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Thread: Electronic scales

  1. #1
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Electronic scales

    A friend of mine asked me the other day to recommend an electronic scale to him. He still uses a balance beam scale and wanted a scale he could read a little easier. It looks like every manufacture of E scales limits their warranty period to 12 months. That's not much of a warranty for a $100 piece of reloading equipment, IMHO. I have an RCBS Electronic scale(made by Ohaus, I think) that is over 10 yrs old but I have heard that later ones have a tendency to **** out after a while. I couldn't recommend a brand of scale to him but I told him that I knew a very large group of reloaders who could chime in and give him a heads up. Any suggestions?
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  2. #2
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    decent basic portable scale
    Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Digital Reloading Scale
    by Frankford Arsenal
    $28.79$28.79Prime

    more sensitive and less portable
    American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G
    by American Weigh
    $23.49Prime

    I've had both for several years

    these and my 505 have been sufficient me

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Any more getting more than a years warranty on electronics is almost impossible today. About all you can do is what your doing and ask from others. Also look at the units and the internet likes and dislikes. I had a small hornady digital that wandered and lost zero often.
    I have a Dillon but its a very early one that worked good for many years. A Rcbs that also is going on 10 years old and is accurate. A Gem Pro 250 that's 4-5 years old now and accurate and nice. It has .02 reading also. I still use a beam scales for a lot of things but the digitals can be use full. Its a little different trickling charges into a digital scales than a beam type though. It takes some change for the load scales to detect it every time, once it reads a small change may not be seen or take a longer time to register.
    I would recommend the gem pro 250 ( 250 grn capacity and .02 grain reading) for powder. For checking my bullets its not enough capacity normally. It was around $125.00 when I bought mine. If you want to check the bigger bullets there is the Gem Pro 500 ( 500grn capacity and .1 grn reading) Sinclairs have some very good ones also.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    The power switch on my old neva scales stopped working. I bought them cheap off fleabay a good 10 years ago, so i decided to buy a new set, after trying to develop a new load i found out the resolution was .2gr, so my powder was off every few throws till i worked out the reason.

    Ensure you look up the specs to make sure they go .1gr or better. There is cheap, and there is cheap that isn't usable for reloading.

    I have since repaired the old scales by installing a good used switch, i should have done that first hey?......

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    I trust my old RCBS 5~10 beam scale because it always agrees with my old style RCBS 2 piece auto powder dispenser, it's digital and can be quickly calibrated...like I said, those two scales will agree down to the tenth.

    I bought a portable digital scale from Midway a few years back, it too can be calibrated with a little weight that comes with the scale but it never agrees with the other two...I quit using it.

    So...the problem as far as I can see it is this; if you change to a new digital scale you purchased and are loading hot, near max or max loads that you have developed off an accurate beam scale...how can you trust the new digital? You can't until you see if it agrees with your beam scale.
    I wouldn't buy one, switch to it and continue to load without checking the new one out thoroughly. Also, if you read the instructions carefully, do the instructions ask you to give the digital scale any warm-up time?
    If you check the specifications of the new digital scale, does it say to use it in an area where the ambient temperature is bracketed? That may have something to do with accuracy too, some of you Northern BrassStuffers work in some pretty cold shops.
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I have had the F.A. DS750 now for maybe about 6 months. Before that & still have & use an RCBS beam scale that I have had for over 30 years. The FS scale is ok for a lot of loading I do since it is quite fast & easy, but if I am approaching any Max load specs, I go to the beam scale.

    The only trouble I have found is that it seems to like to "remember" weights I have "thrown" & trickled on it. I do not really know how to explain it. I will try though if ya want to read the long version below..

    Short Version - It works just fine for me if I am not concerned about .1 gr.+/- in my loads, even though it is said to be calibrated to .1gr. I would say it has caused me enough concern that if I was approaching a Max load specification I would not use it unless I stayed at .2gr below Max. & then if it is off I will not be over Max.

    If someone is not pushing Max. loads & is not concerned with being +/- over .1 gr. and are ok with up to .2 gr. differences from what they are weighing, then it should work fine. I would buy another, but if it did the same as what i describe in the long version below I would complain to F.A. & look for another elect. scale or go back to using the beam scale.

    YMMV of course, & maybe mine is the only one or one of the few out there that has this quirk I explain below.

    G'Luck to what ever ya decide to do.



    .-------------------------------
    Long version -

    For example of the "remembering" .... When I am working up loads for testing like I have been lately for reduced loads for the missus. I go up .1 grain at a time, not .2gr.. I have found that by doing this I can get loads dialed in better. ( To each their own/YMMV) I have found specific differences in load changes even that small & "to me" that makes a difference. Particularly with some fine low load powders such as Red Dot getting down to 2.2 gr. using 38sp. just for one example.

    Anyway, since I am doing this & loading up by the .1 gr. I will set my powder measure at the bottom amount & then trickle in up the loads from there til I am done. Usually 10 per load amount. Now, I started out just weighing the loads of powder alone, then transferring by funnel to the case. But, I found it faster to just tare the case itself, then add powder to it with the measure separately, then set on scale & then trickle up to the next load weight. To check that I was not having scale issues, every so often, maybe every 5-10 cases, I would take the load that was trickled up , dump it into little pan after the pan was tared & then see if the charge changed. This was part of the verification for safety & making sure the scale was true.

    Once in a while though, the scale , when I was trickling, would not seem to register the amount i was trickling in & then jump to the next number after a long time of trickling. It seemed to want to stay at the number it "remembered" more than change up to where I was trying to reach. [ For example, If I was trying to reach 2.7 gr. with the measure st to 2.5 & I had just done the 10 2.6 loads, when I went to trickle up to 2.7 on the next series, it would like to stay at 2.6 for what I thought was too much power for a .1 gr.. So I would verify by putting the powder in the tared pan to see. Sometimes it would show that I had passed & went to 2.8. So I would dump the load back in to the measure & do it over.]

    This "remembering" did not happen often enough for me to not use the scale any longer, but as particular as I am in this process, it means enough to me to pass it on to those who wish to use one. Mine may be an isolated situation, but even if it is , I found it & can deal with it. If I get uncomfortable with it, I can always go back to using the beam scale. Even though it is a bit slower, IMO.

    [ Note: I have checked it to the beam scale & it is right on & I should also mention & i calibrate every time I turn it on.]

    That is the long version.... The recommendation is the same from me as above.

    "If someone is not pushing Max. loads & is not concerned with being +/- over .1 gr. from what they are weighing and are ok with up to .2 gr. differences, then it should work fine. I would buy another, but if it did the same as what i describe in the long version I would complain to F.A. & look for another elect. scale or go back to using the beam scale.

    YMMV of course, & maybe mine is the only one or one of the few out there that has this quirk I explain below.

    G'Luck to what ever ya decide to do.

    "
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

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  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    Yeah, sometimes JB my RCBS digital with sit there and 'mull' when I think it should be responding, so...instead of trickling over too far, I'll simply touch the scale and cause it to do it's job immediately. I keep telling it..."You ain't gettin paid to think, just weigh!"

    I'm not sure it pays any attention to me either . . .
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I will give that a try, Charlie.


    I will be doing some loads tonight or tomorrow morning. So I will check & see.
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    ~~ WWG1WGA ~~

    Restore the Republic!!!

    For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.

    President Reagan tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MwPgPK7WQ

    Phil Robertson explains the Wall: https://youtu.be/f9d1Wof7S4o

  9. #9
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    This is pretty much the message I gave my friend. Always and I mean always check your E-scale against a beam scale of known accuracy. He has an old Lyman beam scale but his eyes are like mine and the lines are not as sharp as they used to be. As Pres. Reagan said, "trust but verify". I think he likes Lyman stuff but for warranty I would suggest RCBS. We will see what he decides.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    KL-50 High Precision 50g/0.001g Electronic Jewelry Scales (0.005ct)
    http://www.dx.com/p/kl-50-high-preci...4#.V6tjHxI-JdA
    https://youtu.be/JHkZCmSjC28
    * Free Shipping
    * 0.01grs not the normal 0.1
    Regards
    John

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy hwilliam01's Avatar
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    This is the scale I use, supplemented with a larger dish/funnel. FortuneCookie45LC's review was complimentary although it was overkill in sensitivity. It measures grains to the hundredth of a grain...where as the others (Hornady, RCBS, etc.) measured to the tenth of a grain. It is important to note that ALL scales have some operational inaccuracies, such as hysteresis, etc., but when you can measure to one additional significant digit, it HAS to be more accurate.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27DxtdaXFYE

    Bill

  12. #12
    Boolit Master kmw1954's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hwilliam01 View Post
    This is the scale I use, supplemented with a larger dish/funnel. It is important to note that ALL scales have some operational inaccuracies, such as hysteresis, etc., but when you can measure to one additional significant digit, it HAS to be more accurate.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27DxtdaXFYE

    Bill
    I may have to rethink digital scales.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    In the past I have purchased several inexpensive digital scales and have been very disappointed. Recently I purchased a Frankford Arsenal Platnium series scale, and I am pleased with it's performance. One of the biggest problems with digital scales is they can give you a false sense of security. We tend to believe the digital readout without question. The problem is they need to be checked frequently to ensure accuracy. The less expensive scales tend to drift without warning. If you have a digital scale you need to buy a weight check set and frequently check your scale. I still use my balance beam scale when measuring max loads.

    Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

  14. #14
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    Last edited by M-Tecs; 11-15-2017 at 05:36 AM.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    My scale is the one that came with the older RCBS Powder Pro set and it has the 110 v transformer that plugs into the scale with stepped down voltage and it has performed flawlessly for 10 yrs. However, like most electronic things, it has been discontinued for something else (read cheaper made). I wonder how the battery scales respond to the battery voltage going down as the loose their oomph.
    Last edited by murf205; 11-16-2017 at 06:48 PM.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    They all have voltage regulating circuits built in, the electronics work off much less voltage and current than you might think.
    They have a wide window as far as the battery and power supply is concerned but...when the voltage falls below that window/parameter, things will go askew if not shut down all together until it's replaced.

    The scale might have a battery warning symbol that comes on, when it does...replace it and your good to go. But...the problem I've had is having the battery puke inside of the instrument and ruin the battery contacts...even quality batteries will puke, I'll be glad when we get to the free energy technology that's hidden from the masses...no more batteries!
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

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    “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

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    If you want to buy a scale that's made in the US w/ as many US made parts as possible then you want a PACT. http://www.pact.com

    I have two electronic scales that I trust. One is a RCBS Chargemaster. The other is a PACT DPPS. I've had a lot, and I mean a lot, of other digital scales and they all failed in some way. One I will recommend that I haven't used is the Gem Pro 250. There have been enough good reviews that it's proved it's worth for reloading purposes.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    If you want to buy a scale that's made in the US w/ as many US made parts as possible then you want a PACT. http://www.pact.com

    I have two electronic scales that I trust. One is a RCBS Chargemaster. The other is a PACT DPPS. I've had a lot, and I mean a lot, of other digital scales and they all failed in some way. One I will recommend that I haven't used is the Gem Pro 250. There have been enough good reviews that it's proved it's worth for reloading purposes.
    I agree on the PACT scale. The one I have that is 10 yrs old is a PACT and it was made in the USA. Rare these days.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OS OK View Post
    They all have voltage regulating circuits built in, the electronics work off much less voltage and current than you might think.
    They have a wide window as far as the battery and power supply is concerned but...when the voltage falls below that window/parameter, things will go askew if not shut down all together until it's replaced.

    The scale might have a battery warning symbol that comes on, when it does...replace it and your good to go. But...the problem I've had is having the battery puke inside of the instrument and ruin the battery contacts...even quality batteries will puke, I'll be glad when we get to the free energy technology that's hidden from the masses...no more batteries!
    No kidding! I had a name brand battery puke in my game camera and it took a ton of contact cleaner and a lot of brushing to get it out. The camera gave up the ghost shortly there after. Are we ever going to get batteries and electronics back to this country where somebody is proud to build quality products??
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by murf205 View Post
    No kidding! I had a name brand battery puke in my game camera and it took a ton of contact cleaner and a lot of brushing to get it out. The camera gave up the ghost shortly there after. Are we ever going to get batteries and electronics back to this country where somebody is proud to build quality products??
    I think our President has been working along those lines...America needs to get back to where she doesn't need anyone else in the world for anything...Personally, I think it's a sin to deliberately waste resources building junk products...much less buy them from Communist Countries!

    "OoooH Boooy! I better get another cup of Joe and settle down a bit...it's too early go go on a rant! . . . . . . If I wake the wife...well, I ain't gonna make that mistake again!
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

    Be a Patriot . . . expose their lies!

    “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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GC Gas Check