Electronic/Digital Reloading Scales

[ia1727]

Just curios what everybody thinks of the electronic/digital reloading scales ?

What's everybody found that is what it is advertised to be ? Lyman/RCBS/Saeco/Redding ?

I'll be loading for revolver calibers only--so far.

All opinions and links are appreciated.

Steve

[jma1965]

I used a RCBS 10-10 scale for years, have been using a "Pact" scale for the last couple. I like it.

[jcwit]

I see Berry's has one now. Not to bad a price. Mostly U.S.A. also.

[mold maker]

I've used a pact for a long time. Sent it back to have the RF port installed to work with dispenser. Works good as long as no air currents and voltage remains even.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Electronic scales CAN (?) be good!

Tried a friends RCBS scale back a number of years ago, and just couldn't make a go of it!

Seemed like everything fouled it up, to the point I took it back and went back to the balance beam scale.

Then a couple years back, I had a good supply of Cabela's points in my account so I tried another electronic unit.

This time a Pact which seems to work quite well.

It is a different home/loading area, so maybe that is part of the picture.

However, the older unit just seemed to be highly sensitive to air currents,

I find as a boolit caster, the electronic scale to be a real PLUS when it comes to checking weights of boolits for my 45/70!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[nes4ever69]

i had a frankford arsenal digital scale. worked great for a couple years untill i started getting bad reading with it. same powder charge, and of the 5 times i weighed it, 5 different readings.

i have a different one i use for shot weight, bullet weight. it is great and easy for that. i did try to weigh bullets on the beam scale, no, never again.

rcbs beam scale for powder.

[462]

Started with a balance bean, bought an electronic and used it till it started giving erratic readings (verified by the balance beam), went back to the balance beam and couldn't be happier. I do use the electronic scale to weigh boolits, though.

[PacMan]

Using Dilon D-Terminator for 6 years or so.Have checked and rechecked many times.Never more than 10th grain from RCBS balance beams scales.
Little higher but worth it.
I sugest you visit Midway and maybe Cabelas web sites and read the reviews for the Lyman,Rcbs and Redding before you buy.
Dwight

[1hole]

"use for shot weight, bullet weight. it is great and easy for that. i did try to weigh bullets on the beam scale, no, never again. ... beam scale for powder. "

That's the sum total of it.

No Dillon, or anyother, digital reloading scale is going to register a thousant of a grain, much less half that; few professional lab scales are that sensitive.

Thing about anything electronic, especially so for the cheap stuff sold to us, is iffy on life span. IFa you get a good one and it may last a few years, IF you get a bad one it will crash the same day. No brand, model or purchase price is going to change that. The posted "web reviews" simply reflect the results of a statistically irrelivant few individual's experiences.

At their best, reloader digitals are no more accurate or sensitive than a beam.

[PacMan]

1hole-i reread my post and i fat fingered the weight numbers. I meant to say 10th of a grain. Was measuring some bullets while i was answering and oh well.
I am going to edit my post.Thanks for replying.
dwight

[DCM]

I have owned a Dillon D-terminator for many years and like it.
BUT as others have said I use it only for certain tasks and anything that DEMANDS accuracy is checked on the balance beam.
The digital scales are fast, but are too easily affected but air flow and a number of other factors.
The balance beam is just that a balance and is not affected by as many factors as the electrics.

[Rocky Raab]

Just to throw in a wrench, balance beams are also no more accurate nor less susceptible to error than a digital. (We aren't talking laboratory models now, but reloading scales.)

Dust, static electricity and drafts affect a balance beam just as much as a digital. So does dropping one. Get a poise weight in the wrong notch, or between two and the scale may balance perfectly - but is wrong by as much as five full grains.

[DCM]

Just to throw in a wrench, balance beams are also no more accurate nor less susceptible to error than a digital. (We aren't talking laboratory models now, but reloading scales.)

Dust, static electricity and drafts affect a balance beam just as much as a digital. So does dropping one. Get a poise weight in the wrong notch, or between two and the scale may balance perfectly - but is wrong by as much as five full grains.

Yes they are susceptible to error also, especially user error. But they are far more repeatable and are not at all susceptible to electrical errors due to fluctuating A.C. voltages or dying batteries.

A simple test, place a boolit on the balance beam scale 10 seperate times and the reading will be the same, then try that with a electronic one. Unless the electric one is lab grade I will bet large money it will not be the same 10 out of 10.

The other advantage of having both is you can use one to verify the other.

[timkelley]

I tried an electronic scale and it just seemed slow as molasses. I'll probably use my 10-10 until I die.

[PacMan]

I am with Rab on this one.
As info i to answer DCM i just tried his ten bullet test with my Dillon and he was right as far as my scale anyway.Here are the results.
247.3
247.3
247.2
247.2
247.3
247.2
247.3
247.3
247.2
247.3

Off by .1 grain in ten measurements.
I'll take that any day.
Dwight

[pmer]

I have an old RCBS digital scale with the dispenser. It seems like I always want to let the scale warm up for awhile before I start to use it. Because after 20 minutes or so its display starts flashing and I have to re-zero it. I think it helps to have a solid table on a concrete floor for digital scales.
I preffer the balance beam for measuring powder too.

[Skipper488]

I bought a cheap digital scale, can't even remember the name, didn't like it readings wandered all over the place. Bought another cheap scale, this time I spent just a little more and got a Hornady 1500, I love this scale. very repeatable.

[Rocky Raab]

Dwight, it is entirely possible that the bullet you used actually weighs 247.25 - and the scale sometimes comes down a hundredth either side of that. After rounding to the nearest tenth, you get the results noted. If so, it actually means the scale is a lot MORE accurate than any reloader needs.

[AZ-Stew]

The biggest problem I've had with my Lyman 1200 DPS II is static electricity. The "engineers" who designed it decided that to save a couple of $0.01s, so they figured they could get away with not supplying a ground pin on the wall-wart power supply. Someone here recommended wiping down the unit with a dryer sheet. That seems to have taken care of the problem, at least for the time being. But dryer sheets are cheap. I know how to fix it if it acts up again.

Some avoid the Lyman after they find out it has to "warm up" for 30 minutes before use. The simple solution is to leave it plugged in. No waiting.

Regards,

Stew

[Rocky Raab]

Stew, add a ground wire with an alligator clip. Clip that to a ground when you reload.

I've been hooted down for recommending that to users of drum measures and beam scales in dry climates. But it DOES help.