Tired of beam scale, digital?

[fizzbangwhallop]

So...if not a digital scale, which beam scale offers reliable ease of use at sensible cost?

A pair of secondhand RCBS 505, 5-10 or 10-10’s allied with a Targetmaster trickler.
And, possibly, a set of check-weights if you’re that interested…. although, of course, you’ll be working up your own load and staying consistent with your equipment to avoid any fluctuations in loads.

I’ve a set of 5-10’s upgraded/tuned by 1066 bought at the same time as my Targetmaster and subsequently another set of 5-10’s just out of interest to see if they matched… which they do!
The nicest touch to the tuned set is the addition of a usb camera bracket allowing a cheapie usb camera to be set at the same level as the zero line and plugged into the desktop …. Saves a crick in the neck leaning down to get on eye-level. The bracket is a bit of bent alloy held in place by a thumbscrew into a rivnut on the scales body and the camera just clips on.

If you do a forum search on Targetmaster and my username you should be able to find a photo or two…. Any search on Targetmaster will give you way more info too

Cheers,

Fizz

 

[webley701]

So...if not a digital scale, which beam scale offers reliable ease of use at sensible cost?

As already mentioned - a good used RCBS 10-10 (or 5-10 for that matter) which has ‘Made by Ohaus’ marked on it (probably inside the hollow base).

Please bear in mind that any balance/scale - mechanical or electronic - will require ‘zeroing’ (levelling) each time you use it if it’s moved (also checked even if not moved).

 

[Greenmist]

So...if not a digital scale, which beam scale offers reliable ease of use at sensible cost?

RCBS 505 tend to go for about £50 second hand

 

[Hunter 6.5]

I've recently bought rcbs chargemaster supreme,but can't be without a decent beam scales. Nothing can beat consistency of good beam scales (think I am addicted to them ) . I have Lyman M5 for sale perfectly working send me a DM if interested

 

[GWP]

RCBS 505 had mine for sixty years still good keep it clean and dry

 

[Utectok]

You often hear the story “nothing is as accurate as beam scales” this is simply not true and I have tested it. Good quality digital scales are more accurate end off.. does that extra accuracy make any difference? Probably not? But good quality digital scales are more accurate and quicker to get a load weighed. That’s been my experience. Poor quality digital scales mostly a waste of of time.

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I got lucky and found an old OHAUS made Lyman M5.

I have created a bench-in-a-box and this scale is perfect as it packs into itself for storage and transport.







I've tried several different scales and the older beam balance ones are the best combination of ease of use plus repeatability. I gave my Lee scale away. Nothing wrong with its accuracy, but it was fiddly to adjust and therefore I never used it.

Honestly any of the non-Lee magnetically dampened beam scales for reloading should work about the same as each other. The present production Lyman one, despite being "made in China" looks quite nice too.

Either way, you should definitely not give up on beam scales because of your experience with the Lee one.

 

[Rafter]

Do a bit of research into electronic scale drift, the effects of variations in power supply, neon lights etc etc, then go and buy the best beam scales you can afford.
I can guarantee lab quality gravity in my reloading room - lab quality power supply, not so much.

 

[Aister]

I've had experience of 3 lee safety scales and they were terrible to be honest.

I've been using a set of RCBS 505 scales and a target master trickler and would never change.

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I've had experience of 3 lee safety scales and they were terrible to be honest.

They are accurate and safe, but so frustrating and time consuming to use, with the ball bearing and the knurled wright for the fine adjustment.

I picked one up in a mixed box of reloading equipment, but gave it away as there was no way I would ever use it over either of my Lyman or Redding scales.

Better than nothing, but literally every other magnetic beam scale from a reloading company would be preferable.

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Got a set of digital ohaus explorer lab balances.

Never looked back, beam scales and cheap digitals are rubbish in comparison to a propper set.

Doesn't loose zero, accurate to 0.001 of a gram and actually works. No need to faff, just set and forget.

Oh and I can read the huge digital display!

 

[Bo Diddley]

Got a set of digital ohaus explorer lab balances.

Never looked back, beam scales and cheap digitals are rubbish in comparison to a propper set.

Doesn't loose zero, accurate to 0.001 of a gram and actually works. No need to faff, just set and forget.

Oh and I can read the huge digital display!

How much would something like that cost?

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

How much would something like that cost?

If you shop smartly and around you can pick them up for a good price.

Paid about £200 for mine second hand of Ebay with the lab certified calibration weights.

Made my reloading faster, easier and alot more consistent. Certainly the big digital display makes life alot easier

 

[Bo Diddley]

If you shop smartly and around you can pick them up for a good price.

Paid about £200 for mine second hand of Ebay with the lab certified calibration weights.

Made my reloading faster, easier and alot more consistent. Certainly the big digital display makes life alot easier

You got a very good buy indeed. I've just had a search and the Explorer seems to be about £2800 +

 

[cjm1066]

I used a Lyman scale and trickier or years Lyman refurbished it at one stage.

After loading a batch it might be out of zero by a bit, sometimes a kernel of powder spilt other times no reason.

I now use RCBS Chargemaster Lite - practical review

It quick and easy and the groups are 1/2" if I do my bit.

 

[bluesako]

this is target which was shot with a load at 100yds using pact digital scales and thrown with a harrel powder measure digital scales work for me

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

You got a very good buy indeed. I've just had a search and the Explorer seems to be about £2800 +

Look for a lab shutting down or a uni selling off old equipment and you can get a steal.

The fx120i is a very good scale, that seems to be the defacto digital scale for precise work. Though others can be had like the ouahus and sartorious

 

[Burnies Boy]

I use both RCBS 5-0-5 scales and digital scales, typically use beam scales and target master trickler to weigh charge and digital scales to cross check
occasionally. If I had only one set of scales I would stick with RCBS, digital scales seems to wander a bit. I also think that the check weight that comes with digital scales is not representative of the powder charges being used, and I have two check weights which were weighed in local mechanical test lab on an analytical balance accurate to 0.0001grams (Weights are 30 & 60 grains ). Also the stability of the surface the scales are on will make a bit difference to accuracy.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have a simple lee beam scale. I also have an RCBS digital scale.

With the beam scale its quick to set up and easy to use.

With digital scale you have to calibrate it each time before use, and I also find to recalibrate it once a session.

To be honest I just use the beam scale. It’s up and running and probably done ten loads compared digital running.