[Bobby072]

I have three scales now and found an older digital to be better than expected. I used it to weigh pellet gun ammo.

I was thinking the made for weighing powder Lyman would be good but it pales in comparison to the little Gemni-20 at least for verifying pistol loads of 6.5gr. I like the redding to verify the Gemini 20.

The Gemni-20 only goes to 308 gr but who loads that much? The lyman and expensive dillon are on a cruder 1500gr scale and 10x less accurate.

On the lyman or Dillon if you want 6.4gr it could read
6.3
6.4gr
6.5

On the Gemni-20
6.384
6.4gr
6.425

I'm wondering why you would want to spend $140.00 on a scale that is 10x less accurate?
What scales are you guys using?

 

[Tilden Hunter]

The Gemni-20 only goes to 308 gr but who loads that much? The lyman and expensive dillon are on a cruder 1500gr scale and 10x less accurate.

The 308 gr max. makes it useful for weighing rifle cases. How did you determine that the Lyman and Dillon are 10x less accurate?

 

[Bobby072]

The 308 gr max. makes it useful for weighing rifle cases. How did you determine that the Lyman and Dillon are 10x less accurate?

Its built into the specs. They listed it for each unit, and you can tell by the scale itself, some don't even the extra decimal place.

Most all scales that are over 500gr max have only a .1gram accuracy. Good enough for 50gr loads +/- .1 50.1gr vs 50.0 vs 49.9 probably not as big a deal as it is with lighter loads of say sub 10gr where being off .1 takes up a greater percentage of the load.

 

[Ken]

If you get into .01 or .001 of a grain you will drive yourself crazy in no time. No dispenser, measure, or trickler would be that accurate. And, there are many other things that would more greatly affect accuracy than that minute amount of powder difference.

 

[shaffe48b]

I would go with a balance beam if you don't have one especially if you aren't weighing every charge. Mine isn't even as nice as that you are showing. Even the Lee always worked but it isnt as user friendly.

As far as digital it's hard to say I mean I doubt reloading companies are making their own scales anyways. And you see tests online and you find that relatively expensive reloading scales are tied or outperformed by jewler scales costing less than 20 dollars.

If I need to vote i vote for a rcbs balance beam paired with a woaow electronic which is 15 dollars off Amazon.

 

[shaffe48b]

I myself vote for the more granular reading or at least would never avoid a scale that reports to .02 instead of .1. My electronic scale (and in some ways balance beam) will show me .02 grain resolution. However, as mentioned, it's not repeatable to .02. Usually, reading might change in .02 in each direction. However, as long as you know this it doesnt matter. For instance I will usually accept any reading within .02 or .04 of my goal charge. Either way, I get closer than I would with a scale that resolves to 0.1.

 

[Dom]

Cry once. I've been using an RCBS Chargemaster Combo for 10+ years, no issues. Like said, very minor fluctuations are not going to cause massive accuracy issues, lots of folks use powder measures that don't even weigh the charges. I can see a powder measure for handgun charging which I will do, but could never be convinced to use one for rifle reloading.

 

[Bobby072]

If you get into .01 or .001 of a grain you will drive yourself crazy in no time. No dispenser, measure, or trickler would be that accurate. And, there are many other things that would more greatly affect accuracy than that minute amount of powder difference.

None of it drives me crazy I just noticed because the lyman we had was off by 1.7x meaning 10gr would show up as 17.x grains. Thats not good.

I dug out this old pellet gun scale thinking it was not that good vs the real gunpowder scales, turns out its superior.

Im not talking .01 or .001 grain just .1 grain of the Dillon vs .015 grain of the Gemni-20.

.1 grain is fine for heavier stuff but when you get to lower numbers it makes more of a difference.

I'm trying to find the lowest 9mm loads that will reliably cycle out of the old WW2 guns because I like to shoot then now and them and using 35,000 psi SAMI 9mm is putting more stress than needed. So far can get them to cycle 100 percent at 21,000 psi or so.

So using the Dillon vs the Gemni (lets assume I have perfect powder drop with a trickle powder dispenser) So we just looking at the scales.
I could put exactly 7 grain on dillon and it might read 7.1
On the G-20 it would only read as high as 7.015 grain.

Does it make any real world difference?
Yes!
9mm 7 gr of powder
Dillon = .1 grain accuracy = +/- 1,000 PSI swing
Gemni = .015 grain accuracy = +/- 150 psi swing

Using the dillon one could be off 1,000 PSI +- loads. So just due to scale used some of the ammo could cycle and some wont.

On larger loads like for the 450 BM 40.1 vs 40.0 grains does not matter as much as 7.0 vs 7.1 grains.

The $150.00 scales are only .1 grain accurate so for 9mm load I've found that little Gemni which is 1/4 the price to be better. Not saying the Dillon is bad or anything just that you can't have it all. High scale capacity and higher precision. Just like using a bathroom scale is not the best scale to weigh a letter.

I own all the scales in the photo I posted but the Dillon. The balance scale is nice and easier on batteries.

 

[Tilden Hunter]

Bobby072: I think you are obsessing here over something not worth it. I'm not going to weigh every pistol charge I throw. I through ten charges into a pan, weigh it, divide by ten, and see if I'm throwing what I want into the cases. I repeat this after every ten cases I fill. For rifle cases I check every tenth charge. I'm not a trickler. This is good enough for any reasonable purpose, especially shooting Michigan white-tails.

 

[Bobby072]

Bobby072: I think you are obsessing here over something not worth it. I'm not going to weigh every pistol charge I throw. I through ten charges into a pan, weigh it, divide by ten, and see if I'm throwing what I want into the cases. I repeat this after every ten cases I fill. For rifle cases I check every tenth charge. I'm not a trickler. This is good enough for any reasonable purpose, especially shooting Michigan white-tails.

Hehe the point was to show you don't need to spend $150.00 on a scale, spend $25.00 and get one that is actually better for 10gr and under. Maybe it can help someone else save $125.00.

I plan to do just as you do with rifle loads. Remember I have a progressive press, I'm not going to be testing every load either. I'm only doing this now because its new to me. I just fill the powder drop up 1/3 way and run it and about every 10-15 rounds I dump a case on the scale and see if its still close to what I want.

The numbers were just to show what difference it can make in case there are people that are interested.

 

[Classic8Track]

Cry once. I've been using an RCBS Chargemaster Combo for 10+ years, no issues. Like said, very minor fluctuations are not going to cause massive accuracy issues, lots of folks use powder measures that don't even weigh the charges. I can see a powder measure for handgun charging which I will do, but could never be convinced to use one for rifle reloading.

Agree, and anything electronic should be checked with a good manual scale at least once every batch.

 

[Dom]

One can make reloading as difficult or as simple as one wants to. One will find a system that works for him/her.

It is good to research and use common sense, and don't do iffy loads unless you are prepared to accept the consequences. As long as one is careful, thoughtful, and responsible, the chances of having any serious issues are slim. I've been reloading for decades, yes, I've had flattened primers and sticky bolts, just learn from it.

Each of your loads are unique to your rifle, not somebody elses.

 

[Luv2hunteup]

Do yourself a favor and purchase a scale check weight set.

 

[shaffe48b]

I personally don't believe that the advertised accuracy of an electronic scale or how many numbers it reads makes it 'better.' The proof is in the pudding so to speak.

I also don't believe you always get what you pay for with the digitals. Sometimes you are paying for a brand name.

Truth is digital scales are renowned for being temprimental no matter what you pay for them. I would use then in conjunction with a balance beam, check weights, or both if it was me. I also check my zero after every charge to save me from going back and throwing 10 charges out when i dont know how far back I lost zero.

Also, electronics break sooner or later so if you buy a super duper digital scale you will replace it someday

 

[Ken]

As far as the WWII 9mm. That gun will handle a heck of a lot more pressure and use than you think. Probably better than half of the current guns on the market. I wouldn't worry about the minimum load needed to cycle it. Just run a light to moderate load and enjoy.

 

[cotote wacker]

There are cartridges that a .1 gr. does matter...5.7x28 .1 gr. is a very big deal when working a near maximum load of 5.3 gr.....

 

[Bobby072]

As far as the WWII 9mm. That gun will handle a heck of a lot more pressure and use than you think. Probably better than half of the current guns on the market. I wouldn't worry about the minimum load needed to cycle it. Just run a light to moderate load and enjoy.

I read about them in many forums from owners of WW2 lugers. Springs and parts can be in unknown condition. Many said what you are saying and maybe later said "Broke this or that"
Also sever videos advising to load them down. I guess I could ignore all of them and just buy P+ ammo and see how long it holds up.

Why tempt fate when its so easy to load a little weaker? Makes no sense if you already have a reloading machine. Do you run p+ 9mm in your Luger?

 

[cotote wacker]

I read about them in many forums from owners of WW2 lugers. Springs and parts can be in unknown condition. Many said what you are saying and maybe later said "Broke this or that"
Also sever videos advising to load them down. I guess I could ignore all of them and just buy P+ ammo and see how long it holds up.

Why tempt fate when its so easy to load a little weaker? Makes no sense if you already have a reloading machine. Do you run p+ 9mm in your Luger?

I agree 100% guns built in war time it was about Quantity not so much Quality.... metals varied ....near the end of the War it was use what you had ....now loading to have 100% function is important....nobody's going to carry or even use a 100% original for home defense a WW II Hi-Power, Luger or a P-38....I've seen many that didn't even like hollow points....

 

[Ken]

What I was saying is that you don't have to get down to the tenth of a grain possible lowest that will allow the gun to cycle. Run a low to moderate book load and you will be fine. That's a long way from +P

 

[Bobby072]

What I was saying is that you don't have to get down to the tenth of a grain possible lowest that will allow the gun to cycle. Run a low to moderate book load and you will be fine. That's a long way from +P

Yes you can get by with .1 gr accuracy, the original thread was just about best bang for the buck scales.

I just by accident found that little Gemini scale to be better for under 10grain loads. And for its price its a decent addition to a re loaders arsenal.

Just found a web write up from another person that found the same.
http://ataleoftwothirties.com/?p=1229