Reloading scale that doesn’t suck?

[id_jon]

Adjust your speed settings and you'll throw faster than you did without the straw

I honestly didn't even know it had speed settings

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Primal Rights

Primal Rights

www.primalrights.com

 

[Huntingfarandwide]

Dillion Precision - D Terminator

 

[JK Munitions]

I've been using a charge master for several years and they're a bit slow plus I under charge and trickle up with an Omega trickle.

Are they the best or even great, no. But I think they work well and are priced well for what they do. I use anti-static sheets under mine, run it through a surge protector and calibrate every use. I rarely turn if off and use a check weight to double check from time to time.

The A&D is obviously the pinnacle but not where I want to spend my money right now. As stated in another thread, I try to balance my spend across loading, optics, rifles and hunting gear. Sometimes one takes a back seat to another.

View attachment 685477

Exactly what I would have posted. To the “t”. But I turn mine off after each use.

 

[UnckleBob]

Haha, very nice. I run a similar setup, because Gravity is undefeated. Not the fastest, but if I'm spending all this money on rifles, optics, gear and such, I want the best accuracy I can get given the components I have on hand at that time. If I was plinking or just clowning around, sure, speed is key. But not with my hunting rounds.
View attachment 686176

What kind of trickler is that?

 

[Andouille]

I'll throw in a recommendation for a cheap(er) digital scale in the $100 price range that works well for a casual, low-volume reloader such as myself. I've been happy with my Frankfort Arsenal Platinum Series digital scale. The resolution is 0.1 gr which is good enough to get me SDs below 15 fps with several loads. The scale calibrates consistently and is accurate within 0.1gr when I use all of my check weights (~76gr if I remember correctly). Drift over the course of one hour plus weighing session is 0 to 0.1gr, which I find acceptable. I know the tare weight on my powder tray and it's easy to re-calibrate when needed. I trickle up to my charges and load when the scale just bumps up to the expected 0.1gr increment.

 

[sdupontjr]

What kind of trickler is that?

Homemade. Very easy to do. Got tired of the manual one, so i made this. If it were slightly faster, I could damn near throw the entire charge. The small switch makes the speed infinite settings, the more you turn, the faster the powder comes out.

DIY Auto Trickler

I've been using my Hornady Trickler for some time now and decided to look into an auto trickler. Man, those things were $150 and up for something so simple. So, I got online and looked at several different DIY and other builds and came up with my own. All the credit goes to the ideas that I...

rokslide.com

 

[BossGobbler2024]

I made the jump to Autotrickler V4 and Fx120i scale after a frustrating weekend loading rounds. Its currently on back order so no idea when I might actually have my hands on it but its paid for anyway. Kinda like buying a suppressor these days..... I have a Hornady Charge Pro and RCBS Chargemaster now. I had stopped using the Hornady as it would fluctuate and not rezero. The RCBS scale seemed a bit more accurate but now its finicky. Both are 2-2.5 yrs old. Well, the Hornaday is actually only about a year or so as the first one I had stopped calibrating and I sent it back and received a new one. I will give props to the Hornaday support as it was handled quickly though.

 

[schweinstein]

I'll throw in a recommendation for a cheap(er) digital scale in the $100 price range that works well for a casual, low-volume reloader such as myself. I've been happy with my Frankfort Arsenal Platinum Series digital scale. The resolution is 0.1 gr which is good enough to get me SDs below 15 fps with several loads. The scale calibrates consistently and is accurate within 0.1gr when I use all of my check weights (~76gr if I remember correctly). Drift over the course of one hour plus weighing session is 0 to 0.1gr, which I find acceptable. I know the tare weight on my powder tray and it's easy to re-calibrate when needed. I trickle up to my charges and load when the scale just bumps up to the expected 0.1gr increment.

Second this. Been using mine I got off rokslide classifieds. Have routinely been getting single digit SDs. For the price it was hard to argue with.

 

[HighUintas]

Is the fx 120i the only one that doesn’t? Trying to upgrade my reloading bench a bit. The scale I have now occasionally drifts, and when trickling up can be unresponsive, then make a significant jump and overshoot the target weight. It’s not the end of the world and I’ve been producing accurate ammo, but I’m wondering if there is an in between the $100 scales and the fx. I’m not chasing benchrest accuracy and crazy low es/sd. It’s more that I like shit that works, will make things faster and less headaches.

Are any of the $300-450 dollar units better? I am looking for something that quickly resolves when trickling up and settles quickly. I can afford an fx, but it just seems like massive overkill for what I’m trying to do and they take a lot of bench space up. My process is to dump a few tenths short then trickle up.

Couple scales that I’ve looked at.

Ohaus Scout 123
A&D EJ 123
Creedmoor TRX

I have an ohaus scout spx123. It's awesome. After warming up, there's zero drift and repeatability is spot on. It also stabilizes extremely quickly with a single grain added, so it makes trickling with one of those yellow Lee scoops super fast.

The only drawback is the lid/draft shield isn't quite useable like the fx120 seems to be. The lid detached in two pieces, but the lower half that would stay on the scale is so low and wide open o don't think it won't block the wind if you try to use it outside. You could cut a hole in the upper portion of the lid so you can trickle through that and it would likely work well. Haven't tried that though since I only weigh charges inside.

. I don't know if any scale in the same price range that would be better.

 

[806guns]

Creedmoor sports TRX-925 with a diy autotrickler. Or use the frankford arsenal intellidropper then trickle on TRX

 

[JFK]

Thanks for all of the info and replies. I asked this because I had purchased a new batch of brass and was going to drop down and re-check existing loads. I ended up just rolling with my existing scale and getting the same good results, so decided that, despite some of the frustration I see in scales, the one I have is working.

 

[FLS]

I’ve been using a Chargemaster for several years. The MK Machining tube insert will help eliminate overthrows and the speed mod speeds things up. Ive loaded thousands of rounds of ammo with it for matches and hunting. I don’t feel like it’s ever held me back.

 

[Andouille]

I'll throw in a recommendation for a cheap(er) digital scale in the $100 price range that works well for a casual, low-volume reloader such as myself. I've been happy with my Frankfort Arsenal Platinum Series digital scale. The resolution is 0.1 gr which is good enough to get me SDs below 15 fps with several loads. The scale calibrates consistently and is accurate within 0.1gr when I use all of my check weights (~76gr if I remember correctly). Drift over the course of one hour plus weighing session is 0 to 0.1gr, which I find acceptable. I know the tare weight on my powder tray and it's easy to re-calibrate when needed. I trickle up to my charges and load when the scale just bumps up to the expected 0.1gr increment.

Still happy with this scale after one year of use. I've had SDs down in the single digits with quite a few loads, so the scale is doing it's part in providing precise and accurate measurements. I and a few other folks (from reviews I've read online) have noticed that the scale might jump up 1-2 tenths if you hover your hand over it after pouring powder or reaching for the powder tray, but that is easily avoided, and is clearly not messing up my SDs.

 

[greyghostnw]

Sartorius BCE 124 1-S you can put one kernal of varget on and read one kernal etc… and so on. Another one of the best tools ive added to process. Confidence in charge.

 

[wildernessrimfab]

Creedmoor Sports TRX-925! 400 bucks.

Comes with cal weights, reads fast, doesnt drift, can read 1 kernel of varget.

Ive got multiple loads with a 5 shot ES in the upper single digits or lower double digits.
Throw your charge just below desired with a standard powder measure and trickle up the last few tenths.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I bought a chargemaster a number of years ago and a couple of years ago my groups got really erratic. This year I picked up a lyman scale and started checking my weights off the chargemaster. About 10-15% were what it was set at. 1-3% were below by 0.1gn and the rest were off 0.1 - 0.4 gn. With checking them and getting every load on the money, my groups have come together and are consistant.

It takes a little more time but being able to hit where I have in the past is worth it.

 

[Fujicon]

I'll throw in a recommendation for a cheap(er) digital scale in the $100 price range that works well for a casual, low-volume reloader such as myself. I've been happy with my Frankfort Arsenal Platinum Series digital scale. The resolution is 0.1 gr which is good enough to get me SDs below 15 fps with several loads. The scale calibrates consistently and is accurate within 0.1gr when I use all of my check weights (~76gr if I remember correctly). Drift over the course of one hour plus weighing session is 0 to 0.1gr, which I find acceptable. I know the tare weight on my powder tray and it's easy to re-calibrate when needed. I trickle up to my charges and load when the scale just bumps up to the expected 0.1gr increment.

Why not just spend the extra $50 and get the Frankford Intellidropper? Sterling performance, but automated.

 

[806guns]

Why not just spend the extra $50 and get the Frankford Intellidropper? Sterling performance, but automated.

Those are junk. I have been through 4 of them due to electrical issues. I went back the older rcbs chargemaster 1500.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I have two of the no longer made chargemaster lites. They are really impressive still (had about 6 years). They constantly get within .05g of target which is solid. I check every load on a creedmoor scale (.01g resolution) and load to within .02g accuracy or so using that and a trickler. The automated scales take about 20 seconds or so to throw so the pace is almost perfect.