What's wrong with my RCBS scale?

That's why I am only buying quality, made in good old USA reloading stuff. RCBS, Lyman, Reding and Hornady since AD 2005 or so on started importing presses, scales, trimmers, powder measures etc, etc from China ( masters of cutting corners). Garbage in garbage out.
 
stubblejumper said:
He did start out by trying to weigh bullets without ever zeroing the scale?:D
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So he's a noob. You're telling me you got it all down 100% with no confusion during your first attempts at reloading?

With used gear lacking a manual?

He did have enough common sense to recognize that something wasn't adding up and to ask for guidance.
 
So he's a noob. You're telling me you got it all down 100% with no confusion during your first attempts at reloading?
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I knew enough to know that a balance scale has to be zeroed before you can use it to weigh something.
 
I knew enough to know that a balance scale has to be zeroed before you can use it to weigh something.
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Congratulations. That means you were lucky enough to know something in advance. Not everybody is that fortunate.

Now maybe we that do know some things can share them without flaming a new guy who doesn't know as much.
 
the guy lives here in BC, so I'll Thank the shooters and reloaders in the Area of HogTown for him.
Sounds like he got burned by someone selling a POS RCBS scale at the gun show .
I wonder if the balance point isnt covered with grease or other crap thus not allowing the beam to move freely.
That maybe or the tray and pan are for another scale and causing the problems experienced?
Rugdoc, you near Vancouver or Langley?
Rob
 
stubblejumper said:
I knew enough to know that a balance scale has to be zeroed before you can use it to weigh something.
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Wow. SJ, Please remember that new technology precludes the common sense things we grew up with. I am sure that high school chemistry labs no longer use beam scales, same as they no longer use slide rules in physics or math. Let's not turn off a newbie by being ignorant. We all started somewhere and each brought varying degrees of knowledge with us. It is that which we now share.
 
gunrunner8 said:
That's why I am only buying quality, made in good old USA reloading stuff. RCBS, Lyman, Reding and Hornady since AD 2005 or so on started importing presses, scales, trimmers, powder measures etc, etc from China ( masters of cutting corners). Garbage in garbage out.
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Redding stuff is still made in the US from what I understand, that's what they say. I spoke to a Redding rep at the SHOT show and asked that question specifically regarding my Model 2 scale.
 
I understand his frustration. I set up my scale correct the first time, used it for three years without a problem and now it does not hold zero for very long ? After about 5 weighed powder amounts I have to rezero it.

I think the idea of putting weight in it may be a good one. Another guy told me to put a felt "chair" type pad under the end with the white screw pad ? I haven't tried it.
 
Thanks for your advice everybody.

Yes, I had set everything to zero first.

Before I bought this scale I was using a borrowed old Redding scale with the oil damper that I didn't like and went to the gun show looking for a good used scale.

I'm a 58-year-old grampa with lots of shooting experience, but yes, I'm a newb at this. I've loaded lots with a friend with his gear, but I also have been doing a bit with little Lee Loader kits and thought that the addition of a scale would be a good idea. The scale appears to be identical to any I find pictures of with Google images.

Photo of how it looks without the powder tray in place. Note how the beam is all the way down at the left.

MchlMrch2012015.jpg


When I add the powder tray the beam tips up.

MchlMrch2012017.jpg

Settings are at zero.
 
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one thing I notice form the pic is the pan holder should face the other way but saying that if that was the cause the scale would be at the top pf the readings.looks like either the pan holder is too light or wrong beam in the scale
 
Rugdoc said:
Thanks for your advice everybody.

Yes, I had set everything to zero first.

Before I bought this scale I was using a borrowed old Redding scale with the oil damper that I didn't like and went to the gun show looking for a good used scale.

I'm a 58-year-old grampa with lots of shooting experience, but yes, I'm a newb at this. I've loaded lots with a friend with his gear, but I also have been doing a bit with little Lee Loader kits and thought that the addition of a scale would be a good idea. The scale appears to be identical to any I find pictures of with Google images.

Photo of how it looks without the powder tray in place. Note how the beam is all the way down at the left.

MchlMrch2012015.jpg


When I add the powder tray the beam tips up.

MchlMrch2012015.jpg


Settings are at zero.
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It sure doesn't look like the settings are at zero.
It looks like the 1 to 5 grain weight is at about 3.5 grains.
 
H4831 said:
It sure doesn't look like the settings are at zero.
It looks like the 1 to 5 grain weight is at about 3.5 grains.
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No, I think they are both at zero. The middle poise is square like a hollow box, so it would be easy to think it's a 3.5 or so, but the reading is taken from the right hand bit.

Rugdoc - Not sure if this is something you tried.

Let's look at your second photo. The end of the balance beam is about 1/2" inch higher than the 0 on your scale. When all is good and set, the indicator tip will be directly over the 0.

There's a white rubber wheel under the frame on the left side. From the photo, it's right up against the bottom of the frame. If you twist it, it should screw out, getting further and further away from the frame, if you catch my drift. As it does so, the left end of the frame will naturally rise. As it does so, the tip of the beam will move closer to 0 on the scale.
 
Distance from the bottom of the scale to the bottom of the adjuster wheel should be just over 3/4 of an inch. Screw the wheel counter clockwise and the end of the balance beam will start to drop.
 
Thanks everybody. I also got a detailed reply from RCBS on how to tune it up by removing or adding shot too if the leveling doesn't work.
 
Rugdoc said:
Thanks everybody. I also got a detailed reply from RCBS on how to tune it up by removing or adding shot too if the leveling doesn't work.
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could you post the reply from RCBS...as this exact question crops up every few months..i,ll save a copy of it and hand out copies as needed:)
 
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