In the shed just a bit ago...

[Tom W.]

I was going to load some cast boolits into some 30/30 A.I.
The load was to be 35 gr. of RE 15 with a 160 gr Lee.
I use a Dipper and weigh each load on both my electric scale and my balance beam scale to double check.
Today after I zeroed out both scales the electronic scale was reading .5 grains heavier than the balance beam. I disassembled the balance beam, cleaned it up really well, checked the bearings and the send that sit on them. I made sure everything was super clean and still had a .5 difference.
I didn't recalibrate the electronic scale due to the fact that I knew that I wasn't going to be able to stay out there much longer because of my health.
Tomorrow evening I'll be going to recalibrate the electronic scale and compare the weights again. In retrospect I should have taken a calibration weight and checked both scales to see which one is lying.....

[LUBEDUDE]

Frustrating indeed. A good case for owning scale weights.

[Winger Ed.]

I don't totally trust these small scales.

I load mostly for paper punching, and end up at least 10-15% under a max. load.
So if the scale is a bit off, it probably won't be by much either way, and I won't get into much trouble.

[country gent]

I have several sets of check weights and use them like jo blocks in the shop. My first step loading is to zero and check the scale I'm using at the given charge weight or very close to it. I use the weights and add up the combination that gets me exact or very close and check the scales with them. This tells me the scales is zeroed and reading correctly. In your case it would tell which scales is reading off.

With your charge of 35 grns as the example. plug it in the calculator. subtract 5 grns ( always start with the smallest portion of the weight) set the 5 grn weight out. Then subtract 10 grns and set it with the 5 grn. you now need a 20 grn weight and your there. It doesn't take long to do and when done you now the scales are right at that weight and they are set correctly

[EMC45]

Be careful out there in that heat Tom.

[mdi]

I "calibrate" my digital scale with my RCBS (or Lee SS) beam scale. I will weigh something and note the weight on my beam scale and check on my digital. I will note the difference and write it down on a sticky note. The only time this is very important/needed is when I'm approaching max. charges...

[Tom W.]

I wandered out there for a little bit today after I turned on the A.C. ( which didn't help much). I found my paperwork and box for the PACT scale and re-calibrated it. Then I took a checkweight and tried it on the RCBS scale. It showed .5 gr light. I made sure again that the bearings were clean, no bugs, dust or spiders were anywhere to be found, and all was squared away. Then I took a Sierra GameKing 150 gr bullet and weighed it on the PACT. It was just fine. I took the same bullet and weighed it on the RCBS scale with the same bad results. By then it was time to get out of that oven... I muttered few choice words under my breath and sent a message to RCBS customer service. I have always had excellent service from them, so I shall see what transpires......

[GhostHawk]

I have had small electronic scale "gain" aprox 5 grains each time. So loading 50 7.62x54r cases with a very light load by the time I hit case # 25ish it was overflowing the case. Ended up dumping them all as I could not trust any of them.

Made a dipper, weighed it 3 times with my RCBS good scale, all 3 agreed within 0.1 of a grain. Ok good enough for me. Filled the cases. Checked first, and last, both weighed the same. Flashlight said all cases had same level of powder. Good enough.

Once you work up a technique for a dipper, always do it the same way. I always get results more than accurate enough for my shooting. So I no longer weigh each charge. And I have gotten pretty good at making dippers out of brass I have picked up but don't shoot. Everything from .22lr dropping 2 grains of Red Dot to 9mm or .357 mag dropping big charges. And each one gets written on how many grains of what powder.

And I have found it is easier to sharpen the edge and cut foam plugs or cardboard plugs to adjust the charge down than trim the brass. A drop of super glue holds it stationary so it can't shift. Old targets make good fine adjustments to lower a couple of tenths.

[Tom W.]

I have a set of Lee dippers that I've had for years. They are the yellow ones, and for informal shooting I just use them. But for hunting and serious ( for me ) target work with my rifles I like to weigh the loads, hence the two different scales. For paper punching at the range with my handguns I'll use my RCBS uniflow.......

[Burnt Fingers]

If it's an RCBS beam scale there are small pieces of shot in the part that holds the pan. You can "correct the scale by removing or adding some.

[725]

Good catch on finding an error on your scale.

[tomme boy]

All electronic scales need to be turned on and let sit for at least 1/2 an hour to stabilize. And don't leave a charge in the pan while this is happening.

[Burnt Fingers]

Guys! It's the beam scale that's apparently off.

[Winger Ed.]

Guys! It's the beam scale that's apparently off.

It is evil, and must be punished!


Not sure which one you have, but my old Hornady has a little screw & locknuts on one end to tweak it.

And mine was a little touchy about being on level surface from front to back.
You can adjust level from side to side, but front to back was also important on mine.

[Tom W.]

It's a 5-0-2 beam by RCBS......
I once had a Lee beam scale and hated it... hence the acquisition of the RCBS.....

[LarryM]

Being a cheapskate I keep a few odd items around that I have weighed and verified the weight for checking my scales. I've got a copper penny that I scratched the weight into, a 158gr jacketed bullet that I verified as being exactly 158.0 gr and I used to have an actually check weight that was 10 gr but I think my wife's dog ate it.

[str8wal]

So you are saying that the RCBS beam scale was accurate at one time and now is off by .5 grain?

[1hole]

In retrospect I should have taken a calibration weight and checked both scales to see which one is lying.....

I used to repair/calibrate precision electronic measurement equipment on Cape Kennedy. I can tell you now which of your scales is wrong and it's not the mechanical balance. Beam scales depend on gravity and the notches on the beam; neither shifts around. On the other hand .... yeah, it shifts.

Electronic failure rates gave me very good job security for a long time and I'll never have such devices for weighing powder on my loading bench.

[Wayne Smith]

"In the shed" - any possibility of some mud dauber or such deposits?

[dverna]

I am another who uses a range of bullets (jacketed only) to check my scales. Electronic scales may not be the very best way to measure powder but I really like using my RCBS ChargeMaster. It is so fast and easy. I rarely load more than 50 rounds at a time and check it before and after the loading session. I am too lazy to weigh out every charge on a beam scale, but did that for decades. I will never sell my beam scale.

I load hundreds of pistol and shotgun rounds at a sitting but they are loaded on progressive machines and have never had a problem with them. Volumetric loading has the one "safe" feature of not being able to overcharge a case....unless you get powder hanging up...so keeping static down is a good practice.