What is your experience with small digital scales?

[ryanmattes]

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.

They do drift occasionally, but you should notice it when it happens.

You let it settle, tare to the pan, and when you've trickled your powder and lift the pan, it shows the negative weight of the pan. If that number changes, you've drifted. When I was trickling on the FA scale, I would only do 200 rounds or less at a time, and it might drift once, or rarely twice during that run. Easy fix. Put the empty pan on it, hit the tare button, and keep on trickling.

Honestly, for powder, the Intellidropper has been a godsend. All scales are too slow for trickling manually if you want to do more than 100 rounds. The Intellidropper trickles for me while I'm seating the last bullet, so it's ready when I am. I've checked it against both digital and beam scales a hundred times, and it's always dead on. The software leaves a bit to be desired, but once you get it set on auto drop to do a long run, it throws consistent charges hundreds of times without a hitch. Light, flake powders it drops heavy occasionally (but so do I), but it tells you when it dropped heavy so you can throw it back and get another one. I've never seen it drift, either. I get much more consistent results with the $200 FA than people I know with the $800 RCBS. Fit, finish, and software aren't as good, but the results speak for themselves.

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[BigAlofPa.]

Frankford Arsenal scale here too. I check it with the test weight that came with it. When i start setting up loads.

[XDROB]

I use the Hornady digital scale. Turn it on wait 10 or so minutes and then go through the calibration procedure. Has passed every time with the test weights it came with.

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[Conditor22]

I use the scale on my RCBS chargemaster lite, I calibrate it before each use.

I do have a couple FA's I weigh boolits and brass with.

[Handloader109]

a couple of things to watch out for with digital scales. temperature, if your room temperature varies during a loading session, then the scale will drift. the electronics won't compensate unless a very high priced scale. I see several say to turn on and let sit for 10 minutes, yes, instructions might not say that, but you'd better....
I for one would love the convenience, but I've used enough in my life to know not to trust them.. Dillon beam....

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[Fastleo]

a couple of things to watch out for with digital scales. temperature, if your room temperature varies during a loading session, then the scale will drift. the electronics won't compensate unless a very high priced scale. I see several say to turn on and let sit for 10 minutes, yes, instructions might not say that, but you'd better....
I for one would love the convenience, but I've used enough in my life to know not to trust them.. Dillon beam....

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Solid response, I much appreciate it.

[jmorris]

I have many beam and digital, the cheapest pocket digitals, I don’t trust for powder charges.

[panhed65]

I have a pact scale that has worked fine for many years, it is the same as an old rcbs only that is green and mine is grey. has been as accurate as anything I have used. too bad they no longer make them.
Barry

[racepres]

I have a pact scale that has worked fine for many years, it is the same as an old rcbs only that is green and mine is grey. has been as accurate as anything I have used. too bad they no longer make them.
Barry

I also have an old Pact....Wouldn't trade it for nuthin "New"

[JWFilips]

I have a Frankfort Aresnal: Excellent!!! I throw all my loads within .1 grain....... If is seems to move....... restart the scale!
If it holds longer then 20 loads you are golden! If you start to see anything wonky.... Just restart the scale!

[bkbville]

1. "Trust but verify" - true for any new scale.
2. lifetime is limited, I don't care the price range - (and they aren't made from old tv/radio parts)
3. don't try to trickle from 0.00 - the firmware is designed to track drift, and tricking from zero looks like drift.
4. don't overload it - the load cells can't handle that.
5. Find one that stays on - auto-off is PITA (I don't know why they don't have ones that run on wall warts.)

[jim147]

I have a Hornady and a set of check weights in my hand press box. I've had it over ten years and still checks right everytime.

[kevin c]

I have an old My Weigh. It seems to be pretty consistent (I do midrange straight walled pistol loads exclusively).

[bedbugbilly]

I have two that are the same - Frankford Arsenal IIRC. Have used them for a number of years and have been very pleased with them. I check them with weights and check then with my bean scales and they do just fine. I primarily use them when doing batch loading or loading a few in different grain weights to work up loads. When not in use they are placed in a drawer of a multi drawer tool box on my bench - like any scale they need to be taken care of and not banged around - and replace batteries on a regular basis to insure they are ready when needed. Based on my experience with mine - I would buy again and not want to be without one. I also use mine to check boolit weights, etc.

[doulos]

Ive had a RCBS Micro Pro for more than 15 years now. Probably more than that. It now drifts a bit. I do have to zero it more often. Didn't expect to get this much time out of it. It has been reliable. I check it with check weights and it still accurate. But I am constantly using check weights and notice it drifting a bit after its been on for a while . It has served me well.

[fc60]

Greetings,

I have (2) PACT scales and a small MyWeigh 20g scale.

All three drift and one needs to constantly re-zero the scales.

The drift lessens as the units are left on for longer periods of time. When I weigh cast bullets, I plug in the PACT scale 24 hours ahead of use.

Sadly, the little MyWeigh turns off if you do not constantly use it.

If you are really intent on buying a Digital scale, have a look at the laboratory grade scales. They have built in electronic circuitry to compensate for the drift.

For casual shooters, like 99% of us, the tried and true Ohaus beam scales are hard to beat. You cannot buy a new Made In USA one any more so when looking at used scales "Caveat Emptor". If it looks like brand new in the box I would have a "warm fuzzy feeling" about buying it. There are usually many offered at the local Goon Shows. RCBS, Lyman, and Ohaus sell calibration weight kits for reloaders.

Cheers,

Dave

[mainiac]

I have a rcbs that my wife bought me,,must be 20 years ago..typical rcbs,,flawless.

[pworley1]

They are generally good. I use mine to get close to the desired weight because they read quicker than the beam scales. I weigh my charges with an Ohaus 10-10.

[hermans]

I have two digital scales, and both work well.
Initially I bought a cheapie that worked with batteries only. That was a mistake since the Auto Off feature was a PITA. So my advice would be to get a scale with a AC power adapter, they stay on and do not switch off. Will never use my balance beam scale again.

[robg]

use one i got on ebay jewellers type about £30 ,use it to weigh boolits and check my scale now and then .works well runs on AAA batteries.