Looking for a new electronic scale - suggestions?

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I use the Gempro 250 for 600 yard rifle loads, setting my measure, and spots checks for other pistol and rifle loads. I have done so for the past 1.5 years. Compared to the hornady,Dillion and RCBS electronic scales I think that it works better. I also like the .02 grain readings. Prior to switch to the Gempro I either used my original RCBS 505 (from 1990) or the electronic scale on my hornady measure. The Gempro is definitely more sensitive than the Hornady and seems as fast as the manual scale. 

But, you probably shouldn't rule out the mechanical scales like the 505 and 1010 from RCBS. While I am told that the older models are better, the new ones work. They also don't require batteries. The battery life on my Gempro was 2 hours when I was doing 600 yard loads for Highpower last year.  

I am on my second Frankford Arsenal. Sent the first one back. Every time I set an empty powder pan on the scale it would give a different measurement. Second one is better but it still does it occasionally. I don't trust electronic ones and I still rely on my RCBS balance beam. Yes its slower but it never lies.

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The best one I have is a Prometheus Gen 2

I think that the Prometheus is more than a bit above the $300 mark. :-)

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dhenry132 wrote:The best one I have is a Prometheus Gen 2

Did not mean to imply it was <300, it's just the best one I have.

I have a Denver Instruments 123 that I would sell. I bought it right before they were bought out and I've never used it. I bought the power adapter for it and it's just been sitting.

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It's easy to get wrapped around the axle with stuff like scales and loaders and dies. But the bottom line is that there will be a learning curve no matter what. 3 seconds is about right for either a balance beam or a good electronic scale. Some seem slower. 

One of the things that my reloading mentor taught me was to test each load with 10 throws of the measure and then divide my 10 and determine the average accuracy. Often a setting that seems perfect will come out on the high side. We would then make an adjustment and throw 10 more charges, weigh and calculate the average. It works pretty good. It tool me a while to get used to trusting that with pistol charges and my first progressive (RCBS Piggyback), but I eventually did.

The highpower shooters who throw all of their loads on the 650/550 generally ream the powder funnel to help with bridging. I have never used the 550 for pistol ammo, since I still have the piggyback setup and the RCBS measure has always been really accurate (with Win231 for target acp loads and 2400 for hunting Ruger 45 colt loads). 

Have you talked to the guys over on the Enos forum. Some of them load extreme amounts of acp on Dillons. Their accuracy requirement may not be as high, but their efficiency requirement is higher. 

Mike

After learning to trust equipment and methods, I set my M5 scale at zero and with a 5gr test weight.  Then weigh 3-5 single charges of BE, TG, or etc.  If all are at the chosen weight, I am good to go with confidence.  I have weighed ten throws, but I have more confidence in 3-5 exact throws over 10 average throws.  I also trust the M5 and gravity more than any electronic scale I have tried.

beeser wrote:I'm looking for another electronic scale that is capable of reading +- 0.05 grains or better with a stabilization time of less than 1 sec.  I don't know if it's possible but I would like to keep the cost down to about $200 but no more than $300.  So far I've eliminated the following scales.

Gempro 250 - Slow response time
Ohaus NV212 - Reads to 0.2 grains
Dillon D-Terminator - Reads to 0.1 grains and slow response

Hi  Beeser, your requirements are demanding; and tell me that you're in a hurry.  But, I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for.

If you weren't in a hurry, several beam scales meet your precision contingency. For instance, I weigh my charge on an old

OHAUS 505, It measures to .02 grain increments because of the lovely scale's increment spacing at the pointer end on the

scale body housing. Your next trick is to find a powder measure that will throw powder(I use Bullseye) that accurately.

There are a number of powder measures that can do that; the cheapest are probably the Redding scales with the pistol inserts.

Tony