Electronic Scales

StrikeEagle · July 4, 2004, 09:10 AM

Hello, Friends

Tried to use my old (15 years?) RCBS Model 90 Electronic Scale. It's been stored away for about 10 years... and it seems like it won't work anymore. (It's worse than that! It's DEAD, Jim!)

It gives me an Error 1, which means recalilbrate. But it won't accept the recalibration. Sigh...

I'm about out of ideas. I'll call Ohaus when they are open next Tuesday and see if they have anything fun to say.

But really... I guess I'm thinking of getting a new scale. And the Dillon looks pretty good to me. Price isn't TOO bad at $140, and that Dillon Lifetime Guarantee is looking pretty good to me. But what I'd like to know is what Electronic Scales do you folks use... and are you happy with what you have? What has a good reputation and what doesn't?

It also occurs to me that perhaps the real hardcore reloaders don't even use Electronic... perhaps regarding them as the trappings of a dandy or 'uptown dude'.

Please feel free to offer any advice/suggestions/feedback that I might find useful.

many thanks,
StikeEagle

Gewehr98 · July 4, 2004, 12:32 PM

It drifts off of zero something fierce, and that's with the windscreen in place. I have to basically hit the zero button before every charge of powder that I weigh.

Now, to be honest, that's exactly what I've done with it to keep using it, and I haven't taken up Dillon on their warranty. I figured it's what has to be done with a sensitive electronic scale, just push the zero button every time. But I'd like to think otherwise.

grunewaj · July 4, 2004, 03:42 PM

I understand that Dillon's new electronic scale will not allow you to weigh trickled charges. I tried to find their scales on their website, but couldn't find any (strange!).

Anyway, I have the PACT BBKII scale and it works fine for me and is a lot less expensive than the Dillon scale (about $100 from Midway). They make a more expensive scale that has an infra-red data port that allows you to hook up their electronic trickler to it (you store loads in it and dial them up - sounds pretty cool). RCBS sells the same thing under their name. The more expensive PACT scale is the Digital Precision scale.

Good luck!

jdkelly · July 4, 2004, 05:12 PM

I don't have an RCBS 90 but you might try pulling your power cord and wait a minute then plug it back in. If the display is free of ERR1 try calibrating it again. You do have the correct calibration instructions, right?

Respectfully,

jdkelly

StrikeEagle · July 4, 2004, 06:00 PM

Aye... still have the manual that came with it. There's just something goofy going on with it, deep down. Plugged and unplugged, turned it off and on. It's sitting on my desk, and I've been fiddling with it for the last two days, really.

I still have my old RCBS mechanical type balance scale. In the back of my mind I'm wondering if that's not REALLY all I need. Got the Electronic back in my Gadget Stage of reloading.

Still not sure what to do here... I'll keep watching the posts and thumbing through the catalogs. Not a bad way to spend some time over the Holiday Weekend.

StrikeEagle

Cris · July 4, 2004, 07:12 PM

Call RCBS. I've had good luck with their CS. They should stand behind their product if it hasn't be damaged from abuse, etc.

tc300mag1 · July 4, 2004, 09:05 PM

I use the PACT BBKII for under 100$ its a good value ive had mine for a few years. It works well matter of fact i was using it tonight.

straightShot · July 4, 2004, 10:38 PM

I use the PACT BBKII as well. It works for me.

GASCHECK · July 5, 2004, 01:40 AM

I bought a Dillon "Determinator" when they first came out. In fact I had to wait for delivery. And YES, it drove me nuts with constantly having to be set to "Zero". I called Dillon later and they said "Thats the way they are!" (He sounded irritated.) Anyway, I finally got fed up and bought a Hornady for under $100 and I love it. The zero never drifts. The Dillon sits on the shelf.
I trickle a lot of charges, and with the Dillon, if it didn't zero, you knew the previous charge was off and then you had to dump it. Paid a lot of $$ for the Dillon and got brushed off when I complained!

Gascheck

StrikeEagle · July 5, 2004, 08:54 AM

Eeek, that's Evil News about the Dillon scale... that's the first time I've ever heard of a Dillon product not giving full satisfaction.

I have a 550B and nothing but High Praise for it. And the service has been as good as service can possibly be. Kind of shocked that they were so casual about the problems with the scale. sigh.

You spoke to Dillon himself and HE was a lil cranky about it?

StrikeEagle

WESHOOT2 · July 5, 2004, 09:41 AM

I don't trust an electronic scale to (always) tell me the truth; I have too much experience with electronics; know what I mean?

I do, however, trust my RCBS 505 and my Lyman Weight Check set; know what I mean?

The 505 is not subject to external electrical/electromagnetic interferences; it works by candlelight (here it comes LOL), it costs way less.

However, if one is compelled to buy an electronic scale RCBS is great. Maybe they'll be offering you the best advice when you reach them, pretty much an 'unconditional-guarantee-type' outfit.

BD1 · July 5, 2004, 09:46 AM

I agree with Weshootz, every electronic scale I've seen in use seemed to be slower and more finicky to use than my 505. IMHO you're trading off a significant risk of inaccuracy in exchange for no discernable added benefit. BD

GASCHECK · July 6, 2004, 01:24 AM

I don't know who I talked to at Dillon. But he offered no explanation. Maybe he was just having a bad day. But I paid almost $200 for the thing. I put up with it for years. The only other thing I ever bought from Dillon was a pair of bifocal shooting glasses. I don't need a progressive loader, and most of the other stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere.

I have an Ohaus 505 scale that I never use anymore. Is it the same as the RCBS 505? Good scale, but I just like and am satisfied with an electronic.

To show how old I am, I started out with a scale that had an oil paddle for a damper. The oil used to creep out of the little well and down the side. It was brown crackle paint, but I don't remember the make.

Gascheck

July 4, 2004, 09:10 AM	#1
StrikeEagle Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2004 Posts: 264	Electronic Scales Hello, Friends Tried to use my old (15 years?) RCBS Model 90 Electronic Scale. It's been stored away for about 10 years... and it seems like it won't work anymore. (It's worse than that! It's DEAD, Jim!) It gives me an Error 1, which means recalilbrate. But it won't accept the recalibration. Sigh... I'm about out of ideas. I'll call Ohaus when they are open next Tuesday and see if they have anything fun to say. But really... I guess I'm thinking of getting a new scale. And the Dillon looks pretty good to me. Price isn't TOO bad at $140, and that Dillon Lifetime Guarantee is looking pretty good to me. But what I'd like to know is what Electronic Scales do you folks use... and are you happy with what you have? What has a good reputation and what doesn't? It also occurs to me that perhaps the real hardcore reloaders don't even use Electronic... perhaps regarding them as the trappings of a dandy or 'uptown dude'. Please feel free to offer any advice/suggestions/feedback that I might find useful. many thanks, StikeEagle

July 4, 2004, 12:32 PM	#2
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	Not too impressed with my own Dillon D-Terminator scale. It drifts off of zero something fierce, and that's with the windscreen in place. I have to basically hit the zero button before every charge of powder that I weigh. Now, to be honest, that's exactly what I've done with it to keep using it, and I haven't taken up Dillon on their warranty. I figured it's what has to be done with a sensitive electronic scale, just push the zero button every time. But I'd like to think otherwise. __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires

July 4, 2004, 03:42 PM	#3
grunewaj Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 133	I understand that Dillon's new electronic scale will not allow you to weigh trickled charges. I tried to find their scales on their website, but couldn't find any (strange!). Anyway, I have the PACT BBKII scale and it works fine for me and is a lot less expensive than the Dillon scale (about $100 from Midway). They make a more expensive scale that has an infra-red data port that allows you to hook up their electronic trickler to it (you store loads in it and dial them up - sounds pretty cool). RCBS sells the same thing under their name. The more expensive PACT scale is the Digital Precision scale. Good luck! __________________ The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. Their principal device to that end is to search out groups who pant and pine for something they can't get and to promise to give it to them. Nine times out of ten, that promise is worth nothing. The tenth time is made good by looting A to satisfy B. In other words, government is a broker in pillage, and every election is sort of an advance auction sale of stolen goods. -- H. L. Mencken

July 4, 2004, 05:12 PM	#4
jdkelly Junior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 5	I don't have an RCBS 90 but... I don't have an RCBS 90 but you might try pulling your power cord and wait a minute then plug it back in. If the display is free of ERR1 try calibrating it again. You do have the correct calibration instructions, right? Respectfully, jdkelly

July 4, 2004, 10:38 PM	#8
straightShot Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2000 Location: MI, USA Posts: 668	I use the PACT BBKII as well. It works for me. __________________ Take a kid shooting.

July 4, 2004, 06:00 PM	#5
StrikeEagle Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2004 Posts: 264	Aye... still have the manual that came with it. There's just something goofy going on with it, deep down. Plugged and unplugged, turned it off and on. It's sitting on my desk, and I've been fiddling with it for the last two days, really. I still have my old RCBS mechanical type balance scale. In the back of my mind I'm wondering if that's not REALLY all I need. Got the Electronic back in my Gadget Stage of reloading. Still not sure what to do here... I'll keep watching the posts and thumbing through the catalogs. Not a bad way to spend some time over the Holiday Weekend. StrikeEagle

July 4, 2004, 07:12 PM	#6
Cris Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2000 Location: Red River Valley Posts: 127	Call RCBS. I've had good luck with their CS. They should stand behind their product if it hasn't be damaged from abuse, etc.

July 4, 2004, 09:05 PM	#7
tc300mag1 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Posts: 117	I use the PACT BBKII for under 100$ its a good value ive had mine for a few years. It works well matter of fact i was using it tonight.

July 5, 2004, 01:40 AM	#9
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	Electronic Scales I bought a Dillon "Determinator" when they first came out. In fact I had to wait for delivery. And YES, it drove me nuts with constantly having to be set to "Zero". I called Dillon later and they said "Thats the way they are!" (He sounded irritated.) Anyway, I finally got fed up and bought a Hornady for under $100 and I love it. The zero never drifts. The Dillon sits on the shelf. I trickle a lot of charges, and with the Dillon, if it didn't zero, you knew the previous charge was off and then you had to dump it. Paid a lot of $$ for the Dillon and got brushed off when I complained! Gascheck

July 5, 2004, 08:54 AM	#10
StrikeEagle Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2004 Posts: 264	Arggg! Eeek, that's Evil News about the Dillon scale... that's the first time I've ever heard of a Dillon product not giving full satisfaction. I have a 550B and nothing but High Praise for it. And the service has been as good as service can possibly be. Kind of shocked that they were so casual about the problems with the scale. sigh. You spoke to Dillon himself and HE was a lil cranky about it? StrikeEagle

July 5, 2004, 09:41 AM	#11
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	uptown response I don't trust an electronic scale to (always) tell me the truth; I have too much experience with electronics; know what I mean? I do, however, trust my RCBS 505 and my Lyman Weight Check set; know what I mean? The 505 is not subject to external electrical/electromagnetic interferences; it works by candlelight (here it comes LOL), it costs way less. However, if one is compelled to buy an electronic scale RCBS is great. Maybe they'll be offering you the best advice when you reach them, pretty much an 'unconditional-guarantee-type' outfit. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

July 5, 2004, 09:46 AM	#12
BD1 Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2004 Location: Northern Maine Posts: 9	I agree with Weshootz, every electronic scale I've seen in use seemed to be slower and more finicky to use than my 505. IMHO you're trading off a significant risk of inaccuracy in exchange for no discernable added benefit. BD

July 6, 2004, 01:24 AM	#13
GASCHECK Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Posts: 218	Electronic Scale I don't know who I talked to at Dillon. But he offered no explanation. Maybe he was just having a bad day. But I paid almost $200 for the thing. I put up with it for years. The only other thing I ever bought from Dillon was a pair of bifocal shooting glasses. I don't need a progressive loader, and most of the other stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere. I have an Ohaus 505 scale that I never use anymore. Is it the same as the RCBS 505? Good scale, but I just like and am satisfied with an electronic. To show how old I am, I started out with a scale that had an oil paddle for a damper. The oil used to creep out of the little well and down the side. It was brown crackle paint, but I don't remember the make. Gascheck