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Digital reloading Scales


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Hi All

 

So what are the thoughts/ view on Digital scales for reloading?

 

Anything to avoid? Are the ones sold by the reloading specialists better than the cheaper stuff?

 

I am looking currently at the Hornaday Lock and Load or the Lyman Microtouch 1500

 

This will be for loading .17 hornet as I am not getting the best results wuth my Lee scales and cant get on with my Lyman balance scales for some reason.

 

 

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What fister said...

 

I had the MTM digital scales when I started reloading - after 12 months, they went properly Pete Tong. Luckily I noticed (not enough room in the case for the supposed charge!).

 

I like my redding balance scales.

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Any recomendations on Balance Scales then. I bought a set of Lyman D7 scales 2nd hand but find them fiddly and easly kicked out of alignment especially the little 2nd weight on the end so I went back to the Lee scales which was a mistake I think

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Not a lot to go wrong on a 505 - very good indeed!

 

Just bear in mind - RCBS stopped making the 502,505,10/10 scales over two years ago and replaced them with two new scales, the M500 and M1000.

 

Any RCBS scale produced in the last 5-7 years was made in either China or Mexico (Even if it says "Made by Ohaus, USA" cast inside the base.

 

The only way to tell where it was actually made is printed on the cardboard box. Quality of the non USA RCBS scales is just pot luck - some are OK.

 

The few new M500 scales I've seen, although made in China, have all worked well.

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Just bear in mind - RCBS stopped making the 502,505,10/10 scales over two years ago and replaced them with two new scales, the M500 and M1000.

 

Any RCBS scale produced in the last 5-7 years was made in either China or Mexico (Even if it says "Made by Ohaus, USA" cast inside the base.

 

The only way to tell where it was actually made is printed on the cardboard box. Quality of the non USA RCBS scales is just pot luck - some are OK.

 

The few new M500 scales I've seen, although made in China, have all worked well.

 

Hi 1066 do I run the same sort of risk with Hornaday beam scales etc

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Not a lot to go wrong on a 505 - very good indeed!

I agree. I started using the scales in the 1980's when reloading pistol ammunition (38 special, 357 magnum, 44 magnum and 45 ACP) They went into storage for a few years (after the pistol ban was introduced) and then I used them again to reload my rifle ammunition.

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If you go the digital route find a place for it to sit and do not move it until you need to change the batteries ( less chance to drop it or knock it), with the sensitivity of strain gauge technology when having to weigh down to .1 of a grain any shocks can damage the mechanism , Also no fans or window's open nearby as any draughts and it will be all over the place.

I have had 3 different one's in years gone by , One did not survive a 4" drop back onto the rubber covered bench it lived on no 2 after a battery change thought a 43.5 gr charge weighed the same as a 155gr bullet and no 3 after another battery change would not recalibrate out of the 0-50 gram range so back again to the RCBS 505.

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I bought a set of mini digital kitchen scales for a fiver off ebay and they are accurate enough for weighing my BP charges. I check them by weighing a 6mm metric nut that I have weighed on my RCBS scales

 

Even very cheap technology has come a long way.

 

Beam scales you have to know how to use them and there are people who can't be trusted to do it with confidence

Edited by Vince Green
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Zetter, fister has really just said what we spoke about over the weekend. A decent beam scale and the target master and thrower is the way to go.

A very small over charge in such a small case and you will repeat what you had in Saturday. Specially in this weather. You could expect to spend around 200 and then later get a thrower..

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Hi 1066 do I run the same sort of risk with Hornaday beam scales etc

 

Hornady used to make a good scale, the "M" type. They look a bit like they were made in a Russian tractor factory but they are a good solid scale if you can find one. Hornady stopped making the "M" type a good few years ago and put all their eggs in the digital basket. Two or three years ago, by popular request, they introduced a new beam scale.

 

Their new scale is a simple two poise scale, about on par with a RCBS 502. I did a short video review some time ago HERE

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if it's only for a few rounds then a mechanical one is just fine and is actually cooler; if you reload much more than that then a digital one is better.

 

I found the old or more expensive one are better at weighing and do not tend to drift; the cheap Chinese ones will need stabilised and re calibrated at every use and will last very little (i normally used 1-2 a year)...providing they are accurate in the first place.

 

A good old Lyman or RCBS or a Jeweller one (especially if cable powered) will cost a lot but last you a lifetime

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Guest cookoff013

i`ve nearly always used a severely high quality lab scales. i work in a lab and have access to check weights and better weighing equipment than i need.

 

i`ve been weighing tiny weights througout my career.

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Having a look what are the views on RCBS M1000 I like the idea of 3 poise system

 

I've seen a few of the new RCBS M500 scales but never yet seen an M1000. It would appear it follows the previous RCBS scales in regard to the knife edge system with the familiar floating agate bearings.

 

It will be no more accurate that the M500 and the addition of a third poise is just another variable where inconsistencies can creep in, unless of course you need the extra capacity to weigh bullets in the 500 - 1000 gn range.

 

The inline magnetic damper blade is theoretically a better design, it works well on the M500, however, the selling point of these new scales is that the beam is printed on both sides so can be used left or right handed.

 

The ambidextrous nature of the beam does mean that the zero pointer is some way away from the beam so care, when viewing the scale would be needed to avoid any parallax problems, unless a camera/phone system is used.

 

http://rcbs.com/getmedia/24b49c2d-5ad7-4098-9fb6-7c9f5c2f3e48/RC_98916_M1000Scale_Manual.aspx

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Cheers 1066

 

So for my Money I think I will go for the RCBS M500 and the targetmaster trickler that Dougy has been keen on which has had some good reviews.

 

 

Thanks you all for the the advice given on this

 

 

Zetter

 

I can confirm that the Targetmaster works well with the M500..

 

Just as a matter of interest - here's an experimental beam I made to fit the M500 to try out a few new ideas.

 

th_IMG_20150430_223601_zpsdboooexh.jpg

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