Mechanical Scale

edNigma

edNigma

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I knocked my Lee beam scale off of my bench and the plastic on it exploded into a hundred pieces, so now I'm looking to replace it. I have a digital scale but I prefer to use that for pistol rounds over rifle rounds because I find it tends to drift when dealing with heavier weights.

I'm looking to spend $150 or less on it. The Lee scale could get pretty annoying sometimes so anything that is an improvement over that is a plus. I've been looking at the RCBS 505 or something similar. I wanted to see what everyone here recommended before I go spending my money. Extra points for finding them stocked anywhere because it's becoming a real pain.

Thanks
 
If you ever find an RCBS/Ohaus 304, jump on it... One of the best mechanical reloading scales ever produced... Every now and then pops up in EE.
 
Post an ad and check existing ads in the EE. I have an old redding; older than I am. Works great. I also have a Lee and don't like it; it does not have enough capacity to weigh bullets.
 
Meroh said:
Post an ad and check existing ads in the EE. I have an old redding; older than I am. Works great. I also have a Lee and don't like it; it does not have enough capacity to weigh bullets.
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I should get my Ebay mechanical scale on the 22nd of December according to the shipping notice - feel like a kid at Christmas can not wait to play with it - cheers
 
If you don't have confidence with your digital scale, you might try making a validation weight.

There are a number of ways you can do it... A small container with sand or some kind of powder, or a length of wire cut to the needed length to get the weight correct. You can even use a piece of metal or plastic that you can cut or file to achieve the target weight.

I have even used pieces of brass sheet metal that I stamped the weight into. I got it out of the scrap bin in the plant at work.

Make the validation weigh match your target powder charge plus the weight of your pan.

Then when you think your powder charge is right, just switch back and forth on the scale between the validation weight and the pan with powder. If the powder charge is right, you should get the same value on the scale regardless of which is one the scale.

This way even if the scale drifts, it wont matter because you can always see how much it drifts.

Obviously best to have a reliable scale, but in the absence of that sometimes we need to get creative.

Keep in mind that ink and paint has weight, so you need to identify it before you tune the weight to what you need it to be. Also make sure whatever you use is easy to pick up gently without disturbing the scale. If you use wire or sheet metal bend it.
 
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Maple57 said:
If you don't have confidence with your digital scale, you might try making a validation weight.

There are a number of ways you can do it... A small container with sand or some kind of powder, or a length of wire cut to the needed length to get the weight correct. You can even use a piece of metal or plastic that you can cut or file to achieve the target weight.

I have even used pieces of brass sheet metal that I stamped the weight into. I got it out of the scrap bin in the plant at work.

Make the validation weigh match your target powder charge plus the weight of your pan.

Then when you think your powder charge is right, just switch back and forth on the scale between the validation weight and the pan with powder. If the powder charge is right, you should get the same value on the scale regardless of which is one the scale.

This way even if the scale drifts, it wont matter because you can always see how much it drifts.

Obviously best to have a reliable scale, but in the absence of that sometimes we need to get creative.

Keep in mind that ink and paint has weight, so you need to identify it before you tune the weight to what you need it to be. Also make sure whatever you use is easy to pick up gently without disturbing the scale. If you use wire or sheet metal bend it.
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Check weight sets are an inexpensive way to have piece of mind, regardless of the scale type or cost. They allow you to check your charge weight against the known weight to ensure your scale is reading correctly. But more importantly, the scale can be calibrated to your precise charge weight rather than to zero. The further the charge weight extends from zero, the less accurate the reading becomes when the scale is calibrated at zero. As to technique, its prudent to bump the pan a few times to ensure you have 2 or more consecutive readings. If the scale cannot produce consecutive reading with a check weight, the scale is faulty and should be repaired or replaced. As Nathan Foster said, after the frustration he experienced from attempting to use a faulty Redding scale, he got far more satisfaction throwing it as far as he could than he ever would have from a warranty replacement.
 
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I check my 505 charge with a digital scale I got. Seems to be + or - .01

I had a heck of a time calibrating my powder measure to drop 13 grns with flake powder, that I resulted in just using a scoop.
 
Try to find an older Rcbs/O-Haus scale. The newer ones made in China are cheap and flimsy. I’m not sure what year they moved manufacturing to China.
 
Boomer said:
Check weight sets are an inexpensive way to have piece of mind, regardless of the scale type or cost. They allow you to check your charge weight against the known weight to ensure your scale is reading correctly. But more importantly, the scale can be calibrated to your precise charge weight rather than to zero. The further the charge weight extends from zero, the less accurate the reading becomes when the scale is calibrated at zero. As to technique, its prudent to bump the pan a few times to ensure you have 2 or more consecutive readings. .
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The problem with check weight sets is that a) you need to buy it up front and B) that they don't come specifically in the target weight we want... instead with these weight sets you have to build a set of weights that together weigh our target weight. Then do it again for our next reloading project.

Far more expedient to make a custom validation weight even if its just a ball of tin foil. That way the check weight weighs exactly what the target load is (including pan) and with no fiddling with a bunch of tiny little check weight bits.

To your point, this method confirms at the target weight and not some other weight far away from the target weight, which is my point as well.
 
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