This lee powder scale that came with my kit sucks. I know the cheapo digital scales are junk. Can I get a good one for $100? Any suggestions?
Digital powder scale
- Thread starter Truth223
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I agree, the $100 mark does not yield a top quality digital scale, most are at a much higher pricepoint. Also only 2 year warranty on most of these Chinese made digital scales. I started with the Lee then picked up a cheap DS-750 from midway. It worked for what it was, but I got tired of erratic measurements. I now use a Lee powder thrower, RCBS 502 and a RCBS trickler, once you get used to it, you can throw charges pretty quick and dial them in to within a few kernels.
I spent the money once on a good electronic scale and really enjoy the peace of mind. The accuracy of being able to measure the weight of a single grain of powder means I can load each cartridge down to the kernel. That's one variable in my process that I can not improve on now.
Until I did this, I wrestled with all sorts of scales. It takes time for a beam to settle although you can stabilize it by hand (more time). It takes time to reweigh and reset lesser electronic scales. Time.
Until I did this, I wrestled with all sorts of scales. It takes time for a beam to settle although you can stabilize it by hand (more time). It takes time to reweigh and reset lesser electronic scales. Time.
i love lee but dam there scale is total shit. i run a chargemaster or take a honady LNL electronic scale to my buddys place when i help him. havent had any variartions yet. i fill up a loading block seat/crimp if needed then recalibrate just to check. just takes a second.
^ ^ ^ The man speaks truth. The advantage of digital scales is in greater convenience, not greater precision. For precision, any decent Ohaus beam scale will smack the snot out of the popular digital ones.
Yours,
David
May want to check out the Gem Pro 250. Not a bad little scale.
It's a bit above your price range ( about $130 -$140). Has a good long term warranty.
Nice feature it reads out in .02gr increments. It's fairly stable with a minor sometimes small drift.
It's a bit above your price range ( about $130 -$140). Has a good long term warranty.
Nice feature it reads out in .02gr increments. It's fairly stable with a minor sometimes small drift.
Go here http://balance.balances.com/scales/1955/ get a Sartorius AY123. The cost is $259.00 shipped to your door. They shipped mine the same day I ordered it. Compare that price to anyone else online.
I have Acculab VIC-123 which is the same scale, and paid about the same. I load for 1000 yard F-class shooting and the scale gave me low MV extreme spread and tighter vertical, but in my house it drifts like crazy. I replaced it with a Gempro 250 which can be had for $145 or so from Amazon, which drifts much less and can also measure to 0.02gr. There's a couple of comparisons on accurateshooter.com. If I had the money I'd replace it with a Sartorius GD-503 but that's a $1200 balance, and I've been perfectly satisfied with the Gempro.
First question I'd ask is "how accurate do you need?" If you need to be able to measure a granule of "flea crap" go with the expensive scales. If +/- .1 gr, and repeatable readings, are all you want then look at the Gem-Pro. I have a Dillon D-Terminator that's been very repeatable and I can take it to the range with me if I need.
Sounds like you need a clean power supply. Mine drifts if I plug it straight into the wall. I go through a UPS and it's stable.
Brand new? NO... used? Yes... there's actually one being sold on the OPTIONS AND ACCESORIES for $75
Like others said, get a good quality balance beam. I've been using a 5+ y/o Redding 505 and I used to have the RCBS 1010 both are excellent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aazGxHs6QE0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Like others said, get a good quality balance beam. I've been using a 5+ y/o Redding 505 and I used to have the RCBS 1010 both are excellent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aazGxHs6QE0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Over the years I've found digital scales invaluable for reloading, but unless you're prepared to buy a $1000+ precision scale, you shouldn't rely on it solely for making match ammo (plinking ammo is another story). Electronic scales are very fast compared to beam scales, but they can be very fussy about warming up (most should be calibrated, run for 30 minutes, then calibrated again before using), very picky about environmental conditions (room lighting, air motion, etc), all resulting in drifting of weight values. Of course, if you're loading for speed and not accuracy, it's fine, but if being off by 1-2gr is a big problem for you, then you need a more redundant method of weighing.
Between 2007-2011 I had a pretty good system down for match ammo where I double-weighed powders on electronic scales - first powder is thrown from an electronic dispenser, then I confirm the weight with a second stand-alone scale. This was very fast and generally any drifting of either scale showed up rather quickly. That said, it wasn't until I started spending more on a higher quality scale to confirm loads that I actually got the consistency I was looking for.
The ironic thing now is that I no longer electrically dispense powder and instead do it the old fashioned way with Lee powder scoops. I scoop the powder onto an RCBS electronic scale, which gets me in the ball park very quickly (a good powder thrower is still a viable option for this), then I load it in my beam scale and use an Omega powder trickler to trickle the last few kernals of powder until I hit the weight.
So I guess the point I'm trying to make is electronic scales are very, very useful but I don't think it's wise to rely 100% on them for match ammo unless you're willing to spend the money for a top quality professional scale like a GD503. Otherwise, just build in some method to confirm the weight before you charge the case.
Between 2007-2011 I had a pretty good system down for match ammo where I double-weighed powders on electronic scales - first powder is thrown from an electronic dispenser, then I confirm the weight with a second stand-alone scale. This was very fast and generally any drifting of either scale showed up rather quickly. That said, it wasn't until I started spending more on a higher quality scale to confirm loads that I actually got the consistency I was looking for.
The ironic thing now is that I no longer electrically dispense powder and instead do it the old fashioned way with Lee powder scoops. I scoop the powder onto an RCBS electronic scale, which gets me in the ball park very quickly (a good powder thrower is still a viable option for this), then I load it in my beam scale and use an Omega powder trickler to trickle the last few kernals of powder until I hit the weight.
So I guess the point I'm trying to make is electronic scales are very, very useful but I don't think it's wise to rely 100% on them for match ammo unless you're willing to spend the money for a top quality professional scale like a GD503. Otherwise, just build in some method to confirm the weight before you charge the case.
I'd stick with a balance beam myself. I have (2) 10-10's tuned by Scott Parker. I only load 50 rounds max at a time, I weigh each charge then confirm the weight on my second scale. This take me ALOT of time, but it gives me confidence that my loads are accurate. Every digital scale that I've seen is jumpy, they make me nervous. If your loading towards book max, I wouldn't even consider a digital scale. Just my opinion.....
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