. Also on my Lyman M-5. Used check weights. In a nutshell the M-5 was right on the money throughout the range of weights. The BBK was close also as I recall but what irritated me was you could weigh the same check weight with the BBK and not depend on getting the same reading 2 times in a row. Good enough to sort bullets though were I so inclined and I'm usually not. There was a couple articles in Gun Digest and Reloaders Digest a number of years back that were pretty enlightening on using scales (beam at that time). I do have text file copies of those articles on my computer BTW.

[thegatman]

Your supposed to weigh the powder before you seat the boolit?

[imashooter2]

Time to post this again... I passed a shiny new dime around to all my friends to weigh on their scale. Here are the results:

34.4 Dillon electronic
34.5 Lyman beam
34.5 Redding beam
34.5 PACT electronic
34.6 Dillon beam
34.7 RCBS beam

So which one do you suppose is right?

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have the Rangemaster 750, which is a scale only. I'd be surprised if there is a way to calibrate it myself.

[Ben]

Time to post this again... I passed a shiny new dime around to all my friends to weigh on their scale. Here are the results:

34.4 Dillon electronic
34.5 Lyman beam
34.5 Redding beam
34.5 PACT electronic
34.6 Dillon beam
34.7 RCBS beam

So which one do you suppose is right?

A man with one watch knows the time, a man with more than 1 is never certain of the time.

Ben

[Sonnypie]

Gotcha Buddy.
Run through the Calibration on Page 3 here.
It's better than sending your scale out.
Give it a try or two.

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instru...ter750Inst.pdf

[Sonnypie]

Time to post this again... I passed a shiny new dime around to all my friends to weigh on their scale. Here are the results:

34.4 Dillon electronic
34.5 Lyman beam
34.5 Redding beam
34.5 PACT electronic
34.6 Dillon beam
34.7 RCBS beam

So which one do you suppose is right?

None.
How much does a penny weigh?
Answer:
Answer
It depends on the date.

Indian Head pennies dated 1864 to 1909 weigh 3.11 grams.
The Lincoln, Wheat Ears Reverse penny weighs 3.11 grams except for steel cents made only in 1943 that weigh 2.67 grams.
The Lincoln, Memorial Reverse penny (1959 to mid 1982) weighs 3.11 grams.
The Lincoln, Memorial Reverse penny (mid 1982 to present) weighs 2.5 grams.

You can play with them yourself HERE

[imashooter2]

None.
How much does a penny weigh?
Answer:
Answer
It depends on the date.

Indian Head pennies dated 1864 to 1909 weigh 3.11 grams.
The Lincoln, Wheat Ears Reverse penny weighs 3.11 grams except for steel cents made only in 1943 that weigh 2.67 grams.
The Lincoln, Memorial Reverse penny (1959 to mid 1982) weighs 3.11 grams.
The Lincoln, Memorial Reverse penny (mid 1982 to present) weighs 2.5 grams.

You can play with them yourself HERE

It was the same dime weighed on 6 different scales, though technically you could be correct and none of the 6 read the correct weight.

[Sonnypie]

Answer:
From 1965 to date they weigh 2.27 grams.
Dimes dated from 1965 to date weigh 2.268 grams. 1964 and older silver dimes weigh 2.5 grams.

2.27G = 35.031g
2.268 = 35.001g
2.500 = 38.581g

So none is still correct. All scales were low.

[Tracy]

Answer:
From 1965 to date they weigh 2.27 grams.
Dimes dated from 1965 to date weigh 2.268 grams. 1964 and older silver dimes weigh 2.5 grams.

2.27G = 35.031g
2.268 = 35.001g
2.500 = 38.581g

So none is still correct. All scales were low.

Interesting. My $5 Chinese electronic scale shows a shiny, unworn 1999 dime as 34.6 grains, which is close to all the scales Imashooter2 tested. But my Ohaus 505 shows the same dime as 35.0 grains.

[Kevin Rohrer]

How many Grains to a Gram?

I will check the 10-10 with the little weights. At this point, I am *assuming* the 10-10 is correct, but we shall see.

[ROGER4314]

................. But my Ohaus 505 shows the same dime as 35.0 grains.

I was a calibration tech for 5 1/2 years who repaired and certified precision instruments. With analog instruments, you must deal with parallax issues and you introduce error by not looking at the indicator squarely. Mirrored scales are placed in very accurate instruments to make you adjust your viewpoint until the reflection of the indicator is hidden behind the pointer. Then you have zero parallax. I'd say that's where your difference in readings comes from.

Another possibility in error may come as you zero the 505 scale with the level screw. Parallax can bite you then, too.

On extremely accurate instruments, they have a built in vibrator to keep bearing static friction from causing inaccuracy. Your 505 beam bearing friction could bite into your readings, too.

You don't have problems with parallax in digital readouts.

Flash

[Kevin Rohrer]

The Internet says 1-gram = 15.4323584 grains, so the 20-gram weight = 308.65gr, and the 30-gram weight = 463gr.

I will check the 10-10 with the little weights. At this point, I am *assuming* the 10-10 is correct, but we shall see.

[cbrick]

I have both the RCBS Chargemaster and the Dillon scale. When using the Chargemaster and the scale says it dispensed 18.0 gr & instead of pouring the powder into a case I pour it into the Dillon pan, Dillon says 18.0 gr. On a rare occasion there will be a 0.1 gr difference. When I weigh a boolit on the Dillon and it says 188.2 gr & then weigh the same boolit on the RCBS it also says 188.2 gr. On a rare occasion there will be a 0.1 gr difference.

The Chargemaster per instructions is calibrated before each use with the supplied weights. The Dillon is not but I check it on occasion with the weights.

I figure the scales are plenty close for me, if they are off, inaccurate or faulty they are both off, inaccurate or faulty pretty much the same.

Rick

[imashooter2]

Answer:
From 1965 to date they weigh 2.27 grams.
Dimes dated from 1965 to date weigh 2.268 grams. 1964 and older silver dimes weigh 2.5 grams.

2.27G = 35.031g
2.268 = 35.001g
2.500 = 38.581g

So none is still correct. All scales were low.

Those are nominal weights. What tolerance does the mint specify?

[Jim]

Help me understand. I've been through all the posts and I think I'm missing something.

I use a Hornady GS-1500 electronic scale because I'm 'wrong' handed. It's very inconvenient for me to use a beam scale.

Let's assume my scale is incorrect. It doesn't show .3 grains with nothing in the pan, it shows 0.0. So, if it's wrong, the error must accumulate as the weight in the pan does.

Again, let's assume I'm working up a load and find that sweet spot with 'XY.Z' grs.. I use that weight to measure the powder for the ammo I load and all the ammo shoots as the initial loads did. Even if the scale is in error, what's the problem? The ammo is accurate.

Help me out here, I'm trying to understand the problem if my scale is incorrect. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if the end result is always the same, why should I be concerned about a problem that doesn't seem to exist?