Anyone have experience with this reloading scale??

[IrishPirate]

Thinking about buying the Hornady 1500GS scale for reloading. The reviews seem to be pretty good, but I want to know what calgunners think about it before I buy it. Is there something similar that would be better?? Thanks!

[guile_99703]

My Weigh Gempro 250 Its not cheap, but accurate to within .02gr If you need greater capacity (over 770gr) the My Weigh Gempro 500 has twice the capacity but only half the accuracy (0.05gr) its actually cheaper too.. I have read a few reviews written by benchrest shooters, others by lab techs/pharmacists the general attitude it that its the best digital scale available for under $200.00

There's alot of good technical information out there regarding digital scales and how they actually work.. Inexpensive scales tend to be heavily influenced by temperature and power supply (batteries in most cases) they also have a tendency to "drift" (or loose calibration) over relatively short periods of time (sometimes in just minutes or even seconds).. I have owned a couple $30-80 scales and noticed these problems first hand (being forced to change batteries and calibrate before every usage then recalibrate every few minutes)..

Of curse you can buy an old school beam balance that overall is going to be at-least as accurate for half the price of its digital equivalent.
Really accurate digitals are actually frustrating to read because they they will measure the air currents created by your movements (that's why analytical balances have enclosures around them).. The rapid changes in the last digit past the decimal (though irrelevant) is extremely distracting. The Analog readout of a balance is just easier on the eyes and mind...

[IrishPirate]

I hate balance scales....i never trust my eyes enough to see if it's actualy balanced just right, and if i'm going to be reloading, I want it as accurate as possible. I don't mind recalibrating every so often, and this scale looks like it's pretty easy to calibrate. If i can afford one later on, I'll switch to a more accurate, lab like digital scale, but for now, cost is a factor.

[guile_99703]

I can sympathize, I hated balances until i started using cheap digitals.. Even then it took a while to realize. I started with a $30 scale that was horrible about temperature and drift. Though it would read out to within 0.1 (my min requirement) I could weigh out a measure, set it aside in a boat while I weighed out another (or few more) then return it to the scale and get a reading (at-least) 0.1 higher or lower than it had weighed the first time around..

This prompted me to buy a $80 digital scale that read to 0,01 This scale was very sensitive though just as inaccurate (equally sensitive to temperature/batteries with the added issue of air currents). In fact often after weighing the first measure the scale wouldn't even return to 0.00 forcing me to hit tare or recalibrate after every measure.

There are "tricks" some people have found to lesson the occurrence of these symptoms. Like adding a weight to your boat so that its 10.00 or 100.00 to start with, then doing the math instead of hitting tare. Always leaving your scale stationary (untouched at all times) in the place you intend to work with it. Rigging it to a power transformer (instead of using batteries). Setting it up in a metal cabinet with a glass door insert (so you can read the scale while its shielded from air turbulence as well as electrical/magnetic interference) But at what point does accommodating your digital scale exceed its accommodating you?

Digital scales in the $200+ range (generally) have have been designed to better handle the outside influences that detract from their less expensive counterparts.. Internal radio/magnetic shielding, external power supply's, some kind of dome/cover to deal with air disturbance, exc, exc... Making them more a convenience than headache..


Keep in mind that you can go to radio shack and buy a magnifying glass on an adjustable stand to place in front of the analog pointer/readouts of your beam balance if you find it hard to read (might make it easier on your eyes)..

[FTC]

this scale came with my hornady single stage kit and while it has worked for me for a couple years now, it has given me fits staying consistent with readouts and tare weights. it also doesnt read to the .1 but only to the .2 if that matters to you.

[IrishPirate]

hmmm.....guess i'll keep looking into it

[Dubious_Beans]

Thinking about buying the Hornady 1500GS scale for reloading. The reviews seem to be pretty good, but I want to know what calgunners think about it before I buy it. Is there something similar that would be better?? Thanks!

Yeah, I bought one of those. What a POS.

It's not very accurate under the best of circumstances.
It's not at all accurate until it's been on and "warmed up" for several minutes.
But it has "auto shutoff" and turns itself off after less than 2 minutes of non-use, so not much chance of just leaving it on for several minutes to "stabilize".

Just flush your money down the toilet. You'll be way better off.

[Hoop]

I hate balance scales....i never trust my eyes enough to see if it's actualy balanced just right, and if i'm going to be reloading, I want it as accurate as possible. I don't mind recalibrating every so often, and this scale looks like it's pretty easy to calibrate. If i can afford one later on, I'll switch to a more accurate, lab like digital scale, but for now, cost is a factor.

Electric scale+thrower would be the way to go if you want to do that (RCBS chargemaster, duh). Otherwise get a good balance scale like an RCBS 10-10.

Depending on your powder+thrower combo you will probably be throwing everything anyways. My thrown varget loads over the chrono are still within a really small margin, I think 20fps was my ES.

[guile_99703]

Otherwise get a good balance scale like an RCBS 10-10..

+1 for the 10-10 scale. Its common enough to find locally, and accurate enough for many benchrest shooters..

[IrishPirate]

Yeah, I bought one of those. What a POS.

It's not very accurate under the best of circumstances.
It's not at all accurate until it's been on and "warmed up" for several minutes.
But it has "auto shutoff" and turns itself off after less than 2 minutes of non-use, so not much chance of just leaving it on for several minutes to "stabilize".

Just flush your money down the toilet. You'll be way better off.

guess i'll be looking into something else then.....maybe now's a good time to work on my balance scale comfort, thanks guys!

[killshot44]

I looked at that scale when I was buying - I didn't want to throw down for the RCBS ChargeMaster...........

So I got the RCBS RangeMaster 750 instead. It's basically the scale part of the CM.
Weighs to .1gr (backed up by my chrono #s), comes with two calibration weights, runs off AC or 9V (no auto-shutoff when on AC),
comes with a powder tray that matches the scale pan that works well with your funnel (it's the little things ).
I haven't experienced any of the electro/temperature voodoo. They are air sensitive, so don't weigh charges under a ceiling fan.
About $130 at MidWay.

[IrishPirate]

that sounds more like what i'm in need of....thanks!

[junko p]

I did my first batch of reloads with a crappy .1 readout scale. I wish I bought a good beam scale... now i have to track one down or cough up the money on a tight budget to get one
I have heard that you shouldn't bother paying less than $100 for a decent electronic scale.