This is one of those "how good is good enough" questions. You guys that are reloading for precision, what kind of scale do you use? And which one?
I have a couple of beam scales (RCBS) that I've used in the past. What is the current thought and direction?
If it makes a difference, it would not stay set up full time; rather, it would be brought out of the closet when it's time to reload a batch.
Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry
"Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it)
November 07, 2020, 01:29 PM
Expert308
I still have and occasionally use an old RCBS 5-0-5 scale that I bought when I first started reloading about 30 years ago. I weigh and trickle every charge (Varget and H-4350) for my match rifles so it's had a pretty good workout over the years. It still works fine as long as I keep an eye on the calibration which tends to wander a little during a session. It sits on my loading bench behind and to one side of the press, and I think the adjustment screw does some self-adjusting due to vibration of the benchtop when I'm running the press. I have to check and zero it frequently.
A few months ago I got tired of that and picked up an RCBS Chargemaster Lite. After using it for a bit, it became one of those "Why the hell didn't I do this years ago?" things. As long as I let it warm up good before a session, once calibrated any drift is un-measureable.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with the old beam scale other than the re-checking business, but that would be true for any scale. But my confidence in the consistency of my match loads has improved dramatically, and that's a good feeling.
That said, IMO using high quality brass and good consistent case prep practices will do as much or more for your groups than a more expensive scale will.
November 07, 2020, 05:43 PM
vulrath
I have a Chargemaster combo and a CM Lite. I like both, but the CM likes to overcharge by a few tenths of a grain with IMR 4895 and IMR 4451 and it drives me batty. Not enough (yet) to sell, just severely annoy.
The original has some features that I like, but the lite has more. It has an integrated bubble level, for one, and they redesigned the trickle tube so it would be more accurate.
I'm going to test the Lite more thoroughly and then probably sell the original off.
For the record I'm relatively new to the precision loading game. I started off doing it with a cheap scale and a manual trickler, but gave up because of the time cost - 20 rounds of 308 took damned near all day to meter by hand, and it was frustrating as hell. Now I'm playing with a custom 6.5 Creedmoor rifle on a completely different level from what I'm used to.
EDIT: Changed some powder names so they would be correct.This message has been edited. Last edited by: vulrath,
"In order to understand recursion, you must first learn the principle of recursion."
November 10, 2020, 09:03 AM
Haveme1or2
I shoot competition Benchrest. I have a Sartorius lab scale.
Fx 120i is what most regular shooters use on the rifle forum I visit.
November 10, 2020, 04:05 PM
El Cid 92
Autotrickler V3 with an FX-120i scale. Accurate and fast. Measures down to a single kernel of powder.
Had the Chargemaster and the Autotrickler is lightyears ahead of it.
Andrew
Duty is the sublimest word in the English Language - Gen Robert E Lee.