Digital or Regular Balance Scale

[texasboy112]

Being fairly new to reloading I'd like to know about the measuring scale. Are the digital-type, as good and faster, than the regular-type of balance scale? I'd also like to find out your opinions on which one (digital or regular) would be the best value. I'd like to keep the cost under $125.00; thanks for the help...

 

[TScottW99]

I'm still new to reloading so take what I say with a grain of salt :wink:

- I started out with the RCBS 505 magnetic scale. I like it, it is accurate and only $69.99. However I felt that the digital might be more accurate (proably wrong in that regard now that I look back on it) and asked Santa for a digital.

- Santa brought a RCBS Rangemaster 750. I really like this scale. Easy to calibrate, takes no more then 20 seconds. I like that I can trickle powder into the pan and pretty much stop it everytime on the right weight. It costs a bit more at $99 but for me it is easier.

 

[FOTIS]

RCBS rangemaster!

 

[Ol` Joe]

I have RCBS 5-10, and 10-10 balance beam scales plus a Pact digital. The beams are what I use most often. The digitals are fine for finding unknown weights such as brass, bullets, ect but to check for a give wgt like a powder charge a beam is just as fast.
The digitals need warm up time, are more disturbed by drafts, static, dirty power sources, need calibrating, ect then the beams, but are just as accurate when properly used. The beams are also cheaper for equal quality units.

 

[USMCDM24]

I'm fairly new to the reloading scene but I use the RCBS 505 beam scale that came with the supreme master kit. I originally was going to purchase a digital scale but have found the 505 scale extremely accurate & easy to calibrate & use along with the RCBS powder trickler (before the trickler I just pinched powder & dropped it in the scale grain by grain manually which isn't very time consuming either once you get in a rhythm). I still plan on getting a digital scale to weight match my cases though.

 

[dakotaelkslayer]

Find a good deal on a used balance scale. Use that to occasionally check the digital scale for accuracy. Digital is SO MUCH FASTER than a balance scale.

Jim

 

[longwinters]

I have gone to the Dillon Electronic scale. For me, I would never go back to the Balance scale. I turn it on while getting my other stuff set and then go at it. I ck every load and find it much faster. I think they run about 135.00

Long

 

[FOTIS]

All I do is turn my digital on and weigh. No warming period or anything.

 

[Guybo]

I have both but i find myself using the beam scale more than the digital most of the time. The digital comes in great for weighing brass, bullets and broadheads but i prefer the beam scales for weighing powder charges. Mike

 

[FOTIS]

My RCBS balance beam is my basc up~

 

[old #7]

I tried an rcbs digital scale. I found that I could trickle powder without a change on the scale. My beam scale will move when I trickle one kernel and I like that.

 

[Poset]

I use both.

I use the beam when charging a few cases, like when building a load and changing weight or powder during a session. I use the digital when in "production" - charging 20 or more cases.

The digital is much faster, but something of a pain to clean after using.

I also verify the digital by weighing its charge on the beam scale before begining charging a lot of cases. Maybe not necessary - I've never found an error - but seems prudent.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I see posts here, and on other boards, where people swear by digitals, then say they check a occasional charge on their beam scale to verify the digital is working properly.
How come no one checks their beam scale with a digital for accuracy???
:twisted: :twisted:

 

[Poset]

Joe - good question. We trust what we can see, feel and touch?

There's something mysterious going on inside that digital... I don't understand it, so I'm suspicious.

 

[JD338]

I use a Ohaus 10-10 scale. One of these days, I just might get the RCBS digital scale.

JD338

 

[jtoews80]

I've got an old 5-0-5 scale and a RCBS Powder Pro, one of the earlier digital scale, I use it with a digital powder dispenser. again this is one of the first digital dispensers, but I've found that I always have to trickle a little bit to each charge or remove a kernel or two with this particular equipment, which drives me insane! so I always check my charges on the 505. However, I've found that if I remove a kernel of say retumbo or a larger cut powder and then replace it the weight isn't repeatable unless I gently tap the scale pan and make it re-balance itself, and in turn remeasure the charge. Which drastically reduced productivity and increased my accuracy a good bit. problem is now it takes me about 2-3 minutes a charge(1-1.5 boxes an hour). Oh well, I do it to relax. Happy shooting.

CC