Scales
- Thread starter dumbear
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geo4061
Well-Known Member
If you only have one it's the beam. My RCBS works like new at 40 years old. I can not help with a comparison. I have never needed or used a different one. I would like to add their electronic one of these days.
Corey Schwanz
Well-Known Member
I'm a personal fan of electronic scales but I do have a beam that I can fall back on or double check things with. Beams will never die on you or have a circuit go out, but they can be a bit slower so its not my go-to. For any digital scale, you have to follow a couple key things for good results. I always turn it on ahead of time, sometimes the night/day before, to let them warm up. If I know I'm going to be spending a lot of time in my reloading room, I just don't turn it off. I start EVERY session with a calibration and then use a set of various check weights to make sure the scale is reading what it should. While its not always true in the world, the phrase "you get what you pay for" can come into play with electronics. A $30 scale is just that. It may be ok, but you won't see much precision/reliability as something that's built a bit better. I use a Sartorius as a stand-alone scale as well as the Chargemaster 1500 from RCBS as part of their dispenser combo unit. I had a 750 which is a bit cheaper but was very reliable. I just didn't use it enough so I sold it to a friend.
ohiohunter
Well-Known Member
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- Oct 5, 2012
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If the budget is $60, I'd keep saving. Scales on the lower side of price that I would consider are RCBS 10-10, 1500 or a Gempro, otherwise keep the 505 or whatever you have.
cholla chomper
Well-Known Member
I think it's how picky you want to be with your loads I have a rcbs charge master and its good but loads can vari a little bit, its fussy when not warmed up, or a breeze in the room but you cant beat the accuracy of a beam and I use that most of the time and my drop charger and check the loads every 4 or 5 loads.
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
I have one. Pretty accurate. The only place I use it is at the range. I checked mine against a $10K lab scale, and then against the one the lab unite was calibrated against. About .03 grain difference, but was a steady gap all the way thru (checked from 5 grains to 250 grains in many steps). I still like the bigger PACT scales better, and have been using them since they first hit the market.
gary
I still have my old Redding balance beam and check my battery operated Hornady GS350 against it occasionally. It is no longer produced by Hornady. They were very accurate, but had short life expectancy. I am on my third GS350; had to buy the last one direct from Hornady three years ago. They had a few in their inventory @ $95. I use it daily in my shop, and it is so compact that I particularly enjoy taking it to the range for load development.
