RELOADING SCALES

[cayugad]

I am in the market for a scale to assist me in my reloading and shooting hobby. I had it narrowed down to a PACT BBK2 Electronic Scale for $99.99 then USA Midway went and put the PACT Digital Precision Powder Scale on sale for $129.99 with the carry case.

All I want to measure are projectiles I cast and the occasional powder charge. I thought I might scale out some 100 grain charges and really make them exact in weight.

My question is do you think the better quality scale would benifit me or is the lower end model really all I would need?

From all that I have read on other boards and here, I want to get into the PACT brand. They seem to have some excellent quality. Is there a better scale out there in the same price range that you know of? Your opinions and experiences are appreciated. I rememeber reading a review on this board a while back about the PACT scales and that is why I have narrowed my search here.

 

Here's just an opinion, but that's what you asked for. PACT is good stuff.
If you are weighing black powder charges you will find it a waist of time. No muzzle loader will no the difference between 95 and 100 grain of powder. Black powder is not efficient so even a 5 grain variation will make no difference. Weighing projectiles may prove beneficial.
By all means weigh your charges if you want.
Like I said it's just my opinion.

 

[cayugad]

I've heard the same thing before. That 5 grains makes no difference in the way the projectile will shoot. Then I hear people tell you.. "don't tap the measure, it adds a few more grains of powder to the charge and so your not loading the same thing as last time." Or the people that claim their rifle shoots best with between 80 and 85 grains of powder. Well that means to them the 5 grains does make a difference.

I am getting the scale for the projectile weight mostly. I am finding the flyers I am getting I think are a different weight by the way they are loading down the rifle. The scale would tell me that.

I just thought the powder part of the test would be fun. Kind of like a Myth Buster experiment. I am kind of leaning towards the more expensive scale. For an extra $30.00 is all, you have the top of the line. I think it might be worth it down the road....

By the way thanks for your opinion..

 

[Zonie]

Another thought about weighing powder.
If someone has been driven to using Pyrodex because they can't get any Real Powder, they should remember: it is about 30% less dense than Black Powder.

This means if your powder measure is set for 80 grains (volume) it will throw about 80 grains (weight) of Black powder but only about 60 grains (weight) of Pyrodex.

Although Pyrodex is less dense, it has about the same amount of power as the same volume of Black Powder so 60 grains (weight) of Pyrodex will produce about the same velocity as 80 grains (weight) of black powder.

 

Get the PACT. I've been using one for about 6 years now and have no complaints whatsoever. As Zonie said, "good stuff".

Regarding muzzleloaders I too doubt your rifle will know the difference between 95 or 100 grs. Projectile weighing is a good thing but I never weigh my round balls. I always weigh my cast bullets for my BPC rifles and sort them into 2 grain ranges, such as 519 grs. to 520. grs. BPC rifles will tell a difference between a couple grains of powder but not because of the the weight of the powder, because of the volume and height of the powder column in the case. Some BPC rifles are sensitive to the compression of the powder column just as some ML's are. But, if you believe weighing your charges for your ML helps, by all means do it!

Vic

 

[2172]

I bought a little cheapo scale, partly to check my powder measures, and mostly to weigh the balls I was casting...found to my chagrin that the scale didn't handle a weight as great as my .44 ball...suggest you make sure that the scale you do buy will handle a great enough weight...Best, Hank