need new scale help, please
- Thread starter cjmac1988
- Start date
Electronic scales are very annoying to me. That said I have the RCBS 1500 and use it. It is accurate but have to be extremely careful, I pretty much have to re-zero it every 3 to 5loads and then check with calibration weights.
I am very anal about my loads being exact and plan on buying a top quality beam scale soon, just haven't got around to it yet. I think the 1500 is more accurate than the cheaper beam scales. I think it is equal in accuracy to mid-price beam scales but less accurate than the higher quality scales. I don't currently own a beam scale but us what I prefer to use, as long as it is a better quality one.
I am very anal about my loads being exact and plan on buying a top quality beam scale soon, just haven't got around to it yet. I think the 1500 is more accurate than the cheaper beam scales. I think it is equal in accuracy to mid-price beam scales but less accurate than the higher quality scales. I don't currently own a beam scale but us what I prefer to use, as long as it is a better quality one.
I run 2 Chargemasters that have been reprogrammed and they are fast and accurate enough for me. I shoot a lot and don't have time to sit at the bench worrying about .02 grains and such. .1 is plenty accurate for me and many others.
Throwing a charge and then setting it on the scale and waiting for it to stabilize wasn't faster for me. I always had to throw a little low and trickle up as my thrower is not all that consistent. Running 2 Chargemasters at the same time with each having an avg dispense time of 15 seconds each, I can barely keep up with them when both are running.
My feelings as well. I have 2 chargemasters as well and use them to throw the extruded powders on my dillon 650.
+1 on the Chargemaster. Get a beam scale to make sure the electronic is working correctly every 10 or 20 rounds and if you really want pin point accuracy buy one from Scott Parker but electronic is faster for me.
How long did your previous digital computer last? I'm still using the same beam scale I bought in '65 and it's good for at least that much longer, it's a simple but high quality instrument. No one keeps a digital around to make sure his beam scale hasn't gone bonkers ...
All beam reloading scales are repeatable to .1 grain or better and that's all we need. So are digitals IF they're working right but they do tend to get squirrely as their internal temperature and powerline line voltage changes even when nothing's wrong with them!
Anyone finding a digital scale faster isn't using his beam scale properly; usually due to very poor placement, like flat on the bench top. (Only worse place to put a beam scale is under the bench!)
All beam reloading scales are repeatable to .1 grain or better and that's all we need. So are digitals IF they're working right but they do tend to get squirrely as their internal temperature and powerline line voltage changes even when nothing's wrong with them!
Anyone finding a digital scale faster isn't using his beam scale properly; usually due to very poor placement, like flat on the bench top. (Only worse place to put a beam scale is under the bench!)
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Everything Fuzzball said is correct, accurate, and true. Same goes for a few others comments, too.
Just like the 'latest and greatest' craze in cell phones (aka Life Support Systems for the weak,,,,) going electronic isn't exactly going advanced. Not unlike the fundamentals of marksmanship, learning the fundamentals of the tools themselves is where quality, professionalism, and experience comes in.
Or you can just 'buy' your ammo,,,, cause it takes too long to reload. Ya'll know how that turns out, right?
Just like the 'latest and greatest' craze in cell phones (aka Life Support Systems for the weak,,,,) going electronic isn't exactly going advanced. Not unlike the fundamentals of marksmanship, learning the fundamentals of the tools themselves is where quality, professionalism, and experience comes in.
Or you can just 'buy' your ammo,,,, cause it takes too long to reload. Ya'll know how that turns out, right?
I keep a beam scale around for back up but that's it. And btw I'm still using a computer from 1994 at work and a refrigerator from the early 60's lol
"... I'm still using a computer from 1994 at work and a refrigerator from the early 60's lol"
Slayer, I'm happy for you. But I have two significant questions and a few thoughts.
1. Nine years from a high quality computer really isn't all that long but do you suggest it's normal for a home computer? (Refigerators that old have no electonics, that's part of why they lasted so long!)
2. Has your computer worked that long without repairs?
Repairmen can keep almost anything running virtually forever if we're willing to pay for it AND if parts are avaiable! That hardly has a reasonable application for our cheep-o home computers ... or for cheep electronic reloading scales.
Even if we were willing to pay for professional scale repairs forever, the parts availablity will be very limited. Trust me on this, ALL digital reloading scales are cheaply made but quality electronic scales cost several hundreds of dollars and UP! And they have regular scheduled professional maintainance schedules to keep them working right; no reloader has that!
So, your old refrigerator doesn't apply at all and your computer experience is interesting but virtually meaningless so far as our typical electonic scales are concerned.
Slayer, I'm happy for you. But I have two significant questions and a few thoughts.
1. Nine years from a high quality computer really isn't all that long but do you suggest it's normal for a home computer? (Refigerators that old have no electonics, that's part of why they lasted so long!)
2. Has your computer worked that long without repairs?
Repairmen can keep almost anything running virtually forever if we're willing to pay for it AND if parts are avaiable! That hardly has a reasonable application for our cheep-o home computers ... or for cheep electronic reloading scales.
Even if we were willing to pay for professional scale repairs forever, the parts availablity will be very limited. Trust me on this, ALL digital reloading scales are cheaply made but quality electronic scales cost several hundreds of dollars and UP! And they have regular scheduled professional maintainance schedules to keep them working right; no reloader has that!
So, your old refrigerator doesn't apply at all and your computer experience is interesting but virtually meaningless so far as our typical electonic scales are concerned.
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No repairs on the computer at work but it has never been hooked up to the Internet either so that really helps. The refrigerator has never been repaired to my knowledge either. Like you said neither apply or compare really. I just mentioned the computer because you asked how long my last computer lasted lol. I know a beam scale can be very accurate as I have seen what a Prometheus can do. The results I get with my Chargemasters are good enough for me and probably %90 of shooters. Very little vertical at distance tells me that accuracy of +\- .1 grain is good enough. You could very well be in that %10 that it isn't good enough for and that is perfectly fine. Also if my Chargemasters only last for 5-6 years than I would be ok with that as that would add up to around 8000 rounds a piece or .03 cents a round. I can live with that.
