Most accurate powder scale under $50?

[Runs With Fire]

I need a highly accurate scale. My budget is small. It's not for reloading, my buddy and I are going to run consistency checks on the bullet, brass, and charge of everything we have.
We're also gonna run them through the gauntlet with my calipers and put em through a chrono too.

[Marco Califo]

Look for a balance beam scale on eBay: RCBS Lyman, Redding.

[Runs With Fire]

Originally Posted by Marco Califo

Look for a balance beam scale on eBay: RCBS Lyman, Redding.

Is there one that works well, more often than the others? Which ones at that price range should I stay away from?

[Marco Califo]

RCBS Lyman, Redding.

[TXAZ]

A balance beam scale measures mass, not weight, so there is inherently more precision in the mechanism vs scales that measure weight (force).
Then it gets down to the precision of the references masses (weights) used.
All 3 listed above are likely pretty good from reputable vendors for your price point.

If you want NBS traceable performance, add 1-2 digits to your price point.

[BJung]

I have an RCBS balance and bought some test weights and bought a Harbor Freight electronic scale. I measured the weights on the electronic scale and they came out as marked. Then, I measured the weight on my RCBS and it was the same.

I use my electronic scale to measure the weight of my brass and bullets. It's faster and I can watch tv doing it. My balance is used to measure my powder weight. I tend to throw slightly low and trickle up.

I'm not sure about the Mass and Weight explanation. I think of weight as the downward force of matter by gravity. So aren't you countering the Weight of the powder to the weight of the counter-weights on the balance? Mass is amount of matter, right? So for example, your weight on the moon is less than on the earth. Your mass is the same.

[hounddawg]

this is the most accurate scale I have ever heard of for the price, when I bought mine they were only $20 and it still works as well as the day USPS delivered it

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-G.../dp/B00ESHDGOI

It is as good as my several hundred dollar A&D 120 FXi for accuracy. Several people over at accurate shooter forums have had the same experience

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/th...scale.3985753/

[jpx2rk]

Look for a RCBS 505, accurate and repeatable for my purposes (PD shooting, load development), should be $50 or less.

[Capt.Mike]

Interesting! Until I bought a Crap-Load of Reloading Stuff this year at an Estate Auction I did Not have a Digital Scale I used for Reloading. Since the '80's I've used a Lyman Beam Scale. Did I "like" it, NO! It's quirky and Slow but it's accurate. In all the Estate Auction stuff was an RCBS Digital, I've been using it for the past 3 months. It can be a little Quirky too but it's FAST and I don't have to Dick With it to get a Weight.

I did find another "thing" that I like to eliminate putting the Funnel on the Case and Pouring the Powder In. "Digital Scale Powder Funnel Pan" $10.00 and Plastic but it's worth it. On a Inexpensive digital scale this Pan will make life easier and cheaper than a metal pan and plastic case funnel.

IMO don't get stuck on "RELOADING" anything. A accurate Digital Scale $15-$30. A RELOADING Digital Scale $139.00. Bull Chip.

Keep us posted.

______________________________________________________________________

Ramblings...
(***"Estate Sale"; At this point in my Life, I HATE THEM. The Kids are Selling anything and every thing to recover Mom and Pop's MONEY. One of my most beloved/hated things I own A 1957 Harley Panhead. It belonged to a "Brother" that was Killed in 1978. I'd rather him still be a Live and have this Pan. )

[hounddawg]

you can still find the Gem 20's for around $20 on Ebay, they are just marketed under a no name label, same case and internals

20x0.001g High Jewelry Digital Milligram Scale New Smart Weigh US SHIP

[Bart B.]

I don't think the scale needs to be extremely accurate or precise. As long as it's repeatable, a half grain error compared to a laboratory grade beam scale dosen't matter.

[StripesDude]

Originally Posted by hounddawg

this is the most accurate scale I have ever heard of for the price, when I bought mine they were only $20 and it still works as well as the day USPS delivered it

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-G.../dp/B00ESHDGOI

It is as good as my several hundred dollar A&D 120 FXi for accuracy. Several people over at accurate shooter forums have had the same experience

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/th...scale.3985753/

I have that same one from Amazon. No need for anything more expensive. It works like a charm.

[Metal god]

For what the OP wants it for IMHO a digital scale is best . No way I’d want to adjust a beam scale every bullet , piece of brass or anything I need to way multiple pieces that are likely to weigh different amounts with each piece . I use the cheap Lyman digital scale for that very thing but the linked scale by hawndog looks good .

Also for what the OP wants to weigh a .1 here , a .1 there is not going to be a deal breaker . .1gr off of a 175gr bullet is not going to change your POI or velocities and a .1gr off on brass weight will have zero effect . A cheap digital scale should work just fine for this task and give a lot less hassle then any beam scale .

[T. O'Heir]

Things are that slow in MI are they? snicker.
Cabela's has this on sale for $23.99. No idea if it's worth that though.
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/fran...c-powder-scale
"...a chrono too..." What do you think one of those runs if < $50 is your scale budget? Just curious.
E-Bay wants to take your firearms away from you. They fund the people who are busy trying to make that happen.

[darkgael]

I have the lyman scale. I had the RCBS scale. I have the Lee precision balance beam scale. The Lee scale has not been mentioned yet in this thread. It is wildly less expensive than the other brands and it is at least as accurate, maybe more.
The common criticism of the $30 Lee is that it is hard to set up. Maybe. I never found it to be so.

[Msauter]

I also have the Lee balance beam scale and find that it is very accurate, once you figure out how to use it.

[jetinteriorguy]

I have two Lee beam scales and never use them. I’ve had them checked in the calibration shop where I used to work years ago and they were right on. The reason I don’t use them is they are too fiddly, need more damping, and the sliding scale for tenths of a grain is too difficult to read clearly. The first one I got was because I was being a cheapskate, the second one was in a collection of stuff I bought from a guy. I’d sell them but for what little I think they’d be worth it’s not worth the bother.

[buck460XVR]

Originally Posted by Runs With Fire

I need a highly accurate scale. My budget is small. It's not for reloading, my buddy and I are going to run consistency checks on the bullet, brass, and charge of everything we have.
We're also gonna run them through the gauntlet with my calipers and put em through a chrono too.

I need to ask.....why? Just for ships and giggles?

Since the scale is not for reloading I assume you are going to weigh loaded factory ammo. Weighing loaded ammo will not tell you much, if anything. Most name brand factory ammo is pretty consistent, but it is not tailored to your gun. It is also generally as accurate as those folks shooting factory ammo.

[RedArrow]

I love the RCBS mechanical scale over the Lee, but I moved to an inexpensive digital jewelry scale for quick easy use.

[BJung]

Consistency is key to me. And so, who has compared different balances and scales and ran there loads over a chronograph? I would assume that the most consistent balance or scale will produce loads with the lowest SD? I admit there are other variables but powder quantity is one.

Also, I consider benchrest shooters the high priest of rifle shooting accuracy. I take their ideas and suggestions to improve my loads. Does anyone know what they use? I think they still use a funnel with a long spout yes?

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by burbank jung

I'm not sure about the Mass and Weight explanation. I think of weight as the downward force of matter by gravity. So aren't you countering the Weight of the powder to the weight of the counter-weights on the balance? Mass is amount of matter, right? So for example, your weight on the moon is less than on the earth. Your mass is the same.
burbank_jung is offline Add Infraction for burbank_jung Report Post IP Edit Message

The difference is that a balance will give you the same result on the moon as it does on earth, while a scale will say the object has six times less weight, from which you might erroneously conclude the mass had got six times lower. The scale result varies with gravity, while the balance result does not because it uses the same masses as the counterweights. Normally, we compensate the scale using calibration weights, which works on earth, but if you went to the moon and tried to do that, the scale would give you a calibration error notice.

In general, loading and shooting are concerned with mass. Powder mass determines the pressure it will produce, which won't change on the moon. Bullet mass is needed to calculate momentum and kinetic energy and determine the reaction force the powder builds pressure against. On earth, gravity is consistent enough to generally use weight as a surrogate for mass as if it were the same thing. It varies about 0.7% with high values at the tops of mountains because, despite the increased distance from the center of the earth, the density of rock is higher than the average ground, so its gravity is greater. The low points are over deep parts of the ocean because water's density is lower than rock's (why rocks sink).

In the United States, though, the variation is only about 0.2%. That's an error of 0.1 grains of powder out of 50. So even if you dragged your scale up atop a major mountain without recalibrating it with a standard check weight, your powder charges would only be light by that much when you weighed them at a gravity low point.

[Marco Califo]

That is why I never reload on the Moon.
That, and the distance and transport involved.

[BJung]

Thanks Uncle Nick. Your comments are like the guy with the camp flood light that illuminates knowledge in the darkness...

[olduser]

Stay away from the "National Metallic" brand from Midway USA. I have a Gem 20 and it seems to be more than adequate for reloading. I do hate the automatic turn off feature.

[Unclenick]

I actually got one the National Metallic scales when it was on sale for $25 because I needed the high load limit for a project. I've been pleasantly surprised by how stable mine is. I've left it on for over a week with no drift or calibration change. It disagrees by 0.1 grain on the high side with a better scale I have, but that's the worst of its sins.

That said, with inexpensive scales you are often in a catch-as-catch-can situation, where one copy of the scale is great and the next copy drifts like a leaf on the wind. So I won't make a blanket recommendation of the NM scale. I only have proof that it is possible to get a good one.