How can I weigh rounds heavier than my scale?

[superior]

I shot 7 rounds out of 20 45-70's, and reloaded the 7, forgetting that I had loaded them initially with 40 grains of h4198 extreme. I reloaded the 7 with 34 grains.
The problem is: My lee powder scale won't weigh loaded rounds. It only goes up to 100 grains. (good for powder only)
I don't want to buy a new scale, so how can I find the 7 lighter rounds so I can separate them. I don't want to shoot and reload them all. I just want to shoot the 7 light loads and reload them up to 40. Has this ever happened to anyone?:groner:

[M-Tecs]

Just add weight to the balance beam. The scale will not read true weight but you can sort the light from the heavy.

[superior]

I'm going to see if I can rig something up right now, M-tecs! Hope it works! Thanks

[Longwood]

Build yourself a simple comparison balance type scale that you can suspend with a string. I have one I made from an aluminum arrow shaft but about anything that is long and skinny will work. Any amount of difference, will make one end of the arm drop drastically, You can also make a simple slider then if you want it to be accurate, calibrate the beam with your Lee scale.

[Ford SD]

What i have done in the past is
Level scale and then remove pan (RCBS scale)others should be the same
then using a length of soldering wire add to the hook part(with pan removed)
till scale is at ZERO (LEVEL)

Then put pan back on and add solder you put on the hook to the pan and weigh it (and make note of number-->(weight) -- weight is equal to the weight of the pan

then when you need to weight something a heavy bullet for instance

level scale / remove pan/ weigh bullet and add the number for the weight of the pan
and you have your total

[1Shirt]

I suggest that rather than screw around with scale modification, you buy a cheap digital scale. I got a Hornady battery operated on e-Bay that weighs all of my ctgs for under $30.00
1Shirt!:coffee:

[thegreatdane]

I suggest that rather than screw around with scale modification, you buy a cheap digital scale. I got a Hornady battery operated on e-Bay that weighs all of my ctgs for under $30.00
1Shirt!:coffee:

I did the same from midway. It works great for boolit weights. It's quick and easy.

[KYCaster]

Some very good suggestions for comparing weights greater than the capacity of your scale........

BUT.......

Unless you sorted your brass and boolits by weight before you loaded the ammo, the chances of identifying the lighter powder charge is very slim.

Ass-U-me a boolit weighing 400grs., the total weight of the cartridge is going to be close to 600gr. So your 6gr. difference in powder weight amounts to about 1% of the total you're trying to weigh.

Good luck, but I think you'll find the weights vary quite a bit more than 1%. :(

Jerry

[sirgknight]

+1 on a digital scale. $15/free shipping, 10-yr warranty on ebay now. Weighs in grains or ounces up to 1,000 grains. I've used one for 5 years with very satisfactory results.

[littlejack]

Way, way back when I started loading, or was it reloading, I bougt myself a Ohaus M5 scale.
I still have it to this day, and it is the ony scale I have had and used since 1965.
Anyway, it weighs up to 500 grains as the other scales do. Now, here is the good part.
There is an extra weigh that comes with the scale. It sets in its own little designated,
machined out recess. If you need to weigh something over 500 grains, you just attach the
weight to the end of the beam, and start over from 0, knowing there is already 500 grains
on the scale. It's is easy and works great.
These scales come up on ebay quite frequently, and the prices are very reasonable.
If mine ever goes bad, I will have another one very soon.
Jack

[Longwood]

I have a Lee scale that I hate so I ordered a digital scale from China off of ebay that does carats, grains, grams, and ozs.
I was so happy with it, I also bought one that weighs up to 70 lbs that I use for stuff like ingots and a big box of zinc wheel weights I sent to Oregon. I paid less than $20 for each with shipping.
I had some rounds a few days ago that I did not think got a full charge and it only took a couple of minutes to find them with the digital scale. They are very fast and simple to use in comparison to a balance beam.
If mine breaks, I will surely buy another one.

Edit: I also bought some of the check weights from China for really cheap.

[Mk42gunner]

Way, way back when I started loading, or was it reloading, I bougt myself a Ohaus M5 scale.
I still have it to this day, and it is the ony scale I have had and used since 1965.
Anyway, it weighs up to 500 grains as the other scales do. Now, here is the good part.
There is an extra weigh that comes with the scale. It sets in its own little designated,
machined out recess. If you need to weigh something over 500 grains, you just attach the
weight to the end of the beam, and start over from 0, knowing there is already 500 grains
on the scale. It's is easy and works great.
These scales come up on ebay quite frequently, and the prices are very reasonable.
If mine ever goes bad, I will have another one very soon.
Jack

I have the same scale, I bought from a member here in the swapping and selling section.

I have used a variety of RCBS scales over the years- 502, 505, 510 and was looking for a 10-10 when this one came up. Since Ohaus makes the RCBS units, I figured that I couldn't go wrong with it.

I have also Dillon, Lee, Hornady and maybe a Redding at friends houses. The only one that I didn't really care for was the Lee, although it worked okay.

Robert

[Jim]

I did the same thing a coupla' years back. I bought a 1500 grain electronic scale thinking I could sort them out with it. No soap. Too much variance in the readings. I pulled all of them with a kinetic puller.
Yeah, it took time to do it, but I had the peace of mind knowing that I wasn't going to frag my rifle with an errant load.

[Longwood]

I did the same thing a coupla' years back. I bought a 1500 grain electronic scale thinking I could sort them out with it. No soap. Too much variance in the readings. I pulled all of them with a kinetic puller.
Yeah, it took time to do it, but I had the peace of mind knowing that I wasn't going to frag my rifle with an errant load.

I was looking for a few rounds that had 6 gr less powder. I found them very quickly.

I had a 510 RCBS scale but it got away so I bought a Lee to double check the digital scale with and it just sits and collects dust.

I am into accuracy so I try to keep any variance to a minimum by using all the same name brass which I weigh when I purchase it. Now that I have the digital scales, I even weigh my cast plinking bullets since it is so quick and easy. I find a few that I am sure would be flyers. I don't mind missing a little ways now and then but I HATE flyers. Especially when they would cost me a match. :x

I sold all of my pistols and only have two lever actions in 45 Colt and a Hiwall in 45-70 so I don't burn up as much ammo as I yusta.

The wind keeps blowing the cats off of the patio or I would be testing some right now.:-(

[Junior1942]

+? on buy a digital scale.