beam scale vs digital

[stevesmith]

if it aint broke dont fix it..if you got something working for you i wouldnt change either..just foof for thought was all i was saying..none the less
have a blessed day

 

[Bigeclipse]

if its a name you want- ohaus , denver instruments , fairbanks , cardinal , weigh tronix , toledo , lynx etc. but most digital scale being mad these days are quality enough to do the job and do it well as long as it doesnt have a problem..as i had mentioned if it will do the steps i outlined it is perfect and if it want it needs to be returned..having said that most manufacturers are producing a unit with the same wheat stone bridge (load cell) as your name brand scales just being dubbed by whoever puts there box around the electronics..a beam scale has to many friction points to allow for drag or binding to cause them to be very unreliable. they will repeat zero because they were made from zero. but where the fulcrum pivot sits in the bearing cup the pivot is almost sharp as a kinfe blade so it can actually pivot. with just a small amount the scale to be impossible to weigh correctly.with load removed it goes back to top that then it has a problem because the wheat stone bridge is a resistor in theory so it either works or it doent ..if it works its 100% if it dont its 100% broke
i hope this helps to understand the theory behind a beam scale versus a digital scale..
have a blessed day

what do you think of the GemPro250 by myweigh? I have heard great things and I am about to pull the trigger on it.

 

[stevesmith]

looks like a neat little scale..if its a good deal i would pull the trigger..
when you get it just check to make sure it will do what i described as a build up test..if it does that keep it..if it wnt send it back get another..the biggest thing to look out for with the load cell is damage in shipping it cant take no shock load IE: being dropped hard or placing a heavy object on it..
other than that it looks like a good one..got good reviews..every scale has bad reviews also..but all in all digital scales re hard to go wrong s long as they work..
sure hope this helps with your decision..
have a blessed day...

 

[Bigeclipse]

looks like a neat little scale..if its a good deal i would pull the trigger..
when you get it just check to make sure it will do what i described as a build up test..if it does that keep it..if it wnt send it back get another..the biggest thing to look out for with the load cell is damage in shipping it cant take no shock load IE: being dropped hard or placing a heavy object on it..
other than that it looks like a good one..got good reviews..every scale has bad reviews also..but all in all digital scales re hard to go wrong s long as they work..
sure hope this helps with your decision..
have a blessed day...

thanks for the advice. The other cool thing about this brand is they offer "lifetime" warrantees which I guess they are good about honoring. I also heard that once they are warmed up for a few hours (sometimes longer) they show little to no drift during a loading session which is my main concern. I am not a Bench Class shooter but still looking for decent consistency.

 

[stevesmith]

what do you think of the GemPro250 by myweigh? I have heard great things and I am about to pull the trigger on it.

looks like a neat little scale..if its a good deal i would pull the trigger..
when you get it just check to make sure it will do what i described as a build up test..if it does that keep it..if it wnt send it back get another..the biggest thing to look out for with the load cell is damage in shipping it cant take no shock load IE: being dropped hard or placing a heavy object on it..
other than that it looks like a good one..got good reviews..every scale has bad reviews also..but all in all digital scales re hard to go wrong s long as they work..
sure hope this helps with your decision..
have a blessed day...

thanks for the advice. The other cool thing about this brand is they offer "lifetime" warrantees which I guess they are good about honoring. I also heard that once they are warmed up for a few hours (sometimes longer) they show little to no drift during a loading session which is my main concern. I am not a Bench Class shooter but still looking for decent consistency.

most places will give a good warranty on there scales..thats the good thing so you can feel comfortable buying one so if theres a problem with it you can get another..
i use the lyman micro touch 1500..it has a 1500 grain capacity x.1 graduations..
this scale is as good as any of the small powder scales..if i was buying expensive jewelry by weight i would invest in a ohaus navigator for about 900.00 but im loading bullets and this thing does that as well as it can be done..it had a warranty when i bought it glad i didnt need it though..
if i can help in any way let me know..have a blessed day..

 

[Mikecr]

I'm all for the precision of digital scales, and I wouldn't pretend beam scales can keep up under lab conditions. But I've learned over the years that measurement standards in the field come down practical(repeatable given field conditions). My bench is not a lab. It's not granite, or plumb, or contained within a tight atmosphere, without breeze, or dust, or vibration,, and my power is residential.

The best I can practically measure on my bench is to the powder kernel, no matter the better digital scale. And what I've found through testing is that the best reloading scales(for me) are not actually the most accurate.
The best reloading scales are easiest to consistently measure to practical(easy to use well).

Having said all that, I'm very happy with my RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 scale/dispenser.
To consistently get to the kernel with it took some testing/mods and validation with a far more accurate Acculab scale . But once I did, I couldn't unload that Acculab fast enough. IMO, it would absolutely suck as a reloading scale.

 

[stevesmith]

I'm all for the precision of digital scales, and I wouldn't pretend beam scales can keep up under lab conditions. But I've learned over the years that measurement standards in the field come down practical(repeatable given field conditions). My bench is not a lab. It's not granite, or plumb, or contained within a tight atmosphere, without breeze, or dust, or vibration,, and my power is residential.

The best I can practically measure on my bench is to the powder kernel, no matter the better digital scale. And what I've found through testing is that the best reloading scales(for me) are not actually the most accurate.
The best reloading scales are easiest to consistently measure to practical(easy to use well).

Having said all that, I'm very happy with my RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 scale/dispenser.
To consistently get to the kernel with it took some testing/mods and validation with a far more accurate Acculab scale . But once I did, I couldn't unload that Acculab fast enough. IMO, it would absolutely suck as a reloading scale.

over the years folks have became custom of using beam scales...and if they work for you then by all means do what feels right for you..but under the same circumstances with the marble slab and (lab) like conditions. that will result in catostrophic conditions with a analytical type scale..but when using a digital scale with 1 decimal posistion you ill get the same vibration , wind , etc. erors with a beam scale probably worse than with digital only thing is a digital scale will let you see that .1 or .2 floating or unstability where the beam scale is under so much friction, binding and dragging it dont allow you to see it..thats where a digital scale in all actuality really shines because you can see any deviation from your numbers. now that bothers folks and they say ohh this thing moves around want stay on zero etc. if a beam scale didnt have such (binding) factors you would see this severely but for that reason you dont seeit so that gives the impression that is stabilized very good and fast so its got to be working and weighing properly. dont get me wrong because a beam can work within its tolerances but no beam has the tight tolerances of a digital scale.. im gonna try to explain this quickly.. if you start at zero and say you goin to 90 grains. well when you get your 90 grains on the scale and its solid and stable. you pour it in and go to the next one..well if the 90 g your seeing might be 90.2 but you have loaded using that same factor so your gun dont know the difference..you load 95.4 grains on your scale and thats your go to load.. well it might be that in reality its only weighing 95.1 grains but again your gun dont know . you know that if you weigh your powder to 95.4 grains on your beam that its gnna do exactly what you want.. in reality the actual real weight is sorta irrelevant as long as you get the load you want without any pressure signs..so having tried to explain that it goes across the board just like that ..as long as you start low and work up a load..so a beam scale does work. and some work better than others and it may weigh correct at the 500.0 gram weight you hve to check it with. but if that test weight isnt resealed once a year it can and probabnly is out of tolerance but the real test comes with is the scale linear..meaning if at 100.0 grams it shows 100.1 if so at 200 grams it should be 200.2 any and all errors are multiplying errors so 500.0 grams should be 500.5 if the scale is linear. the only way to really check it is to load it in linear steps.IE: a 1000.0 gram scale has to be checked at 100.0grams 200.0 300.0 400.0 all the way to capacity. if theres any error that comes up past the initial 100.0 grams then the scale is not weighing linear and then you have no clue if it right or wrong and or how much at what weight. thats where a beam scale flunks big time. then do whats called back weighing.. with capacity on the scale of 1000.0 grams take 100.0 off does it go to 900.0 then 800.0 running backwards..a beam cannot do this even the very best of the best cant and want..however a digital cale can and will..now in the beginning you stated the ultimate lab like conditions. a analytical scale or they are called a balance will have minimum of 6 decimal posistions. with that you better be on a 4in. marble slab with it enclosed in a air tight chamber with zero vibration or you will never get close to seeing any stable number. but same thing with a beam only theres no such thing as a analytical beam.. so the beam on your loading bench and a digital scale on your loading bench both weighing by graine and divisions by .1 the wind will have the same ill effect on both ctually worse on the beam but because of them binding factore you cant see it as well as the digital because its designed to weigh wekk within its tolerances..a beam is also only its tolerances are no where the same as a digital scale therefore you see the error faster quicker with digital. but for people that have been sing a beak for 40 years they have there loads worked up on (there) scale and it does exactly what they want. not one thing wrong with that..with a digital scale as long as it isnt damaged in anyway when you load you will see exactly how much weight you are using given its tolerances of 1/10 of 1 percent of applied load or one division whichever is greater. so to see a digital scale by .1 division to be moving +/- .1 either way is as close to perfect as you can get with these type of scales unless you can control the enviroment with things already mentioned..but on our loading benchs its the best we can do with either scale a beam or digital..and im gonna say one more time..lol there is nothing wrong with using your beam scales as long as you feel comfortablewith using them..if they make you happy and make your gun happy what else do we want when loading?? thats exactly what i want anyway..i sure hope im not making no one mad cause its not my intention im just trying to share many years of knowledge and experience in one of very few fields i know a great deal about..
i hope you have a blessed day..

Steve Smith

 

[gohring3006]

I agree,
One of my pet loads is 56.5 grns of IMR 4350 in actuality it might be 56.4 or 56.8 but on my beam scale it is 56.5 but as long as my scale is consistent I can live with it. Its just a reference number on my scale to get me to my desired load. If I ever switch scales I'll have to start over. Or weigh the charge with both scales and see where the new scale registers my desired weight..

 

[J E Custom]

I like to use both the beam and the digital scales because they both have there strong points.

The beam scale is very dependable and all of my load data is based using the beam scale (A Ohas 10-10 that Is at least 50 years old) It is still dead on with the supplied weight and even if it is off a tenth of an inch on the high end of use, It is still consistent. (Unlike different batches of the same powder).

The digital scale is more finicky if there is any breeze around it but it is very fast and when weighing brass or bullets it is my go to scale.

I have both scales setting on a piece of flat ground granite. marble or slate will also work. this gives both scales a solid base and seems to make them more dependable/predictable. they are also in a cubby hole that keeps any wind/breeze from effecting them. also I make it a habit of turning the digital scale on at least 1/2 hour before using (This also seems to steady it down so I don't have to constantly check for zero). A higher cost digital might not require this, but it works with mine.

If I want speed when loading I will set the beam scale to my listed load weight and dump a charge on it for the base line and then weigh it on the digital. that is the weight I will go by on the digital
for the rest of the loads. (The digital and the beam never agree on the exact weight even though it is very close (1 or 2 tenths at worst) the charge will be the same as in my load data because it was developed using the beam scale.

Both types have there place and can be trusted if checked against each other and the furnished test weights in my opinion.

J E CUSTOM

 

[stevesmith]

I agree,
One of my pet loads is 56.5 grns of IMR 4350 in actuality it might be 56.4 or 56.8 but on my beam scale it is 56.5 but as long as my scale is consistent I can live with it. Its just a reference number on my scale to get me to my desired load. If I ever switch scales I'll have to start over. Or weigh the charge with both scales and see where the new scale registers my desired weight..

im certainly glad you understood that totaly because you said it exactly the way it is..and thats just the way it is..
you have yourself a good day..

 

[Mikecr]

Thanks for your comprehensive postings Steve

 

[jpretle]

For the beam scale users, the RCBS is my choice. I wouldn't trade it for the most sophisticated electronic scale out there.

 

[The Oregonian]

I bought a trued balance scale from Scott Parker - it is an old Lyman M5 that he has 'accurized'. I have no idea on the date, but looking at the original box that was still with it, it looks to be 30 or more years old.

I use a gempro to get pretty close. For my load of 59.5gr, I get it to about 59.3 or 59.4 on the gempro and then fine tune down to the kernel on the M5. That lets me get close pretty quickly (without having to let the beam settle or guess how much I need if it is pegged on the underweighted side).

I also double check that they are pretty close to each other once I get the final load done on the M5. Since I am new to reloading, I want to double check myself to keep the margin of safety pretty high while I am still learning on the equipment.

As an FYI, the Scott Parker scale was ~$225 give or take (not sure what it would be today), so they are pretty reasonably priced and I have the utmost confidence in it. The GemPro and M5 together are about the cost of a ChargeMaster.

 

[stevesmith]

Thanks for your comprehensive postings Steve

Your quiet welcome as i said im not good with a lot of things but when theres a area i am knowledgeable about i dont mind helping because i feel like everyone here will do the same if needed..
have a blessed day..

Steve Smith