I'm just getting into reloading and my dad gave me his old rcbs 5-10 scale. I'm having trouble getting it to zero. According to the manual on the RCBS website, I should be zeroing the scale with the little white plastic screw that goes into the micrometer poise. However, it will not zero with it in. With it out, the scale comes to zero just fine. What am I missing here?

I don't have any of the weights that rcbs sells to check the scale. However, I have used coins (got the weights off the internet) and bullets to measure the weight and the scale appears to work fine as long as I don't have the little white screw in.

Is my scale messed up? Is it usable as long as I don't bother with the plastic screw? Dropping the screw into the measuring pans shows it weighs approximately 3 grain itself.

You should be zeroing it from the scale end IIRC. The little white plastic screw should be the "stop" or "hold" screw for the fine adjustment wheel. The foot under the scale end of the base is threaded, with an empty pan and the slide and wheel set to zero, screw the foot in/out until the pointer zero line settles on the mark. The in or out of the foot will raise or lower the base while the balance beam remains steady.

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Non illegitimae carborundum

When I have the white screw in the fine adjustment wheel (micrometer poise), I can't adjust the screw foot enough to get it to zero. I could use a shim under the screw foot but it looks pretty out of whack.

Ditto to MKT.

You appear to be approaching this backwards.With the scale pan on and empty,you should zero everything(zero/0).Everything.......after this you are to adjust the level of the scale which is done by using the screw or wheel underneath the scale on the bottom on the left end of the scale.

I have the powder pan on and the white stop screw in its hole. I can't get the left side of my scale up high enough using the adjustable foot to get it to zero. If I max out the foot and put 6 coins under the foot, it will level.

Sometimes the work bench,floor,etc can be out of level.Nearly everything around my place is unlevel.If you use a standard workshop level,I'm sure you'll find this to be true.Use shims as needed.

I can spin the scale around 180 degrees and I still have the same problem. So my table is level.

Does your aluminum powder pan have the little lead bbs (weights) in it? They should be there from the factory to get it to balance when it is in a level surface. If they're not there, you'll have to add weight in the pan until it does balance.

My mistake, I thought the rcbs 5-0-5 was what you had,but now see rcbs5-10.

Here's my little rcbs 5-0-5 scale balanced to zero with the brass pan,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1256611554

start by setting all three weight indicators at zero settings on the scale bar. Set the white foot screw to lowest it will go by going counter clockwise and the scale bar pointer should be above the 0-, then simply turn the white foot screw clockwise (up) till the pointer lines up 0- on the far left end.

I use a rcbs electronic scale and also have a lyman scale check weights. The electronic scale is much faster and easier for me to use, but if the nine volt battery conks outs and I need a scale this works too.

here's a cast bullet I just did cast up and weighed a bunch of them on the electronic scale @410.5 grs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1256611886

Yep, the bb's are in there. Unfortunately, thats the side that is too heavy. It seems to be too heavy and I am having to shim up the left side of the scale to make up for it. Its almost like I need to take a bb out. Although I think that would be too much weight taken out. I estimate it is only a few grains too heavy on the right side of the scale which happens to be about the same weight as the plastic screw that stops any movement of the poise.

I've had to shim mine in the past with the plastic insert from an empty primer package. Doesn't matter how much you shim it, or which end you have to put the shims on, you just have to get it to zero. Make sure the balance beam and dial are both set at zero. Screw the little foot under the left side of the scale all the way in and set the scale on a fairly level surface. If the beam reads above the balance point lower the foot until the scale is set at zero. If the balance bar starts off reading below the zero setting shim the right side before setting your zero. In either event the final setting will be made by lowering the foot on the left side, bottom, of the scale.

Make sure the balance point on the beam is in the cradle correctly and dampener on the left side of the beam is fitted correctly into the slot. Unless something's bent these scales are pretty much fool resistant.

CZBrian,

Here is a link to the page on the RCBS site where you can download instructions for your scale. RCBS - Precisioneered Shooting Products - Downloads

If, when the scale weights are both set at "0", the scale beam is not level then you need to adjust the ballast (the bird shot) in the pan support. If you look at the top of the support (the part with the wire hook that hangs from the beam and the removable pan sits on) you will see a screw. If the pan end is heavy (as you say it is) you need to remove the screw, take the top plate off the pan support, and remove some of the lead shot. Try one or two pellets at first. You don't need to re-assemble the support to check it, simply lay the plate on the support, put the pan on with the screw in the pan. Remove shot until the beam is as level (to the table top) as you can get it, then re-assemble the pan support and make the final adjustment to zero with the jack-screw on the left end of the base as the instructions will tell you.

If, when you get close to level while adjusting the amount of shot, and the beam won't quite level completely, you can file a little off the small handle tab on the pan itself to make finer adjustments than removing or adding shot will do. Regardless, the beam must be very close to level so zero adjustment is easily made with the jack-screw.

There is a good chance the pan you have is not the original one for your scale. It doesn't matter, that is why the bird shot is in the support, to make accommodation for different weight pans. Adjusting the ballast is nearly always necessary when a pan needs to be replaced.

I started reloading about 10 years ago. I had bought a used rcbs scale from a friend. It was doing the same thing as yours. After I started trying to actually use it, I found that it would stick, and not weigh properly. Got to looking at the directions and it had a lifetime warranty.
Long story short. I sent it to them and they sent it back with new beam. Never had any more problems. Something to consider.