Home Forums Reloading Reloading Software who do you believe when it comes to scales

i have a Hornady auto scale, it comes with a 10-gram (154.332) grain weight for calibrating the scale. here is where it gets interesting and scary at the same time. i have a Lyman balance beam scale i have had for years. when you zero the Lyman and set it for 154 grains and place the 10-gram weight on it the weight does not weigh 154.0 grains it weighs 154.7. either the 10-gram weight is wrong ad if it is so my Lyman 10-gram weight is off the same amount or the marks on the balance beam scale are off.
normally i wouldn't worry about .7 of a grain except i shoot a lot of small high intensity rounds. in some of these cases .7 will blow a primer. i'm not sure but i thing the powder charges are .7 less than they really are.

you wisdom and thoughts please.

If it consistently checks at the same weight, I do t see a problem. Your test weight is 154.337 and the scale shows 154.7 grains.
Consistent readings are what counts.

Ask around.... Find someone who has a reloading scale/balance they are confident in and weigh your calibration weight on theirs. Just to compare.

My experience with chemistry lab scales and reloading beam scales and digital scales was that sometimes the calibration weights were not all created equal.

I have an RCBS beam balance and a Hornady digital scale that i use for reloading. I made some check weights to use to check the digital. The check weights and the calibration weights compare closely with either device.

Very interesting Subject.

Can always use a coin to check balance...

Grab a coin, look up info on the coin, year, date Weight, etc... for that coin. I have check the weight on a few on a digital scale and compare on the balance beam.

So...I just check My scale using coins cause just got back into reloading and never did check my scale, bought used.
Did all internet thing, punch in whatever coin, Coin Value, there you will find specs for that coin.
Now threw that coin on a digital scale, get a slightly different reading, minuscule, use that coin on Beam scale and same reading. Dead on. That is good enough for me.

Since you work up your loads, it really doesn't matter whether your scale reads 'dead on balls accurate' or not...

What matters is that it gives you the same 'reading' every time for a given weight....

I have three scales and they give three different readings for the same weight......

If you want more to worry about try this...

Throw a load, trickle into the pan to get it within a gnats azz of your desired charge weight, put it in a case, return the scale pan to the scale, then pour the powder back out of the case into the pan ........ does it weigh the same????? My guess... some will some will not!!

my experience is they almost always weigh less

I tried two generations of RCBS electronic scales and didn't like the accuracy drift and need to check and calibrate. I use and Ohaus 10-10, best scale out there never failed to produce consistant readings.

I normally use a Pacific Balance beam scale that has been my go to scale for over 40 years. I use a Hornady electronic scale to weigh .22 match ammo , but its so sensitive , you cannot run a ceiling fan and weigh cartridges. I have several weight standards for my Gold scales that I test with, and so far they are right on the money for me.
Rich

+1 on the 10-10

Coins are subject to wear. There are better ways to confirm scale accuracy.

I have two sets of check weights from Lyman and RCBS. With a set of check weights, you can check at multiple points across the scale's measurement range. I've used them to check my Lee safety powder scale, Lyman M5 and an RCBS chargemaster I used to have. I actually took them with me to verify the Lyman M5 measured correctly when I bought it off craigslist. And I used them to take pics at a couple of different weights to show the Chargemaster's scale was working when I sold it in the classifieds here on the campfire.

They don't make the 10-10 anymore do they.?

I had to get my last one off of e-bay. Said it was new old stock.

I'm currently measuring .7grain...... with an RCBS beam scale, it's a pain. But.

When weighing, if I run the Lyman vibrating brass cleaner that sits on the bench, it's much more consistent....

Prior to running the vibrator, the charges on the beam scale would be somewhere between .7 and 1.0 on my little electric scale...


YMMV

makes good sense, the old powder throwers had a knocker on them for consistency.

I trust my own experience's. Have used several different brands of beam scales and I suspect every one of them worked well as I never blew up a rifle! Also got a small pocket size electric scale to weight cast bullet's and just for the heck of it, compared it to my beam scale. One confirmed the other was accurate. I think the beam scale might be harder to learn on. I throw low charges and trickle up. Where problem might come in is as you get near to to lining up hash marks. I'm not sure what being half a hash mark off will do but have done it lots of times and never a big deal. Got to thinking about it one time and have read where factory stuff is all thrown without measuring. I would suspect the volume is measured and some kind of knocker or vibrator is attached to settle the powder before throwing. Fooling with my own beam scale and knocking stick powder if I did it the same every time weight's came out pretty close. Time consuming though so I just stick to throw light and trickle up. Still slow but at least I'm doing something that has worked for me for years

I use a RCBS 304 Dial-O-Grain scale.

I just don't trust electronic scales for weighing powder.

I do use one to weigh arrows and components.