In need of a Powder scale help please

[iflyskyhigh]

Electronic scales, in my opinion (nearly worthless) are unreliable for powder weighing.

Oh for sure. Weighing down to a kernel of powder with my electronic scale makes shooting out past 1000 yards almost impossible.

[Drew P]

I can’t imagine a reload room without both. Cmon a digital is 25$ and they are very handy. I use the digital about 10:1 vs the 505, but I won’t be without either one.

[414gates]

I have a Ohaus 10-10, a RCBS Chargemaster scale, and an Amazon cheapie.

The 10-10 is a legend, mine works perfectly, but I never use it.

I use the Chargemaster scale for trickling charges. I decided to get a backup unit, so I tried a scale from Amazon that cost about $60. I chose that model because it was accurate to 0.001 grains.

I ran the Chargemaster and the cheapo side by side for several reloading sessions, with the same outcome. For the first few weighings, they were the same to the first decimal place , then the cheapo would drift by a significant random number compared to the Chragemaster. 0.5 grains, 0.3 grains, and so on.

I put the cheapo aside, and only use it to check bullet weights. It's useful for checking if it's a 105 grain 6mm bullet, or a 100, for example.

If you buy an electronic scale for powder, stick to the name brands. They may not have the resolution of something cheaper, but at least you can be sure they work for their intended purpose.

In general, you get what you pay for.

An electronic powder scale should last a very long time unless you have butter fingers and keep dropping it to the floor.

So spend a bit more, and get something recognised as good by the industry.

[Randy Bohannon]

My RCBS beam scale is used to keep the RCBS digital scale honest. Calibrate the digital scales every time you use it they are accurate.

[Patrick L]

I second that suggestion you give RCBS a call. That 505 is a great scale. In the extremely unlikely event anything is amiss they will fix or replace it. I bet they won't even charge you for a new pan.

I still load on a beam scale. I have a digital, it is great for sorting, but thats all I use it for. As someone else already said, digital scales are great until they're not. That 505 will last forever unless you drive over it. Mine is on it's own little shelf at eye level. I made a cardboard dust cover for the whole unit. It has never moved on me. Once a year or so I check the calibration, which is a waste of time since it has NEVER moved. Well, in the 32 or so years I've owned it it hasn't moved. And that includes living at my parents house when I got it, into our first apartment, and now 28 years in our home.

There's no school like the old school!

[Rich/WIS]

Have a Ohaus 505 that has been in use for about 50 years and a NIB Hornady as a backup. The Hornady is a replacement, first one did not have the notches in the beam deep enough to hold the poises, Hornady had me send it back and sent me a new one. Did check and the notches were correct. Never felt the need to go electronic as I seldom weigh charges, just use the balance beam to set my powder measures and check weigh the measures. Also after reading some of the issues with the electronic ones decided I didn't need the drama.