Starting out Reloading

[Seismic Sam]

Go see Oldman first, or the 800 pound reloading troll that lurks in the basement will grab you and roast you alive and make n00b sammiches out of you!!

Damn!! I'm out of n00b sauce!! Better go get some in case this prospect doesn't do it right!!!

[shooter115]

I hate to be the negative one, but if not too late I'd exchange the kit you bought. Right now Cabelas has the Rockchucker Supreme kit on sale which includes a much better press and scale. Might even be better to hold off on buying a press at all until after taking a class.

[scarletvw]

I hate to be the negative one, but if not too late I'd exchange the kit you bought. Right now Cabelas has the Rockchucker Supreme kit on sale which includes a much better press and scale. Might even be better to hold off on buying a press at all until after taking a class.

The RCBS Explorer kit I bought was on sale, I picked it over the Rockchucker Supreme Basic 101 kit. I'm actually very happy with the Reloader Special 5 press, it works well for what what I want.

[scarletvw]

So I started measuring out an pouring powder last night, I was using the pocket digital scale. Piece of junk. I was trying to use 3.8gr and it wouldn't even stop at 3.8, went from 3.7 to 3.9 every time. I'm not risking life and limb on that thing, went and bought a RCBS 505 scale and I'm going to use that though, seems like a better choice.

[Bessy]

Digital scales can be really hit or miss. I don't particularly like the battery powered ones. I use an rcbs auto dispenser with scale. At first I was having some consistency problems with it (I also have a gravity scale to check my digital), however after I picked up a used UPS, and ran the power for the scale through that it's been very consistent.

[Bearcatrp]

So I started measuring out an pouring powder last night, I was using the pocket digital scale. Piece of junk. I was trying to use 3.8gr and it wouldn't even stop at 3.8, went from 3.7 to 3.9 every time. I'm not risking life and limb on that thing, went and bought a RCBS 505 scale and I'm going to use that though, seems like a better choice.

Mine does the same thing. Would go with the higher unless I was at max load, then lower. Plan on shooting mine after my gen pro 250 comes in. Might even mail it back to rcbs to show them what a POS it is. There are days its spot on, but more not days though. I stopped loading until my new scale comes in or head over to son in laws to use his chargemaster. They should ban including these worthless scales.

[Seismic Sam]

So I started measuring out an pouring powder last night, I was using the pocket digital scale. Piece of junk. I was trying to use 3.8gr and it wouldn't even stop at 3.8, went from 3.7 to 3.9 every time. I'm not risking life and limb on that thing, went and bought a RCBS 505 scale and I'm going to use that though, seems like a better choice.

Mine does the same thing. Would go with the higher unless I was at max load, then lower. Plan on shooting mine after my gen pro 250 comes in. Might even mail it back to rcbs to show them what a POS it is. There are days its spot on, but more not days though. I stopped loading until my new scale comes in or head over to son in laws to use his chargemaster. They should ban including these worthless scales.

This is the infamous "round-off error" that I have talked about before. Normally this can get somewhat submerged in the other inaccuracies in the scale, but apparently you have one where it's glaringly evident. When you go from .01 grams to 0.1 grains, a little over 50% of the possible grain values will never come up, because the scale shaves off a decimal point in the transition, and with .01 gram equaling .1543 grains, you have to go up .2 grains for about half of the increases of .01 grams. That's why your scale goes from 3.7 to 3.9, because 3.8 grains is a "forbidden value" according to the math of converting .01 grams to 0.1 grains. If these cheap POS scales would measure in grains directly and convert to grams when needed, this issue would disappear.

The really scary part is that the Dillon D-Terminator scale is made by CED, and at $140 it has this problem, and the CED management confirmed this in a letter they wrote to one of the members in here, and they didn't even realize what they were admitting to.

[Bearcatrp]

Sam, are all digital scales set to measure in grams and then convert? Hell, thought it was a mechanical issue when mine jumped. Are there any digital scales that are made to measure in grains only?

[Seismic Sam]

All I can tell you is that scales that have the spec of ".01 grams or 0.1 grains" all seem to go from grams to grains. This is probably due to the fact that grams weight measurements are almost universal, while grain weights are a very uncommon measurement except in reloading and perhaps pharmacology. As such, I doubt there are any scales that just measure in grains. Considering that the scale actually works by measuring a reference voltage from a piezoelectric sensor, I can't see why anybody would want to limit their sales to reloaders and a few druggists by only creating a scale that ONLY weighs in grains. It doesn't cost you anymore except some added software to make it a multi-unit scale.

IIRC, the Gempro 250 measures in grams (.001), grains (.02), carats, Troy ounces, and a couple of other units. It probably does the same sort of conversion from grams to other units, once again because the universality of gram weight scales, but at least they got the conversion right from grams to grains. For a resolution of 0.05 grains ( which really doesn't give you that much more accuracy...) you would need a gram resolution of .002.

[Bearcatrp]

Have seen some triple beam scales out there I have been considering. Expensive suckers. Was considering one in the near future to replace the Lee scale I got. Would a triple beam work better than say rcbs or hornady beam scales? Am presuming it will but would like confirmation before spending the bucks.

[Seismic Sam]

Beam balances are pretty much beam balances. You move weights around, and gravity does the rest. I have a Redding with a large weight that moves in 5 grain increments, and a small weight that moves in 0.1 grain increments on a single beam. Unless it gets you to .01 grain, which I severely doubt (plus small drafts would affect it), a tenth of a grain is about all the accuracy you can get. What are the actual accuracy specs on these expensive triple beams that you have seen, plus the price? I have a feeling a Gempro 250 might be cheaper.

[Mauser98]

I have a GemPro 250, and other digital scales, as well as an RCBS (Ohaus) 10-10, RCBS (Ohaus) 304, and a Herters balance of some vintage.

When weighing/trickling powder charges, I haven't found a time savings using a digital scale versus the balance. The GemPro is so damn sensitive, I think it registers the minute breeze caused by my eye lashes when I blink. When it does settle, it's always been right on, but the balances, sans Herters, with their dampening properties are faster to read for me.

Where the GemPro shines for me, is when weighing things of uncommon weight, like unknown bullets I have laying around, or when weight sorting bullets, cases or primers. I can put the object on it and get the lid closed, read the weight and move on, instead of messing with poises and waiting for it to settle again.

Trickling powder, the lid must be up, so ANY slight current of air, like a mouse fart 2 rooms away, will be registered by the load cell it seems.

If it wasn't for my curiosity of weighing miscellaneous things, and I only used it for powder weighing, I'd skip the digital altogether.

YMMV

PS - The GemPro is a fairly small scale in size, and the leveling feet are cheap. It's very easy to bump it and then it needs to be setup again. Don't get me wrong, I like it a lot, and it does get used often, but it was not the holy grail I thought it would be. I'm in the process of making a mount for it out some old survey equipment I have laying around. That may solve some of the issues with its light weight and the cheap feet, and make it way easier to level the little bugger.

[Bearcatrp]

Glad to hear the Gem Pro is pretty good. Haven't received mine yet. Don't ever buy from "Save on scales". Trying to get my order canceled from these bozos and going through my CC company to stop payment. Tried to save a few bucks and got burned it looks like. Anyways, was looking at the lid and trying to decide if modifying the lid to accept powder from the top or make an inclosed glass container for it. Ordered the omega powder trickler to go along with the new digital scale (if I ever get it).

After going back looking at 3 beam scales, guess thats out as I didn't look close enough to see they read in grams only. Not sure if I want to do the conversion. Not needed for SHTF rounds but for my A-Max rounds, could consider it. Have to do some more research for a beam scale.

[OldmanFCSA]

While teaching Reloading and having the students zeroing a balance beam scale, I turn on the overhead ceiling fan. The resulting air current, while mild, will cause a scale to not settle down. Some students catch me right away, others have difficulty. I too was burned by this at my new facility several years ago.

Electronic scales typically do not register air movements unless a Quality scale has been purchased. Don't buy junk or cheap.

[Erud]

I think that the main problem people have with the GemPro, is that it does not respond well to having powder trickled onto it. Like the poster above mentioned, it is good for weighing fixed-weight objects like bullets, cases, etc, but adding powder a little at a time gives it fits. By all accounts it is an accurate scale, just not particularly well-suited for that task. You really have to spend a somewhat stupid amount of money to get a digital scale that is accurate AND works well for reloading purposes. In reality, 95%+ of shooters will never be able to hold elevation inside .1 grains of powder anyways, so beyond that level of accuracy in a scale, the point is mostly moot.