$300 scale advice

[Hikinghunter]

Have a $300 budget for a scale. Trying to decide between a used Denver Instruments PI 214 or a new A&D EJ-123. Goal here is to take the charges thrown by my cheap autoloader and "finish them off" on a more accurate scale. It's a budget compromise.

Both options claim greater resolution and repeatability than what I need. Neither are electromagnetic (I can't afford an FX - 120i), so I will probably check against a known weight every 10 loads or so to watch out for drift. at my loading pace, that's not a problem, I load maybe 200 rounds a year.

The PI-214 is one serous-looking piece of equipment, but it's old tech. Better off just buying the newer EJ-123?

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

I would use a beam scale if that's all you are loading.

Or save for another a year and get the fx120

 

[stazmania]

I am looking in the same price range. There isn't much solid info out there. I've been considering the creedmoor sports e scale.

 

[rfd]

I use "cheap" $25 scales that are consistently accurate to .02 grains - more than efficient for weighing any and all white or black powder loads.

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[Gpkhill2]

The Creedmore Sports TRX925 is right up your alley. I've had one for over a year. Measures to .001.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

if that's all you checking it's not worth the $$$$$....any el-cheappo deluxe beam will handle that with no problem.

 

[rfd]

I grew up in the '50s using beam scales and they do work quite well because that was all we had. However, all are super slow as compared to any cheap +/- .02 grain digital.

Do you need more than +/- .02 grain accuracy? For the very most part, IMHO, heck no ... but to each their own.

 

[Mark37082]

I understand your dilemma. I tried beams and cheaper electronic scales. Drifting scales and difficulty reading beam scales just made reloading frustrating. Budgets are important, but so is confidence in your equipment and peace of mind. I finally pulled the trigger on a FX-120i. It immediately showed me how sloppy my previous scales were.

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

I would use a beam scale if that's all you are loading.

Or save for another a year and get the fx120

^This. Throw a charge a little light and trickle up on the beam balance pan. Make sure the beam is leveled and returns to zero when given a little tap. Then set for the final weight and begin trickling.

 

[R.Morehouse]

I use a tuned beam scale. What I did for my eyes is I bought a cheap webcam ($20) and aimed it at the pointer and run it through an ancient laptop I had here. I throw powder ( you can use those cheap Lee powder dippers as well, they work great) into the pan then trickle up with the Little Dandy powder trickle. It can go surprisingly fast once you get the hang of it.

Regards
Rick

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

I remember the days of using a cardboard slide scale and a plastic powder dipper going down in the powder with the dipper and raking my finger across the top to remove the excess.

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

Good idea using the webcam. My "old school" solution was to build a tiny shelf for my Redding beam balance at eye level above my loading bench. The powder trickler sits beside the balance.

 

[woodnut]

I wanted a newer scale and after looking at a lot, found the MyWeigh (?) GemPro 500 Precision. It measures out to 0.00 It's accurate, but where I got it and paid for it is a mystery ! Long time ago. Once I find the weight I want, and get it several times; I then go to the powder thrower and load up. Every so often, I re-check it. The courser the powder, the harder it is to get a consistent throw so be advised.

 

[338 dude]

Have a $300 budget for a scale. Trying to decide between a used Denver Instruments PI 214 or a new A&D EJ-123. Goal here is to take the charges thrown by my cheap autoloader and "finish them off" on a more accurate scale. It's a budget compromise.

Both options claim greater resolution and repeatability than what I need. Neither are electromagnetic (I can't afford an FX - 120i), so I will probably check against a known weight every 10 loads or so to watch out for drift. at my loading pace, that's not a problem, I load maybe 200 rounds a year.

The PI-214 is one serous-looking piece of equipment, but it's old tech. Better off just buying the newer EJ-123?

I use a charge master 1500 to throw the charges. I have it tricked out with the McDonald's straw and different parameters. It works very well but I use the second cheap Lyman, which has twice the resolution to check everything. I don't believe you can do much better for the money as a back up scale than the Lyman.