What is your experience with small digital scales?

[Fastleo]

To the folks using the little manual digital grain scales, what scales are you using and how are they holding up? Which ones should I avoid?

Andy

[8mmFan]

I have a little Hornady that I picked up about 5 years ago. I love it. I haven’t pulled my RCBS 502 balance scale out since.

It works super well, for my needs. In addition to powder, I weigh cases and bullets to achieve more uniformity in some of my rifle cartridges.

I’d say get one. I think you’ll enjoy it. Mine has not had a single problem.

8mmFan

[Winger Ed.]

They're hit or miss.

Most are good, but a few bad ones slip in there with them.

I had one, and it did fine for a few weeks, then started lying to me and giving crazy readings.
I could put something on it, get a measure, lift it up, set it back down, and it'd give a different one.

[ryanmattes]

I've used one for years, just a $25 Amazon special. They work to +/- 0.1 grains, if that's close enough for your purposes. Same way I use a $40 set of calipers for most things. They're good to 0.001, which is plenty for most purposes.

I have higher precision's instruments, micrometers and balance scales, but the cheap stuff is good enough most of the time. And I don't worry about dropping them.

I use a FA Intellidropper to weigh charges now, but I still use the scale for bullets, cases, etc.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Leadmad]

I`ve had my Frankford Arsenal scales approx 8 years and function check each time I use them with 35.1 grain piece of aluminium and its always been the same weight, all I`ve done to it is change the battery 3 or 4 times and really happy with them and many many thousands of powder charges

Cheers

[Lefty Red]

I ordered some cheap ones from FleaBay and have been using them for the last year. I have them checked with my kit before I start and it’s good enough for me.

I did order three of them, and one turned out bad. But at $8 a piece, I’m not worried. If the first goes, the second one is here as just as good. Third one, was actually replaced by the seller! Shocked!

If you didn’t want to buy online, visit your local “head” shop that sells crystals and CBD creams and they should have some. More expensive ($14) but the look I get when I walk one clean cut and a Mal with a SERVICE K9 collar on is worth it.

Lefty

[sharps4590]

I've had a Pact for 25 years, probably. They're ok. I trickle a lot of loads and for that they're entirely too slow....at least my old one is. It and my old Lyman Beam scale always agree so I guess they're both equally wrong or equally right.

[onelight]

I have a BallistiScale and the MTM Case-Gard , both are handy to have at the bench but neither are as consistent as any of the beam scales I have had , and they are miserable in my opinion to try to trickle with.
I use a beam scale to adjust and check my PM and for charges that I trickle.

[JoeJames]

I`ve had my Frankford Arsenal scales approx 8 years and function check each time I use them with 35.1 grain piece of aluminium and its always been the same weight, all I`ve done to it is change the battery 3 or 4 times and really happy with them and many many thousands of powder charges

Cheers

I had a Frankfort for about seven years. Bought it because I could not find my old RCBS beam scale. It has been very good. A couple of years ago it shut down due to corrosive leakage from Duracell batteries. Cleaned the contacts and it lasted until a month ago. Residual corrosion I figure. Ordered the same one off Amazon, and works like a champ and the price was still about what I’d paid for the first one. At the same time a buddy gave me a Lee beam scale to verify the readings. Spot on.

[Froogal]

I have a BallistiScale and the MTM Case-Gard , both are handy to have at the bench but neither are as consistent as any of the beam scales I have had , and they are miserable in my opinion to try to trickle with.
I use a beam scale to adjust and check my PM and for charges that I trickle.

Yes. A beam scale is the only scale that I trust. Anything electronic will eventually lie to you.

[Green Frog]

I had two of the MTMs (one button battery type, one with AAAs) and both did well until damaged. I also had the first of the little pocket sized Lyman, and now have a Frankfort, all in the smallest configuration available to carry to the range. All gave reasonably accurate results until damage from field use caught up with them and they died. All dead now except the most recent, the one from Frankfort. They are accurate enough for what I use them for and cheap enough that when one dies I can afford to buy another one and move on.

Froggie

[oley55]

I had used a beam scale exclusively for all things, but I can say with absolute certainty sorting bullets by weight on a beam scale will suck the life out of you.

I recently picked up a little pocket type electronic scale and it seems to be working OK, but I am not relying on it to produce the same precision I want for my powders.

[Minerat]

I have one of the original RCBS 500 gr electronic scale that must be 15 years old. I have used it exclusively for the entire time. I recalibrate it at the beginning of each use and cross check on a beam. It is within .1± gr so since I load to 85% of book max I don't sweat that.

[Alferd Packer]

The values of the electronic components degrade from the day they are born or made.
Some of the components used are salvage items from old radios and tv sets shipped to the orient where they are broken down by people working for slave labor wages in very unhealthy conditions.
These components are piled tested and sent to factories that manufacture a million different electronic appliances on assembly lines using these old used parts. These items all work when they leave the factory.
Some last for awhile in use, and some fail immediately. Most people in this country throw it away since the warranties are short or they say to return to the manufacturer.It goes into the scrap heap to be recycled again as something else.Communist China runs the economy of electronics.
I had two electronic scales.One never worked and was replaced by another that weighed incorrectly.
The second one worked for six months then died.Out of warranty.Cost plus lots of batteries that were also chinese.
My old beam scales, have three just to try something new.They all agree when I weigh and using scale check weights.
I have seen two documentaries on public tv about the outdoor electronic salvage being done in the orient to include Red China.
I believe what I saw.

[Fastleo]

Lots of variety in response, I think I know what I’m going to do. Thanks guys!

[jetinteriorguy]

Digital scales no, beam scale yes. I trust in gravity as a constant, not a load cell.

[lotech]

My experience with a digital scale wasn't good, but a beam balance scale has always worked reliably.

[1hole]

Everyone loves their digitals ... until they fail. I've been reloadin' for a very long time and, condensed to the bottom line, I find that both types have valid purposes. I use balances for gunpowder. I only use the quirky digitals for bullets and cases; that way their unpredictable errors won't kill me.

I've always been puzzled by some folks fasination with cheep digital scales (less than about $500) because I just can't see what their attraction is. Beams are driven by gravity; gravity never wanders around or drifts off zero.

I read that some (wise!) owners use their beam scale to confirm their digitals but have never heard of anyone needing to have a digital available to confirm a beam.

[popper]

Frankford Arsenal scale. They will drift a bit but I weigh a few drops then put it away. I don't trickle so no problem. Doesn't seem to effect the target any, rifle or pistol. Don't own a beam scale.

[salpal48]

I do have 2 small digitals. they work Ok. every so many i check them against my Ohaus Dial O grain.