FX120i questions

[RmeJu]

I'm thinking about stepping up from a beam scale and trickler. For those that have the FX120i:

1. Will it maintain .02gr accuracy with large stick powders (N570, RL-33, etc) given that the individual sticks seem to weigh more than .02gr ?

2. Is the $900-$1000 price tag worth it over, say, a Chargemaster? I realize this is highly subjective, but I'm interested in opinions.

3. Is the auto-throw part skippable (practically speaking) by just using a normal powder dispenser?

4. What vendor tends to have the best price?

Thanks!

 

[antithesis]

I am not sure you are thinking correctly about 0.02 accuracy. The scale is more accurate than that. You need to decide where you want the tolerance to be. If your powder is ~0.02 per kernel and your target is say 50.0, decide if you are going to stay between 48.0 and 50.0, or 50.0 and 52.0. The only other option is to cut the kernels.

The scale itself can be found for $450 - $500, so guessing you are talking the entire setup for $1K.

Value over a Chargemaster is something you will need to decide. If speed matters, then definitely. The FX is more accurate, but the CM is accurate enough for a lot of good shooters. The further you shoot the more an accurate load matters. I had one before buying an Auto Trickler. It was not until I started shooting past 800 regularly that I decided to make the change.

You don't need the auto thrower and trickler, but then you are back to the speed question.

Last time I exchanged emails with Adam (about a year ago) CE Products was going to be the only authorized distributor.

 

[Baron85]

I’m running a fx120 with the auto trickler. I started with a beam scale and hand trickler, then bought a charge master, then upgraded to my current set up auto trickler/fx120.

To me, the upgrades each time we’re not for more accuracy, they were for speed. I don’t really think my ammo has gotten any more accurate with any of the different ways I have done it. But the speed has increased exponentially!

The way I use the auto trickler is I have a rcbs powder drop set up on a stand next to the auto trickler that I dump the majority of the powder with then let the trickler finish it off. I adjust the powder drop and auto trickler so that it finishes throwing the next powder charge right after I seat the bullet on the last one.

With the charge master, I was always waiting on the dispenser, and had frequent over charges and if I lifted the pan and set it back down it would frequently not read the same. Not sure if the newer chsrgemasters have made improvements, mine was probably 8 years ago.

As far as the accuracy of the fx120, you can measure human hair, it easily notices each grain of varget, 4166 ect. The scale also registers/refreshes very fast which would help you speed up even if your doing the trickling by hand. If you spring for the auto trickler you can adjust when the trickler slows down to help prevent over throws. With ball powder I can usually run 50 charges and have 1-2 over throw. And with stick it’s usually 4-5. And most of the time the over throws are only .02gn with a few .04-.06gn over throws. The scale has a resolution of .02gn.

It is the second best piece of reloading gear I own, just barely behind my giraurd trimmer ( I really really hate trimming and chamfering brass!)

 

[RmeJu]

Thanks. Yeah, I don't have any trouble with accuracy on my powder throws, this was more about the speed.

Sounds like you have the same setup I was thinking about--scale with auto trickler, with a normal powder dispenser.

 

[antithesis]

You can get a higher resolution if you convert to grams (0.001).

 

[ecm1997]

I just received mine in the mail on Friday. I bought it from CE in Canada for about $500 shipped. I don’t have the auto trickler set up yet but it is definitely on the list. My previous powder method was to throw with a manual dispenser and trickle with a Redding trickler. The trickler will not reach the pan due to the size of the scale. I am going to put together a platform to hold it over the scale until I get the automated set up. The scale it’s self is on a completely different level from the Lyman digital scale that I was using.

 

[charnicus]

1. Can’t say but it has maintained well with H4350. Haven’t felt any need to recalibrate. It’s damn sensitive though and find that I need to keep an eye on the level.

2. If I was to do it again I’d buy 2 charge masters. Don’t get me wrong, this FX is sick but how much better does it make me. I’m not good enough to make that determination.

3. I think that would remove the convenience of the sorta one step process

4. I only know of Area 419. I bought mine from a Canadian outfit but was forwarded through them.

 

[John Glidewell]

I had to drill my powder drop valve in order for it to drop N570 consistently. The guys at Area 419 can do this if needed. Yes it is worth the $. It drops and trickles a load every 8 seconds.

 

[Dthomas3523]

If you get an after marker insert for the trickler. You’ll see any overthrows basically disappear.

it adds a few seconds to the process, but for example when I throw 34.0 grains, 90% are about 33.98, the other 8-9% are 34.0 with the last being 34.02.

I almost never see an overthrow anymore since getting an insert. Even a 34.04 is very rare.

 

[47guy]

If you get an after marker insert for the trickler. You’ll see any overthrows basically disappear.

it adds a few seconds to the process, but for example when I throw 34.0 grains, 90% are about 33.98, the other 8-9% are 34.0 with the last being 34.02.

I almost never see an overthrow anymore since getting an insert. Even a 34.04 is very rare.

where do we get these inserts?

 

[Dthomas3523]

where do we get these inserts?

I got mine from a guy on a FB group. You have FB? If so, I’ll PM you his name.

I think several people make them though

 

[47guy]

I got mine from a guy on a FB group. You have FB? If so, I’ll PM you his name.

I think several people make them though

i just PM'd a guy here thanks.

 

[Rocketvapor]

First off, I don't own one of these fine digital scales,
But, I will comment on general features of some.
A scale with a resolution of 0.001 gram is only slightly better than 0.02 grains.
0.001 gram calculates to 0.0154 grains. A little better than 0.02 grains.
BUT (40 grains= 2592 milligrams)
A 40 grain charge on a milligram scale will have counted 2592 counts,
But in grains mode (0.02 grain resolution) will have counted 2000 counts.


The 100 gram Class M2 calibration weight that is normally supplied with most scales has a tolerance of +/- 16mg. That's somewhere within 0.016 grams light to 0.016 grams heavy.
That's about +/- a quarter of a grain at the calibration point (+/- 0.247 grains).

A 100 gram M1 Class calibration weight has a tolerance of +/- 5mg, about 4 counts on a 0.02 grain resolution scale. Again, +/- 4 counts at full scale is likely less at lower loads.

Don't even consider M3 Class weights.

That establishes the full scale end point of an accuracy curve.
With a good zero, measurements at a small fraction of full scale are not effected much by full scale calibration. Zero (auto zero?) can change the calibration curve from the low end.
Zero and full scale set up the end points for accuracy CURVE of the scale

Scale linearity, usually measured from 10% load through 90% load will determine accuracy in most practical applications. Like reloading?
To KNOW the TRUE weight of a load, say 40 grains, you can rely on the new specifications supplied by the manufacturer (if they include linearity in the specs) or you can test NEAR your target weight with a Check Weight.
Look at weight specifications when picking a Check Weight.
Maybe a M1 Class 5 Gram weight (+/- 1.6mg, or +/- 0.025 grains)
is probably good enough to check your charges.
How many COUNTS +/- is the Class of weight you picked?

Now, does the TRUE weight of your charge matter? Or is it just SAMENESS?
If you consider an almost perfect scenario, +/- one half of one count for a good electronic zero, +/- one half of one count for a single reading, NO full scale error, and NO linearity error, the BEST you can expect is
+/- 0.1 PERCENT Accuracy for a 40 grain charge. Probably good enough?
Real world results? Probably NOT that good.

(might want to check my math )