Digital Scale Recommendations

jayman9207

jayman9207

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I have been using a Dillon Eliminator beam scale to work up / down my charge for my Dillon RL550B and SDB presses. For some reason it is starting to get finicky and I am having to double, triple, and quadruple check things when setting the charge for my presses. I would like to get a accurate and reliable digital scale but not spend an arm and a leg. I am only using the scale set my charge initially on the press and then periodically spot check the charge during my run to make sure it is still spot on. I was looking at the scale from BrianEnos.com but would appreciate some cost effective digital scale recommendations for me to look at please.
 
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I would like to get a accurate and reliable digital scale but not spend an arm and a leg
Click to expand...

I use a beam scale for my check weights. I actually have 3 and like an old Redding with hydraulic damping the best and use it the most.

For digital I have the RCBS Chargemaster combo. It has worked perfect for me. It isn't the cheapest digital scale but it is reliable, it currently has a $10 rebate, and if you ever decide to upgrade to the Chargemaster, you already have the scale.

I looked at a lot of reviews on electronic scales before I got the Chargemaster. I found a lot of bad reviews on the lower priced scales. I never did find one that I was willing to take the chance on.
 
I've been shopping...

I've been shopping for digital scales and unless somebody has a very good recommendation for one that will last or not start drifting, I can't see getting by on anything under $100 or even more. So many work well at first, then conk out, or work and one day they start to drift. In the meantime my balance scale works fine.
 
I have been using the RCBS Charge Master for ten years without issue. When setting up my Hornady powder measure I use the digital scale and then verify it with an ancient balance beam scale from Redding. Never had a problem.
 
I'm shopping too

jayman

Seems like you, me and rwsmith are all shopping.

I too would like to know how Brian Enos's scales perform over time.
One of his scales have a lifetime warranty and the other, a 20 year warranty
That sounds real good! and the $140 and $80 costs seem reasonable. Note: there is some conflicting information on the the higher priced one. The website says it is accurate to 0.01 grams that equals 0.15 grains. Elsewhere it says its accuracy 0.1 grains ??

Currently I don't have enough confidence in digital scales to use them to set-up and check powder charges. With a quality powder measure, a good beam scale with check weights to ensure its accuracy, do the job fine.

But I like to measure other things such as cast bullets - so a digital would be nice.
The problem is that the manufacturers don't seem to have the confidence in their digital scales either.

Dillon I think 1 year warranty???
RCBS electronic scales have a limited warranty (1 year)
Hornady electronic components (1 year) warranty
Lyman - they say 1 year, but............. just don't

Have Brian Enos's scales been out on the market long enough to have some quality and customer service history?

I wish he had some reviews and ratings on his website for these scales. Maybe we can get him to send us all one for free and we'll check it out and write a review.
 
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Don't waste your money on those $20 scales you can buy from Harbor Freight, they don't last very long before they start going nuts!

Although not very expensive I have had good luck with the Hornady GS-1500 electronic scale. I was a little surprised it worked so well for the price.
 
jayman9207 said:
... I would like to get a accurate and reliable digital scale but not spend an arm and a leg. ....
Click to expand...

How much do you consider "an arm and a leg"? A decent mechanical beam, such as the RCBS 5-0-5, can run almost $100.
 
jayman9207 and anyone else thinking of buying that scale from Brian E, you might want to act quickly.

He posted on his forum about a week ago that that one has an auto off timer that you can change time on, but the new version of it doesn't, so it will switch off after a short period of time.

He was asking forum members if they would buy it if it went off like that and no one wanted it so Brian said in the thread that he wouldn't be carrying it and only had a few of the old style left. Contact him for info. Here's the thread. Would you buy this scale if its auto-off function could not be disable - non-Dillon Reloading Equipment - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Too bad, I heard that it was a good scale.

Dave
 
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digital scale

If you have a harbor fright try them the are good an they are not pricy. For some things I try to stay away from stores that sell only reloading supplies. Its like going to a marina when you can buy it at Wal-Mart.
 
I bought one of those Frankfort Arsenal digital pocket scales on a lark once when Midway had them on sale for $14.99 I think. I didn';t expect much from it, but I find myself using it more and more.

It is very accurate, and repeatedly gives the same reading. I can load as accurate ammo with it as I can using my Ohaus beam scale.

It sure is quick and handy to set up and use. The battery that came in it has lasted for several years now too!
 
I'm not so sure I want...

I'm not so sure I want a digital scale if I'm going to have to check loads against my balance scale. Already I can throw a light charge and just trickle it up to weight on my balance scale. :confused:
 
blujax01 said:
How much do you consider "an arm and a leg"? A decent mechanical beam, such as the RCBS 5-0-5, can run almost $100.
Click to expand...

I am looking at up to around $100-120 possibly. I was looking at that scale as possible other alternative. I just thought a digital one might be quick and easy. I haven't called Dillon yet to see what they suggest but I thought it would be a good idea to have more than one scale so I am not dead in the water with just one bad one.
 
rwsmith said:
I'm not so sure I want a digital scale if I'm going to have to check loads against my balance scale. Already I can throw a light charge and just trickle it up to weight on my balance scale. :confused:
Click to expand...

I am not needing to weigh each charge as I have Dillon presses. I need it to set my initial charge for the loading run I am doing with the particular components I am using. Then I use it to spot check every 10-20 rounds to make sure the charge is still dead on. They are Dillon presses and I have never had the charge drift but it never hurts to be anal about it.
 
jayman9207 said:
I am looking at up to around $100-120 possibly. I was looking at that scale as possible other alternative. I just thought a digital one might be quick and easy. I haven't called Dillon yet to see what they suggest but I thought it would be a good idea to have more than one scale so I am not dead in the water with just one bad one.
Click to expand...

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Dillon will probably recommend the one that they sell:eek: https://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25213/catid/7/D_Terminator_Electronic_Scale

(I have a Hornady GS1500 and a Lyman beam scale. I use the beam to occasionally check the digital and it's always been spot on. I don't check powder charges often because once set I've never had a wrong charge from my Dillon 650 in the various times I've checked the charge. Couple that with the warning system that I've set to go off with anything more than a .2gr variation I'm not worried about it.)
 
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Jayman, try cleaning your scale. I have an RCBS beam scale that gets dust or something in the bearings and gets real finicky. Cleaning those helps. If you really want a digital check the Dillon. It should cost around $140. I've had mine for 9 or 10 years and every time I check it with some check weights it shows spot on. I do use mine on AC, not the batteries.
 
D Rock said:
jayman9207 and anyone else thinking of buying that scale from Brian E, you might want to act quickly.

He posted on his forum about a week ago that that one has an auto off timer that you can change time on, but the new version of it doesn't, so it will switch off after a short period of time.

He was asking forum members if they would buy it if it went off like that and no one wanted it so Brian said in the thread that he wouldn't be carrying it and only had a few of the old style left. Contact him for info. Here's the thread. Would you buy this scale if its auto-off function could not be disable - non-Dillon Reloading Equipment - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Too bad, I heard that it was a good scale.

Dave
Click to expand...

that almost made me jump on it - but that would mean that if I had to return it - I'd get the one with a auto off timer as a replacement:(
 
Yeah that's the down side. He says in the description that it has a good long warranty but I'm sure they'd just replace it with the newer version.

Dave
 
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