The FX200i from AND Weighing offers 220g with one milligram readability. The those gun and ammo reloaders you get 3395 grains and the balance increments in 0.02 grain intervals. Unlike those low cost strain gauge scales the FX-200i has a magnetic force restoration weigh cell so your reading won't creep and drift all over the place.
If you are a competition benchrest shooter and shooting over 400 yards the FX-200i is NOT what you want to buy since you will be ± 1 or 2 kernels of powder. You either want a Prometheus powder measure or the Sartorius Entris64-1S.
A single kernel of Varget weighs ± 0.02 grains and the FX-200i increments in 0.02 grain divisions (0.02 gn > 0.04 gn > 0.06 gn, etc) and the linearity (or accuracy) is ± two(2) divisions or ± 0.04 grains. When shooting .308 ammo, on average, a single kernel of Varget roughly changes the velocity by 1.3 fps. So just a few kernels of variation can easily double the extreme spread in velocity. Out to 500+- yards it does not seem to make much difference, but beyond that and things can get ugly fast. Buying the right balance is just another tool to put more bullets closer to the desired point of impact.
It's all a matter of perspective and at what level one wishes to perform. Buy the FX-120i and it is a good weighing device but it is doubtful you are not going to win shooting competitions. Any way one looks at it, serious long-range shooting is not cheap. In their world, it often comes down to one point or even one "X" between winning or not.
Remember the motto -- buy once cry once -- If you stray from this motto it will bit you.
Tired of seeing the numbers on the scale display constantly climb up and down when they are not even adding anything to the weighing pan? Many call with issues regarding scales they purchased under $200 from RCBS, Dillion, Hornady, etc. Others thought since they purchased a digital scale over $200 like the Acculab VIC-123, A&D EJ123, Adam HCB123, Denver MXX-123 MyWeigh Gempro250, or Sartorius AY123 these scales would deliver stable weight readings as one trickles powder on the weighing platform and still the weighing results are unacceptable for the reloader.
On some of the ammo forums there are people saying if you use power conditioner/uninterruptable power supply (UPS) with these low cost scales it will fix the problems. Sure a uninterruptable power supply is nice to use with any piece of electronic equipment to prevent surges, brown outs, spikes, harmonics, radio frequency noise, but the poor weighing performance is caused by the digital scale's weigh sensor.
Others want to get real technical and decide to attach a ferrite chokes around the power cord to eliminate some RF noise and harmonics they claim affect the load cell. Again the problem is the weigh sensor which is a loadcell that has strain gauges bonded to the beam. Strain gauges work fine for bathroom scale, kitchen scales, general purpose digital scales up to 20,000 divisions. To determine the amount of division a scale has you simply divide the weighing capacity by the readability. So the VIC123 was 120 grams weighing capacity and readability was 0.001 grams. Thus 120g / 0.001g weighs 120,000 divisions. This is impossible to get from a strain gauge. The only way to get good weighing results is your weighing instrument should be a force motor also called a "electromagnetic force restoration weighing balance" or MFR - magnetic force restoration weighing balance.
A&D has build an amazing low cost magnetic force restoration balance that performs lightening fast using their Super Hybrid Sensor technology. This patented weigh cell provides quick stabilization speed with accurate weighing result in 1 second resulting in better productivity. The compact size and small footprint is something no other competitor brand can offer.
The vacuum fluorescent display enables easy-to-read weighing results even in poor lighting conditions.
An optional FXi-11 large breeze is available if you are weighing in an environment that is less than ideal to prevent air currents from causing the balance pan from moving, which results in fluctuating readings. By protecting the balance weighing platform with a draft shield a stable constant mass reading can be observed. This shatterproof breeze break has an antistatic coating and can be opened from the right and left side and also through the top.
Haven't heard of A&D Weighing? They are the third largest manufacturer of laboratory balances and scales in the world. Corporate headquarters are based in Japan but US offices in California and Georgia. All FX-i balances are backed with a 5 years manufacturer warranty making it the longest manufacturer warranty in the industry for a high quality lab balance.
See the full line of FX-i balances at the bottom of this web page or click here.
A&D Precision Weighing Balance Model FX-200i
5 year limited manufacturer warranty
PWB Price
Before you make your final selection be sure to see the new Sartorius ENTRIS323-1S or ENTRIS423-1S. The FX-200i uses a Super Hybrid Sensor which combines magnetic force restoration and single-point parallelogram load sensing technologies. The Sartorius Entris323-1S uses a monolithic magnetic force restoration for even more accurate & stable weighing results. The Sartorius Entris323-1S is made in Germany & has a glass draftshield while the FX-200i is made in South Korea and has a plastic draftshield.
If you were told to buy a Legal for Trade, Class 2 balance and the model is FX-200i - then someone told you the WRONG INFORMATION. You need to buy the FX-200iN HERE. So what is the difference and why is there so much confusion? Hopefully this youtube video above will clear those issues up do you don't purchase the wrong balance and you keep your Weights & Measures Inspector happy.
If you own one of those RCBS or Ohaus 10-10 mechanical beam scales they only weighed to 0.1 grains so they weren't really that accurate for ammo relaoders that wants to reload bullets with the same amount of powder. These mechanical scales are almost from the dinosaur ages.
The video above shows the Sartorius Entris313-1S milligram balance that weighs to 0.02 grains (5x greater readability than the 10-10, 02gn x 5 = 0.1gn). The Entris313-1S is a big step up from other mechanical beam scales and it isn't a strain gauge scales like the Acculab VIC123, Sartorius AY123, Denver MXX123, but as this video shows if you want to weigh to 1 kernel of powder you need greater accuracy than a milligram. Since a kernel of powder weighs between 0.020 - 0.030 grains you'll need an analytical balance like the Sartorius Entris64-1S or AND HR100a.
In the video above we use the Omega 2-Speed Powder Trickler to dispense one kernel of powder at a time. The A&D FX-200i offers similar weighing performance to the Entris323-1S, so you will only be able to get your bullet powder charges to ± 2 or 3 kernels at best. If you are a competitive benchrest that needs to reload ammo to the kernel of powder then watch this video and buy an analytical balance.
Just because a balance like the FX-200i offers readability to 0.02 grain divisions/graduations does not mean it is accurate to ± 0.02 grain. Readability is just what the balance's displays resolution. One needs to dig into the manufacturer's specification and look for the word "linearity" which is the accuracy of the balance. Depending on the manufacturer the linearity is ± 2d, 3d or some low cost Chinese made balances it could be 4d or 5d. The FX-120i linearity is stated as ± 2 divisions. The FX-200i increments in 0.02 grain divisions so the linearity is ± 0.04 grains. These manufacturer specs are performed by the manufacturer and done in controlled environments (temperature & humidity controlled, no static electricity issues, no radio frequency interference, perfectly stable air so there are no drafts). You have to have faith the manufacturer is honest in their testing and we have seen over and over again the no name brands stated specs do not correspond to the performance of the balance. Since testing is done in ideal environments you really can't expect the same performance and let's just say if the manufacturer states ± 2d with your environment you'll get ± 4d.
A kernel of Hodgon H4350 weighs between 0.020 - 0.030 grains per kernel. Each kernel weight varies. In the video above we use the Sartorius Entris64-1S and I like to say when you have your balance level, balance warmed up for at least 30 minutes, in a stable environment realistically you'll expect to have accuracy to 0.008 grains (0.002gn x 4d = +/-0.008gn). Now if you purchased a milligram balance like the FX-200i the readability and linearity would be 10 times less of an analytical balance so the best performance you could expect is 0.08 grains. If a kernel weighs between 0.020 - 0.030 grains per kernel there is no way a milligram balance can deliver the consistent weighing results the competition benchrest shooting is looking for which is knowing each round of ammunition has the same amount of powder. Having ammo with an extra kernel or short a kernel will result in the bullet being high or low of the target's bullseye.
The RCBS10-10 mechanical beam scale finest graduation is 0.1 grains. The large poise increments in 10 grain divisions, the cylindrical micrometer poise has graduation to 0.1 grains and uses a gauge that increments in 1 grain divisions. One 360 degree rotation of the micrometer poise yield 1 grain.
If we say the average weight of a kernel of H4350 is 0.025 grains then 4 kernels weigh 0.1 grains, which is the best readability the RCBS 10-10 offers. It is not the accuracy since you are moving parts, friction points and the agate bearing the fulcrum pivots on wears. We'll use the Omega 2 Speed Powder Trickler from Dandy Products and we'll dispense one kernel at a time to see how many kernels it takes to move the beam of the 10-10.
For many years those competition shooters wanting to weigh powder to the kernel purchased the Sartorius GD503. Once the GD503 were sold out Precision Weighing balances alternative to the GD503 was the AND HR100a and finally in May of 2014 Sartorius re-entered the market with an affordable analytical balance called the Entris Series. The Entris64-1S weighs up to 926 grains & increments in 0.002 grain divisions.
We show in the video above how the Entris64-1S can weigh to the kernel using the Omega 2 Speed Powder Trickler from Dandy Products available at www.omegapowdertrickler.com
In the youtube video above we offer an overview of the AND Weighing FX-300iN discussing the sprint bubble and how important it is to level the balance, the 6 tactile keypads and the functions of these keys. Watch how to change the weigh modes and how simple it is to go from grams to ounce to grains. See the spill guard / plastic cover, the two(2) adjustable feet, RS232 serial interface, weigh below port and many other features that are available with most of the FXi/FZi Series.
In the youtube video above we show you the FXi-10 small breeze break and the FXi-11 large breeze break. The draft shield prevents air currents from causing the weighing pan disturbances, which results in fluctuating unstable readings. By protecting the balance's weighing platform with a draftshield a constant weight reading can be observed.
The FXi-10 small breeze break comes standard with the FX/FZi milligram balances(0.001 gram) and can be upgraded by purchasing the optional FXi-11 large breeze break. The FX/FZi precision balances (those that increment in 0.01 gram divisions) do not come with any windshield, but can be purchased with either optional accessory FXi-10 small breeze break or FXi-11 large breeze break.
Top View of FX-i series A&D Precision Balance
The new A&D FX/i series precision balances come in several weighing capacities to accommodate your specific weighing needs. Choose between 0.01 gram or 0.001 gram increments. New FXi Precision scales with milligram resolutions include a small breeze break for precise weighing. Get accurate weighing results with the latest precision scale from A&D!
In the video above we offer an overview of the components of the Entris milligram balance and how to assemble. Calibration is simple using an optional external calibration mass. We demonstrate the fast response time, repeatable weighing results and features like the leveling bubble, adjustable feet, RS-232 interface and more.
Analytical Balances
