Reloading scale that doesn’t suck?

[thinhorn_AK]

Beam scale?

Why are you weighing/trickling each charge, does it improve your hit rate in the field?

What’s the point of handloading if you aren’t going to pay any attention to detail/consistency???

 

[sdupontjr]

I use a beam scale (old OHaus off EBay) plus a Dandy trickler. I drop an underweight charge with a cheap Lee powder measure. While the scale is settling, I seat the bullet from my previous charge, then trickle a few grains using the Dandy, fill case, repeat. The Dandy is great when the Lee throws a light load and I need to trickle a bunch. Once I’m in a rhythm things flow quickly.

View attachment 685984

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.

 

[Muddler]

I have a Matchmaster and thought it was the reason some of my ES #'s were high. I threw 15 charges, recorded the weight of each and put each in a little jar. I checked every charge on a 4 place $20,000 lab balance at work. Every charge was spot on within the resolution of the Matchmaster.

Sometimes the charge it throws is over or under what I set it for, but 95% of the time when it does that, it's only a kernel or two away from where I set it and easy to remedy.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Those with chargemasters, have you done the primary arms straw upgrade and settings adjustments? They made a world of difference for me, especially with h4350

 

[AT79]

I improved my ES when I switched from the charge master to the lyman gen 6. The charge master is junk. If I had it to do over I'd get the fx120

My Lyman worked great for the $ as it came with the turret press kit, but recently it is overcharging 20% of the time with extruded powders. Easy to “correct” it by removing a few kernels, but annoying enough to make the switch. FX/autotrickler combo - buy once, cry once!

 

[35WhelenAI]

What’s the point of handloading if you aren’t going to pay any attention to detail/consistency???

The guy didn't say he wasn't paying any attention to details/consistency.

However chasing .1 of a grain, much less the .02 that was mentioned earlier in a rifle case that utilizes 30-40 gr of powder or more is folly. I guarantee the most accurate match factory loads have more variance than what is being called out here as a lack of attention to detail.

.1 gr of 30 grains is .3%. .1 grain of 60 grains is, well, half that. Folks are free to spend their time, effort and money chasing it though.

 

[MCS]

The guy didn't say he wasn't paying any attention to details/consistency.

However chasing .1 of a grain, much less the .02 that was mentioned earlier in a rifle case that utilizes 30-40 gr of powder or more is folly. I guarantee the most accurate match factory loads have more variance than what is being called out here as a lack of attention to detail.

.1 gr of 30 grains is .3%. .1 grain of 60 grains is, well, half that. Folks are free to spend their time, effort and money chasing it though.

I've checked the speeds of factory hornady 300 prc match ammo and the ES was right around 80 fps. That ammo worked good at closer range but was garbage at long range.

If you want to be have good groups at longer range it is very important to get your load as consistant as possibile and have a low ES.

 

[35WhelenAI]

What were the closer range/longer range distances you compared with the Hornady ammo? Did you by chance get the SD of the rounds with the 80 ES?

.1 gr +/- variance on 80 grains of powder is inconsequential in most cases, and can be had with regular scales IME. However, no harm chasing it.

 

[MCS]

What were the closer range/longer range distances you compared with the Hornady ammo? Did you by chance get the SD of the rounds with the 80 ES?

.1 gr +/- variance on 80 grains of powder is inconsequential in most cases, and can be had with regular scales IME. However, no harm chasing it.

I consider 500 and under closer range. The hornady ammo shot about 1/2 at 100 yards. I did not get the sd.

We shot out to 1500 yards that day. My 338 has a es of 12 and I could hit steel every shot at 1500. The factory Hornady ammo out of the prc would miss high or low every time at that range. ES made a big difference.

 

[GoatPackr]

I've got an old Lyman that I set the charge with. It runs the charge onto a pan on it's own scale. I dump that onto a balance beam to check it. I fine tune if needed and then dump in the case . Usually by the time I have made an adjustment and dumped the charge the Lyman is ready with the next one. It's usually off by a few tenths.

It works for me.
I've looked at some of the fancy new stuff and just have a difficult time with trusting electronic scales. I had one that was off by 1 -3 grains and when I found it it scared me. I was loading pistol powders for a 44 mag. Could have went bad. I trust a balance beam because I can see it and I check it for zero after every 10 rounds weighed.

Kris

 

[BPAZ223]

I've got an old Lyman that I set the charge with. It runs the charge onto a pan on it's own scale. I dump that onto a balance beam to check it. I fine tune if needed and then dump in the case . Usually by the time I have made an adjustment and dumped the charge the Lyman is ready with the next one. It's usually off by a few tenths.

It works for me.
I've looked at some of the fancy new stuff and just have a difficult time with trusting electronic scales. I had one that was off by 1 -3 grains and when I found it it scared me. I was loading pistol powders for a 44 mag. Could have went bad. I trust a balance beam because I can see it and I check it for zero after every 10 rounds weighed.

Kris

Mine did that because of wind blowing through an open window. Otherwise I've found them to be just as accurate as beam scales.

 

[rbaney]

Yes with the new electronic scales especially high end accuracy a slight air movement can and will throw off the scales measurement. I have seen it at my work when scales are calibrated.

 

[Unckebob]

Chargemaster lite has been great for me and I won't upgrade probably ever. An upgrade isn't worth it for my volume of only ~1000 rounds a year

But the chargemaster was well worth it even at 200 rounds a year. Manual scales suck

I have had good luck with my Chargemaster Lite as well. Every time I check it with my check weights, it is dead nuts.

The only issue I have had -> in my garage, there is some sort of current that interferes with the electronics even when I run it on DC from a battery.

I usually use it on the dining room table.

 

[peaches]

What’s the point of handloading if you aren’t going to pay any attention to detail/consistency???

Ever considered that powder volume consistency may actually be more important than weight? Within reason of cours, not talking about a full grain varience.

Get a good beam scale and powder measure and test thrown vs individually weighed charges for yourself. I enjoy loading, but not wasting time with ocd aspects of this hobby with factory hunting rifles. Not sure even bench rest rifles would show much difference...but you only have to please yourself.

 

[hdc77]

Ceeedmoor sports TX scale is amazing, I ran it for a long time before switching to Auto trickler V4.

 

[seand]

What’s the point of handloading if you aren’t going to pay any attention to detail/consistency???

What matters is consistency downrange, hits on target.

If folks would shoot groups at say 600yds (with reasonable sample size - say 20 rounds) and compare thrown vs trickled/weighed MANY would be very surprised that they can’t tell the difference on target.

I trickled/weighed charges for 20 years and wouldn’t have believed trickling didn’t improve my performance either until I actually tested it to see for myself.

Other folks results may vary.

Nothing wrong with expensive auto throwers or trickling/weighing each charge, it’s certainly not going to make less accurate ammo. But all of it really slows down the reloading process.

Just a different viewpoint, that most will ignore anyway.

 

[hdc77]

What matters is consistency downrange, hits on target.

If folks would shoot groups at say 600yds (with reasonable sample size - say 20 rounds) and compare thrown vs trickled/weighed MANY would be very surprised that they can’t tell the difference on target.

I trickled/weighed charges for 20 years and wouldn’t have believed trickling didn’t improve my performance either until I actually tested it to see for myself.

Other folks results may vary.

Nothing wrong with expensive auto throwers or trickling/weighing each charge, it’s certainly not going to make less accurate ammo. But all of it really slows down the reloading process.

Just a different viewpoint, that most will ignore anyway.

Great points, I’d say keep doing whatever process you have if works for you! For some reason people feel they need to editorialize other people practices just for the sake of it.

 

[Mike D Texas]

What matters is consistency downrange, hits on target.

If folks would shoot groups at say 600yds (with reasonable sample size - say 20 rounds) and compare thrown vs trickled/weighed MANY would be very surprised that they can’t tell the difference on target.

I trickled/weighed charges for 20 years and wouldn’t have believed trickling didn’t improve my performance either until I actually tested it to see for myself.

Other folks results may vary.

Nothing wrong with expensive auto throwers or trickling/weighing each charge, it’s certainly not going to make less accurate ammo. But all of it really slows down the reloading process.

Just a different viewpoint, that most will ignore anyway.

This is why I’m considering getting a Harrells powder dispenser. They are supposed to be ridiculously consistent and would speed up loading time.


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[id_jon]

Those with chargemasters, have you done the primary arms straw upgrade and settings adjustments? They made a world of difference for me, especially with h4350

Straw from chikfila and some electrical tape, made a world of difference. Now I get like 1 or 2 overthrows per 100 instead of 10+. Its super slow, but I throw .5-1 grain under and trickle up anyway.

In my 6cm I get SDs of 5-9 consistently, loaded with a charge master.

3" of vertical spread at 860 yards.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Straw from chikfila and some electrical tape, made a world of difference. Now I get like 1 or 2 overthrows per 100 instead of 10+. Its super slow, but I throw .5-1 grain under and trickle up anyway.

In my 6cm I get SDs of 5-9 consistently, loaded with a charge master.

3" of vertical spread at 860 yards.

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