Tired of beam scale, digital?

Bleak Ridge is a family-run business, selling country clothing and workwear
S&L7x57

S&L7x57

Well-Known Member
I've been using a 2nd hand Lee beam scale since I started reloading some years back. I have never felt confident about the re-zeroing as it seems to change when I have done nothing to it other than put it back in its box. Also it can be very moody when taking a few grains out or replacing to hit the mark: take a couple out but need 5 to replace!
I feel that a digital scale might be the answer: easy to zero with a known weight, and (hopefully) not going to have a hissy fit when finely adjusting the charge.
Is there a model in the £1-200 range that delivers ease of use with known reliability? I have been looking at the Lyman 2000.
Thank you for your advice.
 
One can live with a digital one in that price range, but you will have to make some compromises. Adding and especially removing weight requires that you take the pan off the scales and put it back on in order to get a correct reading. But they are still much faster than a beam scale. Go for it.
 
I am more than happy with the RCBS 10-10 scale, however I am not sure it is still in production. It is mechanical, therefore immune from electric discharges (neon lights) neither from battery failures.
Moreover, when my scale developed troubles, I was instructed by RCBS to send it back to them for inspection and repair. After few weeks I received a parcel containing a scale and two complimentary tee shirt. The bill of lading had the handwritten words "Replace".
 
Look at On Balance electronic scales. I use a set. Lee dipper to underthrow by a grain or so and trickle up. V easy and quite quick for small amounts of ammo.
D
 
There’s a world of difference between your Lee scale & a truly good one which was made by Ohaus & normally branded RCBS or Lyman.

Personally I’d far prefer a good used RCBS 10-10 or even better a Lyman M5 (both made by Ohaus & marked so under the base) to a digital in the price range you mention.

Sadly the current production RCBS & Lyman balances (made a long way from Ohaus) are not as good as they should be.

The key to an easy life with any balance/scale, including electronic is (if possible) to keep it set up on a solid truly flat & level surface (covered when not in use).
On most loading benches or table tops small changes in position from one set-up to another can require a re-zero due to them not being level & flat.
 
S&L7x57 said:
I've been using a 2nd hand Lee beam scale since I started reloading some years back. I have never felt confident about the re-zeroing as it seems to change when I have done nothing to it other than put it back in its box. Also it can be very moody when taking a few grains out or replacing to hit the mark: take a couple out but need 5 to replace!
I feel that a digital scale might be the answer: easy to zero with a known weight, and (hopefully) not going to have a hissy fit when finely adjusting the charge.
Is there a model in the £1-200 range that delivers ease of use with known reliability? I have been looking at the Lyman 2000.
Thank you for your advice.
Click to expand...
IMO Lee make pretty much nothing to a decent fashion , the balance scales are fine from RCBS and others likely are great . I have had over the years frequent requests to weld up Lee presses where the castings have broken in use . BTW its not doable to an accurate standard due to distortion and the fact it will break again
Digital on the other hand can be effected by other electrical equipment . Though i do use a digital for shotshell loading as its less important to have fine tolerances. Perhaps some of the other real costly electronic ones are better ? The most I load in one batch might be say 100 rounds
 
S&L7x57 said:
I've been using a 2nd hand Lee beam scale since I started reloading some years back. I have never felt confident about the re-zeroing as it seems to change when I have done nothing to it other than put it back in its box. Also it can be very moody when taking a few grains out or replacing to hit the mark: take a couple out but need 5 to replace!
I feel that a digital scale might be the answer: easy to zero with a known weight, and (hopefully) not going to have a hissy fit when finely adjusting the charge.
Is there a model in the £1-200 range that delivers ease of use with known reliability? I have been looking at the Lyman 2000.
Thank you for your advice.
Click to expand...
Hi, sent you a pm.
Cheers, Ken.
 
Ok I will add my two penneth. I started with and made very accurate loads with a Lee reloading set. The scales are accurate, but can be finicky to use. I have a small machined plate about ten inches square and three quarters thick that I use to sit them on. Which helps, but if you knock them out of line slightly etc. So when the opportunity came I bought some Hornady iirc branded ones. Still use the same plate to sit them on. But far less hassle than the Lee ones. I built an electronic trickler similar to the Target Master and the two work very well together.
My lad bought an RCBS dispenser I forget which model. Which till he gets set up at his house resides in my shed (where mine used to be setup). The ability to turn on fill with powder and then choose the saved load (doing case prep etc or going for a brew while it sits and “warms” up). I would recommend saving up a bit more for one of those rather than just an electronic scale in the £100/200 bracket.
 
S&L7x57 said:
I've been using a 2nd hand Lee beam scale since I started reloading some years back. I have never felt confident about the re-zeroing as it seems to change when I have done nothing to it other than put it back in its box. Also it can be very moody when taking a few grains out or replacing to hit the mark: take a couple out but need 5 to replace!
I feel that a digital scale might be the answer: easy to zero with a known weight, and (hopefully) not going to have a hissy fit when finely adjusting the charge.
Is there a model in the £1-200 range that delivers ease of use with known reliability? I have been looking at the Lyman 2000.
Thank you for your advice.
Click to expand...
I used a Lee scale for a while, then purchased an RCBS 5-0-5 scale from a kind gent on the forum. The difference is like night and day. I load maybe 300 rounds a year, and the RCBS are great for these small quantities.
 
I'm no expert and have comparatively little experience in reloading. However I couldn't get on with balance scales, so bought a 40 quid set of electronic scales. You've got to be carefull not to confuse the display resolution (eg,.001 gr) with the accuracy of the instrument, they don't always match. That said, using mine for my .222 I get tiny groups and I guess a better shooter could stick them thru the same hole. So either the scales are consistent or it proves .222 is a really unfussy caliber.
 
charlie222 said:
I'm no expert and have comparatively little experience in reloading. However I couldn't get on with balance scales, so bought a 40 quid set of electronic scales. You've got to be carefull not to confuse the display resolution (eg,.001 gr) with the accuracy of the instrument, they don't always match. That said, using mine for my .222 I get tiny groups and I guess a better shooter could stick them thru the same hole. So either the scales are consistent or it proves .222 is a really unfussy caliber.
Click to expand...
I have used cheap electronic scales for verifying shotgun load drops ( as there is a fair amount of tolerance ) . I would not use such a device for rifle loads though " personally"
 
Can't beat a set of RCBS 505 scales twinned with an Autotrickler.Had mine tuned by 1066 a few years ago & they've never missed a beat.
Electronic scales for me have to much going on inside of them.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Which scale?
Replies
6
Views
386
LeftHandGuy
LeftHandGuy
RCBS 10/10 help
Replies
10
Views
313
aboynamedjim
A
Lyman Gen6 calibration
Replies
5
Views
276
Griffo13
Griffo13
For Sale: Powder Measuring Kit
Replies
1
Views
277
Madu
Madu
Frankford arsenal intellidropper
Replies
8
Views
1K
Somersetdk
S
Back
Top