[Deadeye]

I have an electronic jewlers scale that I bought a while back, thinking I could use it for reloading. I got it out yesterday & started checking it against a RCBS 502 & a Lee safety scale (both balance scales). I went to my local Head Shop today & purchased a calibration weight & calibrated it according to the instructions. The problem I'm having is that the jewlers scale is reading 0.5-0.6 grains higher than the balance scales on everything I've weighed (just been weighing different bullets & pieces of brass so far). I've zeroed the balance scales & they are reading within 0.1 grains +or- of each other. I used a 200 gram (3086.4 grains) calibration weight to calibrate the jewlers scale (thats what the scale calls for when you calibrate it). The scale says that it is calibrated, so I'm at a loss to explain the difference between the scales.

Anybody got any ideas?

 

[Bountyhunter]

That jeweler's scale is a POS. They have tons of them on eBay all the time. I've heard from more than one source that they aren't good for reloading. They don't stay accurate, if they are to start with, and you have to recalibrate all the time during use. Doesn't it weigh in grams and then you have to figure out grains to grams? I'd toss it. It won't be very reliable at all.

 

[Wizard]

I agree with BH. Toss it and get an electronic scale made for reloading.....

 

[Deadeye]

Yes I believe ya'll are correct. I wasn't expecting great accuracy out of the jeweler's scale only paid $10.00 for it at a Flea Market :? I'm just doing this "research" to satisfy my own curiosity more than anything. When I started I expected the RCBS scale to be the most accurate, but its looking like the Lee is going to win the accuracy contest. The Lee & RCBS are reading about the same in the lower weight ranges below 20 grains they are within 0.1gn. of each other but when you get up in the 80-100gn range the difference grows to 0.3gn. I'm still doing research, I'm going to get some more calibration weights so I can really narrow my results. Lee claims that there scale is more accurate than RCBS and I'm finding that to be true so far. The issue I have with the Lee is it only gos to 100gn. so I can't use it to weigh bullets. I would just stick with the RCBS but it doesn't look like its going to be that accurate in the higher ranges. I'll post the results when I'm done.

The jeweler's scale does automatically convert to grains & appears to be more accurate than the RCBS in the higher ranges. One of the reasons I'm doing this is I never trusted the RCBS scale, couldn't put my finger on it but it just didn't seem right some how. I would buy an elec. scale for reloading but can't afford $100.00 & up right now and I just love tinker'n with shit like this. It keeps me out of trouble ya know!

 

[Bountyhunter]

Yes we do know.

 

[sheepdog]

I'm from the 70s on reloading...but did you subtract the weight of the powder pan on the powder scale-with the jeweler's scale, there'll be no pan weight to figure in unless you add a pan....with the powder scale, you zero it with the pan in place....

 

[Terry_P]

Check with the head shop they may want to buy the jewlers scale from you. I have the RCBS 1500 electronic and it is worth every penny. I added the dispenser this year and it works excellent.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I have that same scale without the dispenser.

 

[Deadeye]

The jeweler's scale has a Tare feature that automatically subtracts the weight of the pan. I'm figger'n out that its not very accurate in the lower weight ranges that you would use for weighing powder but it is consistently off by the same amount every time. I just want it so I don't have to wait for a balance beam scale to level out or fiddle with hanging the pan on it etc. As long as its consistently off by the same amount, then I'll only need to weigh the 1st. charge on the BB scale then weigh it on the jeweler's scale then it will be faster to check charges as I load a batch. If I notice a discrepancy I can go back to the BB.

I did some more research today and to make a long story short, the Lee scale won the accuracy contest (it is very sensitive so I'm going to build a base/mount for it tonight). I think this "system" will work fine for knock'n out range ammo.

 

[Bountyhunter]

It's the only thing I was using for a while. I weighed every load. :?

 

[sheepdog]

I used an RCBS Powder hopper...crank up and down...weighed every 5th load and visually checked the whole tray....3.5 Gr Bullseye or 5.0 gr Unique on the .38 and .44, respectively...never had a problem....don't think I'd trust an automatic powder dropper....I yearn to load again but I could buy a lotta ammo for what it'd cost to set up....I ain't likely to do it.....