Upgrading Scale

[fattybinz]

I started loading a year ago. Began with a Lee Breech Lock kit. I've been using this scale, and this digital scale to double check my loads. I'm kind of sick of the Lee scale. It is difficult to set the .1 gr increments, takes a while to settle, changing the settings is difficult, can't be leveled (so I've had to play with putting things under my table legs to level the table), and has been inconsistent. It constantly either weighs things +.3 grs, or right on...but never in between.

So should I upgrade to another balance scale, or just go double digital? I was thinking of getting an RCBS M500 and I can continue using my frankford digital to double check every load at first...and less and less often as I gain more confidence in the balance scale. My budget is $80-$120, but I would like to buy new. Had a bad experience buying a used RCBS 505 that was missing a little part (inexperienced so I didn't notice) that I couldn't find anywhere and RCBS no longer carried.

Thanks in advance for the advice

 

[Bluejeep]

I started with a beam scale and was happy to upgrade to an electronic scale. I went with the RCBS 1500 (I believe) and then when I had the money, I added the automatic powder dispenser. I am very happy with this combo and it is accurate to within +/- .1 grain. It is very nice to have a powder charge dispensing while I am doing something else.

If mine broke, I would buy another without a second thought.

 

[ol_spark]

I’ve tried to access a photo of your scale but can’t find a blowup of it. Most scales have a leveling screw on the pointer side of the scale on the bottom. By putting the pan on the balance beam and zeroing all adjustments, if the pointer isn’t at zero you can turn the before mentioned screw clockwise or counterclockwise to zero the pointer. You didn’t mention what you were loading for rifle/pistol or caliber or why you felt the need to double check with a electronic scale. However, that may be some of your frustration. First have you tried weighing the same pan full of powder multiple times on your beam scale by removing it and then replacing it, to see if you get the same reading. I mean is it repeating the same weight 5 times with the same pan of powder. If it does why check with another device? Electronic scales can be influenced by the power feed,overhead fluorescent lights and a number of other things. Does your electronic scale repeat itself? I’ve been reloading various calibers for hunting and target for a number of years and have used a variety of electronic scales but I have always gone back to my beam scales. They’ll measure the difference in one grain of powder. Some of the older beam scales Lyman RCBS 505s have magnetic dampening to help slow them down when you place a full pan on them. Try to get your hands on one of them would be my suggestion but that’s just me. Others swear by electronic scales.

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

I've never found an inaccuracy in my Lee scale, but have found that it's not as precise as an electronic scale. I have been offline for a while but I know that Johnny's Reloading Bench on youtube was doing some scale testing. He has a couple of Amazon scales that you may want to look at. I personally have been using the Lyman digital scale (the cheap one) for a long time. It tends to drift .5 grains sometimes so I always keep an eye on it, but for that reason I can't recommend it.

 

[antelopedundee]

This little guy is the cat's meow for the price. Right on the gnat's ass with my older Bonanza single beam. Accuracy is +/- 0.2 grains. Good enough for state work.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/72248

 

[Don Fischer]

I don't thing there's a more accurate scale than a decent beam scale. I don't care for the Lee but my son said he did. Then he got a new scale! I've used the Ohouse scales for a lot of years, most have looked like RCBS scale's. I would not trust a digital scale, I've read low battery's can mess them up without you knowing. May or may not be true but I don't care to find out. Beam scales properly balanced are pretty much always right! I do have a small digital I got just to weigh cast bullet's on. Seem's to work alright and is faster than a beam but for most thing's I'll stick with what I know, beam scales!