Most accurate powder scale and methods??

K

kdvarmint

Guest
I am currently using a Lyman 1000 XP Electronic Digital Scale (Midway product #118-094). I use a powder drop to get it close then trickle the rest. Weigh each charge twice, zeroing scale every time (after a couple my scale will "float" a little). So what scale has a good reputation for accuracy and what methods do you use for consistancy?

Thank's kd.
 
At the risk of opening a real can of worms, here goes. There's a lot of ways to look at this and lots of gear out there to do the job. Anyway, here's the junk I use:

I've got a well used and slightly tuned up RCBS beam scale that's repeatable and accurate along with a Jennings JSVG20 electronic. The Jennings is what I take to the range and tournaments to verify what the powder measure is dropping on that day. You can turn off the auto shut off 'feature' which is a big plus. It claims .05 (half a tenth) grain resolution and a-b-a testing it against a high end lab scale gave consistent results.

bm2.jpg


To me, scales are like chronographs. Once you accept that there is no 'perfect' and that you don't need 'perfect', life gets better. Consistency trumps 'perfect' every time.......;)

Good shootin'. -Al
 
kdvarmint said:
Have you ever reweighed charges on a seperate scale to see if it is really throwing consistant charges without the scale "floating"?
Click to expand...

Any of the "Strain Gauge" type scales will FLOAT when in use. You can install all of the line filters, dedicated power supplies and such but the principle they work on is responsible for the drift. The scales incorporate software that takes the info from the strain gauge and filters it to the display. That is why there is a lot of Zero Float.

You will have to spend a lot more cash to get a dead nuts electronic scale (like the Sartorious GD 503). Those are magnetic force resolution scales that don't float and give very accurate wts.

For short range BR type shooting, spend your money on a good powder measure and work on technique. If you are competing at 600 and 1000yds, get the good scale and you will see the results on the target.

Bob
 
My Weigh GemPro 250 may be in my near future. Anyone using one?
 
kdvarmint said:
Have you ever reweighed charges on a separate scale to see if it is really throwing consistent charges without the scale "floating"?
Click to expand...

No. I don't have to. That's the purpose of calibration.

Reweighing charges on a separate scale is like chasing your tail.

If you carry the method of checking the checker forward [using one scale to check another scale looking for "floating"] you could check the checker 10 times and never be sure that all 10 separate scales in your succession were correct, unless each one was calibrated against a known value and each one registered the known value.

The RCBS 1500 combo that I've used for over four years has always calibrated to a known value. It's never failed the calibration.
 
I use the MXX-123 ( http://www.6mmbr.com/mxx123test.html ) and am very satisfied with it. This is my ninth scale.

I made four identical wt scale pans for it and they work amazingly well to keep it "calibrated." I also keep three weights handy but never seem to use them. I also check occasionally using a cartridge case set aside specifically for this purpose.

I keep the scale inside a heated room on an isolated wooden table which is screwed to the wall. I ran a ground wire and keep the unit on at all times with a pan on the pan. It keeps zero for weeks/months.

I have no idea whether or not this is correct procedure but I have no trouble weighing individual kernels of extruded powder.

hth

al
 
alinwa said:
I use the MXX-123 ( http://www.6mmbr.com/mxx123test.html ) and am very satisfied with it. This is my ninth scale.

I made four identical wt scale pans for it and they work amazingly well to keep it "calibrated." I also keep three weights handy but never seem to use them. I also check occasionally using a cartridge case set aside specifically for this purpose.

I keep the scale inside a heated room on an isolated wooden table which is screwed to the wall. I ran a ground wire and keep the unit on at all times with a pan on the pan. It keeps zero for weeks/months.

I have no idea whether or not this is correct procedure but I have no trouble weighing individual kernels of extruded powder.

hth

al
Click to expand...

For calibration you'd be better off using the weights with known values vice the four home made pans and cartridge case unless you've had the pans and case tested by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to a certified known source for weight validity, and then each stamped with their true weight.

Zeroing is not the same as calibrating. Zeroing simply means that the scale is eliminating the weight of the pan from the computation, to arrive at just the weight of the powder.

Two totally distinct and separate functions are being performed. Calibration helps tell you if the powder truly weighs what the scale says it does, and Zeroing which eliminates the weight of the pan.
 
ab is right, I misspoke :)

I RARELY calibrate. Like I've checked calibration maybe twice in 5yrs????

kdvarmint,

absolutely, without a doubt. I would not (do not) shoot beyond 300yds without weighing anymore, I weigh everything except for 100-200yd PPC/BR stuff. For short-range accuracy it makes no difference, really and can mask a marginal load. I WANT my short-range loads to be wobbling a little so's I can see the fringes.

Well, OK, I'm kinda' not shooting much PPC lately, I only use them for checking conditions..... and currently I've a 30X47L that's working well for that, so I'm kinda' talking out my backside. But so far I can't see a reason to weigh for short range. And some disadvantages. If one were really "on it" for a given barrel, knew the center of his node and pre-loaded for a PPC I can see where weighing might be safer.

Unless the load went whacko at a match.......

But then that's always a danger with pre-loading for PPC.

I wouldn't bother with a Chargemaster for weighing accuracy charges altho I do use one for loading thousands of rounds of hunting ammo.

hth

al
 
alinwa said:
ab is right, I misspoke :)

I wouldn't bother with a Chargemaster for weighing accuracy charges altho I do use one for loading thousands of rounds of hunting ammo.

hth

al
Click to expand...

For what I do I don't ever see a Chargemaster working for me. Unless of course we start growin prairie dogs in Pa.:cool:
 
From what I've seen at the NBRSA Nationals, in the trailer shared by two top-notch shooters, and on the benches of quite a few of the other top contenders, the ChargeMaster is now being used as a valid option to the old volume measures, for the 100/200 yard, point-blank-range, Group and Score BR shooter. Sounds like you made the right decision, for your application.

While on the subject of calibration, a neat tool for calibrating your dimensional measuring tools is the Mitutoyo 0.050000" [50/1000ths] gage block. This one's helpful for the Micrometer and the Caliper and at $27.55 is a bargain: http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/NNSRI...re=ItemDetail-_-ResultListing-_-SearchResults :)
 
Buy a ChargeMaster, keep an eye on it to be sure it stays within an indicated tenth gr. and forget all the scale arguments. This is all you need to do for short range BR. It is also arguably more than you need per many well known shooters but the ChargeMaster keeps me happy.
 
Weighing powder

bob3700 said:
Any of the "Strain Gauge" type scales will FLOAT when in use. You can install all of the line filters, dedicated power supplies and such but the principle they work on is responsible for the drift. The scales incorporate software that takes the info from the strain gauge and filters it to the display. That is why there is a lot of Zero Float.

You will have to spend a lot more cash to get a dead nuts electronic scale (like the Sartorious GD 503). Those are magnetic force resolution scales that don't float and give very accurate wts.

For short range BR type shooting, spend your money on a good powder measure and work on technique. If you are competing at 600 and 1000yds, get the good scale and you will see the results on the target.

Bob
Click to expand...

All above is the truth..... once you see how a mag.force resolution scale performs...... you`ll get one..... they are a pleasure to work with....
 
In the case of 133, I think that Chargemasters are more accurate than the average competitor's thrown charge, and I believe that that is the reason that they have become so common at matches. On the other hand, the new LT32 and 2015 are so easy to throw to short range requirements (+- .1) , I do not think that the same is true for them.
 
Boyd

is bang on in his last post. I have never thrown anything as consistently as 2015 or LT-32 in my Harrell's. No matter how meticulous I a trying to throw 133 the variations are a lot greater. Because of that I weigh everything. I dump it into a empty film canister, then on the scale. It either is a go or no go. If go dump into the case if no go, toss it back. The 2015 or LT is usually bang on. The 133, that is another story. I decided to throw lighter and drop the last few kernels to get to weight with my fingers.

Does it make a difference? No idea but peace of mind, it is worth it.

JMO

Calvin
 
I did buy the My Weigh Gem Pro last year that I spoke of earlier in the thread. After a year of use I am happy with it. Yes its zero does float a little. But only in the hundredths an not tenths as my old one did. I know there are better, but I think it was a good buy.

kd.
 
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