Recommend a powder scale?

[Dr. Richard Gray]

Sorry guys, but I will put my trust in my 40 year old balance. It has never let me down! There are no China made electronic chips to go bad or mess up and give you bad readings. Trust your eyes and the old balance. Yes, there are cheap ones out there. Mine is an RCBS very similar to the M1000. It lets you scale to .1 gr. Like you, I was reading a lot of complaints about the electronic scales giving bad readings.

 

[Jud96]

I used a balance scale before my digital. My ammo is more consistent now than ever before. My Dillon won't stay zeroed anymore. So I stick to my Bald Eagle digital scale.

 

[Dean2]

For those of you buying "Calibration" weights you are spending money you don't need to. Take any bullet from 50 to 250 grains. Weigh it and record the weight. Use that same bullet all the time to calibrate your scale. All a check weight is is something of known weight used regualry to check the setting on a scale. Even your powder pan will work, I wrote the weight on the bottom with a felt marker, as long as the scale registers that weight when you put in on the scale you are good to go.

 

[antelopedundee]

Many of them have a calibration weight included.

 

[Jud96]

For those of you buying "Calibration" weights you are spending money you don't need to. Take any bullet from 50 to 250 grains. Weigh it and record the weight. Use that same bullet all the time to calibrate your scale. All a check weight is is something of known weight used regualry to check the setting on a scale. Even your powder pan will work, I wrote the weight on the bottom with a felt marker, as long as the scale registers that weight when you put in on the scale you are good to go.

I do this and I write down the pan weight right after I calibrate my scale. Then I reference that pan weight and it stays within .02 of a grain, which is a kernel of powder.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

I use RCBS Charge Master 1500 w auto trickler...I wish I'd bought that about ten years ago...

 

[rbTanzan]

I use two inexpensive scales ($30-ish). I have a plug-in National Metallic and the newest Hornady battery version.
The National stays on, without a 60 time-out, so it is helpful.

I pour into the Hornady scale, then pour into the National. If they agree, I pour into the case.
If they do not agree, I adjust a grain or two until they agree. If they are disagree by 0.2 grain I recalibrate.
PS: the National Metallic can be agravating at times because it can take several seconds before it settles down to its final reading. The Hornady battery scale is quicker, seemingly instantaneous.

When these are working well, I will find that one may be consistently "heavy" and one consistently "light" but they will agree on one or two grains between them. That is, by adding a grain to the "light" scale, or taking one off the "heavy" scale both will agree on an exact 0.1 grain.

Sometimes I've used a balance beam as the second scale, but I find that two electronic scales are faster.

I also use two chronographs. Many times one or the other will register a duplicate velocity from shot to shot, so my charge weights are obviously tight. (Yes, the two chronographs will often be 5-15 fps different, that's why I use two and average all the readings.)

 

[Chuck32571]

If anyone is looking for an fx120i you can actually get it cheaper by ordering from Cambridge Enviormental, if you use the code "cambridge" at checkout you get the scale for less than $500, mine was $515 shipped with a $15 calibration weight which you will want to have. I belive that discount code is valid all the time.

Yes it is valid all the time. I brought my FX120i last month and it worked, $500 and free shipping. Some states make them charge purchase tax. They provide a list of those states.

 

[Randel]

What's the rage on electronic powder scales these days? My 20yr old Dillon(Pact) is having some load cell issues I'm afraid, as it needs constant recalibration. Looks like most of the stuff is made in China.

 

[Randel]

What's the rage on electronic powder scales these days? My 20yr old Dillon(Pact) is having some load cell issues I'm afraid, as it needs constant recalibration. Looks like most of the stuff is made in China.

Try Area 419 products there pricey but very well made

 

[antelopedundee]

Is Cambridge in Canada? If so, should a Canadian company be collecting sales tax for any U. S. state?

 

[ajkellerusmc]

My 3 year old dillon is a *** and wanders constantly. I have the Hornady lock and load and it hold zero really well. The RCBS chargemaster wanders just like the dillon scale. The recent purchase of the A&D 120i shows just how bad these other units are. They may be ok for government work but for precision the A&D is what you would want. Of course the old balance beam scale on my bench will always be there.

 

[Cammo]

That didn't take long. Lol.

 

[Jed Cooper]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions guys! Awesome