As a supplementary question to my previous scale question, how reliable is a new bullet for a check weight?

PDC

IME factory bullets are within .1gr so they are close enough to check your reloading scale. If you know someone else who has a scale, you can check a few bullets on theirs then put them on yours and get an idea if your scale has a problem. While that isn't exactly QC lab procedure and isn't traceable to NBS, it should be close enough for the kind of accuracy you are dealing with in reloading.
As to your bullet drop situation it is improbable that your scale could be off enough to give you velocity low enough to cause the bullet drop. You would be able to look into the cases and see that much variation in the powder level. See if you can beg borrow or steal a chronograph.
And don't forget to let us know what yu find, it's got all of us puzzled.

It's what I use. Noslers are usually with in .01 grains. Close enough for what you need.

Weigh a couple and keep them to check your scale from time to time. I know Sierras are that close in tolerance but I keep a couple of 150's set aside that I've weighed on both my scales as check weights.

I use bullets for check weights. But I did find quite a bit of variability between bullets from the same box. Regardless, I have used the same three bullets, a 40gr, 75gr and 150gr to zero my beam scale for the last 6 years or so. I think as long as you use the same bullets, you should be consistent.

If your scale is set to "0" at zero and it even comes close to weighing a bullet accurately then it's a good to go scale for reloading....and by cklose I mean within a grain.....I've never found a bullet more than a grain off stated weight!

Only woods has "thingys" such as "check weights".....they are simply not needed!

ROFLMAO. Woods has check weights to check his check weights.

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ROFLMAO. Woods has check weights to check his check weights

My sides hurt.

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Originally posted by ramrod340:

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ROFLMAO. Woods has check weights to check his check weights

My sides hurt.

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Originally posted by Hublocker:
As a supplementary question to my previous scale question, how reliable is a new bullet for a check weight?

Maybe not as close as you think. One large batch of 150 grain bullets I segragated into about four groups. Seems The weights varied from 148. someting to 151 . something. This was a number of years down the road and all memory. But it happened. roger

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Originally posted by bartsche:

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Originally posted by Hublocker:
As a supplementary question to my previous scale question, how reliable is a new bullet for a check weight?

Maybe not as close as you think. One large batch of 150 grain bullets I segragated into about four groups. Seems The weights varied from 148. someting to 151 . something. This was a number of years down the road and all memory. But it happened. roger

Roger.....I believe you but today's bullets run better than that I'd bet.....however even if the scale is off two grains at 150 , the error is still quite acceptable for reloading....this of course assumes one starts low and works up....and of course uses the same scale next time he reloads a worked up load.....

BTW.....I've never found a scale off by anything resembling two grains at 150....

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Originally posted by vapodog:

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Originally posted by bartsche:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hublocker:
As a supplementary question to my previous scale question, how reliable is a new bullet for a check weight?

BTW.....I've never found a scale off by anything resembling two grains at 150....

If someone wants to use a 34 grain bullet per sey as a standard that's fine. I would take THAT bullet and check its mass on at least three scales or balances and note the variance if any, mark it and carry on to use it to check balances and scales in the future.
Calibrated standard weights exist for a reason. Personally + or - 1 grain scale accuracy when dispensing powder is totally unacceptable when with a little effort it can be avoided.
Random selection of a bullet out of a box of many to be used as a standard as is MAY BE OK but why gamble at all if you don't have to.
Take what steps really make sense. roger

if it's a half a grain or so to heavy I have a file that i would be glad to sell to someone to take that xtra weight off

Use Serria match kings all the ones I have weigh have been very close if not right on the money

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Calibrated standard weights exist for a reason.
Yes.....to make money from additional sales of "thingys"

Personally + or - 1 grain scale accuracy when dispensing powder is totally unacceptable if that is at 100 grains I'd disagree... when with a little effort it can be avoided.

No it can't....please tell us how we are to avoid it.....there is no adjustment on the scale for anything but setting to zero.....suppose we definitely know the scale is off by a grain at 100.....tell us how we adjust for it.....

The notches in the scale are the determining factor and they would have to be remachined (molded) to correct this error.....

just how #@**!!^ anal are we gonna get?? If you suspect one bullet, weigh several out of the box against one another. Or have a rep from the National Bureau of Weights and Measures come in and proof your #@!!* scale. While you're waiting for the rep, you can stay busy cutting little logs of 4350 three ways. Geez
If someone wants to weigh an entire box of Sierra Match King bullets, I think he'd be surprised at just how uniform they are.
Me? I'd rather be shooting than angsting over my scale being .1gr off.

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Originally posted by butchloc:
if it's a half a grain or so to heavy I have a file that i would be glad to sell to someone to take that xtra weight off

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just how #@**!!^ anal are we gonna get??

I for one could care less is my scale happens to call 56 grs of powder 57grs. Or even the other way around. Only issue I care about is that the scale calls it the same each and every time. Since I work up every load for everything I shoot. My only concern is that it repeats. I have a cast bullet I store with my scale that I have used for YEARS. Every so often I weigh it to insure that the scale still calls the weight the same. As to the original issue. If his scale calls a 150gr bullet close to 150 he is close enough.

Heck, my Pact electronic scale came with three check weights. Go figure. Never thought to put them on the Lyman 505 balance beam scale. I have 20 years of load data developed with that one scale and still weigh all my charges on it. I use the electronic one for weighing/sorting brass and bullets.