How much trust do you place on a beam scale?

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I have heard reports on other various forums that a beam scale may not be accurate. I want to start reloading for a 380 pistol using Titegroup and I find that the powder weights are close from minimum to maximum are kind of close. Can I trust my RCBS beam scale? It seems accurate to me although I do not have any of the verifying weights. I think they cost too much.
Is there a way to verify a beam scale without spending $65.00 for verifying weights?

 

[Delmar]

Do yourself a favor and get some check weights. Its worth your face and your pistol.
I use check weights on both beam and electronic scales.

 

[AZAndy]

Why Titegroup? A "bigger" powder might make more sense in a small case, for just the reason you have observed. For .380 and 9mm Mak, I use Unique or maybe 231. A little leeway is good, otherwise I'd be weighing every charge. I go through a lot of Titegroup, but mainly for .45ACP.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

RCBS scales are top quality and I trust them. BUT, I do not trust Titegroup. I use W231 in the 380 ACP and I'm very happy with it. In reality I use W231 in most of my handgun loading.

 

[stringnut]

Beam scales are very accurate. Make sure it is leveled properly and keep the pivots clean and you are good to go. A set of weights is a good idea. My cheap electronic came with a weight that I use to verify my beam scale.

Electronic scales can be good or bad. I find the cheap ones have a hard time reading small amounts when trickling powder into a large charge that has already been weighed.

 

[Grumulkin]

I used an RCBS 5-10 scale for about 30 years before it started giving erroneous weights.

Check weights used regularly are a really good idea.

 

[Zoogster]

A good beam scale is often more accurate than the type of electronic scales often sold.
You can double check it with weights of a known weight.

They are slower and are delicate. They are also more sensitive to a breeze because of how they work and hard to use outdoors.
I prefer a beam because if you treat it right and store it someplace safe it will continue to work the same. You won't have dead batteries or need to check it with weights as often in case it is changing like the electronic scales do over time. But the electronic scales are more convenient, especially on the go. You can also see a wide range of weight as you add to it, while with a beam scale you can tell when it is close or exactly where you set it, but not much else.

 

[dh1633pm]

I use test weights even with my electronic scale. I test every time I use the scale.

 

[HOWARD J]

They have check weights at Midway USA for $26

 

[jmorris]

As President Reagan said "trust but verify".

They can be more sensitive than most electric scales though.

 

[Cheesemaker]

I have 3 scales - my original "cheap" Lee that came with a kit, a RCBS 505 and the RCBS Chargemaster. I calibrate the Chargemaster with every use using its check weights. I also check a charge on the 505 - they are spot on, so is the Lee.
So yes, beam scales work and can be trusted.

Adding clarity: I check my scales with my other scales (one of which has its own calibration weights). I am in the camp of needing to "trust but verify" - electric or beam.

 

[MislMan]

Buy some check weights. In the meantime, you could somewhat verify using your intended bullet which you have on-hand. Weigh a bullet (example: 115 gr for 9 mm) and you should be very close to 115 gr.

 

[rbernie]

Beam scales are very accurate. Make sure it is leveled properly and keep the pivots clean and you are good to go. A set of weights is a good idea.

This has been my experience. I used a Lee beam scale for many years, and found it to be perfectly serviceable both in accuracy and longevity.

 

[Reloadron]

Can I trust my RCBS beam scale? It seems accurate to me although I do not have any of the verifying weights. I think they cost too much.
Is there a way to verify a beam scale without spending $65.00 for verifying weights?

There is no placing cost on a good set of check weights. What is the cost of your gun? How about your eyesight or hand? No, there is no easy way to check the accuracy of a scale be it a beam scale or electronic scale without check weights. Other than sets like those offered from RCBS (Part #98992) industrial supply houses like McMaster Carr Supply also offer them. The beauty of a good set of check weights is while most scales can be calibrated or checked at Zero and Full Scale good check weights allow the user to check their scale at or close to their intended weight. Beam scales are accurate when periodically tested, they work just fine.

Ron

 

[Doublehelix]

I have 3 scales - my original "cheap" Lee that came with a kit, a RCBS 505 and the RCBS Chargemaster. I calibrate the Chargemaster with every use using its check weights. I also check a charge on the 505 - they are spot on, so is the Lee.
So yes, beam scales work and can be trusted.

I don't have the Lee scale, but I do have both the RCBS 5-0-5 and the Chargemaster, and it is nice to be able to double-check both scales. Reference check weights are a good idea for sure. Otherwise, you are just assuming that your scales are reading correctly. This is a "weigh and hope" type of setup, and is not worth the potential consequences.

 

[Chuck R.]

I find the biggest benefit to a beam scale is the repeatability, not necessarily the accuracy.

As long as my scale consistently weighs the same exact charge, does it matter if it’s 43.2 VS 43.3, as long as the load was developed for my rifle, and the same scale is utilized whenever I reload? In this respect I actually prefer a beam scale to my digital. I also use a set of check weights on both my scales.

My digital scale, although accurate, does occasionally suffer from drift, it also drives me nuts sometimes when trickling charges. I probably spend more time re-zeroing it, or letting an empty pan set for a few seconds for it to re-establish zero than I do waiting for my balance beam to settle.

My old reliable RCBS 10-10 (1970’s vintage) weighs repeatedly to a single kernel of 4831 and I can watch the beam move gradually as I trickle. I recently added a USB camera and at 2X any movement is evident and shown on my laptop screen. I’m also not bending over for readings, or mounting the scale at eye level.

Screenshot of my camera view of 10-10 pointer:


So I find the balance beam scale perfectly acceptable and in some cases (extreme repeatability) actually preferable to my digital.

Chuck

 

[Doublehelix]

My old reliable RCBS 10-10 (1970’s vintage) weighs repeatedly to a single kernel of 4831 and I can watch the beam move gradually as I trickle. I recently added a USB camera and at 2X any movement is evident and shown on my laptop screen. I’m also not bending over for readings, or mounting the scale at eye level.

Screenshot of my camera view of 10-10 pointer:

I love that idea Chuck, especially as my eyes age, it becomes harder and harder to use a beam balance.

Just as a note, I am not *personally* getting older, just my eyes!!!

 

[Walkalong]

As long as my scale consistently weighs the same exact charge, does it matter if it’s 43.2 VS 43.3,

This, as long as you are not at max, you have no pressure signs, and it shoots well, repeatably is king.

 

[mdi]

I agree with Chuck R. In real life .1 gr of most powders doesn't make much difference, unless you like loading to max. charges. Repeatability and reliability are more of a concern to me. I place a part on my scale and weigh it. Then remove the part, replace and re weigh, a few times and sometimes with a bit of time between weighings, making sure each weight is identical. Often my digital won't pass this test, with weights varying up to an extreme of .2 gr....

 

[Sunray]

A digital anything is way easier to read. Isn't necessarily more accurate though.
It's mostly about your vision and how you read the thing. A scale is a scale otherwise. Millions and millions of rounds have been loaded using beam scales long before anything else existed.
Verifying weights are called match bullets. snicker.
"...380 pistol using Titegroup..." Same kind of loads as .38 148 grain WC's. 2.something to 3.something. No big deal.

 

[fotheringill]

1. I use the RCBS Chargemaster.
2. It is supposedly accurate to +/- .1 grain. I have never had an under throw.
3. I believe a good balance scale that has been calibrated properly and a set of accurate check weights should serve you well.
4. Do not think that an electronic scale is going to speed up loading. When you get to the last 10-15 kernels it is going to drop them down 1 or 2 at a time, VERY SLOWLY.

Be Aware, the above is based upon my personal experience only. I use the straw mod on the Chargemaster, but have not played around with the codes, and probably won't.

 

[dirtman]

Chuck, love your set up.... nice work.....

I have several uniflows preset to various loads, a digital scale and check weights, but mostly use the ole 5-0-5 beam scale to check as i go.... For pistol, i check every 50th round but also take all full trays and directly inspect all powder in each casing with a very bright flash lite... if any look out of wack it is pulled and weight is checked on da beam. DA BEAM does a great job.... all the best, dirt

 

[mr wack]

It's not often Orange and Green share my bench but in this situation they are happily married..

 

[Varminterror]

A "beam scale" is actually a "balance," not a scale. As such, a BALANCE can be calibrated incorrectly, or zeroed incorrectly, but barring build up of gunk, it will always give the same reading for the same charge weight.

A true scale - as in electronic scales, spring scales, etc - can be zeroed incorrectly, can be calibrated incorrectly, but can also give different readings based on different conditions - i.e. winter time and the house is a little cooler than summer, or direct sunlight vs. fluorescent bulbs, or electrical interference from your phone sitting on the bench beside the scale, or your clothes dryer running vs. not running in the other room.

That's why Lee calls theirs a "safety" scale. It might not be perfectly calibrated, but if you work up a load with a balance beam, it'll ALWAYS weigh the same when zeroed on the same beam, which is something you can't say about scales.

A guy can recalibrate scales, so many folks believe that's an opportunity to make them more accurate - which is largely true - but a balance beam has the opportunity to be more precise, especially over time and in variant conditions.

 

[thomas15]

It's not often Orange and Green share my bench but in this situation they are happily married..

I have the same set-up. Plus I have an RCBS Charge Master combo, a Frankfort digital and also a CED digital. But the 505 is my main scale.