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Post by kevin k on Mar 17, 2009 9:51:54 GMT -5
hi was wanting to know what powder scales you all recommended to use or bad ones to stay away from thanks. Kevin
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Post by smokeless77 on Mar 17, 2009 10:10:51 GMT -5
Kevin k, I dont no what you want to spend, I have a rcbs model 505. I think around $75.00 It does a nice job for what i do.
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Post by Harley on Mar 17, 2009 10:21:31 GMT -5
Kevin, it's like smokeless77 says, you can spend almost any amount you set for yourself. I'd guess the cheapest are the balance beams, and all of them should be okay; then the various digital scales (some more reliable than others), which are more accurate, but not to a very important degree. The top of the line, IMO, is the RCBS Chargemaster Combo.
Harley
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Post by younghunter86 on Mar 17, 2009 10:29:45 GMT -5
I have the 5-0-5 as well. Works for what I need it for. My time isn't worth much. Recently bought a set of check weights for ~$50. Makes me feel a lot better to be able to check it once in awhile.
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Post by craigf on Mar 17, 2009 11:36:45 GMT -5
If you want a digital scale, I like them, don't get anything cheaper than $50/60. The cheap ones are not consistant. Beam scales are a different story. A Lee safety scale is about $25 and works well enough for our needs and more expensive ones are better.
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sr71
Spike
Posts: 38
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Post by sr71 on Mar 17, 2009 11:41:24 GMT -5
I have the RCBS Competition Uniflow that I use in conjunction with the Dillon Terminator electric scale. Both perform flawlessly.
v/r
sr
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Post by dougedwards on Mar 17, 2009 12:16:52 GMT -5
I have the 5-0-5 as well. Works for what I need it for. My time isn't worth much. Recently bought a set of check weights for ~$50. Makes me feel a lot better to be able to check it once in awhile. where did you get the check weights? Doug
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Post by Harley on Mar 17, 2009 13:47:36 GMT -5
Doug, pretty much anywhere that sells dies will offer one or more different check weight sets.
Harley
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Post by younghunter86 on Mar 17, 2009 14:12:15 GMT -5
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Post by dougedwards on Mar 17, 2009 19:23:00 GMT -5
ok thanks
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nic58
8 Pointer
Posts: 237
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Post by nic58 on Mar 17, 2009 21:36:01 GMT -5
I upgraded to a new RCBS Chargemaster 1500 scale. It seems to be a really nice unit.
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Post by youp50 on Mar 18, 2009 18:16:57 GMT -5
I would NOT recommend a MTM casegard digital scale. It was cheap, like 25 bucks. There are several weights it will NOT measure. I do not recall which they were. One was a 308 load and the other on a 25-06. It just held one weight until it skipped up two tenths.
It its favor, when I check weights against the 505 I have they seems to mostly agree.
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Post by screwbolts on Mar 18, 2009 18:17:45 GMT -5
How can you guys get along with just one scale?
I have 3, 2 balance beams and a electronic from 1500 Cabelas The electronic comes with 2 check weights and has worked flawless for 5 years. both on battery and supplied 110V power supply. I am never far from a scale for checking things. :-) Ken
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Post by smokeless77 on Mar 18, 2009 19:59:16 GMT -5
For shooting a muzzleloader one is enough for me.
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Post by raf on Mar 18, 2009 22:32:05 GMT -5
Most name brand scales work very well. I have a lyman. RCBS also very good. One scale is enough and should give you consistant weights
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Post by rbinar on Mar 19, 2009 3:07:51 GMT -5
Kevin, it's like smokeless77 says, you can spend almost any amount you set for yourself. I'd guess the cheapest are the balance beams, and all of them should be okay; then the various digital scales (some more reliable than others), which are more accurate, but not to a very important degree. The top of the line, IMO, is the RCBS Chargemaster Combo. Harley I like the balance beams for cheap accurate measuring. I had a Lyman I bought for about $30 that was all you could hope for if you had time and a nice calm place (don't do it near a fan of HVAC vent) to measure. If your time means something to you and $300 is not more than the budget will allow the RCBS Chargemaster is all you ever want. Dial in an amount and number of times you want that amount and watch, it does the rest. I never worried about calibration but if you do a 3 or 5 gram calibrated weight can be had from many instrumentation suppliers for less than $30 (less than $10 if tolerance is raised) it will check your scales at 77.16 (5 grams) or 46.29 grains. A 60 grain 22 caliber bullet is within 1 grain so I think it's not worth my money.
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Post by screwbolts on Mar 19, 2009 6:48:56 GMT -5
Take a look at the Redding Hunter scales for balance beams, IMHO they are some of the easiest to work with. They are very easy to center. they come with a very good aluminum pan that is easy to pore from. My First R.H. scale was bought in the in 71 I believe. still going strong, This is an undampaned balance beam. I sold a 1000 gr. RCBS because it just took me to long to turn all the weights.
Ken
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Post by sagittarius on Mar 19, 2009 8:16:18 GMT -5
Just wondering... For scales that don't come with check weights, why not just use several different bullet weights to check for accuracy ?
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Post by jims on Mar 19, 2009 11:35:20 GMT -5
I have weighed bullets, never to test for the accuracy of the scale. I have found that the bullets can vary a bit in weight from what is listed on the box so I would not use them for a standard necessarily. Some are pretty close but no cigar.
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Post by Dave W on Mar 19, 2009 14:07:10 GMT -5
I have weighed bullets, never to test for the accuracy of the scale. I have found that the bullets can vary a bit in weight from what is listed on the box so I would not use them for a standard necessarily. Some are pretty close but no cigar. Same here.
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Post by rbinar on Mar 20, 2009 8:43:31 GMT -5
Just wondering... For scales that don't come with check weights, why not just use several different bullet weights to check for accuracy ? I use bullets to check scales all the time. But I don't calibrate the scales with them unless the scale was somehow forced out of calibration. Unless you want to buy a very expensive calibration kit you can never duplicate the factory setting. However buying a cheap calibration weight and thinking all is ok is equally inept. Many (especially the cheap kind) of calibration weights show a tolerance .1 gram for a 5 gram weight. These so called class 6 weights are normally called student weights and are named that because they are close enough for student class experiments. .1 gram is equal to 1.54 grains and is farther from the ideal than most any 50 or 75 grain bullet would be. The best thing is to weight a few bullets when the scale is new and freshly calibrated from the factory. Keep those bullets protected from handling (except when needed to check) and only become concerned when they appear to not repeat. If you think your scale then needs calibrated if might be best to ship it to the factory, many of which will check it for free.
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Post by dannoboone on Mar 20, 2009 13:53:21 GMT -5
I am very pleased with the Lyman DPS 1200. It is a bit pricey, but I use it for several different calibers than just the 10MLII. It comes with a calibration weight which must be used each time the unit is turned on.
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Post by fowlplay on Mar 21, 2009 10:44:13 GMT -5
I am very pleased with the Lyman DPS 1200. It is a bit pricey, but I use it for several different calibers than just the 10MLII. It comes with a calibration weight which must be used each time the unit is turned on. I have the same one and also very pleased. If I could change two things on the DPS 1200 they would be. 1. No 30 minute warm-up 2. Battery back-up for field use. This scale is very accurate and convenient one button dosing. Steve
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Mar 21, 2009 13:31:08 GMT -5
As for calibration weights, RB nailed down a great way. Bullets are very uniform from the factory...usually withing a few 1/10ths of a grain.
If you weigh a 300 gr bullet with a +/- of a few 10th's as your margin of error, a 40-80 gr powder charge will vary less then a tenth.
Did that make any sense?
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Post by broomebuck on Mar 21, 2009 14:40:14 GMT -5
i have the lyman 1500xp got it discount some one took the trickler out, i have never reloaded before but this makes it easy you calibrate it every time you use it come with the weights takes like two minuates to zero it so sensitive i have to turn the celing fan off in my living room thats 20feet away if i had to do it again i would go the same way
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Post by tasaman on Mar 23, 2009 5:02:34 GMT -5
I bought a cheap digital from Midsouth by Frankford Arsenal and it's a POS. When measuring it jumps by .2 to .3 gr and I am not happy with that. I do not recommend this scale at all. Got it on sale for $25 but isn't worth it. Bought a RCBS 505 and it's nice. Want to get another digital and am saving my pennies for a RCBS or a Lyman now.
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Post by chuck41 on Mar 23, 2009 11:21:41 GMT -5
I bought a cheap digital from Midsouth by Frankford Arsenal and it's a POS. When measuring it jumps by .2 to .3 gr and I am not happy with that. I do not recommend this scale at all. Got it on sale for $25 but isn't worth it. Bought a RCBS 505 and it's nice. Want to get another digital and am saving my pennies for a RCBS or a Lyman now. I also bought POS digital scale. Mine came off E-Bay manufactured in China and has a name "CE" model "US-250". Supposed to weigh up to 250 grams and supposed to be accurate to .2 grains. The reality is that the indication may read to the nearest .2 grains, but as you add powder it does not change until you get a full 1 or 1.2 grains additional on the scale when it jumps to the next indication. For example the only possible readings you might get would be 33.2, 34.6, 35.8, 37.0 etc. The numbers in between never appear. It is OK for a rough guess or for weighing bullets, but not for precise measurements that we need for powder. Works great for weighing postage items though. I use my balance beam scales for powder measurements. Someday may buy a good digital, but this one shore ain't it.
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Post by onecardchuck on Mar 23, 2009 16:24:17 GMT -5
I have had very good luck with my Dillon D-terminator. It is a bit more pricey that what you are talking about here, but very reliable and my chrony states pretty darn accurate with such close speeds shot to shot.
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