Scale Reccomendations.

I have just spend a few hundred pounds on reloading equipment. I was unhappy with the result. On taking the reloded bullets to a knowledgeable friend, we found that the load of powder was about 3-4 grains above what it should have been. Also the charge for the 10 bullets loaded varied from 26.7 gns to 27.4 gns. The load should have been 23.3 gns. The scales used were Lee Safety Scale and the powder dispenser is the Lee Perfect Powder measure.
My confidence in these 2 pieces of equipment is somewhat shattered. Can anyone recommend 100% accurate scales and powder dispenser.

Ian.
 
These scales as with most are susceptible to many variables including vibration, static charge and temperature. Get a check weight and calibrate before every session.
 
Wanderinstar
I own the same equipment also a set of digital scales made by Smartloader and I always check one against the other, it also depends on which powder you are using. Using H4350 my perfect powder measure has a variation of no more than .3 of a grain and both my 222 and 6.5 shoot sub 1/2 inch groups and my 270 shoots sub 1 inch groups, why do you think your equipment is faulty not your friends. Sorry I shoot varget out of my 222 with the same weighing results.
Keith
 
Lee reloading presses are ok for a start off but the dies scalles powder throwers are cheap junk.
If you want accuracey buy RCBS
 
Lee reloading presses are ok for a start off but the dies scalles powder throwers are cheap junk.
If you want accuracey buy RCBS

Oh my what a sweeping statement :rolleyes: and one that is obviously total cobblers :-|

I do prefer the Lyman scales that I picked up used some years back but I did start with a set of Lee scales and apart for the adjustment which i didn't like they are fine and accurate. As for Lee dies I had one set with caused problems when the expander withdrew and was stretching the neck shoulder but these were replaced by Lee. Now I have dies made by Lee, RCBS, Lyman and Redding and in all honesty they all performa about the same.

Now i have never used the Lee powder perfect measure but know those that have and they didn't have any problems providing the instruction of use were followed. I have an RCBS Uniflow again picked up used but it not in use due to lack of space so i use:-

Horror of Horrors :eek: I use lee Dippers with the scale ;) I do not have check weights, keep meaning to acquire some but have honestly never found the need, I periodically break out the CH scales (also picked up in a trade) and check the two against one another. The chances are both being out by the same amount is too small to contemplate.

Now back to the OP and the question. Your doin soemthing wrong... Go back to the beginning and read the instructions...................... Yes READ them :D follow them and you should not have a problem. It's something simple I'll wager that is causing this. Like did you rune powder through the measure first to coat the insides like Lee say?

Did you check the thrown charges in the scale pan? Was the scale zeroed and sat upon a flat level surface? You really need to read through the instructions and follow them to the letter and which such huge variations you also need someone who has been successfully and SAFELY hand loading for some time to go through it with you as there is a major error here and a potentially unsafe one.
 
I have just spend a few hundred pounds on reloading equipment. I was unhappy with the result. On taking the reloded bullets to a knowledgeable friend, we found that the load of powder was about 3-4 grains above what it should have been. Also the charge for the 10 bullets loaded varied from 26.7 gns to 27.4 gns. The load should have been 23.3 gns. The scales used were Lee Safety Scale and the powder dispenser is the Lee Perfect Powder measure.
My confidence in these 2 pieces of equipment is somewhat shattered. Can anyone recommend 100% accurate scales and powder dispenser.

Ian.

That degree of error isn't the scales fault. Did you tare the scale before using it?? I have a Lee scale and while not the easiest to use, it is very accurate. I have compared it to my Ohaus "Dial-O-Grain" and they give basically identical results.

As to the .7 grain charge difference: Well! Welcome to reloading! It's difficult to throw a charge (especially with coarse powders) within a grain until you develop a good, well practiced technique. Did you follow Lee's instructions as to the set up and break-in of the measure to relieve the static electricity charge? I don't care the Lee measure myself when using fine powders but I never had a problem with coarser varieties such as are used in stalking rifles. ~Muir
 
JCS


I also am fortunate enough to own the Acculab VIC -123 scale, I use it to trickle up on after throwing the base charge on a Harrell Culver.


I still own a set of RCBS 5-0-5's (just in case)



Regardless of what kit you have, you MUST check it is a, zero'd and b, that one knows how to use it accurately;)
 
The powder I am using is Vihtavoire N135. Yes I did zero the scale before I started. My mentor told me not to get Lee Scales as he had had a set and checked them against 3 others, which all read the same and the Lee was out. Yes I did run a full hopper of powder through the measure to start with,
The weight of powder for 5 out of 10 were,26.7,27.1,26.9,27.4, and 26.8. They should have been 23.3.
I was told that if I had fired the 27.4 it could have caused me serious personal injury.

the seller has agreed to take both items back and is going to loan me a RCBS scale to put me on.
 
Do you throw light charge and trickle up to weight on the scale - I ask this as some scales can be "grippy" and give false readings.


Is there some debris in the pivot point on your Lee scales which may cause this?
 
lee scales are pretty accurate but they take time to settle. get a set of rcbs 505's if not the 502's are just as good
 
The powder I am using is Vihtavoire N135. Yes I did zero the scale before I started. My mentor told me not to get Lee Scales as he had had a set and checked them against 3 others, which all read the same and the Lee was out. Yes I did run a full hopper of powder through the measure to start with,
The weight of powder for 5 out of 10 were,26.7,27.1,26.9,27.4, and 26.8. They should have been 23.3.
I was told that if I had fired the 27.4 it could have caused me serious personal injury.

the seller has agreed to take both items back and is going to loan me a RCBS scale to put me on.

I don't see it but hey. Stranger things have happened. The powder measure is doing what it is supposed to do. Those 5 rounds average 26.98 grains so the variance from the average was about +/- 0.5 grains. That is OK. I wouldn't expect much better from any measure. Odd about the scale. A 10% error doesn't seem possible as the components of the Lee scale are largely injection molded which is a very uniform process. Weird! I hope you let Lee know. ~Muir
 
RCBS Chargemaster combo great bit of kit and if you have problems RCBS will sort it for you.
I had one start to dispense powder rather slowly after 6 years of use phoned RCBS tryed to change parameters to no avail,phoned them within 3 weeks a new chargemaster was posted to me,for a small charge.
 
Hi
i am new to this site but not new to shooting, i use a RCBS 5-0-5 beam scales and them finish of with the Targetmaster trickler system a third of the price of a RCBS Chargemaster and it always giving me spot on loads

Andy
 
I have just spend a few hundred pounds on reloading equipment. I was unhappy with the result. On taking the reloded bullets to a knowledgeable friend, we found that the load of powder was about 3-4 grains above what it should have been. Also the charge for the 10 bullets loaded varied from 26.7 gns to 27.4 gns. The load should have been 23.3 gns. The scales used were Lee Safety Scale and the powder dispenser is the Lee Perfect Powder measure.
My confidence in these 2 pieces of equipment is somewhat shattered. Can anyone recommend 100% accurate scales and powder dispenser.

Ian.

I use a set of salter digital scales. I always weigh the powder twice, as i find grains to be a very critical measurement. I weigh the first time, then remove powder from scale, reset scale to 0 again and reweigh powder. I get very good results using this method. When i have double checked weight with lee safety scale, i have always found the safety scale to be accurate, albeit has a tendency to stick. Regards, Ed.
 
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