Electronic Scales

[dale2242]

I was weighing loads thrown my Lil Dandy and was getting very inconsistent readings from my Frankfort Arsenal scale.
When I tested my charges against the FA electric scale I found it was all over the place.
The batteries were replaced thinking that may be the problem.
This has been tossed around here before but which electronic scales do you prefer and the price?
I`m not interested in the top end stuff.

[TurnipEaterDown]

I do use the small Frankfort scale.
At times, it gave me trouble, so I "figured it out".

1) Keep cell phones away from it (probably goes for all of the electronic scales). The RFI from the phone will cause wildly erratic readings.
2) Yes, keep an eye out for trouble, and replace batteries if you see drift.
3) Write down the pan weight on the scale pan handle w/ Sharpie marker and look at the reading when you remove pan to dump powder. If not the correct negative value, try over.
4) When trickling up to desired value, stop just short, gently blow on pan to lift the indicated weight 5-8 grains, and let it settle back. This helps with the '...darn thing jumped up 0.3 gr...' phenomena.
5) Keep any scale away from drafts / wind currents. Furnace ducts 10 feet away can give you trouble.

[pworley1]

I only use my electronic scale for tuning in the weight that I want because it is much faster than my M-5. Once I get close I used the M-5.

[ioon44]

I have used a few different electronic scales and for weighing powder now I only trust my RCBS 505 beam scale.

I use the electronic scales for brass and bullets as they are faster for this job.

[Hootmix]

Was having problems w/ getting consistent reading across my chrono, turns out it was my electronic scales was "lying to me. My Grandson (he's a math whiz), said when was the last you recalibrated your scales, ,, do what!!, he got on the internet, found the instructions for my model, "we" recalibrated the scales. Tested w/ known weights, works true now, go figure,,,( kids !!)

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[georgerkahn]

I was weighing loads thrown my Lil Dandy and was getting very inconsistent readings from my Frankfort Arsenal scale.
When I tested my charges against the FA electric scale I found it was all over the place.
The batteries were replaced thinking that may be the problem.
This has been tossed around here before but which electronic scales do you prefer and the price?
I`m not interested in the top end stuff.

I have pretty much always had a "thing" against electronic scales! But, there'd be no way I'd transport my good balance beam scales to range for load development there (complementing Buchanan press :)). Hence, I sought out an electronic scale with similar wants as you posted, deciding to purchase a Dillon brand Determinator.
By gum and by golly -- again, not any electronic scale endorser, I made a series of "check weights" -- carefully cut lengths of solder wire at different benchmark weights (e.g., 33.00 grams; 44.00 grams; etc. -- you get the idea?) to use as an accuracy comparitor on my pickup truck's tailgate. This Dillon scale has been 100% always dead on!
In the house, too, when I load teeny cartridges where there's a smidgeon dif between the intended charge and a gross overload, I interrupt my progressive press loading cycle by removing/weighing each charge, again using the Determinator. One further "plus" is that it uses common AA batteries (or, 110VAC) -- as opposed to those scales that use the quarter-sized flat batteries which always seem to die when in the field, with no nearby stores having more than empty peg-board hooks (been there!) to attempt purchasing a needed replacement.
If -- for any reason -- *I* was in the market for a replacement electronic scale -- this would be my choice!
(What I have/do)
geo

[gwpercle]

In 50+ years of reloading I only used balance beam scales . Redding #1 (oil dampened) and much later a nice RCBS 5-0-5 (magnetic dampened) .... but ...having recieved a bunch of Amazon Gift Cards for Christmas I had some extra "money" to blow . I bought a little electronic scale and it arrived yesterday . It had some good reviews and wasn't expensive ...$20.00 so I thought I would try out modern technology . It's a DigiWeigh Poseidon X Series V3.00 Ammunition Scale ! I hope it works well because setting up the beam scale is tedious and it takes up a lot of room ...this little gizmo is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 and only 3/4 " thick ...flat as a pancake .
I would like to use it on my desk where a PC sits ... I hope the computer doen't mess with it's operation ... I can move it if needed . I haven't even read the instructions yet ...
They are printed so small I can't read them ... I have to get them enlarged so the old half blind guy can read them ...getting old and going blind sucks ... And I'm the type that reads instructions ...Dang It ! So as soon as I can get readable instructions I'll be trying it out and posting how well it works .
Gary

[trails4u]

I, personally, have learned to not trust them. I'm sure the lab-grade ones are as advertised....but for my budget, there's nothing out there I would trust as much as my RCBS beam scale. It's really only important to me in my rifle hunting loads....I don't load pistol stuff hot, nor 5.56 plinking stuff, so I'm fine with a powder measure for those. Everything else gets weighed on the balance beam...

[dswancutt]

I'm going back to my Hornady beam scale than I bought in the 90's when I started reloading. The small Frankford arsenal digital scale is reading low by about 1 to 2 tenths of a grain. That's bad because my 147 gr 9mm loads were loaded about 2 tens under max load. I have some wiggle room as the RMR bullets are shorter in length than the Hornady 147 I am using for load data.

[recumbent]

Florescent lights above the electronic scale will mess with them.

[Old Caster]

I have a Cabela electric scale that plugs in and it works well but you can not dribble powder in because it will make it out of adjustment. I don't know how much it cost because I got it in a group of supplies nor do I know if it is still available. I use it all the time but have an old lyman slide scale too and test it from time to time. It is a lot easier to use the electric scale even though you do have to watch it to make sure it hasn't gotten out of adjustment.

[dale2242]

I just ordered the Hornady G3-1500.
I will be used mostly for weighing bullets.
I will cross check against my other scales.

[sharps4590]

I have a Pact but only use it for weighing bullets. I trickle a lot of loads and it's useless for that. I'll stick with my old Lyman beam scale.

[Shawlerbrook]

I am a lifetime beam scale user, but have used electronic scales for non reloading things. One thing to be careful of is electronic interference from other electronics like fluorescent lights.

[jonp]

My Frankfort was giving me trouble too so I bought a GemPro 250. I use it to check bullet weights, verify my Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto and if I get near max to weigh every load so they are accurate. Also use it for testing of I want to be more precise than usual

First scale I had was a Lee Balance. I still have it but never liked it

[salpal48]

I personally have given up on my electronic scales. they all after awhile get Unreliable. Went back to My Ohaus Dial O grains. they were the best and still are the best.

[Winger Ed.]

I don't trust them after they've lied to me a few times.
I quickly went back to a beam scale.

If you're looking for a cheap electronic scale--- you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Like everything else: cars, Whiskey, steaks, etc- we live in a 'get what you pay for' world.

Now days if someone of the younger generation does some math with pencil & paper,
they'll double check themselves with a electronic calculator.

If I use a electronic calculator, sometimes I find myself checking its accuracy with paper & pencil.

[sukivel]

I use the Frankford scale and it works very good. Perhaps I finally got “the one” that works…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[todd9.3x57]

i've been using the hornady lock-n-load powder dispenser for about 11-12 years and i like it. i check the weights on the lyman beam scale and they are right on.


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012762980/

[Messy bear]

I have used a Pact for over 20 years I think. It has worked well but I always check with balance beam. Saves time in setting measures though.
Did they go out of business?

[popper]

perhaps I finally got “the one” that works -- nope, I got that one. Been using it for 10+ yrs, change batteries when needed. Don't have another scale of any kind. Don't even trickle powder - I did get the plastic hornady thing that sits on the shelf.

[kaiser]

I have a Redding balance beam just to confirm any charge that doesn’t look or feel quite right. Basically, I use two digitals. One battery and one electric plug in. My standard procedure is to weigh it in the battery one, and confirm it on the digital plug in and throw the charge if the are at least within .1 (if not, the balance beam will let me know if I have a battery problem, or a scale error). I keep the measures away from vents, fans, and heating ducts. This method for me has really made the process quick and efficient without having to be “mesmerized” watching a balance beam go through its “moods” My .02

[David2011]

I bought a Frankford Arsenal digital scale some years back and immediately realized it was not what I expected. It’s not sensitive to trickling or other small changes. It’s fine for sorting boolits.

The scale on my RCBS Chargemaster is dead on when the dispensed loads are weighed on either of two balance beam scales but it’s a bit more expensive than the FA.

[imashooter2]

My PACT scale has been plugged in on my bench since 2003. I dread the day it dies as nothing I see today is it’s equivalent.

[dverna]

Mine digital scale plugs in. Wonder if that is why it works?

But it is over $300 so not in your budget.

I had a PACT and it plugged in too and was accurate and not expensive. It died about 8 years ago.

[imashooter2]

The closest thing I can find to my old PACT is the Dillon. It uses either batteries or wall charger. It has a check weight and zeroing program, although I think my PACT with its 2 lighter weights and 3 step zero is superior. It handles trickled charges. I don’t like the large platform that doesn’t center the scale pan. $149 plus Dillon’s ruinous shipping. If I have to buy another, that’s probably where I’d go.

[Petander]

I just discovered my BPI scale was reading a lot too much.

Instructions say to use 50 grams to calibrate it so I check with 50 and it reads 50.02. I figure things are okay.

But it reads too much at lower weights, one gram shows 1,05 g, 3g reads 3,10, 5g reads 5,15 etc...

It also doesn't calibrate as per instructions.

Santa brought me an RCBS dispenser which is working great - and all my old beam scales agree with it.

Here is how BPI reads 3,0 grams. In trash it went.

https://i.postimg.cc/JhV5S7Vr/IMG-20220124-220007-355.jpg

[panhed65]

My PACT scale has been plugged in on my bench since 2003. I dread the day it dies as nothing I see today is it’s equivalent.
I am with you, sadly, my pact died after I don't know how many years, a lot. always work and was accurate. there is nothing like it on the market now, sad that they quit making them. If I remember rightly, there was a green one sold my rcbs, looked the same as mine.
Barry

[doulos]

I have a RCBS Micro Pro that is more than 15 years old. It stays plugged in almost constantly. I check it frequently with check weights. I calibrate it every time I use it. It is just now starting to be a little off. It reads 1 tenth lighter than a check weight when under 20 grains. Once I get over that figure its dead nuts. Cant ask for more from a electronic scale.

[ddeck22]

I use the Hornady G3-1500. A good set of calibration weights will also keep things honest. I do this before every reloading session....I have a checklist I go through after learning the hard way that finding out something is wrong 15 minutes in is worse than knowing beforehand.

[Greg S]

My RCBS 505 I believe **** the bed during a cross country move some 25 years ago. It was replaced with an RCBS Chargemaster and a set of check weights. Not having the accuracy I desired, I bought another E scale accurate to 2/100 gr.

E scales are fast but can have shielding problems around fluorescent lights and need a warm up period to prevent drift. Like computer power supplies, add a ferris oxide line scrubber/filter to your scale power supply cord and try and get rid of the fluorescent lights above your bench.

Last week I was pursuing the local loan shark and scored an old RCBS 10-10 for 60 clams and jumped on it. Been wanting to get an older beam scale for years after loosing confidence in 502 and 505 scale.

At the least, I believe a fellow should have some sort of check weights whether homemade or store bought in the 1, 3, 5, 10 grain weights cause setting up a new load with a fast powder leaves little room for error. Thank the Lord when my second scale went out I was trying to load 18-21 grains of Clay's and when the pile of powder looked like too much based on my experience I stopped. If that had been an unfamiliar powder, I don't know if I would have caught it.

[farmbif]

I found that the inexpensive digital scales to be more accurate than weighing powder on the bathroom scale but I tried two of them both less than $30 and both seemed to be off by about 0.2 grains, just like others here are reporting. I'll stick with the old Lyman m2 and RCBS 505 for working up loads.

[John Guedry]

Had an electronic wonder toy. Couldn't get it to hold zero,a trip back to the factory,and it worked right for about 30 seconds. Garbage can.

[1hole]

I used to repair/calibrate electronic scales for the space program; I do not and never will have a digital scale for powder weighing.

Any (affordable) digital scale claiming accuracy to 2/100 (20 thousants) of a grain will lie to you about other things as well.

[ukrifleman]

Digital scales have had too much bad press with `wandering zero's`.

My Redding No.2 beam scale, verified with RCBS check weights, is my method of choice.
ukrifleman

[Shoebox]

I tried several of the $50-100 electronic scales available, and all were completely unreliable. I bought a $20 Homgeek off Amazon, and it has been dead on the weights my 5-0-5 shows. I don't do precision reloading, so it's definitely accurate enough for my needs.

[Petander]

I got a new one, a cheapo this time. Can buy four of these for the price of one BPI "Elite". BPI lasted four years though.

For now this is dead on with every calibration weight from one to one hundred grams. And calibration with the included weight actually works.

https://i.postimg.cc/HLC7kgqT/IMG-20220208-185755-358.jpg

[almar]

Ive gone through so many cheap scales and learned not to mess around with them anymore. They are ok to measure coffee and such but not for reloading. My gempro 250 was a great little scale but just gave out yesterday after many years of great service. It seemed to be the exception to the rule regarding cheap scales although it wasn't exactly cheap at 160 bucks. I replaced it with a ohaus spx123...it better be worth it, at almost 3 times the price but it hear that it is. I agree though regarding mechanical scales...i trust them more, hopefully this electronic one will change my mind.