On Monday, October 5th I posted "A tip, useful or not" that discussed weighing loaded rounds. It was met with a lukewarm response. On Wednesday, October 7th I was shooting with a friend on his club range. He was shooting a 25-06. On his second shot, looking over his shoulder I saw his chrono register 3500+ fps. I told him to stop, which was unnecessary because the rifle locked up. I asked what he was shooting. It was 120 grain Partitions with 49 grains of IMR4350, a max book load in some manuals. We managed with some difficulty to remove the case. The extractor had bent the rim, and the primer was not to be found. He disassembled the remaining rounds and found most to be exactly 5 grains over 49. My conclusion was that he erred in setting his cheapo balance beam scale. He bought a new RCBS 505 the next day.

Fortunately, the rifle seems OK. Have not yet checked headspace.

Question: Can someone with Quickload determine the approximate pressure? I'm guessing it must have been at least 70,000, maybe 80,000.

I recently had an issue with an RCBS balance beam scale. I've been using it extensively for over 30 years so I've no complaints on durability. I also checked it with check weights on occasion and it was always right on.

Then came a recent experience with loading up some 308 Winchester cartridges. When I checked velocities, they were erratic. I then checked the scale. Sometimes it weighed accurately but most of the time the weight indicated was 1 or 2 grains LESS than it really was.

I guess the moral of the story is to check the scale more frequently.

What can go wrong with a balance beam scale?
-Worn fulcrum
-Crud in the fulcrum
-Worn pivot/axle
-Operator error

I have a Lyman-Ohaus I've been using for over 30 years. I would guess it has weighed over 5000 rounds. Still perfect.

In this case, the scale probably has done less than 2000 rounds, and the error was very consistent. Consequently, I am going with operator error, due in part to a scale that is difficult to use accurately.

Had a problem with My Redding balance some time in the past. Turned the air conditioner off and guess what?
Clean your knife edge and jewel and keep them totally dry. Lube draws crude.

Always keep your scale covered when not in use. roger

Don't blame the cheapo scale for operator error. If it malfunctioned say it, if it was mistake he can own up to it. We've all made a mistake loading something that is why bullet pullers are made. I have a batch of .45ACP to pull from a sticky powder dispenser. Smaller batches and better QA would have prevented it. I've also had one rifle round with no powder loading on a single stage

Most scales operate on "operator repeatability", but they do require checking with accuracy weights from time to time..In some cases you find the screw loosens from dropping loads and allows the weight to change varying degrees as it slowly unwinds and sends a lower charge out, always lock the screw set up tight..I also suggest that when you set the powder measure with your scale that is balanced that you drop 7 loads to settle the powder in the hopper and if you don't throw a charge one after the other without a brake that with each break you toss a couple of loads and weigh them before you continue..If a powder measure sets too long say a minute or two it normally throws a heavier or lighter load than the set, so drop a few loads, return them to the hopper before you continue...

Scales and powder measures are overly sensitive and they the tend to become upset and pout if you don't pay attention to them.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
Had a problem with My Redding balance some time in the past. Turned the air conditioner off and guess what?
Clean your knife edge and jewel and keep them totally dry. Lube draws crude.

Always keep your scale covered when not in use. roger

Exactly, the scale should be covered when not in use and I take the pan and hanger off as well. Doing so, has kept my 505 in great shape since the 70's.
I used a digital for a (very) short time but didn't trust it the way I trust the 505 balance beam scale. Check and double check the setting against the desired load and they are reliable and accurate. Like most (well made) things it is operator error that is the danger.

I check or calibrate my scale with a set check weights every time I use it...I don't want to make a mistake.

Me 2 Ackley I U...and keep it's plastic cover on.

Temp, humidity, barometric pressure, wind blowing on the scale, bugs, going cross eyed, fatigue, mis-reading and missing a change in the settings(I've done all these baddies or not taken them into consideration and I'm NOT dissing or pointing fingers) can all mess with beam balances and digitals are NOT all that precise/accurate/repeatable either...read the fine print.

My Ohaus 1005 is at eye level and I glance at it every time I go into the room. I "zero" the scale after every reloading session so I can see at a glance any changes. When I doing load testing I check weight at the beginning and sometimes at the end to see if there were any changes that could cause the redazzzz.

Consistency in everything you do in reloading is the key to NOT causing a ruckus.

There is a change +/- almost every time I look...not much, maybe one or two tenths and you might not see it if you aren't looking for it.

Beam balances can get bumped and can jump 5 grains very easily and if you are working towards the top end of the pressure spectrum(WRONG) you can get problems quickly especially with the faster burning powders.

MOST problems in reloading can be traced to "operator error" in some manner, shape or form but hardly anyone wants to own up...if we did then we would all become better, safer reloaders.

Check often, don't get distracted...if I get visitors when I'm doing ANYTHING related to guns or reloading I send them to the kitchen for "coffee and donuts" until I get to a logical place to stop, then I become sociable again ...leave the palaver, smoking AND sundowners to AFTER reloading...check the powder level in the cases after charging or charge, inspect, then seat one at a time.

When I charge more than one case at a time I use a Redding powder measure, hold it in my left hand, set it down on top of the case, thump the charging handle a good rap at the TOP AND BOTTOM of the stroke and leave the handle at the bottom of the stroke while changing and progressing and use a baffle in the powder res, charge 5 cases then weigh the last one.

I can stay within one tenth gr pretty much all the time which is fine for tiny ratz out to as far as I can see them or for larger game even farther.

But for the most part anything above 20 cal gets the one-at-a-time treatment...that gives me time to do all the bench prep "stuff", inspect the case, note the number of reloading's, clean, etc, with MOST OPERATIONS done with the case chucked in a holder in a drill motor and taking a few seconds each to produce very accurate ammo.

I wonder where the "OMG, I blew a primer; need to check the headspace" idea came from? Blowing a primer is not enough pressure to harm the rifle locking mechanism. Now, melt a case head, then call me.

There is a major "problem" with weighing finished rounds and expecting to read variations in powder charge from it.

For education take 100 new rifle cases from a reputeable manufactor and weigh sort them.
Now there is a suprise no?

I once got a bag of 500pcs Winchester 22-250 and sorted them.
Cant remember much but i can say that the lightest case was 0,5gram~7.7grains below par and the heaviest one around 0,5gram~7.7grains to heavy. Now since i sized them the same the difference had to be on the inside and i took them to the range. I got @-20m/s~65fps on the light ones with bigger internal volume and @+25m/s~82fps on the heavy ones. Not much on a 1100m/s~3610fps load but way more than a good SD should be.

But what if you had a heavy case with a 5 grain to light load compared to a light case with 5 grains more powder, they weigh the same how would you sort beard from snot?

I use a check weight every time I set my scales for a new load.

One other thing that I do when I set my powder thrower, is to throw five loads into the pan and weigh it. A small error is magnified 5 times that way and is easier to see on a balance beam.

I check weigh/calibrate my electronic scale before EVERY use. I no longer use a beam scale, as it would often go out of spec throughout a loading session. Before I start filling cases, I throw 10 loads and weigh them to average out any discrepencies, with my Redding 3BR, I can keep a +/- 1/10 gr average, a little more with my RCBS Uniflow.
I have blown primers in the heat of Summer in the past, nowadays, I do all load work up in Summer so I don't get any surprises.

Cheers.