The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Improving the RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale accuracy

sandro.1971 · August 24, 2008, 02:22 PM

I have a RCBS 5-0-5 scale and I think this scale has important defects that should be fixed. As it is, this scale looks to me like a cheap China made scale. You could ask why did you buy it, well I just find it included in the RCBS reloading kit otherway I wouldn't have taken it.

1) First of all the scale body is so light (aluminum made) that you have to be very careful each time you lift the pan, set it back or move the poises. Each time you perform one of the actions above you risk to move the whole scale and loose the zero.

2) When you remove the pan, set it back or move the poises the beam tend to rotate or move in the front-back direction. If you are not careful the beam will slide and the pivots will go against the sides (front or back) of the bearings; this of course will affect accuracy.

3) The beam hasn't any damping system (I mean not at the zero but up/down) so if you you remove the pan, set it back or move the poises the beam will hit (up or down) against the scale body. This of course will affect accuracy.

4) The levelling foot is really poorly made and its screw has a big play in the nutscrew.

Since I had this scale and I was not satisfied about it I thought that I could resell it or try to improve it and I finally went for the second choice.

I took a plexiglas sheet and cut 2 caps from it. I used some glue to fix them to the scale body and filled the space between the caps of lead shoots (about 3lbs).
The upper cap is used to avoid that shots could enter the space between the magnets of the zero damping system.

I took one earmuff and put it on the scale body right under the left end of the beam. It makes a perfect damping system for the beam so you don't have the beam hitting against the scale body every time you remove the pot.

Finally I used some teflon tape to reduce the levelling foot screw play.

August 24, 2008, 02:22 PM	#1
sandro.1971 Member Join Date: March 11, 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 47	Improving the RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale accuracy I have a RCBS 5-0-5 scale and I think this scale has important defects that should be fixed. As it is, this scale looks to me like a cheap China made scale. You could ask why did you buy it, well I just find it included in the RCBS reloading kit otherway I wouldn't have taken it. 1) First of all the scale body is so light (aluminum made) that you have to be very careful each time you lift the pan, set it back or move the poises. Each time you perform one of the actions above you risk to move the whole scale and loose the zero. 2) When you remove the pan, set it back or move the poises the beam tend to rotate or move in the front-back direction. If you are not careful the beam will slide and the pivots will go against the sides (front or back) of the bearings; this of course will affect accuracy. 3) The beam hasn't any damping system (I mean not at the zero but up/down) so if you you remove the pan, set it back or move the poises the beam will hit (up or down) against the scale body. This of course will affect accuracy. 4) The levelling foot is really poorly made and its screw has a big play in the nutscrew. Since I had this scale and I was not satisfied about it I thought that I could resell it or try to improve it and I finally went for the second choice. I took a plexiglas sheet and cut 2 caps from it. I used some glue to fix them to the scale body and filled the space between the caps of lead shoots (about 3lbs). The upper cap is used to avoid that shots could enter the space between the magnets of the zero damping system. I took one earmuff and put it on the scale body right under the left end of the beam. It makes a perfect damping system for the beam so you don't have the beam hitting against the scale body every time you remove the pot. Finally I used some teflon tape to reduce the levelling foot screw play.