Thoughts on this 'cheap' digital scale

[ghh3rd]

I'm using a Lee scale that I received in my reloading kit, but would like to get a digital one as well. Although the digital scales are supposed to be accurate, I'm sure I'll be checking it against my Lee occasionally.

Would something like this "Frankford Arsenal Micro Reloading Electronic Powder Scale 750 Grain Capacity" suffice?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=713372&utm_source=bsfrankfordarsenalscale_txt&utm_medium=homepage032309

Thanks,

Randy

[BowHunter252]

I bought one that looked identical to that one on ebay and it would only measure to .2 grains. I needed .1 grain. I would go with a J Scale brand. I got the FX-VG 40 I think it is called. They also have one that measure to 0.05 grains that is about $40.

[Trader Vic]

I've used one for about a year now, so far so good. When you can get it for $30.00 that's a good deal. NRA PATRON LIFE MEMBER

[Daves1]

I've got the Frankford Arsenal scale. It doen't always return to zero and sometimes on its own will start its own tare. If your not using it quickly it shuts off after a few seconds. I mostly use it now to quickly sort bullets by weight.

[Green Frog]

Take a look at the one being offered by MTM (the plastic people.) There's one in my loading box that goes everywhere my guns and I do.

Froggie

[imashooter2]

Batteries only and auto shutoff... Keep your money.

[idahoron]

Get a better one. Mine was a chunk of cr@p and I sent it back. The new one is a pices of $hit. These are a total waste of money. Take the money you would spend and put it on a good one. Ron

[Chunky Monkey]

I've got the Frankford Arsenal scale. It doen't always return to zero and sometimes on its own will start its own tare. If your not using it quickly it shuts off after a few seconds. I mostly use it now to quickly sort bullets by weight.

I have one and I used it for a while when I started reloading. Mine is very accurate and keeps it zero. I hated that it kept shutting off and you had to make sure you had fresh batteries (the big flat kind ~ look like a quarter) on hand when they go dead your done reloading, at least safely! :mrgreen:

I'd recommend putting the $30 bucks toward something else. If you want a cheap scale to start out with I could sell you or trade for mine, if your interested (PM me). I won't use it now that I got an RCBS.

[Echo]

Go on eBay, find a RCBS/Ohaus 5-10 scale, buy it, and you are good to go, up to 510 grains. I think it is the second-best scale available - the RCBS/Ohaus 10-10 being the best. But the 10/10 will set you back twice what the 5-10 will. I have both, and find that I would as soon use the 5-10 as the 10-10. The 5-10 will set you back $30-40 plus shipping...

(I have two battery-powered digital scales, and find they are unreliable.)

[thebigmac]

I BOUGHT ONE FROM A FELLOW MEMBER HERE AND WHEN I GOT IT, IT DIDN'T WORK. I E-MAILED HORNADY AND THEY SAID "RETURN IT TO US FOR A NEW ONE". GREAT TURNAROUND TIME TOO. HAVE PUT IT TO WORK. IT'S GREAT. I CHECK IT FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAKE SURE IT KEEPS ACCURITE. NO PROBLEMS YET....... CAN'T BEAT THAT. Mac

[jcwit]

Got a cheap one 5 years ago "batteries only & auto shut off" its on the 2nd set of batteries and has worked perfect since new. I check every time I start to throw charges which is usually every other week and it repeats with check weights right on every time. I've probably got the only one tho.

Some work others don't.

[JDFuchs]

ive never used an eletronic one before, i got crazy lucky and bought out a guys reloading setup off creagslist about a year ago for $500 it had one of these in there http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=415607 the guy hadent reloaded a thing in about 10 years. There was about $500 worth of powder and primers alone! (pre election rates :( ) If i ever end up needing another scale, it will likley another one of these.

[snaggdit]

I got the RCBS 10-10. Works great for me. Came with the setup I bought from a guy who wasn't reloading anymore. My buddy uses a digital though, and it works fine for him. Don't know the brand, sorry.

[buffalorunner]

Go to midway and read all the reviews for digital scales. That should give you some idea as to how much money you will have to spend to get a good one. My pre-rsbs ohaus beam scale is still going strong after 30+ years.

[Recluse]

Best scale I've ever used--and still use--is my trustworthy RCBS 5-0-2. The 10-10 is an incredible piece of equipment, but I didn't see the $100 additional value for what I do. I have an RCBS 5-0-5 as well, and it too is a fine piece of equipment.

I also have an old Lee Safety Scale that is incredibly accurate and consistent--I use it for a backup check when working up new loads or new powders. It's not as easy to use as the RCBS, but again, it is incredibly accurate and reliable.

Have had zero interest in a digital scale. Hate buying batteries and hate having them go out at the most inopportune times. Only time I have ever considered buying a digital scale is to weigh boolits. . .

:coffee:

[725]

I use the Dillon electronic scale and don't have any problems.

[mike in co]

i have both digital and beam scales.
10-10 and ohaus triple beam, dillon and denver inst mxx-123, and a 130 electronic+/-.05lb

10-10 for bulky rifle( 7rem mag/300 win mag etc),
when setting up the dillon measures,
small lots of pistol
triple beam is seldom used now that i have a 130 lb electronic scale.
mxx-123 benchrest ammo, brass sorting, bullet sorting
dillon does not get used since i got the mxx-123(+/- .02)
it did cost about 300 bucks and it does sit on a granite block 3x12x18....very stable.


mike in co

[Le Loup Solitaire]

For what its worth; I once bought a brown crinkle-finished Redding beam scale newabout 4-5 decades ago and am still using it. Never used the oil damper feature. It has always kept to .1 of a grain, never lost its accuracy and I have checked it against a pharmacists scale in a pharmacy and nothing has changed or ever changes. I keep it dust free and it just keeps on doing its job well. Nothing cheesy about it, no batteries, no warmups, no B.S. hype on the original box and nothing is wearing out. They pop up now and then on E-Bay and usually go for $10.-$12. or so. Maximum weight capacity is 325 grains. They're easy enough to calibrate with a set of scale weights or make your own using a penny, nickel, dime and quarter or else some copper wire cut into short lengths that can be weighed exactly by your local pharmacist. Yes it may be all old school stuff and style, but you be the judge about whats best for you and what your accuracy depends on. LLS

[helice]

I have five scales. Redding, Herter's, Lee, Lyman and RCBS all of which are balance beams. I bought one of the Frankford electonic units and had all of the problems listed above. I tried to weight/sort cast with the Frankford and just threw it away in frustration. Now I use the RCBS and check it with the Lyman. Unless mine was a lemon they are not worth the powder to..... Keep writin', I'm learnin'. Helice

[Fire_stick]

I will throw my 2 cents in because I have had the same fever to get a digital.

From what I have gathered, through experience and reading, an accurate and repeatable digital scale is going to cost some money. You get what you pay for. I like to hold on to as much $'s as I can and I found the beam scales are just as good, and most times, better than a wiz-bang digital scale. What got me was lack of repeatability for the digitals I tried.

I am sure there are good ones, but I will stick with my beam and spend the money saved on a wiz-bang die, mold, gun, scope, etc...

[Hang Fire]

Go to midway and read all the reviews for digital scales. That should give you some idea as to how much money you will have to spend to get a good one. My pre-rsbs ohaus beam scale is still going strong after 30+ years.

So is mine I bought around 1963, but it only goes up to 350 grains, is the one with oil dampner.

[armyrat1970]

I'm using a Lee scale that I received in my reloading kit, but would like to get a digital one as well. Although the digital scales are supposed to be accurate, I'm sure I'll be checking it against my Lee occasionally.

Would something like this "Frankford Arsenal Micro Reloading Electronic Powder Scale 750 Grain Capacity" suffice?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=713372&utm_source=bsfrankfordarsenalscale_txt&utm_medium=homepage032309

Thanks,

Randy

Bought one of those a few years back and it's a piece of crap. Instructions are not accurate. Hard to calibrate and it doesn't hold calibration from charge to charge. I would not even use it to weigh bullets. Wouldn't use it to weigh anything. If you want to go digital spend the extra few dollars and get a better scale than this one. It's junk.

[ghh3rd]

Well, I think I got my answer. I'll stay with the Lee Precision scale and put some $ aside for a better beam scale in the future.

Thanks everyone

[captaint]

I recently got an MTM little dig scale and it works like a champ. I would be all year weighing boolits on my old RCBS 5-10. I think the MTM cost about 30 bucks - well worth it.

[pdawg_shooter]

I have had a Pact for years and wouldnt use anything else.

[RayinNH]

I have one. I've had it about 2 1/2 years and it worked like a charm. Worked being the operating word. A month or so ago it starting giving me trouble, so I changed the batteries. After all they were the original batteries. The new batteries did nothing to help. Put the check weight on the scale and it reads what it should, then it starts to creep up a bit. This is not a good situation if your weighing light charges of Bullseye. I no longer trust mine. It's back to the old Redding beam scale for me...Ray

[ph4570]

For many years (about 30) I used a Redding beam scale. A friend gave me a RCBS with magnetic dampening. The Redding had a paddle afair that fit into a well that was to be filled with mineral oil. The scheme worked but I preferred the RCBS magnetic dampening. Both scales were periodically checked with a Lyman weight set and performed well. I sold the Redding on ebay.

A couple of years ago I bought an electronic scale on ebay for around $20 including shipping. I had every expectation that I would be dissapointed. That scale has worked flawlessly. I often check it against the RCBS and the Lyman weight set -- always nuts on. Maybe I just lucked out (unusual) and got a good one. However, I recommeed the same item to a loader friend and he had the same experience. My only complaint is the auto shutoff occurs sooner than I would like.

I especially like the electonic scale for quickly measuring the weights of large numbers of bullets and cases to sort them into tight groups.



http://home.comcast.net/~videodog/

[beanflip]

:Fire::Fire: CAUTION:

Beware that when using these Electronic Powder Scales that CELL PHONES WILL INTERFEAR WITH ELECTRONIC SCALES the scale won't read right!!!!

I found this out when a buddy called while I was reloading yesterday.


I have this one PACT BBK 2 Electronic Powder Scale 750 Grain Capacity 110 Volt or 9 volt...
works good for me and check it with a balance scale every 20 throws just to make sure I'm getting the correct measurement.

Is this worth being a sticky?

[C A Plater]

I have one of the cheaper ones and find it useful for check thrown charge weights and sorting cast boolits and brass by weight and such but do my loading with a RCBS 10-10. No batteries and gravity always works so I'm sticking with the old tech for precise stuff.

[montana_charlie]

Put the check weight on the scale and it reads what it should, then it starts to creep up a bit.
That is a characteristic of the mechanism in many digital scales, and all of the low cost ones. If you put the item on the pan and allow the scale to stabilize, the correct weight is displayed. If you leave it on the pan, the reading will start creeping higher as the mechanism 'sags' under the constant weight.

Another thing cheapies don't do well is detect small changes in a weight that is already on the pan and stabilized. That is why they are no good for 'trickling up to weight' with a powder sharge.

But for weighing bullets (as long as you have one that isn't flakey) they are much quicker than a beam scale...and it means less bumping and banging on that lovely 10-10.

CM

[leadman]

I bought one of these from Midway. Not a very good scale, the auto shut-off turns it off to fast and it has to be reset frequently.
I have an old BBK digital scale and the only problem I have had is the wires to the 9 volt battery have broken twice. Repaired with no charge. Bought this before they offered the 110v convertor. This would probably cure the battery wire problem.

[jsizemore]

I started out with a RCBS 5-0-5 from a master reloading kit. Upgraded to a RCBS 304 triple beam. Used it for about 10 years. Works fine for max loads on hunting rifles and pistols. Started shooting out yonder (1000+ yards) so I bought a Denver Instruments MXX-123. Accurate to .02 grain. That's how much a kernnel of Varget weighs. I use it for sorting bullets, weighing powder charges for shooting out yonder and setting up my powder measures. You can't have any drafts around it and you should have a power supply to regulate the electricity or you end up with drift from fluctuating voltage.
My friends RCBS digital hangs right with mine but he's on his 3rd one. It's broke down before the warranty had gone out, but they always gave out around hunting season.
If I had no need to shoot way out yonder, then I would sink my money in a 10-10 and not have to worry about drafts, batteries, and a lot of bench space for a 304 scale.

[Ole]

I have had a Pact for years and wouldnt use anything else.

+1

I have a Pact100 that I bought with the electronic trickler and I have had zero problems with it or the trickler.

[putteral]

I bought a cheepie on evil bay for about $15 delivered, about the size of a pocket calculator. I only use it to weigh my cast boolits. So far when checking against a balance beam scale it is pretty accruate. Very easy to use and a lot quicker.

[jdgabbard]

Owned one. Loved it. Dropped a die. Killed it.

Will buy something a little heavier next time.

[David R]

I bought 2 cheap ones including the one listed in the first post. After a while, I bought the RCBS. I should have done that first. Could have saved my self $45.

David :)

[EDG]

I have 2 digitals 1 RCBS and 1 Dillon.
I have 7 balance beam scales.
Some of the redundant equipment was inherited from a friend.

The Dillon is so sensitive that static from my body affects it requiring a grounded cover. It is an excellent scale.
The RCBS is also very good.
I trust neither with trickled loads.
Neither seems to be able to react to a single grain of powder.
I use balance beam scales for trickled loads.
However 2 of the balance beams I have are Lee Scales and I do not use them for anything.

[JesterGrin_1]

Okay so what is a decent electronic scale to weigh BOOLITS Up to say 450Gr? And I have gone through both pages and can not tell heads from tails lol.

Yes I have an old RCBS 10-10 scale works great. But by gosh it is just way too slow lol.

[Terrier]

Here is the link to Midways page of digital scales. After reading the reviews and discussions on several forums, it seems that you will need to spend around $100 at the minimum. The AC adapter is necessary as is a electronic and air current free environment.
Terrier

[dk17hmr]

We had one of those, didnt hold its zero worth a crap. I was loading 6.8 SPC ammo and was using 26ish grains of powder, by the time I had loaded 10 cases I was up to about 29 grains and a full case of powder. We sent it back and bought a RCBS digi scale, it plugs in and has a battery backup.

Save your money, unless you want a paper weight, get a good RCBS digi scale....just my opinion

[badgeredd]

I've used the same old Ohause 5-0-5 for 30 plus years and am very comfortable with it's accuracy. I doubt that there will ever be a reason for me to buy and electronic scale to weigh my charges with. Honestly, I simply don't trust them. It's way to easy to have one start to fail and not be aware of the incorrect readings...which I find a bit scary!

BUT...I picked up a cheapie battery powered scale for weighing and sorting boolits. It is auto shut-off and has a resolution/accuracy of .1 grains. It also weighs in carats and grams. It can't be beat by a balance beam for speed in its intended use. BTW if anyone wants a similar one, the brand name on it is US-ACE, and it made in China. Again, i am very happy with this sub $20 scale but it will never be trusted or used to weigh powder.

Edd