Sartorius GD503 Evaluation
by Scott Harris
Bottom Line Up Front
The Sartorius GD503 is a superb scale and has delivered what I am looking for: increased reloading speed and increased precision. My old setup allowed me to measure to +/- 0.05 gr. at a rate of one charge every 27 seconds on average. The new setup allows me to measure to +/- 0.01 gr. (fraction of a kernel) at a rate of one charge every 19 seconds. I already had $1000 invested in my old setup; so, moving to the new Sartorius GD503 a big decision. Alternately, the $300 Sartorius AY123 is an excellent choice and I would not hesitate to go that route if I were on a tighter budget.
Introduction
Sartorius recently introduced a new scale that may be of interest to reloaders. An excellent review on this product on AccurateShooter can be found by clicking here. Rather than re-hash info found in that article, I want to evaluate the new scale using criteria important to me as an F-class shooter and as the primary reloading “mule” for a family of 4 and sometimes 5 shooters. Here are my priorities:
1. Speed: We shoot just about every weekend and loading 300 rounds per week can get a bit tedious. Anything that makes the process faster is of interest. Time is money and I’m willing to pay up if the time savings are there.
2. Precision: I already have a great setup that measures consistently to +/- 0.05 gr. It would be nice to see a significant improvement over that level of precision with no increase in reloading time.
3. Reliability: I’d like a piece of equipment that is reliable and long-lasting. For $900, I want a scale that will last many years if I take good care of it.
Comparing the Old and the New
Old Setup
My old setup, as shown in the picture above, consisted of two RCBS Chargemasters and one Acculab VIC-123. The Chargemasters would pre-weigh the charge at the exact target weight I was shooting for. Then I would perform a final weigh on the VIC-123 with whatever small adjustments were needed: either trickling a few kernels in or taking a few out with my fingers. Using this method, I could achieve accuracy of +/- 0.05 gr. at an average speed of 27 seconds per charge. It was possible to get a little more precise, but it would take much longer to weigh each charge - too long.
PROS of Old Setup
1. Accurate: +/- 0.05 gr.
2. Fast: 27 seconds per weigh
3. Repeatable: Using a check-weight at various times over many months, I have consistently demonstrated the Acculab is an accurate, repeatable scale.
CONS of Old Setup
1. Three devices: I need two Chargemasters to keep me from twiddling my thumbs. This takes more space.
2. Noisy: Some people might perceive the whir of the Chargemasters as music to their ears - not me.
3. Drift on the Acculab VIC-123: To use this scale properly, you must re-zero the scale regularly; often every time you weigh a new charge. This is not as big a deal as it sounds but the process could be faster if this step were not required.
4. Acculab is sensitive to environmental variables: To get the most out of this setup, you must warm up the scales for at least 30 minutes, eliminate all drafts by turning off the heat or air conditioning, and eliminate electrical surges by turning off other electric devices.
OVERALL Assessment of Old Setup
It works well once you understand the nuances of the Acculab scale. The new Sartorius GD503 will need to make a big impression for me to change my system.
New Setup
New Setup: Equipment
1. Sartorius GD503 purchased from balances.com (great folks, they pre-programmed it by emailing me and setting it to weigh in grains).
2. Omega Power Trickler: You can trickle single kernels with ease.
3. Lee Perfect Powder Measure: You can spend a lot more money on a measure but you won’t get one that is better. I owned a $250 Harrell’s Premium Power Measure, but prefer the $20 Lee.
PROS of New Setup
1. Faster: 19 seconds per chatge vs. 27 seconds for the old setup
2. More Precise: I am now measuring to +/- a single kernel of powder. The GD503 can measure to a small fraction of a single kernel in weight and it does this very quickly. The VIC-123 can only measure to the nearest whole kernel or two.
3. No Drift: There is essentially no drift if you let the GD503 warm up for at least 30 minutes. This means you can perform and extended weighing session without the need to re-zero the scale.
4. No Added Cost: Compared to my old setup, the GD503/Omega Trickler is no more expensive.
5. Quiet: No more noisy RCBS Chargemasters. I know, this is a nit-picky comment.
6. Less Space: 3 scales have been replaced with one scale and a trickler.
CONS of the New Setup
1. Reliability? $900 is a big investment for a single piece of electronics and I hope this scale proves to be reliable for many years - time will tell.
Video Demonstration
Here is a short YouTube video I created:
