Thread: Beam scales vs Electronic

I have the Hornady digital as well, the zero does drift a few tenths of a grain if you don't catch it it can move a grain or so over a hundred rounds no BS I tested it against the beam scale, set the thrower 1 grain light and trickled up
to target weight by round 80 the digital was reading the target weight the thrower was dropping charges +/- 3 tenths of a grain, to get a digital that is reliable as a good beam scale you need to spend a grand or more and it will still
die before the beam scale, A friend uses the Lyman electronic powder thrower not sure which model but it products very small groups it should with a price tag of $700.00 it's still electric and a power surge could fry the CPU

In no circumstances get a cheap electronic scale without a method of checking it, I made that mistake. I started with a Hornady electronic scale and over some months it read more and more under. The result was instead of putting in 38 gr of 2208 I was putting 47+gr of 2208 through my No4 and that stetched the action from a no1 bolthead to a no2.

Now 38gr is the minimum and 45gr the max, if I'd had the standard load of about 42gr 2208 to get to 2440fps I would have been compressing 50~51gr! that could have been expensive if not nasty.

I would suggest the Lee beam scale as an addition even if you want the electronic one as a check (I think they are about $60).

Definitly get a beam scale to check an electric, a couple of std weights are also a good idea you can use them to spot check. I mostly use a powder thrower, have two one set for 223, and the other for everything else. I know the settings but always check a few before i start and for the guys i dont shoot often the beam is fine. Ive got an old ohaus 10 10 with the std weights but i believe even the cheap lees are as good

Have thought about a powder thrower, just can't justify the expense when I only do a couple hundred rounds a year

I use Lee powder dippers 223 Nut, had a Lee powder thrower last time and it was great but still used a trickler to get the load spot on.
This time I am using Lee dippers and then the trickler, works fine. Seems a bit primitive but it works, once you have a consistent technique you can be very close with the dippers.
I will see how it goes long term as I expect to shoot alot of 223 down in central.

definitely get a beam scale it will out last any electronic powder measure no matter what the price my Lyman M5 by Ohaus is from the 1960's is still spot on none of the digital stuff will be working in 40+ years,
If you only load 200 for a year you could do that on a Sunday afternoon with a couple of coffee breaks thrown in, I have a wooden box that gets the scale up to eye level and I weigh every round I use a powder thrower
to speed things up, you can make some dippers out of old cases if you don't want a thrower Lee make a set of plastic dippers that work fine.

dippers and trickler is my current set up, yet to use it though. got up this morning full of enthusiasm to build my reloading bench and tidy up the toy room, instead wake up to a blizzard, literally white stuff coming horizontal mixed in with rain... not a day to build things outside

shooternz have the dippers but i like the idea of using an old case as a measure, easy to cut it off at the right height and scoop. better make sure it hasnt got a live primer in it though!

Originally Posted by 223nut

shooternz have the dippers but i like the idea of using an old case as a measure, easy to cut it off at the right height and scoop. better make sure it hasnt got a live primer in it though!

Thats exactly what I've done for 3 different calibres.
They each hold slightly less than my preferred load, then I trickle the last part of the charge.
A powder thrower would be faster, but, call me anal, some things aren't meant to be done fast.
I call it...theraphy !

Yeah your right FrogFeatures, I hated reloading the first time I started but his time round my head is in a different space and I just cruise out and slowly work through it .
Measure every load so it's spot on, chill time and great in crappy weather.

Wife loves it...stops me getting bored and watching porn then bugging her for sex all the time

I reckon neck tension effects velocity more than exact granule counts on powder. I'm toying with weighing my projectiles (using my electronic scales, but I prefer the rcbs 505 beam for the powder

Originally Posted by Dead is better

I reckon neck tension effects velocity more than exact granule counts on powder. I'm toying with weighing my projectiles (using my electronic scales, but I prefer the rcbs 505 beam for the powder

+1 Neck tention would be one of the most important things to get consistent when wanting LR accuracy.

Out to 400m you can be a whole grain out on most large cals and won't notice it too much.



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223 nut If you can, ( depending on your set up ) build a shelf at eye level for your beam scale. When you have it set up right draw a line around it so you know it goes in the same place each time, always check the level /zero.
With the shelf at eye level you dont have to bend down and piss about you can mount a trickler right next to it.
it doesnt need to be a massive strong shelf just enough to hold the scale etc on its own.

@johnd that's the plan, rebuilding the bench as soon as the weather fines up enuff to do all the cutting of 4+2 before I bring it inside. Press on The left, trimmer next in line with scales and trickler on an extra high shelf (8+2 on its edge with ply on top) for scales and trickler. Just got wait for this bloody blizzard to pass through

Slightly off topic, but I anneal my cases after every 4th firing.
Between cleaning primer pockets, annealing, and being anal, I THINK it gives me better results.
Anyway, I'm happy, I'd rather over prep, than under prep.