Best powder scales

CSI-WALLEYE

CSI-WALLEYE

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I am looking at buying a reloading kit. I notice that in the review comments that consumers complain that the scales don't work. Can I have some recommendations for some good scales? Also do you prefer electronic or manual?

Thanks
 
Nothing will ever set your mind at ease like having a balance beam scale with check weights on the bench...
Digital scales can drift or outright refuse to work and it's always when you need them the most.

RCBS 5-0-5 or 10-10 are very popular...
 
Hotwheels81 said:
Nothing will ever set your mind at ease like having a balance beam scale with check weights on the bench...
Digital scales can drift or outright refuse to work and it's always when you need them the most.

RCBS 5-0-5 or 10-10 are very popular...
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^This. My 505 is still looks and functions the same as it did when it was purchased back in 1985. Excellent piece of hardware!
 
I've got a 5-0-5 as well, with a 5-0-2 as backup, I prefer the 5-0-5 however. Both were bought used, for about $50 each.
I haven't used the newer RCBS beam scales, so can't comment on those. I have used a Lee Safety Scale, I didn't like it as much as the first two I mentioned.
I'm not a fan of electronic scales, and I'm not in a hurry when I reload ammo.
 
I have a PACT BBKII digital, it's a great scale. But as others have said I use a Lyman D7 as a backup.
I have not graduated to any type of electronic machine yet. I have heard lots as far as accuracy is concerned, and I just don't know what one to buy.

David
 
I've used the Lee Safety Scale (very finnicky but also very accurate if you know how to use it) RCBS 5-0-5 (excellent balance beam, much faster and less finnicky than Lee) and Hornady G2 1500 digital which is a steaming turd . It doesn't hold zero, wanders all over the place, occasionally agrees with the 5-0-5 momentarily then swings way out of whack. Passes its own cal every time but constantly changes its readout. I returned it and got another that performs exactly the same. I've tried letting it warm up for entire reloading sessions, tried new batteries, tried turning the lights off, tried other buildings. It is 100% useless in every sense of the word. Is it zero? Or - .9 gr? Or wait + .6 gr? No + .3 gr. No wait - 1.3 gr.... and on and on. Put a weighed charge from the 5-0-5 on it, lets say 23.5 gr. Hornady says 24.6. No 24.7 wait, its 24.0. Ok, lied its 23.5. Just kidding its 22.9. Haha my bad 25.6. I don't know, throw me in the garbage I'm high AF.
 
Started with the Lee thing, and quickly outgrew it.
Brought a Hornady Pacific (3 poise) and it's been great. Don't think I'd by the LnL one they sell now.
 
Smokinyotes said:
I use an RCBS chargemaster. I also have a RCBS 1010 scale that I use to check accuracy on the chargemaster.
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X2. Both on chargemaster and on checking. I have never found it out more than .1gr. Might not be the solution for high volume pistol reloading, but for me just the speed I want for precision loads in a nice slow/error free rhythm.
 
Started with an RCBS about 40 years ago, great scale and loaded 10's of thousands with it. It shows 1/10 gr but that means +/- 1/10. A few years ago I bought a GEM PRO and this is what I think is a great electronic unit. It indicates .02 gr and is reliable as long as you don't use it near ANY source of air movement OR florescent lighting. It's major flaw is if you add 1-2-3-4 GRANULES of powder, it WILL NOT show an increase in weight UNLESS you briefly lift the corner of your pan, then set it back down. Then it shows the weight accurately. Very accurately. The FX120i is amazing. Drop a GRANULE of powder, it shows the weight and it's always repeatable, always. It's also kind of pricey but for long range shooters its nice. HOWEVER, it doesn't show any difference in weight that you get with a GEM PRO, just the time it takes with the GEM as you have to lift+replace the tray. There is a site sponsor that sells them for just over $200 (and that may be to your door??). Also, the Gem has a lifetime warranty.
 
Sorry, this isn't a scale but it helps. Many years ago I was doing a lot of cast bullet shooting with a rifle and needed lots of fodder for practice. (silhouettes) I bought a very cheap LEE powder dispenser, I think it was $19? My plan was to drop just under the required load on my tray, then top it up with a trickler. I kept adjusting the LEE to get closer and closer to the load and finally, I was able to drop loads easily to within 1/2 gr under MAX and mostly very close to the charge. If I hit the arm up firm, (but not hard), tapped the side and lowered firm I was surprised at how close I could get. Also marking the side of the reservoir to keep the powder level about 3/4 full made a big difference. Nice piece of cheap kit.
 
I bought a fairly cheap digital scale on Ebay that measures to .02 of a grain (which is around one kernel of small extruded or three kernels of ball) and as long as the furnace isn't running and my cell phone is in the other room, it's great. It makes my Hornady digital scale look bad.
 
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