Electronic Scale Recommendation

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BSA1

BSA1

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Since I very rarely load anything close to max charges a balance beam scale has served me well. However my balance beam scale is thirty something years old so it might be time to take advantage of modern technology.

I'm looking for suggestions for a mid-range priced electronic scale.
 
You may get a hundred different answers and opinions but all three of my Hornady units are working real well and staying calibrated.
Just a hint but turn them on an hour or two ahead of time and let them stabilize. As always a level surface and no fluorescent lighting.
 
I use fluorescent lights with mine two hornady scales and they don't seem to bother them.
What is your actual price range? Mid priced is very subjective.

If my Hornady bench scale ever fails I will be buying a Gem Pro 250 because of it resolution but they are $150.00.

I like my Hornady scales and my bench scale sometimes can be bought for around $79.95 on sale.

but again what is your actual price range. There are a lot of cheap ones out there also.
 
Mine takes batteries but has a place to plug in adapter to wall .
I turn it on when I start the tumbler [ on same power strip ] to
let it warn up / settle out / whatever .
If you get one that just takes batteries , remember to remove them .
 
I dont want to take over this thread, but for $30 - out of the to which would you choose?

Frankford Arsenal Reloading Scale?

Or

Hornady Electronic Scale 1500?
 
I've had the Hornady 1500 for about a year now, and it works great. I verify it with check weights before every use, and it always reads perfect. Battery powered, and it auto-shuts itself off pretty quickly (maybe 1 minute, which is my only somewhat complaint). I've been looking at the new Hornady G2 scale, because it's trickle compatible with a constant read out.
 
I had the Hornady . Back ground - I go to Mexico once or twice a year .
I reload 380 , 38 s and 45's . Anyway a few years ago , I took the Hornady
A year later it did not work , I forgot to take out the batteries and the
contacts got eaten . I was back to the beam .
 
I have an ibalance 101 from Old Will Knott scales. I like it and it seems to do well with with trickling. The Gempro 250 is also frequently recommended in reloading circles and reads to 0.02 gr. I've seen some complaints about the Gempro 250 when used to trickle charges.
 
I use an MTM for around $35 and back it up with check weights and my balance beam.

Its not fancy and uses batteries that last a while if they are decent. I just rotate them out when my TV remote starts losing power and put new batteries in the scale to keep them fresh.

Its as accurate if not more than the beams and when i get an inconsistent throw it lets me know.

I've had it a few years now and if it fails the beams will cover me while I throw it in the trash and get a new one.

Fwiw a good set of check weights is a necessity. Pretty sure you know that but i don't know who may be reading this post and felt it worth pointing out for someone who may not know their value.
 
I have the PACT scale. It likes to go bonkers some times and has to be unplugged to be reset. Just trying to turn it off and on with the power button doesn't work. I would not reccomend it. It is almost annoying enough to spend the money on a better scale.
 
RCBS has an attractive rebate available. I have an RCBS and a Hornady digital scale. Both are predictable and reliable.
 
Amazon bounces up and down on the Gem Pro 250 price. I got it for $125.71 shipped a few months back.
 
I have the small RCBS digital. It works. But there is nothing really I recommend about it. The zeroing process is tedious, eats batteries and it's just so delicate and cheaply made. That said, it holds zero pretty well.
 
My choice would be a RCBS Charge Master. I have two, one in service and one for a back-up-- just because of a deal long ago that i couldn't pass up :) I wouldn't be without mine. :)
 
Check weights - try to get stainless steel ones .
My old brass ones got corroded - I cleaned but don't trust .
I also wipe down powder holder thing / tray . I had a spider
on bottom . It kept moving and scale would not zero .
I have a couple of cases that were cracked / split .
A magic marker is used to write the weight on side of case
as a quick check
 
I definitely would like the Gem Pro 250 but I am trying to find out more about the new Gem Pro 300 now. Maybe the 250 will become cheaper. I am hoping the 300 is trickle compatible.
 
Only been reloading a couple years and started with the 505 beam and bought a cheap FA-750. I used the FA mostly checking it against the beam and it always seemed on too my novice eyes. Always had the nagging feeling though that a cheap arse scale such as this must not be accurate. Purchased an RCBS check weight set and too my amazement it was dead nuts accurate within +/- .1gn 100% of the time and +/- 0gn 95% of the time. I tried dozens of weight combos over and over and only twice did it waffle between 0 and a .1 variance.

I was impressed. So much so that the beam was pushed to the side. Sure there are better scales out there, but for price performance this one would be tough to beat IMHO.
 
I have and recommend the GemPro 250. Got it on amazon a few months back for around $120-125. No issues with flourescent or LED lights i've noticed. I did notice it sucked dry some batteries pretty quickly, so it's AC powered now.

As for the old will knots "modified" ones - it's just a ferrite on the power cord! If the price was the same i'd get it there, but otherwise buy the ferrite yourself for $2-3 and call it done:
Ferrite Choke (For Electronic Interference Suppression - An Old Will Exclusive)
Click to expand...

You can see some here that are simple snap-on additions to the power cord. one or two should work.
http://www.solar-electric.com/insta...witches-noise-filters/nosufefi.html?limit=all

I'd also caution cell phones right next to the scale. Besides the trickle drain on batteries (dead after several days unused), it's a great scale!
 
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