Scale recommendation please...

Some Digital scales are junk but the quality of the low end ones have improved over the years. I have 2 digital scales. The RCBS Rangemaster 750 and the Gempro 250. I like the GP250 better than the RM750. Mainly for stability and the higher accuracy. But if your shooting mainly rifle you only need ±0.1gr accuracy. If your shooting small caliber handgun the GP250 is a better scale. The digital are more subject to wind currents than the damped balance beam scales. So if you have air movement you will not get a stable reading. Mine is located on a shelf under my bench hidden form any such currents. These high precision scales can not take abuse either. Must be level, comes with leveling feet to accomplish this.

There was a thread running the last 2 weeks covering the accuracy and stability of the digital scales. It would be a good read for you.

Tom,
I've only bought one electronic scale, from RCBS. It is their Chargemaster 1500 scale. I didn't buy others because this one has worked like it should. They typically retail a bit under $200. They can be configured with an add on unit for dispensing powder too. So I guess you could say they are upgradable.

Mine works well. It doesn't drift off zero. I have a set of RCBS check weights and I'll use them at the beginning of my session and at the end....just like I would do for a balance scale. Just a couple of buttons for normal use. It comes with its own calibration weights which I use about 2 or 3 times a year (takes less than a minute to calibrate it).

I'm sure there are others out there that could work just as well. Never had a chance to discover them since I stopped looking after getting the RCBS. I've been using their equipment since the '70s so for me, it made sense to try their scale when I decided to get one.

Good luck on what ever you decide.

Tom

This is the thread where we pretty much covered digital scales. I have one old RCBS digital and also a new RCBS Chargemaster 1500 combo which does work extremely well. That said most digital scales, in my experience are made by a few manufacturers and branded. You generally get what you pay for and I suggest reading a few reviews and moving on a decision.

Ron

Personally I would stick with a beam scale for powder weighing. If you're finding the 505 a little fiddly to use then I would suggest you have a look round for a good used Hornady/Pacific "M" type scale. Although they are no longer made there are still plenty about.

The old "M" type is a big chunky scale with a cast iron base and a clearly marked, three poise beam.

They are good accurate, reliable scales.

Hornady are now offering a new beam scale but it's much more of a budget scale than the old type "M".

You might also have a look out for the RCBS 5/10 scale, again discontinued a good few years ago now but excellent quality. It has exactly the same beam as the 10/10 with the micrometer poise, also the same approach to weight system but in a standard type body.

Here's a short review of the new Hornady beam scale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buRAm2aL6ik

And here's a look at the 5/10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCTHCfDBlU

try a dillon eliminator scale. works with big shaky hands.

murf

murf said:

try a dillon eliminator scale. works with big shaky hands.

murf

Click to expand...

The Dillion Eliminator is exactly the same as the RCBS 505, just a different shape and colour to the body. They are both made by Ohaus (unfortunately no longer made in the USA but Mexico or China)

They both use exactly the same floating agate bearing/knife edge set-up and the bearings/beam is interchangeable between the Eliminator and the 505.

Tom; Are you charging cases on your press or on the bench? Also, rifle or handgun? My thought is if you are charging on the bench and for handgun to consider measuring powder by volume rather than weight. A set of Lee dippers may be worth a try. You'd want to confirm by weight what each dipper throws but it may make life easier. Then again, the dippers may present a different issue (spilt powder) with shaky hands. Cheap enough though to experiment with.

I don't have a wealth of experience with different scales (only the RCBS 505). Still, I wish I could provide a magic solution for you. Your post jumped out at me as my dad has also been dealing with tremors in this hands (Parkinson's) for the past few years. Just extra sensitive I guess

Yes, a lot of the digital scales are junk. I've bought two of them which are near to useless.

Then I lucked out with the follow up one which not only stays on zero for as long as I leave it on but it also remembers what units it was on when it shut off and starts up again in those units. The best $15 I've spent for a scale by far.

And in fact we are BOTH in luck. This is the exact one I bought something like 6 months back which is working so well for me and another bought at the same time for a buddy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weight-500g...131003132420&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=291251710271&rt=nc

I'm going to buy two more while they are still available.

EDIT- The wrong scale was linked originally. The link above is for the proper 500gm .01gm model which resolves in grains down to .2gn steps.

BCRider said:

Yes, a lot of the digital scales are junk.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Sca...466?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27e7400e8a

I'm going to buy two more while they are still available.

Click to expand...

Does that scale read to .1g (gram) or .1gn (grain), point one gram is about one and a half grains.?

DOH! I went with the look of it and assumed. And we know what happens when we assume....

Yeah, that one is a 2000gm 0.1gm model. The one we want is the more sensitive 500gm 0.01gm model. Which I found.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weight-500g...131003132420&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=291251710271&rt=nc

I'll edit the previous link as well.

I use Unique powder exclusively and load things like .32 acp where I have to trickle and weigh each charge. I have found that .1 gr. of Unique in my .32 loads can change velocity by almost 100 fps so .1 gr. accuracy is not good enough for me. I get .02 gr. accuracy out of my Gempro 250 and use it exclusively.

I'd highly recommend it if you want a reliable/moderate cost digital.

VooDoo

I use a RCBS 10-10. I keep it on a shelf at eye level right in front of my face. Having the thing setting right at eye level helps a lot.

Before you spend a bunch of money you might want to think about setting up what you have in a more ergonomic way. It might help.