Digital Scale?

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Overkill777

New member
I have been using my RCBS 505 beam scale that came with my kit. It has served me well but a couple people I know recommend upgrading to an electronic scale. It does seem like it would be nice to have a digital read out faster and easy to zero. My only concern is will it be affected by temperature? I reload in my garage which is uninsulated so I get a full range of temperatures.

What's a good digital scale for the money?
 
That depends on what the money is....

The RCBS Chargemaster 1500 Combo is fantastic but the Hornady LnL version is also very highly rated and MUCH cheaper.

Both are well worth the money, I personally wouldn't hand load without one.

On the other hand, you can spend 1/2 as much as the Hornady on an "ordinary" digital scale and get a MUCH better scale, that doesn't do any of the work for you.
 
a couple people I know recommend upgrading to an electronic scale.
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Some would not consider it to be an "upgrade."

It does seem like it would be nice to have a digital read out faster and easy to zero.
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The only true advantage of a digital scale. That is important to some.

My only concern is will it be affected by temperature?
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That shouldn't be your only concern. Accuracy should be too. A lot of digital scales "suitable" for ammunition loading aren't. In many cases, their "native" scale is in graMs. Now that by itself is not that big of a deal. But what they display is actually a mathematical calculation - a rounding, if you will. And that "rounding" will sometimes manifest itself to where it is impossible to hit a certain grainage. For instance, it may either read 8.6 grains, or 8.8 grains - but never 8.7 grains - due to the rounding. That kind of thing is indicative of a lack of accuracy.

Yes, I am a 32-year balance beam scale user; with no desire to change. So yes, I have a bias, I suppose. But I'm not anti-digital scale. I'm just saying that it is important to get a really good one and buyer beware.

There are good digital scales out there. And there are many conscientious handloaders who can recommend the right one(s). I'm just not that guy :p TFL has a lot of experts who can and will point you in right direction.
 
Personally I wouldn't go digital just my opinion. I'll keep my Redding hydraulically dampened scale. No batteries, to worry about accurate enough for what I reload.
 
You are going to get so many opinions your head is going hurt and spin. I use a 505, 1010 and two Hornady electronic ones. The cheaper GS1500 and a LNL bench scale Hornady gave me under warranty as the LNL beam scale just wouldn't work. They all work exactly like they said they would.
Others say the two Hornady electronic scales are junk just as others say Dillion's are junk or Lyman or RSBS or the many others that are out there.
The thing that I have found with the digitalis is not to leave anything on the scale longer than it takes to weigh, always let it warm up and calibrate before you start weighing and do so often while using them.
The Ohaus 1010 I have is extremely accurate and both of the electronic ones are right on or within 1/10 grains with it on all loads that I reload for up to about 30 grains.
 
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With most "equipment" but almost always when it comes to scales... most folks are passionate with their opinions. I am no different. Here I will present the facts that seem to matter... at least as how I see it:

I'm 43 yrs old and I have been an avid and passionate hobbyist handloader for 28yrs. I use that description to say that basically... I handload because I love to handload. There's many reasons to do this, but that's how I describe my motivation.

I find that being able to accurately and repeatedly weigh a powder charge is of EXTREME importance to what I do, and I simply won't ever find a digital scale that gives me the pure confidence that a quality beam scale does EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I use a Dillon Eliminator. It's quite basic, I believe it's merely a re-branded and pretty blue painted Ohaus.

It always works, it never fails. As long as I don't bend or break it and Earth's gravity remains basically constant, I simply can't envision any scenario where it's going to let me down. -IF- it lets me down, that will be the first time it's ever done so.

I load 12k-15k rounds a year, 95% of which is handgun ammo.

Pick any electronic scale on the market at any price and I wouldn't accept ten of them in trade for the scale I am using. I can't imagine my opinion ever changing.

With all that said, I can certainly see use in a digital scale. If I wanted to weigh a bunch of bullets for example... there ya go.
 
I want to follow this thread. I have the Cadillac of balance beam scales that I will never part with, the Dial-O-Grain, but lately I've been investigating a digital scale wondering if there is something I'm missing out on.

 
My 2 cents worth-I have used both digital and beam scales for general reloading.I started around 1978 with a RCBS 5-10 which I had for probably 20 years-I sold all my reloading equipment for a across country move.when I started reloading again I purchased a Lyman 500 that works pretty well-I thought I needed something better so I spent a bit of money on a RCBS 750 rangemaster which now resides at a local landfill-I could not ever get the danged thing to read the same twice.I now am using a RCBS 1010 that I really like-its kinda like the 5-10 with the barrel screw for 1/10 grain adjustment.
All in all I now stick with the beam for everything.
For myself I will not ever again use a digital
I would have sent the RCBS digital in to the factory but warranty was expired-and I was not willing to throw money at something that I was not going to trust.
 
The electronic scales may be subject to power issues. If you have a garage w/ fluorescent lights, they may effect your scale. If you have multi power strips, they sometimes don't like those either. If you scale is in the same circuit as a hi amp device (ie laser printer, wifes hair dryer, etc), they may give you issue. You'd think the electronics would be nailed down in this age, but not so. If you get a battery type, make sure it doesn't time out every 45 seconds as that gets old. I picked up an ebay weight standard for $14 and test the scale in the powder range I will be using. The companies that make them don't warranty the Hornady LNL auto charge more than a year if that gives you any idea on their confidence. Probably the same for other companies. Put one of those ETN power surge devices on the main power panel and a surge protector for each outlet that feeds anything spendy. That might help save the electronics.
 
I had not thought about electrical interference. I have a big florescent light directly over my workbench.

I am surprised the digitals don't have a bigger following but it sounds like for the $100 price range I might as well stick with my good old balance beam and put my limited funds towards more components. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I should get some tests weight though, it would be nice to verify that I'm measuring true.
 
I have had at least two digital scales over the years. I remember the first one, an RCBS would go all "hinky", give inaccurate readings when the battery got low. The second failed after a few years. I eventually went back to my RCBS balance beam that had been is storage all those years. I have owned my very last digital scale, will stick with the balance beam the rest of my life...should not have wasted my time and money on a digtal in the first place. Live and learn.
 
My two cents....

First, a lot of folks pursue worthless accuracy. They think they need to be able to resolve .05 grain. But they don't, and they don't know it.

Second: IMO, a scale is only as good as the check weights used.

A digital scale is more convenient, and a plenty good enough one can be had for $35.

Regardless of scale type, you need a set of check weights.
 
My balance beam has been in a drawer since 1994 when Pact first introduced the electronic scale for reloading. While mine is inside the house I still keep it plugged in all the time. It takes at least 20 minutes or more for them to warm up and settle down. Leaving it plugged in and just turning off the display makes them ready to tare and start loading. A set of scale check weights is an absolute necessity to verify the scales accuracy and give you confidence in your electronic scale. Mine sits on a bench underneath a 4 ft. fluorescent light fixture with no issues. Faster and easily weigh cases, bullets, loaded rounds, powder charges, etc. I wouldn't load without one and would order another immediately if mine should break. I've had a Pact Precision since 1994. Wouldn't waste money on a cheap electronic. I think an electronic would do ok in your garage but don't know how 100 degrees or winter temps would effect your scale.
 
First, a lot of folks pursue worthless accuracy. They think they need to be able to resolve .05 grain. But they don't, and they don't know it.
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I do have to agree with this, for sure. But even still, it couldn't draw me away from my beam scale.
 
Modern florescent lighting is solid state and does not contain the large magnets and noisy transformers that older starter fired lights did.

It is highly unlikely that a modem florescent light will effect any type of scale unless your light is so close you can't use the scale anyway.

Second, modern electronics are also solid state and should not have to "warm up." Old tube driven electronics is where the idea of warm up came from because the filaments and internals did have to stabilize and heat up. Modern silicone transistors and integrated circuits, not so much.

That being said, I use a beam scale. Sure it's slower, but 32 ft/s/s likely isn't going to change, and it's all I have and the budget isn't allocated for a cool new powder dispenser/ scale even though I'd like to have one.

Mike
 
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I picked up a cheap frankford arsenal scale for around 25. Used to primarily use rcbs beam but now for quick checks when loading on turret or verifying drops i like the electronic.
 
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