Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles New powder scale?? Maybe Lyman DPSII??

My father-in-law is starting to worry me, his loads aren't putting out anywhere near the velocity they should. I know his chrony is good, factory ammo is ballpark. For instance, 71 gr of R22 w/215 primer and 160 AB from my 7wby is clocking at 2800...according to Alliant, this is near max, should be running close to 3100. Other loads are also pretty slow.

Only thing I can think of is his old, old, dirty scale. He's had it for years, and been loading for years.

So, I told him I would buy him a new scale. He loads everything from 9mm pistol to 22-250 to 338 win, with all the various powders.

What's a reccomendation? Digital is cool...but I'm worried about longevity.

tr

The Lyman DPS that I had was a POS. It required a half hour warmup and is useless until the half hour is past. Then my rifle's accuracy started going away and I started looking for a new barrel. Then another rifle started doing strange things including a blown primer now and then. A third rifle began blowing primers and showing all the sign of high pressure with some moderate handloads. I finally traced the problem back to the Lyman DPS and found as much as 2 grains variation on a 20 grain load of Reloder 7. Plus or minus 2.0 grains is not accurate enough for reloading. In fact, it is outright dangerous! This with a DPS only a little over a year old, it now resides in the county landfill.

I have an RCBS scale and so far, I have had good service and no problems with it.

A good balance beam scale is hard to beat. They may be slower but they are accurate and dependable.

Jim

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Any trip through your part of the country must include a stop at the Lafayette School House to shop for antiques!

I would go with the RCBS unit, for the same reasons Jbledsoe described above!

"Only thing I can think of is his old, old, dirty scale. He's had it for years, and been loading for years"

Before you buy a new scale get a set of check weights. RCBS, Lyman ect make them and they are handy as pockets on pants when you think you have a scale lieing to you. I got mine years a go but they were cheap then and likely still are.

I have a digital, a Pact, and also a old RCBS 505 of my dads that was bought back in the early/mid `60s. The beam scale is just as accurate as ever and takes less time to set up. It doesn`t show the effects of wind, electrical influences, ect as easily as the digital, and cost less then 1/2 as much.

The seemingly low velocities you are finding will likely be there no matter what scale you use. Blame the data developers for useing tight chambers, controled temps, and snug bored test platforms in place of your sloppy bored, loose chambered hunting rifle in 40 F temps. I think most manual writers are a bit optimistic with their results to begin with.

1

Call me old fashioned, but I have much more confidence in the accuracy of a good balance beam scale than I would ever have in something electronic. I'm now on my second Redding No. 2, after the first one I had got beat up in a move and I decided to go with a fancy new green one rather than having the old brown one reconditioned. I check it regularly with calibrated weights, and it's always right on the money.

I never have to worry if the Redding has warmed up enough, whether the temperature in my loading area is just right for its tender circuits, or whether it has unexpectedly decided to go into its glitch mode. As for speed of operation, the Redding lets me load as fast as I have any business loading. As long as I keep it clean and cover it up when it's not in use, it's the very picture of reliability.

Digital scales have their place, and they're great for weighing brass and bullets. But when it comes to measuring how much powder I'm putting into the cases, I feel a lot more comfortable with the tried and true.

Call me new age <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> but I like the speed accuracy and overall dependability of the RCBS ChargeMaster Combo.

I have now loaded a lot of different cartridges with this unit and it works perfectly and is much quicker than my old balance beam scale.

While the dispenser is weighing out the charge I load the one that was just completed so it takes half the time as it used to.

Speed? I can dump 10 loads against 1 in those electronic dispenser/scale units....

Weighing each load out and letting the scale dampen correctly you can do 10 to 1?

If I am weighing each charge it is about a 5 to 1 ratio...

I use the Dillon De-terminator and it works real well. But you do have to keep your eye on it as it will creep from time to time. Since I ck every load anyway it has never been a problem.

Long

I have a "range box" that I use when developing loads on the range. It has a press and a powder measure attached as well as several shelves & bins of components,books,tool & etc. After going nuts with a Pact electronic, I finally went back to my old Ohaus-10-10 that I drop down in one of those big rubbermaid tubs (to keepwind off of it). (also have an RCBS 5-5). The Pact works well in the garage with the doors closed but won't work on the range even in the same tub as the 10-10! Granted, my process isn't fast but I know it is accurate. My bulkloading is done in the garage and now I generally use the 10-10. The PACT is great for bullets & heavier stuff.

I have no input on the Lyman Product� but I have had the RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Combo for about a year now and it has been wonderful. I had the older RCBS combo�
Here are the advantages of the 1500 as I see them

Fast Very dispense & short warm up
Accurate
Almost no Drift� On the old model I had to recalibrate every 10 to 15 ROUNDS
Now every 60 or so.
Also the new calibration process is short� 0, 50, 100, that�s it
The 1500 has a �spout� you use for removing powder

I use the RCBS electronic scale with a SAECO powder measure. They work well together.

I have an electronic RCBS dispenser, too, but it doesn't get used much anymore. I don't think there is much time lost with an e-dispenser, just time to do other things like mark bags with load info, get cases or bullets organized, etc. And hand trickling those last tenths takes time too. I guess I'm happier at being busy than planning and following through.

I got wondering about the accuracy of the e-scale so I checked it against my 10/10 and the test weights. It passed. As for warm up, I never turn it off so that's not an issue. Wish I could find an old RCBS 304, though. Now that was a scale!