jrbsr

What is a good eletronic powder scale that doesn't cost a arm & leg ?

Thank You

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HighDesertWolf

go to the source bypass the middle man and check out PACT scales they are the same scales that RCBS markets but by cutting out RCBS you save about 20 to 30%.

Solitary Man

Personally I prefer a beam scale for weighing powder. The PACT electronic that I have is too unreliable. It needs to be recalibrated far too often in my opinion.

Pawildman

I agree. I used to use my digital electronic scale until I caught it changing tare on me alot. I spent more time recalibrating than weighing charges. Got to the point that I didn't trust it at all, and went back to my old faithful beam scale. I just don't notice much difference in the speed of loading either. Done with the 'tronics, until something MUCH better comes along...........JMHO.

Highpower

Sorry, but I have never had a bad experience with my electronic scales. I'm on my bench probably 2-3 times a week and use my electronic scales for all my rifle loading. I check the calibration everytime before starting, but it's no big deal. I've found mine to be very accurate and when used with the electronic dispenser, very fast. Maybe I just got lucky, but I don't understand why electronic scales get such a bad rap on this forum.

bigcountry

You know whats sad, is it doesn't take much electronics to filter the noise out of a 110vAC line. Thats the big problem. I designed and made a RC filter for my wall unit. But still had problems, due to the frenquency content was still around 60hz. It would be alot easier if I tore the unit apart and did it after the AC conversion to DC.That way I could have put a big honkerin capacity in to filter out tansients. But figured cabelas wouldn't take it back after that.Just me playin in the lab took maybe 10 dollars of parts. If you put this time in R&D to design a clean filter, then they jack the price up to 400 dollars for a labortorygrade counting scale.

Highpower, they get a bad rap, because transducers can't handle alot of vibration, or power transients. You sound like you have that covered. I work with them alot at work, and it is impressive that they have built a unit for 80 dollars that are accurate. I assume they outsourced it overseas. I know my company couldn't do it for that price.

Solitary Man

Because quite a few folks seem to have problems with them I suppose.

Here's one example that happened to me, the one I remember the most. I wanted to load up 15 rounds of 7.65mm ammo for my old Mauser. I was using a load that had proved to be accurate in the past, 47 grs. of IMR 4350 along with the 150 gr. Hornady Interlock bullet. So, I recalibrated theelectronic scale, which had been turned on and warming up for at least an hour BTW, and started weighing and dumping powder. After I had finished charging all 15 cases with powder I decided to do a test out of curiousity. I recalibrated the scale once more and reweighed the powder from the last case I charged. To my surprise the scale now indicated 48 grs, a full grain difference in what it indicated prior to the second recalibration. So, in just the span of 15 weighings it had managed to deviate by 1 full grain. After that incident I just couldn't trust it any more.I put it away and haven't used it since except to weight the occassional bullet or piece of brass.

In all fairness, however, I should point out that the scale I have is the PACT BBK, the cheap model. I would hope the more expensive one would work better. Still, if they're going to sell scales, cheap or otherwise, they ought to work.

lordsoth

for me the most tedious part of reloading was measureing the powder, it just seemed to take forever,i bought a lyman dps1200 and man i just love it. it may be spendy to some (i had to save a while to lol) about $229 but i feel it was well worth it.

Highpower

B.C., you may be correct. I never gave it much thought before but, as an Engineer myself, I run all my gear thru power filters. Not necessarily expensive filters, but filters none the less. More habit than anything I guess. I also use a marble slab, 18x24 inches, with small isolators under it for my dispenser and scales. I did that just to give my scales a stable platform. (actually I used the same setup when I used balance scales). Only other thing I've done is close the AC vents down on that side of the room to try and eliminate drafts. I also keep my scales powered up all the time. Maybe all that helps in the stability of my unit.