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Old October 11, 2024, 07:29 AM   #1
alanwk
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Balance scale recommendations

Looking for a balance scale since there is a possibility of power disruption affecting my electronic scale. What do you think of the RCBS 5-10?
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Old October 11, 2024, 08:15 AM   #2
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5-10

Is a decent scale.
If you can find one, a 10-10 is great. Wish It wasn't discontinued
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Old October 11, 2024, 08:16 AM   #3
John D
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Looks a lot like the Dillon I've used for 20+ years (which still works great!).
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Old October 11, 2024, 01:50 PM   #4
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I've got the RCBS 505 and it works well for my needs, very accurate.
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Old October 11, 2024, 02:06 PM   #5
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Use batteries.
Seriously, get a 500-750 grain scale that uses aaa batteries. Also a Lyman 62 grain check weight set
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Old October 14, 2024, 12:17 PM   #6
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I use the older Lyman balance beam scales. Its accurate to 1/10 of a grain and has no batteries. You really should have two scales to verify each others results.
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Old October 14, 2024, 01:32 PM   #7
Marco Califo
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Quote:
You really should have two scales to verify each others results.
Heck, get 3 and use the averages.
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Old October 14, 2024, 10:37 PM   #8
Nathan
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For the record, I recommend a person not get a balance beam scale. It is way too easy to cause some variation with a mechanical scale and then not know what that you’re off.
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Old October 15, 2024, 07:51 AM   #9
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Ditto #4 post for me.. always works!
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Old October 15, 2024, 08:50 AM   #10
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My RCBS 5-10 balance has been in service for nearly 50 years and still works fine, although I bought a battery-operated Hornady electronic scale a few years ago and tend to use it more often. Not sure about the OP's concern with power outages - when the power goes out around here, doing a little reloading is about the last thing that comes to mind. Whatever balance/scale you have, it's a good idea to buy or make up a set of check weights and get in the habit of using them regularly.
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Old October 15, 2024, 06:35 PM   #11
Nick_C_S
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Quote:
You really should have two scales to verify each others results.
How 'bout check weights?

I have a 10-10 and it works great. I guess they're discontinued, according to jcj54, post #2?
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Old October 15, 2024, 08:16 PM   #12
Nathan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick_C_S
How 'bout check weights?
You make a great point. Another scale tells you 2 mechanical devices got the same number. Check weights tell you if the number is correct.


Thinking only about the RCBS 5-10. Before I bought my TRX-925, It worked well enough for me. The spinning weight adjustment can be a bit of a pain, but it doesn’t move even when bumped.
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Old October 15, 2024, 08:55 PM   #13
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Any balance beam will do the job.

I do like the Digital Powder dispenser and my Lyman electronic scale. Easy to cross check those with each other. I know what the pans should weigh so its an immediate check with a zero.

I used a balance scale for all my early stuff and when I got back into it 15 years ago. Nothing wrong with them. Not my choice now.
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Old October 16, 2024, 02:15 AM   #14
georgehwbush
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i use an rcbs m550 it works well. one stick of any extruded is noticeable on it.

but i set a concave mirror behind it to enhance the view and so i don't need to be level with it.
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Old October 17, 2024, 06:46 PM   #15
Don P
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This an excellent mechanical scale
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012972121?pid=658771
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Old October 18, 2024, 12:02 AM   #16
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For that kind of money you can get a Lyman 2000 Digital with the built on Tickler.

I would not buy a high priced beam scale unless you have a low cost one and have decided not to get a Digital.

Even if I had a beam I wold have the Lyman 2000 just to measure odd weights easily.
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Old October 18, 2024, 09:46 AM   #17
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I like to use both a beam and electronic, just to double check each other. works for me..
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Old October 19, 2024, 10:07 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmh3481 View Post
You really should have two scales to verify each others results.
My RCBS balance beam is so old that if it was serial numbered, it would only have two digits. It lives on the loading bench under a cloth cover my wife sewed and still works perfectly.

Remember, a man with one watch knows what time it it. A man with two watches is never quite sure ;-)

Last edited by WmMunny; October 19, 2024 at 10:22 AM.
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Old October 21, 2024, 10:32 AM   #19
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Well, that fellow with one watch likely also suffers a degree of false confidence (unless he works at the U.S. Naval Observatory, where the standard clock is maintained to the nearest picosecond).

The trick with checking scales is a good set of check weights. The ones sold to handloaders for the purpose are generally ASTM Class 6 or OIML Class M2, which are the next to least precise Classes. You can buy more precise ones, but your pharmacist should have a scale that is calibrated with more precise weights, so you could do worse than to take your set of check weights to him to get them measured so that you know what their values actually are.

A good table of check weight classes and errors in grams is here. To convert grams to grains, multiply by 15.432. That's as many decimal places as you should need for powder, as it would give you a 100-grain measurement to the nearest hundredth of a grain. But if you just have to be more precise because you can, there is an online converter here that will give you six more decimal places. I like the 5-digit version above because the digits are just 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, with the 1 wrapped around in front of the 5, making it very easy to remember, though you still need to remember the decimal point is after the 5.
This is a table of the ASTM class error levels I put together for weights in grams, with the error levels in grams in the upper table and in grains in the lower table.

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Old October 22, 2024, 09:59 PM   #20
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Old October 23, 2024, 04:23 PM   #21
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Personally i use the hornady mini digital scale, G3-1500, takes AAA batteries and they last forever, still using the original set 2yrs in, unaffected by power outages, batteries are cheap.

I also have a rcbs m500, not a huge fan.
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Old October 24, 2024, 05:28 AM   #22
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RCBS Chargemaster

Been using it since they came out. When I used to check, pistol and rifle loads were always within 1/10grain. Have used Unique to RL25 without any issues.
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Old October 27, 2024, 09:27 AM   #23
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Use both . . .

I have a Lee balance scale and a Hornady electronic scale. I frequently use both and when they agree I know I'm on the money with my powder drop.

Plus, after a mishap some time ago, I've choose to calibrate the scales at the start of every session of reloading. Plus about every dozen charges or so I check the powder weight on one or both scales.

A bad powder drop is the most likely cause of a squib or a an explosion. I think we are all wise to be careful in this area.

I always give a visual check to the powder. When loading rifle cartridges this means taking the brass out of the press and looking down in it. I say "powder" and the return the brass and seat the bullet. If my mind wanders and I don't recall saying "powder" . . . it goes in the reject box.

In my life of shooting reloads, I've have one bad, truly dangerous squib, and one explosion. The squib was negligence on my part and the explosion, after investigation, turned out to be an out of battery discharge. The squib was in a 44 magnum. A friend was shooting it. I recognized the squib and stopped him from pulling the trigger again. Yikes.

Be careful, be safe, use more than one powder scale and calibrate often.

Life is good.
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