shoot57 Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 just wondered which was the more accurate way of measuring powder, i use the lee balance type at the moment but the hornaday lock and load seem to be an average priced digital scale, i would be interested to hear any thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 My mates a trained chemist and i discused this at length with him. Good digital are very finicky things to handle, the labs have to be set up and many calibration checks made- this is beyond most home loaders but they do offer speed. So it comes down to how good you want your measures Good beam will in practice give you repeatabilty with accuraccy over digital in a normal loading room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/09/digital-scale-comparison-gempro-500-ay123-sartorius-gd503/ As Kent says .... Having once pulled 50 cartridges when I found a set of digi-scales were varying by 2-3 gns a throw, the slow old Lees were like Ursain by comparison. I want repeatable in weight having worked up the ideal load, and I get that with a balance; I can also see its brain working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I totally agree with the above - A good beam scale will last a lifetime, never need new batteries, not be effected by strip lights and will not take hours to warm up and will not drift. Gravity is not changing very fast and a good beam scale will weigh well within 10th grain often be able to detect single kernels of powder. The Lee scale, although accurate is not particularly easy to use, it's fiddly to set and not very well damped. A better bet is an RCBS 502/505 or a Redding No 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Another vote for a beam scale, thats as long as its not the lee safety scale or whatever they call it. I love Lee reloading equipment but this item isnt the easiest thing to use so bought a rcbs 502. Excellent scale for the money,easy to zero and gives me confidence in my powder charges. Use along with a lee powder disc measuring system and a powder trickler and the system can be quite quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Another beamer. I'm still using my late father's which he got c1970 and it's still spot on. It's an Ohaus which I think may now be the RCBS. I would just say when you get chance, ditch the Lee - I think Redgum is being a tad over generous with his comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I use a cheap digital scale off ebay backed up with a Lee safety scale for when I need to double check. To be honest you usually know of something is amiss anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undertree Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 most beam scales are made in USA by Ohaus no matter what name is on them,I have two sets, grams and grains and believe they cant be bettered,just looked on US ebay and someone is offering Worldwide shipping on a set look to be quite a snip,hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitloop Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 i was finding the lee safty scale a bit hit and miss so got a hornaday lock and load and fint it ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I use a cheap digital scale off ebay backed up with a Lee safety scale for when I need to double check. To be honest you usually know of something is amiss anyway. You most certainly will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 You most certainly will. Things is, I also owned a D'terminator. Is that expensive enough? Personally I wasn't impressed with that! These days you don't have to spend a fortune on electronics to get something that works perfectly. Another example is the digital calipers that places such as Lidl sell for £7.99 and the people who wail that only Mitutoyo are accurate. They are all better than the person using them and a cheap beam scale just gives a way of verifying when needed. Maybe loading for centrefire rifle is different but these are fine for shotgun presses which shouldn't vary much once set up anyway. Each to their own but this works well for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot57 Posted September 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 thanks for all your views on this, looks like i will be upgrading to a better quality balance scale, apart from about £12 can you tell me the difference between the rcbs 502 and the 505?, again i say thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 thanks for all your views on this, looks like i will be upgrading to a better quality balance scale, apart from about £12 can you tell me the difference between the rcbs 502 and the 505?, again i say thanks All the common RCBS range of scales use exactly the same floating agate bearing/knife edge set-up so none is more accurate than the other, the accuracy of the502 at the bottom of the range and the 10/10 at the top of the range are exactly the same (apart from the £100 price difference). The only difference between the 502 and the 505 is the poise system for setting the 10th of grains. If you do a google search of pictures you will see the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 just a thought http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread.php?620805-RCBS-502-re-loading-scales-For-sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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