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gjw
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:49 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Sep 2006
Posts: 863
Location: NoDak

Hey all, well, had to happen, my good old digital scale took a crap. Would like to replace it, by the model no longer available.

So....what do you all recommend for an accurate, good quality scale?

Thanks so much!

Greg

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1stgun
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 8:52 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 10 Jul 2010
Posts: 356
Location: Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Greg,

I use a Dillon D-Terminator. It is pricey but I have had it a long time and got my money back plus they back it up with a fairly good guarantee.

Regards,

Chuck

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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:33 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

If you google best digital powder scales you will come across such a large batch of contradictory experiences it will befuddle you. I have had good experiences with relatively inexpensive digital scales. I have an old Lyman, out of production for many years now, that has been great for me for 20 years. I recently bought a Hornady G2-1500 for use at another location. Both of mine were selected, not only for price reasons, but also because of the way they are powered. Both have transformers so you can leave them plugged into a wall outlet. Both can also be battery powered for portability, which is nice if you want to experiment with loads at the range, for instance, but not a feature I use much.

Digital powder scales are semi-conductor strain gage devices. As well as they are temperature compensated, they work best when kept out of temperature gradients. That means 1) warm them up - it doesn't take much time, barely a minute, and 2) put them in a location away from drafts and other airflow -- also away from vibration, like you would for any scale. The circuitry for digital scales has filters that knock out high-frequency responses, so be patient with them and let reading stabilize -- it only takes a few seconds, not even 10 -- I'd say more like 3 to 5. I sometimes leave mine powered up in for days. It's not usually intentional, because my loading sessions aren't that long, but it does no harm to them, and the power consumption is negligible. I'm not sure leaving one powered up for days really helps the stability of the readings, but I've tried that and it "feels good".

Be careful of the myriad of cheap scales out there that claim all sorts of "features". There are a lot of cheap "jewelry" scales out there that will work fine -- same technology. They'll have 3 or 4 different units selectable, and lots of buttons if that's what you like. Just more stuff irrelevant to my usage for my fat fingers to trip over. Usually they are only battery powered, which is OK, if you like changing batteries. Batteries last a long time, though. If you buy one, be sure it has the range you want. Make sure you get one that includes a powder tray, if you need one -- you can borrow one from your balance beam scale if you have one. I mention this because it shocks me how much those little powder trays cost when bought separately. By the time you've bought one and paid for the shipping, you're half way toward the purchase of another cheap digital scale. Units with powder trays usually also have features to store the tray.

One more thing -- try to get a unit that is flat and stable on the bench top or on whatever surface you place it. Some are narrow and all are pretty lightweight. That Hornady G2-1500 is quite small -- smaller than I'd like, but it is quite low profile, so it is stable. If these scales are not on flat surfaces, and are allowed to rock in the least, the readings will appear inconsistent. This again is the same with any scale of any technology. We're used to balance beam scales that are more massive and sit on 3 points and thus can't rock, while the manufacturers of these cheap digital scales haven't quite figured out that 3 points determine a plane, and any more are redundant, useless and potentially troublesome. All you need is a few powder grains or other minor-league barely-noticeable benchtop clutter under one of the 4 pads of these cheap digital scales to disturb the readings.

If you want to buy one of the big Cadillacs of digital powder scales and measuring devices, they are great, I'm sure. I've demo'd them, but not really used one. They are beyond my needs, and mostly for bench rest rifle shooters -- very convenient and precise. However, the strain gage technology is the same as the inexpensive ones, and the associated caveats are the same. Please note also that actual accuracy is a different thing from "readout resolution", which is the number of decimal points in the LED display. Manufacturers want you to think accuracy and resolution are the same, and do nothing in their advertising and manuals to dispel this faulty concept. Frankly, I don't worry about it -- at least for shotshell reloading, which just doesn't need super accuracy or precision (again, two different things). If I wanted real accuracy, I'd use a balance beam scale with calibrated weight standards. However, there are some YouTube videos comparing the performance of inexpensive digital scales to balance beams, and the digital scales come out looking just fine. Amazing devices for low cost, I think. Despite what you'll read in some reviews on some forums, I have not seen a bad one yet for shotshell and most rifle reloading purposes.
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RGuill96971
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:11 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 Mar 2019
Posts: 519
Location: Texas

I have the hornady scale. It’s never let me down. I see no reason to go spend several hundred dollars on a scale for shotgun shells. They have made big advancements in scales. With that being said if your shooting 1000 yard targets, then maybe. A friend of mine is a big long range shooter and he has a scale that cost a bunch. I have compared both on several occasions and found no difference. The only thing I learned from it, is let the scale warm up and make sure it has at least 2 weights to calibrate. You should be able to get a good scale for 100 bucks or so
Kind of like the 4000 scope to shoot long range, when most can’t hit a target at 100 yards. In the end a tenth isn’t going to make a difference. You do your part and the scale will do it’s.
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16'er
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:43 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1393
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia

I’ve got a Frankfort Arsenal digital scale. It was about $30 ten years ago or so. I’ve tested it against my rcbs balance scale, and am satisfied it does what it’s supposed to. I bought mostly to sort wad cutters when I was pistol shooting, but have found it reliable for checking shot and powder drops when shotshell reloading. I wholly appreciate that in this price range, ‘getting a good one’ is not 100% occurrence.
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Carlos
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2020 5:39 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 602
Location: Victoria BC Canada

I used you have the AWS100, very cheep from Amazoo. Often less than $20. They kept on crapping out so now I have a SMART WEIGH high precision milligram jewelry scale, model GEM50 capacity 50gm

I love it and it was reasonably priced as well.
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rkittine
PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2020 5:24 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 419

I have 5 digital scales from a GemPro 250 through a FX120i. Costs range from $60 to $700. Does the $700 scale do that much better than the $60 one? The answer is yes and no depending on how you use them and how you take care of them. Which ever one you go with, make sure you calibrate it regularly and use it in the same environment each time, I.E. what lights are on etc.

If I am just checking a powder bushing for a shotgun load, then my Scott Parker Beam Scale is perfect. But, for my 1,000 yard benchrest loads I use the FX120i and an Omega auto trickler.

Bob

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MSM2019
PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2020 6:05 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1819
Location: Central ND

I received, as a gift in 1997, a Denver Instruments scale, Accurate Load IV. It has been on almost the entire time, something like 23 years.

It is/was an expensive scale, but it has never missed a beat. Super accurate and super consistent.

I check the calibration about once a month....it has never been off more than 0.1 grain in 1000 grains.

It is overkill for sure, but you can't deny it's worth. Wouldn't trade it for all the balance beam scales.

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culot
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2020 4:54 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Mar 2020
Posts: 13
Location: SWEDEN

gjw wrote:
Hey all, well, had to happen, my good old digital scale took a crap. Would like to replace it, by the model no longer available.

So....what do you all recommend for an accurate, good quality scale?

Thanks so much!

Greg


Gempro 3000 is a nice scale without battery

/ P
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Brewster11
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2020 12:21 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1301
Location: Western WA

Am currently using a decent $25 digital scale which checks out great, but I would use a $6 digital scale from eBay before I ever go back to that infernal RCBS beam balance scale. It probably violates the Geneva Convention for mental torture. I’ll keep it as a reference check however.

B.
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df
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2020 2:48 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

Bought my recent one 4-5 years ago. It’s a Lyman. Works well aNd cost about $50.
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Hammer bill
PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 4:51 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Feb 2015
Posts: 815

I have an old Lyman which I 've used for more than 40 years. Got a new Hornady from a friend who was dying. He gave it to me new in the box. Both scales are bal- beam scales. Ive never been in a hurry that i need an electronic device to load. Never could bring myself to trust them.
I'm one who used to use a calculator to balance my ckbook then figure it by pencil cause I didn't trust myself using the calculator or the calculator its self. Sometimes we just couldn't agree. Guess that might give you guys a description of my age.
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