Hey all, just looking for some advice. I have a Lee beam scale and a RCBS beam scale 5.2.0 (older) issue is I zero both scales and place a 50 grain weight (accurate) in the pan and I have about 7/10 difference between the two scales. Which one would be trust worthy?
RCBS scale vs Lee
- Thread starter savage.3006
- Start date
If I understand this correctly and the weight is a true 50 grains none of them are accurate right now and have to be calibrated assuming you already leveled and adjusted for zero.
On my rcbs if leveling for zero is not sufficient I can calibrate the scale by adding/removing very small shot in the two part pan. The pan on my 10-10 (very similar to the 5-0-5 and 5-10) can be taken apart by removing screw in pan bottom. Remember that the full pan and internal ballast weights MUST be in position to calibrate the scale. Most are fine as supplied and it is rare to have to start playing with the shot.
Normally I put the check weight on the pan, wait for it to stabilize and zero out the scale. I remove and replace the pan several times to make sure I have good repeatability. Then, I set the poises to reflect my target weight. I do this because since scales can vary in accuracy throughout their range. In other words, I calibrate my scale to the range I'm using. My explaination may not be very good and perhaps others can make it clearer for you
Hi Savage
Which scale gives you the best "repeatability" ? That would be the one I'd use. At the end of the day, your chronograph and your targets tell the story and once you've determined the charge that works, (according to your best repeating BB scale), that's the one you stick with. I wouldn't get hung up on empirical values on a 100$ reloading scale. The University there can show you some accurate scales. They don't go for a hundred bux. I think too many of us get into the mad science of it all (myself included) when all we really want is to get a bullet on target and then be able to repeat whatever we did to get it there.
Which scale gives you the best "repeatability" ? That would be the one I'd use. At the end of the day, your chronograph and your targets tell the story and once you've determined the charge that works, (according to your best repeating BB scale), that's the one you stick with. I wouldn't get hung up on empirical values on a 100$ reloading scale. The University there can show you some accurate scales. They don't go for a hundred bux. I think too many of us get into the mad science of it all (myself included) when all we really want is to get a bullet on target and then be able to repeat whatever we did to get it there.
If you can get the same results with a test weight several times after set up then that scale is reliable. Then work up loads on that scale that are safe in your firearm, a reasonably priced check weight set can be had from Lyman. My old Ohaus= RCBS is dead on.
I bought a Lee when I first started out and chucked it..........junk.
I now use an older 5-0-5
My one friend has started reloading and he has a Lee.
He bought a RCBS kit and I told him to use the scale in that.
He insists the Lee is a good scale.
On my opinion, he has purchased a set of weights to check the
accuracy of his two scales.
Next time I go visit, I will bring my Ohaus and see how it fits in
to the other two for being accurate.
I now use an older 5-0-5
My one friend has started reloading and he has a Lee.
He bought a RCBS kit and I told him to use the scale in that.
He insists the Lee is a good scale.
On my opinion, he has purchased a set of weights to check the
accuracy of his two scales.
Next time I go visit, I will bring my Ohaus and see how it fits in
to the other two for being accurate.
Both are more than sufficiently accurate. I find that Lee is more time consuming and the frustration trying to use it caused me to throw it out. It is not that it is not accurate or repeatable, once properly set, just a PITA trying to get a charge measured because it was so sensitive, even the furnace blower coming through the duct at the end of the bench caused it to wobble. There have only been 2 Lee products I have been disappointed with. The powder measure and the scale. And I AM a cheap-ass who owns lots of Lee stuff and have been very happy with over the years.
I don't get it guys.
Say you develop a load, using your scale, starting at the minimum published charge of X and ending up at (X + 3.5) g (according to your scale), with no pressure signs etc. and you've got 1/4 MOA accuracy. You subsequently discover your scale is consistently out by 7/10 and the magic 1/4 MOA producing charge is really (X+4.2)g. Do you care ?
Say you develop a load, using your scale, starting at the minimum published charge of X and ending up at (X + 3.5) g (according to your scale), with no pressure signs etc. and you've got 1/4 MOA accuracy. You subsequently discover your scale is consistently out by 7/10 and the magic 1/4 MOA producing charge is really (X+4.2)g. Do you care ?
I do and never go over published data. All I know is my RCBS 1010 is as accurate as my RCBS 750.
Boy you are really rattling my old head here. From what I remember RCBS bought the design etc from Ohaus in the late 70's but continued to have Ohaus produce them under the RCBS brand in New jersey until a few years ago when they started coming from mexico. Those donot have the quality and people are having problems with them. Could be wrong here and if I am someone will correct me
New Camper
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The Ohaus scale I've been using for years was probably new in the 60's - 70's: I base my testimony of it's accuracy on the fact that I have all my appendages, no damaged rifles or blown cases etc. My first 222 rem rounds(which were also amoung the first fifty reloads I ever did) weighed on that scale are about 3/4 moa. I've weighed bullets from the same box to examine consistency, as it turns out this now verifies the consistency of the scale which I presumed all along was accurate: It is as higher quality bullets were relatively consistent mass. When I need to reload more, my new Chargemaster combination from RCBS will be up to the plate and I expect the two will verify each other.
762shooter: I read quite a bit before deciding to fork over a few hundred for the Chargemaster Combo, and in that search found an independant tester that posted claimed results of consistency that even someone with a minor case of OCD would be satisfied. My review might be another month or two, but I try to demonstrate intelligence in purchases... {knock on wood} The old adage remains true, you get what you pay for... so I have high expectations.
762shooter: I read quite a bit before deciding to fork over a few hundred for the Chargemaster Combo, and in that search found an independant tester that posted claimed results of consistency that even someone with a minor case of OCD would be satisfied. My review might be another month or two, but I try to demonstrate intelligence in purchases... {knock on wood} The old adage remains true, you get what you pay for... so I have high expectations.
