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August 15, 2005, 07:58 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: February 24, 2005
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Best balance beam reloading powder scale??
What's everyone's opinion on the best scale out there for ACCURATELY measuring powder??
I guess we can put down favorite DIGITAL scales too. Remember, I'm looking for Accuracy, NOT least expensive, easiest to use, quickest, etc. Cast your opinions... |
August 15, 2005, 09:57 PM | #2 |
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That a tough question. If you got a good scale when you started you probably still use it. I started with a Lyman ohuas magnetically dampered scale back around 1970 and it is still doing an excellent job. I did break down years ago and buy a set of check wieghts to ease my mind about the accuracy of the ohuas scale.
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cliff |
August 15, 2005, 11:41 PM | #3 |
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RCBS 10-10 would be my first choice. I have it an 505 O'Haus and a RCBS digital. The reason I prefer the 10-10 is for its rapid response to trickling in powder. Also with the "rolling" tenths scale you can split grains if you want. The digital is nice for weighing cases and setting up the proder throw but it takes time to display when trickling and I have gone over what I wanted and had to remove a little powder and then "sneek" up to my desired weight. The 505 is a good scale but you have more "play" room on the 10-10.
Put it in at the bench and send it out down the barrel!! |
August 15, 2005, 11:51 PM | #4 |
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A laboratory analytical balance if you are serious. I don't think you'll get any better results from your loads than with using a $20 Lee, but you'll get absolute accuracy.
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August 16, 2005, 11:04 AM | #5 |
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It's important not to confuse accuracy and repeatability. For practical purposes, the typical handloader interested in uniform loads needs accuracy to 1/10 grain, and similar repeatability. Many cheap scales do fall short. I do use an analytical, albeit a digital.
I'm old enough to recall how slow an analytical balance is to use. It's not that I'm in that a hurry, but I am practical. A first class digital unit will provide all the accuracy and repeatability you can use, and do so at least one twenty times faster than a lab grade balance. Response time to stability is about 1/3 second with my digital. You'll note that this balance is displaying only 2 places to the right of the decimal: I've got the balance set to display to fiftieths of a grain (0.02). With my pressure guns I simply can't determine that variations in powder charge mass less than this are significant in any of the many pistol and rifle cartridges I've worked with. OK, I haven't got a pressure barrel for the 25 ACP. Perhaps in that small a cartridge a smaller variation would make a difference. Analyticals aren't cheap- the pictured unit ran about $1500 many years ago. Bob |
August 16, 2005, 12:46 PM | #6 |
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NICE Scale!
BFoster--That's a beauty! You got it used from a chem lab or some such I suppose.
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August 16, 2005, 01:58 PM | #7 |
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Ohaus 10 10
I have an Ohaus 10 10.The rcbs model is the 10 10 also its the exact same thing and if I had to guess its age I would say 20 or 25 years old and the thing is still accurate right on the money.I have not had one problem with it ever except the time it fell off my bench and it was my own dam fault.Thank god it was in the box.I sent it back to Ohaus and they recalibrated it free of charge and sent it back.
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August 16, 2005, 05:59 PM | #8 |
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I have been looking at the Dillon balance beam scale any one using one .I have a lee that I use but had a electronic scale that to me was just not doing the job.When it screwed up was more than happy to send it back.
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August 17, 2005, 02:36 AM | #9 |
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reloading scales
I have RCBS 10-10 as well and a labscale and I have checked the 10-10 several times over the years at various points through its range. I can tell you it is very accurate for such a low cost item, better than one tenth through the range. bearing in mind that variations in powder charge of less than half a grain in cals over 243 show no real difference in accuracy this has to be good enough for anyone and the smaller cals, well it is good enough at one tenth for them too. I find as said by our friend that it is quick and easy to use.
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August 17, 2005, 07:15 PM | #10 |
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I use this scale and have for years and it's the simplest and most accurate I've used. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=702400
Mine says pacific, but I had mine before hornady bought out pacific, same exact scale. |
August 26, 2005, 05:30 PM | #11 |
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Brand name isn't im[ortant. Just be sure that it's manufactured by the Ohaus Scale co.
They make most of the scales for Lyman and RCBS, and possibly others as well.
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August 27, 2005, 12:54 AM | #12 |
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Forty years ago, after I had been handloading for several years, I upgraded from my first-generation (cheap) gear to (1) an RCBS Jr. press, (2) a Lyman 55 powder measure, and (3) a Lyman-Ohaus M5 magnetically damped balance. I haven't felt any need since then to upgrade my equipment. Enough said.
Pete |
August 27, 2005, 07:30 AM | #13 |
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forget the scale
One requires a scale weight check set (I use the RCBS 505; the 10-10 is slightly easier to use; both are sufficiently accurate).
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August 27, 2005, 02:48 PM | #14 | |
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