Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Digital Scales

Ken,
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<br> I wanted to get your opinion on electronic/digital scales vs. mechanical scales. I have used two brands of the digital variety(Pact and Dillon), and I have found them both to be rather sensitive to static electricity. I think it's of a particular problem if they are on a bench that is insulative(like wood). I only trust mine now after placing them on an "anti-static" mat. Even at that, I find I always go back to a mechanical scale.
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<br>Jeff

My experience so far, with two name-brand digital scales, makes me increasingly suspicious of their reliability. It's not very assuring to watch 'em just sit there with a little dump of powder in the pan and continually "change their minds" as to how much it weighs.
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<br>I still have two brand-new ones to test, and some tests that I haven't yet tried on any -- so my personal "jury" has yet to render a final decision. But for the nonce, I definitely favor TESTED, PROVEN mechanical scales. I know how they work, how to check 'em, how to identify and correct for their errors. The best I can say for the electronic digital scales is that they haven't YET proved themselves reliable.
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<br>NB that I'm not including just any old mechanical scale, either.

Thanks for your thought's, Ken. The main bugaboo with the digitals I have, is that the reading jumps around when my hand gets within a few inches of the scale. I suspected it was due to a difference in potential between the scale and my body. I attached the scale and myself to a "static mat", and the problem went away. It's most prevalent in the winter, when the air up here is very dry. The inconsistencies have made me very distrusting. I'm a metrologist by profession, and for now a mechanical scale is still what I trust with my life.
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<br>Jeff

I remember very well how dry the winter air was when I lived, went to school, hunted, and worked near Fairbanks. You learned EARLY ON to ground yourself with your hand before using, for example, the water fountain or the urinal, especially after you'd been swishing around in wool, nylon, and other static-producing clothing. I've seen static arcs cross incredibly large gaps to zap tender places. That's a lot of static electricity, as you know.

Tender places indeed! You had me laughing with that one! Have a great day, Ken, and thanks for the responses.
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<br>Jeff