Scales, analog vs digital

[Koda]

Lyman analog scale vs Frankford Arsenal DS-750 scale...
I swear I can see the difference of .05 grain on my analog scale but will never on my digital scale. Ive been comparing, tonight charging 58 grains of Ramshot for some loads. Ive reset the analog several times to assure its accuracy and when I double check it on the digital scale it always reads 1/10 grain lower. Is it possible my digital scale is off?

Which type is more accurate?

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[edzz]

Lyman analog scale vs Frankford Arsenal DS-750 scale...
I swear I can see the difference of .05 grain on my analog scale but will never on my digital scale. Ive been comparing, tonight charging 58 grains of Ramshot for some loads. Ive reset the analog several times to assure its accuracy and when I double check it on the digital scale it always reads 1 grain lower. Is it possible my digital scale is off?

Which type is more accurate?

Do you have calibration weights?

 

[Koda]

Do you have calibration weights?

Only 1 50 gram weight that came with the digital scale. My analog scale only goes up to 500 grains.

 

[edzz]

FWIW

I use both. If I'm looking for most accurate measure I trust my analog, speed the electronic. My electronic lives in its box with battery out, so at the beginning of a session it comes out of its closest unpacked, set up and recalibrated than checked in 10 -20 minutes to give it time to stabilize to the temperature in my cave is before trusting it. The analog just gets unpacked, setup and put into use.
I have greater faith in the consistency over time (hours) in the analog. My main use for the electronic is for weighing bullets. Especially when setting up my bullet swaging dies or when sorting cast bullets.

 

[Koda]

FWIW

I use both. If I'm looking for most accurate measure I trust my analog, speed the electronic. My electronic lives in its box with battery out, so at the beginning of a session it comes out of its closest unpacked, set up and recalibrated than checked in 10 -20 minutes to give it time to stabilize to the temperature in my cave is before trusting it. The analog just gets unpacked, setup and put into use.
I have greater faith in the consistency over time (hours) in the analog. My main use for the electronic is for weighing bullets. Especially when setting up my bullet swaging dies or when sorting cast bullets.

thats close to what Im doing, I start out with the digital since its faster to get to the charge weight then validate and fine tune it on the analog. Its just that if I double check the final charge back on the digital its always 1/10gr lower consistently so makes me wonder if its off. Sometimes if I gently push on it it then it reads the same, sometimes 1/10 higher so my trust in these cheap digital scales isnt there.

 

[TTSX]

Depends how warm, literally, your electric scale is and how level both are. My electric scale can be off by as much as .6gn+/- when cold, agrees within .1 to my beam scale when warm. Your results seem to be consistent with mine. For me +/- a tenth is within tolerance

 

[Stomper]

I use an electronic scale to weigh in refrigerant charges to various refrigeration systems, and I power it up for at least 5 minutes beforehand because it'll drift when "cold".

I use a beam scale for powder weighing.

 

[orygun]

I have an RCBS Chargemaster electronic scale. I use it for checking loaded rounds because it's fast.
I don't have a clue if the .1gr "swing" of range of the electronic scale is really that big of a deal when loading charges that are around 60gr, but I don't use it for weighing powder. It takes time to warm up. It's more sensitive to a breeze. I also don't think it's perfectly consistent when warmed up...
I have an Ohuas 10-0-5 scale that I use for all of my powder measuring. I can see the difference two kernels of RL22 make when they hit the tray. The RCBS doesn't have a clue... The Ohaus ALWAYS reads exactly the same when I test it.

Since the RCBS only measures to the tenth, to me that means there's a half a tenth either way (lighter or heavier) that it can be off. With the Ohaus I can tell when it's right on, or not.

 

[red442joe]

thats close to what Im doing, I start out with the digital since its faster to get to the charge weight then validate and fine tune it on the analog. Its just that if I double check the final charge back on the digital its always 1/10gr lower consistently so makes me wonder if its off. Sometimes if I gently push on it it then it reads the same, sometimes 1/10 higher so my trust in these cheap digital scales isnt there.

Looks like you found it's time for a new digital.

Joe

 

[red442joe]

If you want really accurate charge weights you likely won't be doing it fast.

Joe

 

[orygun]

If you want really accurate charge weights you likely won't be doing it fast.

Joe

Trickler and a beam. I only wish it was fast.

 

[Lennie]

My current scale is a high end digital jewelry scale that offers the option of a grains read out mode. It reads to a 1/100 of a grain.

I have had two RCBS and one dillon digital scale and all proved less than satisfactory in performance.

The adage you get what you pay for is true in digital scales.

I still use a balance beam scale and known weight items to verify.

 

[41mag]

Not disputing 'absolute accuracy ' of beam vs digital.
My question regards 'measurable accuracy difference ' in handgun loads at typical target range distances <25 yards.
Just how do we confirm variables in the 0.01 grain range for group size?

 

[red442joe]

I use an RCBS 10-10 beam scale for those loads I think need to be precise. For example, 27.5 grains of H110 under a 230 grain XTP at 1600 fps in 45 Win Mag for the Automag 4. A starting load.
It is not fast to load, but I make them exact!

Joe

 

[red442joe]

Not disputing 'absolute accuracy ' of beam vs digital.
My question regards 'measurable accuracy difference ' in handgun loads at typical target range distances <25 yards.
Just how do we confirm variables in the 0.01 grain range for group size?

I don't believe we ever can. At least not with hand held hand guns.
I do think that some loads just "taste" better for some people, in that, compared to another "recipe", no matter how you measure them there is no difference in performance-the shooter just seems to perform better with one over another.

Joe

 

[orygun]

Not disputing 'absolute accuracy ' of beam vs digital.
My question regards 'measurable accuracy difference ' in handgun loads at typical target range distances <25 yards.
Just how do we confirm variables in the 0.01 grain range for group size?

If my digital scale read to the hundredth of a grain (.01) and did it reliably, the beam scale would probably never get used. But it only breaks down to the tenth (.10 gr). NOW, does that little bit make a difference on 60+ grains? Highly doubtful, but I do what I can to keep everything consistent. Nearly perfect powder measurement is one thing I can control.
Double checking handgun loads that I'm running thru the progressive loader is when the "accuracy" of the RCBS Chargemaster is sufficient.

 

[Throckmorton]

I"m on LOTS of reloading pages/groups and nobody trusts just their digital, they all double check it with the beam scale.
huh ? then why the heck buy the digital , is my question . Beams are easy enough to use, that is what I do.

 

[RVTECH]

then why the heck buy the digital , is my question .

Only if you choose to.

Hey, I am a fan of 'electronic', hi tech, etc for certain things - but I have never seen the practicality of a digital scale - especially having read about all the problems with them over the years.

With A Trickler and and my RCBS beam I can weigh & zero and throw the charge in about 20 or so seconds.

It helps to have a funnel solidly mounted on a bracket on your powder measure stand, holder or however you have it set up to easily put the brass under and dump the charge.

I made a swivel stand many years to accommodate two powder measures - one is dedicated to .30--30 loading with Unique and the other is my 'universal' one for quick changes for other calibers - mostly pistol. I will soon be adding a 'third' on a modified swivel stand.

 

[dangerranger60]

I went through several digital scales that were giving me fits. but Everyone said they were so much faster. And they are except when you are constantly checking them for accuracy.
I learned a lot about electronic scales and what it takes to keep them accurate.
first I had to remove the florescent lights. [ the ballasts mess with electronics]. Then I had to put the scale on a separate bench from my loading presses. Then I had to move it again to keep it away from my compressor . And then move it again to keep it out of the path of the cooler vent!
With the beam scale I only had to put it in a 3 sided enclosure [ to keep any breeze off of it!
Now I'm happy with the beam scale that I trust every time! DR

 

[SteelheadTed]

Any digital scale under $100 won't be great for fine measurements, the tech required costs money. A sub $50 beam scale will run circles around a digital scale until you are spending $200 or more.