electronic powder scales

[ubetcha]

Evening All
I'm in need of a new electronic powder scale and not sure which one to get.I have a Cabela's store just about 3 blocks away from my sons house and was looking at their web site.I did have a Cabelas brand electronic scale but some books fell off the top of my loading bench and onto the scale.Now it doesn't work.I was looking at the Hornady Lock-n-load digital bench scale,the Hornady battery powered scale and maybe another Cabelas scale.I really didn't have an issue with the Cabels brand ,but reading some of the reviews,they don't seem to hold accuracy and don't like to be used with a powder trickler.I would like to stay below $100.Anyone have any of the Hornadys mentioned and how do you like them? Thanks

[uscra112]

My experience with "consumer grade" electronic powder scales is abysmal. Won't hold zero as they warm up, change zero if the room temperature changes, changed zero as the batteries ran down, they made me nuts. One would drift of a full grain in 2-3 minutes. And I can't afford the $400 for the really good ones, so I'm back to a beam balance, and won't go there again until Megabucks comes through with that winning ticket they owe me.

[sundog]

Dillon dTerminator. Runs off battery or AC adapter, I always use the latter. Yes, takes a few minutes to warm up and settle in, but it works very well. Occasional rezero while working but it is obvious and only takes the press of a button. I use it mainly to weigh match boolits for rifle, culling the light weights, and that task goes quickly. I've had mine a long time.

[cajun shooter]

Go to Amazon and type in Digi-Weigh scales.
I have purchased at least 5 of them over the past 6 years. Two of them were postal scales for my lead weighing and my wife's candle making.
The pocket size as-100 or DS-100 not sure but they sell for $25 or so. They are dead on with my Ohaus 1010, Redding, and RCBS beam scales.
You don't have to spend big money to have one that works. I just bought another one to replace the one that was dropped on concrete as they are not that tough. Ha!! Ha!!
The new model has a plastic cover and I purchased a powder pan with pour spout to use it with.
The problem with using a powder trickler with most models is that they lock in the reading and will stay that way for about 10 or so seconds.
I purchased the $125 RCBS model which is made by PACT and it had nothing but problems for 4 years. I spent more on repair shipping than the cost of any of the Digi-weighs which keep on working unless dropped. Be Wise in your purchase. David

[Horace]

Pact BBH II very good

Horace

[sig2009]

Cabelas has worked well for me. I have owned one for the past 6 years with no issues. Works off battery or a/c. If you drop books on any scale it will screw it up!

[Rocky Raab]

Berry's Mfg. A very good scale that they themselves assemble from 90% US-made parts, superb customer support and a company run by shooters for shooters.

BERRY's (http://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14802-c8-g8-b0-p1-Winstead_Peters_ACC_2000_Electronic_Scale.aspx)

[Tatume]

I went to the Berry's Mfg. website and watched the demonstration video. Although I don't use a digital scale (I prefer the Ohaus/RCBS 10-10 scale), I was very impressed with the Berry's scale. I may even get one for certain applications in my shop where a digital scale would be more convenient.

[Reload3006]

I got a range master 750 does a pretty good job. Its not cheap you probably could do better.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Same as sig2009 said,
I am happy with the Cabela's scale.
Jon

[sabrecross03]

I've loaded around 5K rounds between two of my electronic scales- MTM 750gr scale and Lyman 1000gr scale with no issues. You just have to follow the instructions and you should be OK. No fluorescent lights, no fans, no cell phones, or electronics near the scales.

[idahoron]

I had several of the Frankfort arsenal el cheep o sleez o's. I hated them and returned them. They sent me new ones that didn't work. I got more new ones and sold them new in box and got a RCBS Range master 750. I like it a lot. Ron

[mpmarty]

My RCBS is junk. I don't even try to use it anymore. Anyone wants it pay the shipping and it's yours. PM me if you want it.

[shooting on a shoestring]

I don't trust any "reloader" grade electronic balance. Yes some folks get along decently well for some period of time, but I will not tolerate the possiblity of a one or more grain drift loading Bullseye.

When I reload, its under fluroescent lights, cell phone in my pocket, radio jabbering. My vintage Redding undamped balance doesn't drift, doesn't care about electronic noise, never needs batteries, isn't plagued with a cord, it gets read on the swing one top one bottom and the weighing is done, really that fast.

Now for weighing/sorting boolits, brass or some such, sure an electronic is fine. Those chores won't get you into trouble if your balance screws up a little and you don't know it.

[pastorcurtis]

I use the Franklin Arsenal cheapy and it's been fine through several thousand rounds. Helps to have a AAA recharger always going to use fresh batteries.

[MBTcustom]

I also use a frankford arsenal electronic scale. Its on sale right now through midwayusa for $19.95. I always check it before and during reloading as a matter of course. When the batteries are fresh its dead on again and again. I will not use it for light loads of fast burning powder, because a slight miss on the weight could be disastrous. I have an RCBS 505 for those super picky loads.

[Iron Mike Golf]

I have a Lyman 1200 DPS 3. I leave it plugged into the wall and on continuously. I use the 20 gm check weight before each session. It is often only 5-10 mg off (that's .07 to .15 gr) after sitting for a couple weeks.

[ku4hx]

I keep wanting to buy a good quality electronic scale but just can't ever seem to bring myself to do it. My old Pacific beam scale I bought around 1970 ($14.95 I seem to recall) still checks out perfectly with my test weights so I just keep using it.

Power source is gravity which is always available and I already got enough battery powered and wall wart devices as it is. Too dang many if fact.

[Rocky Raab]

Typewriters and the US mail still work, too.

Being facetious there, but the fact is that for reloading purposes, either a beam scale or a digital is just fine. Both have advantages and drawbacks. And both are more than accurate enough.

[MT Gianni]

I have a Lyman 1200 DPS 3. I leave it plugged into the wall and on continuously. I use the 20 gm check weight before each session. It is often only 5-10 mg off (that's .07 to .15 gr) after sitting for a couple weeks.

My Ly1200 burned out it's power supply the first time I tried that. I had owned the dispenser for over a year so I just bought another adapter @ Radio Shack.

Do they still make typewriter ribbon Rocky? I though that went the way of honest politicians?

[Rocky Raab]

They still make typewriter ribbon. They have NEVER made honest politicians.

[thehouseproduct]

I also use a frankford arsenal electronic scale. Its on sale right now through midwayusa for $19.95. I always check it before and during reloading as a matter of course. When the batteries are fresh its dead on again and again. I will not use it for light loads of fast burning powder, because a slight miss on the weight could be disastrous. I have an RCBS 505 for those super picky loads.
I had one and it would shift by 2.0gr after a while. That is more than enough to cause issues and I finally gave up on it. I might try again, I miss having a small easy digital scale.

[idahoron]

I mostly use mine for weighing boolits. The electronic scale is way faster than a balance beam.
I am amazed that anyone had ANY luck with the frankford scale. Ron

[ubetcha]

I do have an RCBS 505,but I lent it to a friend of mine when he started to load for his 270.I sent him an Email this morning and told him I need it back.

[kweidner]

I only use the electronics for boolit weights as a matter of speed. Have an old school RCBS real deal measure it out scale. Call me old fashion. I trust it. Used it for 20 or more years. just got my 1st electronic last month for the boolits. Used my friends Lyman 1200 a bit. I like it but I can load faster and more accurate with good metering powder my Lyman 55 and RCBS scale.

[MajorJim]

Hard to beat the old reliable beam scale. Most electronic scales can get out of whack in a hurry. Even though they were "electronic", the guts of the scale used strain gauge technology. And even the ones that used balance technology were hard to keep calibrated. If you have an electronic scale, better have a great set of calibrated weights to re-calibrate it every so often.

Bring on the magnetic force restoration technology. Scales using magnetic force restoration technology were limited to laboratories, but seem to be a darling of the bench rest crowd. http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/sartorius-magnetic-scale-is-fast-ultra-precise/

This may be the technology that finally displaces the beam scale, but with prices running at $900 or so, those prices will have to come down a lot before guys like me can pick one up.

[soldierbilly1]

The funny thing about all of this is that I have both, mechanical and electric, and I always final check on my manual. Hmmmm
bill boy

[Tenbender]

I have had real good luck with the Lyman. Let it warm up about 10 min. Keep any breeze from hitting it.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/142513/lyman-micro-touch-electronic-powder-scale-1500-grain-capacity-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding

[Cleveland48]

I also have the micro touch 1500 so far it's been good. I just let it warm up awhile and usually re zero every 10-15 rounds. Also have an old lyman 1000 beam scale to check it with just in case.