Cheap Electronic Scale

[ACrowe25]

Hey guys,

Looking to pick up a nice cheap electronic scale for weighing my cast bullets, does there one exist? I know you get what you pay for... but is that great of accuracy needed? Not really sure on my price range, but something that won't break the bank and will do it's purpose. Will never use it for power charges, I got a nice beam scale for that, which I trust.

Can anyone recommend me one? Thanks

[dragon813gt]

Cheap and electronic don't go together. Lay out the money for something like w PACT BBKII or DPPS and don't look back. They're made in the US with as many US made parts as possible. I've had all the cheap ones and they weren't repeatable. Even for weighing bullets. I have a DPPS and couldn't be happier.

[ACrowe25]

Kinda figured that would be the case, lol. Thanks for the suggestion, i'll look into those. Any others guys?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My first e-scale was $20 from Graf...no offense to graf, but the scale didn't last very long...it was junk !

3 years ago, I bought my second e-scale from Cabelas.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Christmas-Shop/Something-For-Everyone/Gifts-for-Him%7C/pc/106691580/c/106692480/sc/106693380/Cabelas-XT-1500-Digital-Scale/740848.uts
it has worked great for these 3 years and still going strong. it uses a 9 volt battery and lasts quite a while, but also comes with a 120v plug-in transformer.
I highly recommend it.
Jon

[Green Frog]

Depending on your absolute accuracy needs, you might try the MTM electronic units. I never push the envelope with my loads, so a variation of less than 0.1 grains is OK for most of my needs. Price is on the average about $30.

Froggie

[Bulldogger]

I got a Frankford Arsenal from MidwayUSA when it was on sale. It's finicky, but it works. Bulldogger

[JWFilips]

I got a Frankford Arsenal from MidwayUSA when it was on sale. It's finicky, but it works. Bulldogger
I have one of those also When it starts acting wacky & your measurements start shifting Just restart ( Don't just tare again)

[jcwit]

I've got an inexpensive one I bought 8/10 years ago for $40.00 bucks. Has worked fine since I bought it and it still does, yes it repeats , spot on. Reads out to .000.

I realize most all of the electronic goods brought in from china are no good and high price is the only deciding factor as to quality, thats why the computer your on or the TV you have in your home is produced in china. More than likely your shoes also.

[Calamity Jake]

Cheap and electronic don't go together. Lay out the money for something like w PACT BBKII or DPPS and don't look back. They're made in the US with as many US made parts as possible. I've had all the cheap ones and they weren't repeatable. Even for weighing bullets. I have a DPPS and couldn't be happier.

+1 I've had a Pack for about 10 years, it's been very dependable.
I bought a cheppy($25) a couple of years ago just for weighting boolits, it sets in a draw unused.

[Castaholic]

Harbor Freight has some for cheap. I use it for exactly what you are describing. I have had this one for about 2 years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-gram-digital-scale-97920.html

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

....is produced in china. More than likely your shoes also.
ummm, Guatemala !

[sirgknight]

I have been using an AWS digital jewelry scale for about 7 years now and it is still "dead on" with my balance beam scales. They are available on fleabay for $10/free shipping. This little scale measures in grams up a 1,000, ounces up to 35.27, pennyweight up to 643.1 and ounces up to 32.15. 10 year warranty. It's been a great bang for my buck.....but then I'm pretty cheap on some things for sure.

[P.K.]

I have a Hornady GS-1500 for "checking" my #55 and beam scale. Works great as a QA/QC check tool as well. Downside is the overload range, about 1600 gr. So far it's been spot on for everything, about $27.00.

[Whiterabbit]

Hey guys,

Looking to pick up a nice cheap electronic scale for weighing my cast bullets, does there one exist? I know you get what you pay for... but is that great of accuracy needed? Not really sure on my price range, but something that won't break the bank and will do it's purpose. Will never use it for power charges, I got a nice beam scale for that, which I trust.

Can anyone recommend me one? Thanks

I don't need accuracy. My electronic scale cost all of $40 or less, is only accurate to the nearest .2 grains, and my 7x57 loads hit 2liter bottles at 300 yards every time. My 338 loads are .5 MOA at 300 yards and still going strong past 700y.

Where did I get it? From some drug dealer on craigslist. I called four candidates. three didnt call back (one did much later and sounded dazed), the fourth was polite and business like, I thought "finally, I found the one that is obviously not a drug dealer!" We met, I tested the scale with a bullet (seller acted surprised), and it was very clear from his physical appearance he was in fact a drug dealer.

It matters not. The scale continues to work on the same batteries to this day years later. I hear about people who make sure everything is dead nuts to .1 grains, and I sure trickle charge my load development rounds. But I load specifically to tolerate charge shifts, and I only shoot for groups at 100 and 200 yards. After that its just steels and bottles.

[Billybumbler]

I don't care for beam scales, to me it's using a dial phone After buying two less expensive ones, The first one I dropped and it had a concushion, the other one was trahs fright from the start also. I was deturmined not to spend several hundred bucks for casual shooting. Then I found one made by Hornday, works good ($40) for me - try it you'll like it!
http://www.hornady.com/store/GS-1500-Grain-Electronic-Scale

[dragon813gt]

That Hornady one is one of the worst ones I owned. Biggest problem is the weight varied depending on where the bullet was placed on the pan. And when I say varied it was up over two grains at times. It also has an auto shut off feature. Electronics do take some time to warm up. So having them shut off periodically isn't good. If they don't have a 120v option don't bother. I've thrown more electronics away then most have ever owned. There are very few good ones and none of them are cheap.

[John Boy]

Accurate to 0.01grs and shipping is free. Other 'cheap' digital scales are only accurate to 0.1gr
This digital scale weights have been compared to beam balance weights and are dead one. The strain gauge in this scale also causes no drifting. Use to measure powder charges and bullet weights

http://dx.com/p/1-7-lcd-high-precision-digital-jewelry-scale-50g-0-001g-4-x-aaa-101011

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Martini%20Schuetzen%20Rifle/IMGP1506-1.jpg

[Sasquatch-1]

Harbor Freight has some for cheap. I use it for exactly what you are describing. I have had this one for about 2 years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-gram-digital-scale-97920.html

Not to rain on your parade Castaholic, but I have one of the real cheap electronic scales from Harbor frieght. It is fine for rough weighing but has a 2 grain varience. As stated earlier, If you want accuracy don't buy cheap in electronic. I try to get my swaged bullets to within .2 grains of each other so the electronic scale doesn't work at all.

[Griz44mag]

Jon_B,
I bought one of the Cabelas identical to yours several years ago as well.
I has never needed re-calibration, and is very repeatable.
I do run it with an AC adapter plugged into the output of my UPS for stability.
DC batteries will cause a drift in repeatabilty as they age and lose a few tenths of a volt.

As a caution, ALL scales, electronic and beam, should be verified with test weights on a regular basis.

[M-Tecs]

I tried three or four cheap scales. All had issues. This one is not cheap but I have had zero issues with it in the last 3 years. http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/denver-instrument-mxx-123-test/

The price on John Boy’s scale is so good I may have to give one a try.

[jcwit]

Scales seem to vary from one persons experience to another.

Myself I have an excellant cheap one. But who knows what the next one would be like?

[Whiterabbit]

agreed. (witn M-tecs. too cheap not to try.)

[Billybumbler]

That Hornady one is one of the worst ones I owned........ I've thrown more electronics away then most have ever owned. There are very few good ones and none of them are cheap.

Never had a problem with mine

[leadman]

I can not recommend a PACT scale. I sent mine in 9 weeks ago for repair and they won't even tell me what is wrong with it. They keep saying they are redesigning the circuit panel since they can no longer get the chip they were using. They don't know if this is what my scales problem is or not.
I asked to have a manager call me and have heard nothing yet.
So I am following this thread also so I can purchase a different brand of scale.

[tom357mag]

My first e-scale was $20 from Graf...no offense to graf, but the scale didn't last very long...it was junk !

3 years ago, I bought my second e-scale from Cabelas.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Christmas-Shop/Something-For-Everyone/Gifts-for-Him%7C/pc/106691580/c/106692480/sc/106693380/Cabelas-XT-1500-Digital-Scale/740848.uts
it has worked great for these 3 years and still going strong. it uses a 9 volt battery and lasts quite a while, but also comes with a 120v plug-in transformer.
I highly recommend it.
Jon

+1 on this model. I have had this one for bout 8 years and is still right on.

[nvald1982]

I would either check grafs or cabelas. only paid $25 for scale.
rcbs has deals when purchase a auto discharge scale unit