Electronic powder scale vs. mechanical balance scale

[otisrush]

I have an Ohaus 10-10 that was in the box of used reloading equipment I bought from a friend when I started loading. I'm generally an electronics/hi-tech guy......I like techy stuff in general. But in my loading life I've been more than happy with my beam scale and I have anti-desire to go electronic.

I started with digital calipers and over time they started to drift. Then loading sessions very slowly started to become chores because my level of fretting over whether they'd drifted or not was reaching the point of obsessive. Got a set of Miutoyo mechanical calipers and my fretting turned to utter confidence and calm. I'm assuming going digital in the scale department would cause the same level of fretting - warranted or not.

 

[GeoJelly]

I use one of the pocket milligram scales from Bezos, Inc. I keep a small plastic hand-sanitizer cap in the box and have weighed it many times over and over. For $20-ish, it consistently weighs the cap at 20.52 - 20.54 grains. Close enough for Gov't work and I always load Lite loads anyway. Sidebar, I also use an RCBS Lil' Dandy and it has been within 0.2-gr (always heavier than their chart) with every powder checked.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

To make sure I understand the "drift" problem.....are you saying that the exact same charge or even check weight gives different readings?

I ask this because I DO use an inexpensive electronic scale and no matter how many times I place a 230 .45 FMJ on the tray I get the same readings over and over again.

This is also repeated with my Dillon balance beam.....the 230 FMJ reads as 230 no matter how many times I place the same bullet on the tray.

Or is the different reading from multiple charges thrown?

What am I not understanding on this topic?

Randy

Both of my digital scales will drift .2 grains during use between charges. So when I put the empty pan back on the scale, instead of reading 0.0 it will read -0.2. They do this repeatedly while loading one ammo tray of brass. Not unusual for me to have to re-zero every 5th charge.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I've had two electronic scales. I had to replace the first one because it just wouldn't stay in adjustment. The second one seems to be doing better but it needs to be recalibrated every time I use it. Not a big deal because it only takes a few seconds. It stays within 0.1 grn thru 50 drops so I'm not worried about it. I still have my old beam scale but haven't used it in years. I prefer the electronic scales.

 

[garbler]

Well in 56 years I've gone through a lot of scales and went through the digital phase starting in the early nineties and have owned three. My wife has worked in labs and even a calibration lab all her working life none used digital electronic scales exclusively. The are always variables and unreliable repeatability on consumer grade digital scales. Years ago it was fluorescent lights and the interference it created in electrical power sources so scales or navigational equipment was never used on the same circuit. The two scales I have now a Dillon and Lyman both require constant re-cal and checking. Fine for some things cause they are small and mobile but overall not as reliable or accurate as a good beam scale.

For the past thirty-five years I've relied on what I consider the best the RCBS 304 which is a Ohaus 310 except it's calibrated in grains instead of grams. Fast and totally reliable. If you see one buy it and never look back

 

[DanWales]

I use both. I bought a set of test weights they tell the truth. So far the electronic has been good to go. Someone mentioned air currents and heat. I sure can back that statement up. Sometimes even the smallest air current makes a difference you have to keep that in mind, I'm sure someone has had a person walk by and watch either scale move a tenth or two. The old tried and true mechanical scale won't let you down if it's in good shape.

 

[Heinz]

I have an RCBS beam scale, It has worked well for the last 40 years with no batteries

 

[chief38]

I have absolutely no reason to believe that electronic scales are bad. I have used many of them at friends houses and they work just fine. That said, I still use my RCBS 10-10 manual scale as it has worked 100% for me over my entire reloading career and can't justify replacing a perfectly good scale.

What does concern me about electronic scales is that if they are off a bit - they might be harder to detect than with a manual scale. Now I admit that might be a non issue, but I just feel very comfortable with my manual 10-10.

I will also admit I know of no one who has purchased a reloading outfit over the past 5 years that has bought a manual scale - so like with many other things, I may just be an old "stuck in my ways" old fart - lol!

 

[BE Mike]

I have an RCBS beam scale, It has worked well for the last 40 years with no batteries

They have things now called inverters which lets you use 110 AC current for those scales. They actually plug into the wall! There is also something called a microwave oven and it is really handy! Even though I'm in the geezer category, I load large amounts of pistol ammo for target use. I found that my Lyman 1200 DPS 2 let me get rid of that old powder measure and mechanical scale. Anything that actually helps me speed up the reloading process is a win in my book. When I want to make a small quantity of precision rifle ammo or high velocity pistol ammo. The powder dispenser is accurate and fast. There is nothing wrong with the old mechanical scales and nothing wrong with the electronic scales. The e-scales just make things go faster and make reloading less of a chore.

 

[BillBro]

The old fashion mechanical scales may be old fashioned and mechanical but mine is what I always check my two electronic scales to.

 

[BE Mike]

The old fashion mechanical scales may be old fashioned and mechanical but mine is what I always check my two electronic scales to.

I use the Lyman check weights.

 

[Jounior]

Interesting thread... I always use a beam scale but with some modifications. I built an electric eye setup that straddles the scale beam and uses a cell phone electronic vibrator that acts on a plastic container with a drop tube that extends over the scale pan and drops the exact amount of propellant in the pan to line up the indicator pointer on the beam scale.

I use my culver powder thrower for the initial charge weight always slightly lower than the desired amount, and put it in the scale pan and energize the vibrating trickler and let it equalize the charge at which time the electric eye cuts off the trickler.

I can reliably hold my charges within 1/4 grain consistently and I've proven that by shooting them over the chrono and recording velocity.

Works like a charm. With long range shooting like we do, accurate propellant charges (among other things like jump and bullet insertion pressure) are very important. I leave nothing to chance.

I only use bushing dies as well and most of the rifles I reload for have custom made die sets, dies made specifically for their chambers.

Handguns, not so much because the range is a lot less, but I still use my system to charge those cases minus the jump and case neck tension.