Cheap Electronic Scale (good enough?)
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P95Carry
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Starting at $25 ... wonder how far up that would have to go before a bid registers .. even if no reserve quoted.
Hard to say whether any good .. could well be very adequate for pistol at least ... but what you cannot know is how linear it is ... even if a check weight supplied.
I have the Dillon electronic scales (still made in freakin China ... Grrr) .... and these were a little over $100 IIRC . they ''seem'' pretty good and I have done some comparisons against Lyman 500 beam balance ..... only reason for going dig' was faster useage compared with beam.
So .... that doesn't help you much does it?? I guess, depending what the price stops at ... it may we worth trying out ..... and maybe finding some intermediate check weights if possible to check linearity... probably well adequate for pistol, excepting perhaps the miniscule loads .... but precision rifle? No way to know.
I hate saying cheap = no good ... not always the case ... but do consider perhaps going a bit more upmarket so as to get something reliable. Dillon, at least - if any probs ... they'll usually see you right.
Hard to say whether any good .. could well be very adequate for pistol at least ... but what you cannot know is how linear it is ... even if a check weight supplied.
I have the Dillon electronic scales (still made in freakin China ... Grrr) .... and these were a little over $100 IIRC . they ''seem'' pretty good and I have done some comparisons against Lyman 500 beam balance ..... only reason for going dig' was faster useage compared with beam.
So .... that doesn't help you much does it?? I guess, depending what the price stops at ... it may we worth trying out ..... and maybe finding some intermediate check weights if possible to check linearity... probably well adequate for pistol, excepting perhaps the miniscule loads .... but precision rifle? No way to know.
I hate saying cheap = no good ... not always the case ... but do consider perhaps going a bit more upmarket so as to get something reliable. Dillon, at least - if any probs ... they'll usually see you right.
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I emailed the guy/gal direct and he sold me one out of auction for $31 total. Ill post how accurate it is after I recieve it and have a chance to test it. I guess a good way to tell is to weigh nickles as they are supposed to be like exactly 5 grams each so if you add one at a time it should tell you if there are any weights that it isnt linear on or whatever. Just make sure you weigh them all individually to make sure they are all consistent first.
If it works it sure beats paying 50 bucks for a balance type scale I guess.
If you reload a bunch of shells with powder charges all within 1 grain of each other, say you are shooting for a 44 grain charge and they end up within a 43 to 45 grain range, what kind of POI difference would this make at 100 yards? Is it really noticable or would it be minute?
I emailed the guy/gal direct and he sold me one out of auction for $31 total. Ill post how accurate it is after I recieve it and have a chance to test it. I guess a good way to tell is to weigh nickles as they are supposed to be like exactly 5 grams each so if you add one at a time it should tell you if there are any weights that it isnt linear on or whatever. Just make sure you weigh them all individually to make sure they are all consistent first.
If it works it sure beats paying 50 bucks for a balance type scale I guess.
If you reload a bunch of shells with powder charges all within 1 grain of each other, say you are shooting for a 44 grain charge and they end up within a 43 to 45 grain range, what kind of POI difference would this make at 100 yards? Is it really noticable or would it be minute?
dodgestdshift
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If the weight mode g means grams (which I think it does) you will go nuts constantly converting grains to grams.
P95Carry
Moderator Emeritus
My Dillon has a changeover button for grams or grains but actually .... even if stuck on grams . no biggie. Keep a pocket calculator handy with the conversion factor programed in. if decided on one specific load then just set it up to suit the converted figure.
For the price that sounds pretty good ..... and yeah . check linearity if you can. I forget exact weights of coins but . I have three ways to check those so say if you want some ref figures .... in fact .. may be data on web somewhere too.
The +/- 1 grain question .. cannot give figures .... but anyways, that would represet quite an error and doubt even this scale will be that far out ... it should weigh consistently - even if throwing a tad above or below what you think.
One grain either way in a rifle load of 44some grains ... well that's +/- over 2% .. very significant IMO ... tho at 100 yds perhaps no more than 1 MOA ..... hard to say ... others may be able to be more specific for you.
Do give feedback when you get them .. and let us know the brand name .. then others can maybe consider them.
For the price that sounds pretty good ..... and yeah . check linearity if you can. I forget exact weights of coins but . I have three ways to check those so say if you want some ref figures .... in fact .. may be data on web somewhere too.
The +/- 1 grain question .. cannot give figures .... but anyways, that would represet quite an error and doubt even this scale will be that far out ... it should weigh consistently - even if throwing a tad above or below what you think.
One grain either way in a rifle load of 44some grains ... well that's +/- over 2% .. very significant IMO ... tho at 100 yds perhaps no more than 1 MOA ..... hard to say ... others may be able to be more specific for you.
Do give feedback when you get them .. and let us know the brand name .. then others can maybe consider them.
Please take this as a gentle warning from a well-meaning geezer who still has all ten fingers. Remembering that cartridges are (to me) just small pipe bombs with one loose end cap, I don't think I'd be going cheap on the thing that weighs the powder in them lest the small pipe bomb become unruly. If you know what I mean. Reloading has inherent but manageable risks. I think you manage those risks better with good, proven equipment. Hope I'm wrong and hope you have great luck with what you're getting.
I have to agree with the Murphster. You worry me when you talk about + or - 1 grain being adeguate. I would change scales if mine gave me readings of + or - .1 grains for the same check weight.
When talking about rifle loads, maybe 1 grain here or there won't harm anything. But if you are now or are ever planning to reload for handguns, that 1 grain can make a big difference, and that difference might be a whole gun vs one in pieces in some of the high-pressure low-powder loads.
If you want to use nickels for check weights, that's fine as long as you always use the same nickels and have weighed them on a known accurate scale in advance. I use washers for check weights, but I have weighed them on a lab balance and know precisely what each one weighs. Check weights are worse than useless if you have to guess or assume you know what they weigh.
When talking about rifle loads, maybe 1 grain here or there won't harm anything. But if you are now or are ever planning to reload for handguns, that 1 grain can make a big difference, and that difference might be a whole gun vs one in pieces in some of the high-pressure low-powder loads.
If you want to use nickels for check weights, that's fine as long as you always use the same nickels and have weighed them on a known accurate scale in advance. I use washers for check weights, but I have weighed them on a lab balance and know precisely what each one weighs. Check weights are worse than useless if you have to guess or assume you know what they weigh.
+ or - 1 grain
I didnt mean to say that was adequate. I was just wondering what kind of difference that much of a variation would make on the range in terms of POI. I will only be reloading rifles and I hope this scale will be dead on but even if its consistently + or - .2 grain I think it will be good enough for me for now. Thanks for the input guys
I didnt mean to say that was adequate. I was just wondering what kind of difference that much of a variation would make on the range in terms of POI. I will only be reloading rifles and I hope this scale will be dead on but even if its consistently + or - .2 grain I think it will be good enough for me for now. Thanks for the input guys
45crittergitter
Member
PACT for sale
PACT BBK electronic reloading scale w/check weights for sale $75
PACT BBK electronic reloading scale w/check weights for sale $75
redneck2
Member
I'd 2nd the PACT
I have one...accurate to .1 grain If this one is good to .15 grains, I'd think it would be good for rifle. I suppose I'd check it regularly to make sure it's consistent.
As to the accuracy question, you can spend thousands chasing that ghost. If I'm working up an accuracy round, I'll vary powder by maybe .2 or .3 grains. Again, depends. If you've a Weatherby mag that holds 80+ grains of powder, changing .2 at a time would be a slow process. Changing .2 on a 45 acp with Bullseye might be too much
The longer I live, the more I see people do things to get themselves hurt. The more I see people hurt, the more cautious I get..... YMMV
I have one...accurate to .1 grain If this one is good to .15 grains, I'd think it would be good for rifle. I suppose I'd check it regularly to make sure it's consistent.
As to the accuracy question, you can spend thousands chasing that ghost. If I'm working up an accuracy round, I'll vary powder by maybe .2 or .3 grains. Again, depends. If you've a Weatherby mag that holds 80+ grains of powder, changing .2 at a time would be a slow process. Changing .2 on a 45 acp with Bullseye might be too much
The longer I live, the more I see people do things to get themselves hurt. The more I see people hurt, the more cautious I get..... YMMV
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