Powder Scale Recommendations

[GunsandCoffee]

New production - Dillon Eliminator beam scale.

Older models - I prefer the RCBS 304 Dial O Grain. Pricey, but accurate and easy to use.

 

[H Richard]

I bought a slightly used RCBS 10-10 in the early 80's and still using it. Only scale I have ever used. You can make up a set of weight checks. Just get several small items and get weighed on an accurate scale and record what each weigh's. There's your check weights.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Any but the Lee.

 

[rockquarry]

Any but the Lee.

I've had a variety of scales since the mid-1960s including a Lee about thirty or more years ago. I've sold or traded off everything except a Redding and an RCBS 10-10, both of which I've had many years. I use the Redding almost exclusively.

The Lee looked cheap (probably why I sold it) but it worked fine as I recall. Based on your experience with the Lee, what was wrong with it?

 

[leadhead2]

I'm still using a old Ohaus 505 beam scale that's dead nuts
accurate. It has the 3 poise system. Not to much difference
between the different beam scales as most of them were
made by Ohaus.

 

[DWalt]

My Redding and Ohaus scales use magnetic damping. I would not want the additional complication and expense of an oil-damped scale. Magnetic works fine for me. Actually, gravitational attraction varies by where you are located on the Earth. Something on the equator will weigh slightly less (by about 1%) than it does at the poles due mainly to the centrifugal force of Earth’s rotation on its axis. But an object’s mass is always constant anywhere in the universe. Weight and mass are not the same thing.

 

[tlawler]

I’ve got an RCBS/Ohaus 5-0-5 that I bought used a few years ago. It’s my go-to scale. I also have a Dillon electronic that’s good for quickly checking powder charges when changing to a new cartridge or powder, but I always double check with the beam scale. I attended two different gun shows this past weekend and saw at least 3 used Ohaus beam scales for sale, all in the $25-$30 range. I’ve had great luck finding gently used and new/never used reloading items at gun shows, but you have to get there early…it gets snapped up fast.

 

[rhodesengr]

I am just curious, why the fixation on a beam balance scale? I have two electronic ones. The first was a Lyman Pocket Scale for about $35. It has .1gr resolution. Then, just for fun I bought a $16 one on Amazon that came with a calibration weight and several powder pan/funnels. It has .02gr resolution. What I really like about the electronic ones is the Tare function and the lack of any need to pour powder to/from a powder pan. I zero out the scale with a case or hull, drop the powder into that case/hull and put it back on the scale. You get the weight directly and no errors due to moving the powder to/from a pan. Unless you don't believe electronic ones aren't accurate, I don't see the advantage of a balance beam. Both my scales came with calibration weights and I have an independent set. The scales seem remarkably accurate.

 

[rockquarry]

I am just curious, why the fixation on a beam balance scale? I have two electronic ones. The first was a Lyman Pocket Scale for about $35. It has .1gr resolution. Then, just for fun I bought a $16 one on Amazon that came with a calibration weight and several powder pan/funnels. It has .02gr resolution. What I really like about the electronic ones is the Tare function and the lack of any need to pour powder to/from a powder pan. I zero out the scale with a case or hull, drop the powder into that case/hull and put it back on the scale. You get the weight directly and no errors due to moving the powder to/from a pan. Unless you don't believe electronic ones aren't accurate, I don't see the advantage of a balance beam. Both my scales came with calibration weights and I have an independent set. The scales seem remarkably accurate.

There is no fixation, rather a practical matter. Few handloaders would spend the money for a reliable and precise laboratory-type electronic scale that is far more costly than the electronic scales mentioned here. Balance beam scales don't cost much and are reliable and accurate without warmup, tempermental characteristics, inconsistent zero, etc.

If you have inexpensive electronic scales that are as accurate, precise, and are as repeatable as balance beam scales, you are truly fortunate. No argument from me, but the original poster wasn't interested in electronic scales, rather the balance beam type.

 

[tlawler]

I am just curious, why the fixation on a beam balance scale? I have two electronic ones. The first was a Lyman Pocket Scale for about $35. It has .1gr resolution. Then, just for fun I bought a $16 one on Amazon that came with a calibration weight and several powder pan/funnels. It has .02gr resolution. What I really like about the electronic ones is the Tare function and the lack of any need to pour powder to/from a powder pan. I zero out the scale with a case or hull, drop the powder into that case/hull and put it back on the scale. You get the weight directly and no errors due to moving the powder to/from a pan. Unless you don't believe electronic ones aren't accurate, I don't see the advantage of a balance beam. Both my scales came with calibration weights and I have an independent set. The scales seem remarkably accurate.

Same reason I wouldn’t trust an electronic lock where it could be a life or death situation. I have both…electronic scale and electronic locks on some safes for convenience. I just verify weights with the beam and don’t keep quick access firearms in a safe with a keypad.

 

[DWalt]

As I saidi earlier, I also have a digital scale, but is part of a Lyman automatic charging system. You set the load weight you want and it dribbles the powder charge you selected into a pan, then stops when it gets to the exact desired powder weight. Then you dump the powder into the primed case. I do use it for rifle loads, but not handgun. It is a bit of a hassle to set up and take down, it is slow, and there is a warmup period. It can be used as just a digital scale on its own but I seldom do that due to the setup hassle. It is faster and easier to use the Redding beam scale to set the charge to be thrown by the powder measure.

 

[e3mrk]

I use the Lee Beam Scale,It has proved accurate.

 

[Skeet 028]

I am just curious, why the fixation on a beam balance scale? I have two electronic ones. The first was a Lyman Pocket Scale for about $35. . Both my scales came with calibration weights and I have an independent set. The scales seem remarkably accurate.

Seem remarkably accurate...until they aren't...which seems remarkably quite often. I've had at least 5or 6 digitals and all but the Dillon have failed. The load cells in them are terribly delicate. I have one of the RCBS powder measure/scales that works well...for a while and then goes haywire. the reason drug dealers use the cheap scales...cheaply replaceable LOL!...oh and small

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I see some.here are badmouthing the Lee scale. It is inexpensive, it is accurate and it is also na pain to adjust. The adjusting part is what I don't like but it is accurate. (IMO of course)

 

[Cdog]

I have an RCBS 10-10 that has been and will continue to be my go to scale. I also have one of the current models from RCBS that came with a package deal I couldn’t resist. The new one works fine, seems to quite accurate.

It shares many traits of the Lee scale, both good and bad. Both are very lightweight making keeping it stationary a challenge. Both require good steady hands to fine adjust.

I added weight inside the current RCBS, plus a few drops of blue loctite on the leveling screw to add a bit more friction to better hold adjustment. No it still ain’t anywhere close to being as user friendly as the 10-10, but it does what it’s supposed to competently.

The Ohaus/RCBS 10-10 the scale I use to measure other scales by. They’re that good.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

RCBS for me.

 

[Empe]

It would seem that Forum members are overwhelmingly in favor of Ohaus/RCBS . Thanks for all the feedback !

 

[DWalt]

One thing in favor Of Ohaus is that most of their scales are lab-grade. There is probably no industrial, educational, or medical lab in the country that does not use Ohaus scales. But you do pay a higher price for their quality. Much less expensive scales will have a precision of +/- 0.1 grain and will be completely satisfactory for reloading service.