Are Electronic Scales As Good As Beam Scales?

[ranger335v]

"I prefer my beam scale for long range loads as it doesn't have to be recalibrated once in a while like my old Lyman electronic scale. But the electronic one is great for sorting cases into 1 grain weight spreads. Or weighing .22 rimfire match ammo."

I fully concur with Bart. Weighing anything that varies more than the +/- .5 gr. scale reading of a beam WILL be "faster" with a digital, if it's accurate anyway. But for weighing/tricking up a powder charge? No. And a digital scale is a really expensive tool for weighting bullets, cases and .22RF ammo!

Consider that some very sophysticated Chinese made digital cell phones sell for as little as $10-12, retail, at Wallmart. I'll make a generous educated guess and say the best of the current Chinese made digital scales cost the importers/sellers maybe $10-15 each, tops. And, perhaps, twice that for the auto powder dispenser systems? They must really smile when they go to the bank after selling a shipping cargo box full of them things! I would likely get one for weighing the stuff listed above IF they sold for about $25, but not for anything close to what they're getting now!

 

[Bart B.]

Ranger335v says:

And a digital scale is a really expensive tool for weighting bullets, cases and .22RF ammo!

Well, knowing tht powder charge weight varies enough in rimfire ammo to cause noticable vertical shot stringing at 100 yards, weighing the ammo sorts them out. Comparing the primed case, powder and bullet's weights shows the biggest spread is in the powder. It makes the difference between shooting 2" and 1" groups at 100 yards with some types of match ammo.

My old Lyman digital scale cost some $30 at a gun show back in the late 1980's.

 

[Furncliff]