Electronic Vs Mechanical Scales Test

[Apollo]

I would imagine you are using the likes of Winchester, Remington or what ever cases and this is what happens with ordinary type cases.

Not long ago I was given some 4-500 once fired Winchester .223R Cases picked up on a range. I have prepped basically a few hundred, no neck turning and these I'm going to do a basic weight sort. I expect as you have a wild variation in weight but when I find the time I'll have a go and see what sort of numbers I get. If I get a run of at least say 20 cases within 0.2gr I'll give them a trial as one batch and trial say the same number that aren't weight sorted to compare the same load, bullet etc.

The .223R I have and know is reasonably accurate, 0.5 MOA is a CZ 527 .223R Varmint, Single Set Trigger and a reasonably flat forend that will ride a front bag reasonably consistantly. The test will be with one of the match grade bullets I have like Berger, Nosler Custom Competition or Sierra Match Kings.

I wouldn't expect any improvement over the normal 0.5 MOA accuracy but I'd expect less unexplained flyers that spoil nice groups. It's all a bit of fun and more so good practise. In fact I'm just in the process of setting up the shooting bench outside, wind has dropped so I might spend the afternoon with the cases I have batched and loaded from last night. Mainly to check zero on a scope, varify ballistics and set the scope for the required range and save me some time sighting in at the actual range next week.

It's nice to be able to shoot at home and make quick adjustments. One advantage of living in the bush.

[Baldrick314]

Apollo,

You certainly have it lucky!

I'm using federal cases. My rifle usually holds half MOA and I do all my shooting off a bipod and rear sand bag.

See how the test goes this weekend, maybe next I can try cases batched by weight Vs unsorted

[Baldrick314]

Life got in the way today so I didn't get out to the range. Will have to try again next month

[Apollo]

Life didn't get in the way for me today. Was going to spend it running power cables around my 4WD to complete my dual extra batteries, second in the front, third in the back BUT.... the wind dropped, the sun came out so I went and grabbed two rifles, set up the targets and shooting bench to test loads and sight in for a shoot next weekend.

All went very well. The final loads I did with my Redding Balance Beam Scales then checked with my GemPro 250 worked out very well and I have two loads to use in the competition shoot.

Targets at 200 metres, 6.5x47 Lapua calibre both rifles. The custom Remington 700 shot a 0.35" 5 shot group and the custom Stolle Grizzly II shot a 0.25" 5 shot group. Velocity checked with the Crony and adjustments made to get them close at 300 metres and 500 metres respectively so now the next nice day will be a test at both distances.

Isn't it nice when the weather man comes to the party.

[Baldrick314]

Nice one . Yeah the weather even cleared up out here in the morning so I was a little miffed not to be going but it all feel apart not too long later so I don't think it would have been a great day for it anyway.

[Lorgar]

Life got in the way today so I didn't get out to the range. Will have to try again next month

Bugger. Well, still keen to hear in a month when you get to it

[Baldrick314]

I finally tested the loads made on both scales. The results are far from conclusive, mostly because my shooting isn't exactly up to scratch (haven't shot rifles for a couple months)



The loads made on the chargemaster are the two groups at the top and the bottom groups were loaded on my balance beam scales.

There's one very obvious flyer in one of the bottom groups but otherwise the groups were near enough to the same size. For my purposes I'm satisfied that I could load ammo on either scale and it would be equally accurate which is the best result I could hope for.

[Fry]

I didn't measure on the screen but looks like the top groups are just edging the bottom ones out on accuracy?

Marginally better?

[Baldrick314]

I didn't measure on the screen but looks like the top groups are just edging the bottom ones out on accuracy?

Marginally better?

The top left was the smallest group overall. Disregarding the flyer in the bottom right group the others are nearly identical in size so not much in it. I was expecting the balance beam to make much better ammunition but at the end of the day they're that close that it makes no difference

[Lorgar]

I was expecting the balance beam to make much better ammunition but at the end of the day they're that close that it makes no difference

I hate using the balance beam instead of my Chargemaster so that's good to read

[Baldrick314]

I hate using the balance beam instead of my Chargemaster so that's good to read

Yeah it halves my loading time so I'm happy with the results

[Lorgar]

I just loathed turning that *&^##&^ knob on the powder thrower and waiting for the balance mean to settle when changing powder charges.

It was a slice of heavy to change to the digital dispenser/scale and just type a number in