use of old 10-10 RCBS scale

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Longshot4

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The 10 10 scale has served me well. It works as well today as it did 42 years ago. Although today I find it's time to move on to a digital type. I am having problems with clearly seeing the readings on the 10-10. Also it is slower than a snail.

I decided to purchase some blem bullets. It is a slow job. So any suggestions on a simple and accurate digital scale. I will be using it for powder, bullets and any grain loading measurements. I don't want a $$$ type
 
My input is if you don't want to spend $$$ don't bother with a digital scale. I tried a couple of different digital models and they are not reliable at all.

I use a beam scale that I can use to prove out powder drops, but I can certainly understand your frustration in trying to find an unknown weight with one.

Good luck is all I can say. You'll probably spend a small pile of money on cheap ones that don't hold zero, or you can just got drop the $$ on a good one and call it a day.
 
Longshot4 said:
The 10 10 scale has served me well. It works as well today as it did 42 years ago. Although today I find it's time to move on to a digital type. I am having problems with clearly seeing the readings on the 10-10. Also it is slower than a snail.

I decided to purchase some blem bullets. It is a slow job. So any suggestions on a simple and accurate digital scale. I will be using it for powder, bullets and any grain loading measurements. I don't want a $$$ type
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I have an old RCBS 10-10 scale also. I stopped using it for awhile and went to a RCBS Partner (I think it was called), it worked fine for awhile, but did not like calibrating it everytime I wanted to use it...then it stopped working altogether and I went through about two or three other digitals...all eventually failed. I went back to using my old RCBS balance beam and will never bother with a digital again.

Correction: RCBS 5-10 scale (has a little "drum" for the tenths of a grain (.1))
 
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Go digital. I parked my old 1010 and used a Lyman 1200 model for 6 or 8 years. It worked fine. It finally died and I got an RCBS Chargemaster 1500, which is a big improvement on the Lyman I had. Digital is also much faster. Analog guys might contest that, but I’ve used both.

When the Lyman died, I was almost finished with that batch of loads. I had to go back to analog for maybe 20 rounds, and it was slooooow going.
 
Regardless of which digital scale you end up with, spend a little more and get a set of check weights. You don't need a top-of-the line set with tolerances designed for analytical chemists - an inexpensive set made for reloaders will be just fine. My experience with my PACT digital, which I've had for about 15 years, is that it will slowly (as in over a period of weeks) drift and need to be recalibrated. My check weights tell me when that's necessary. The zero also drifts frequently, but it's a simple matter to push the zero button and reset it before doing a weighing.
 
I use both. I bought a $10 electronic scale from HB and bought some test weights from Ebay to test the two. I use the electronic scale to separate my brass and bullets and use my 10-10 for weighing powder.
 
I have had good performance from my MyWeight GemPro 250. Paid $250.00 five years ago and it came with a lifetime warranty. I verify it with a set of RCBS check weights before each loading session and it has never needed adjusting.
 
I have 3 electronics, 4 mechanicals. The mechanicals are just for decoration these days. They are reliable but slow as heck to use

this one https://ceproducts.shop/collections/featured-products/products/fx-120i-reloading-scale-122g-x-0-001g

note use the code CAMBRIDGE and the price is less than $500. very reliable. no complaints at all

this one https://www.amazon.com/Tree-HRB-S-S...lligram&qid=1601750833&sr=8-2&srs=13601452011

works great as long as the ambient temperature is over 65 F otherwise the drift makes it unusable

and this one https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

just as precise as the two larger ones but small pan, batteries and auto shutoff are it's limitations.

Get the A&D if finances allow, you won't ever regret it
 
Since 1994 when Pact introduced their Pact Precision my RCBS 5-10 has been in a drawer. Still use my Pact Precision and it did have to go back for repairs once. Couple kittens got on my bench and damaged the uncovered scale. Not long ago I added the RCBS Chargemaster Lite dispensing scale. It's been a great tool and speeds up my reloading. Wouldn't go back to a balance beam unless electricity ceases to exist. Definitely invest in a Scale Check Weight Set mainly just to gain confidence in your electronic scale. I also bought a Gempro 250. All 3 scales agree and are accurate when checking with my check weights. The Pact Precision in no longer made and I think the Gempro 250 is out of production also. I like the Chargemaster Lite very much.
 
I had to go back to analog for maybe 20 rounds, and it was slooooow going.
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I have a 550b Dillion for all straight wall cases, throw charges for rifle with a RCBS powder measure. Never saw the need to use a scale for anything except setting the Dillion and the RCBS measure and then threw all the charges after that.
 
Longshot4,

Scales have been improving. It used to be that if you bought a cheap one, the odds were about 50:50 whether it was going to be stable or drift and lose calibration badly. The load cell designs are changing. At this point, I have a very inexpensive one that is stable and stays within about 0.1 grains of all my other scales and does not need constant recalibration. I got it partly on a whim to have something cheap to lug around and that could handle fairly heavy weights (it does up to 1600 grains) and it was on sale for $25 at the time. Last month Midway had it on sale for that same price again and I've seen it on sale at that price between those two occassions. Now it's back up to $50, so if you choost to try one, wait for a sale. You will find most of its reviews positive, but about 1 in 6 is unfavorable and reports drift or calibration problems. That's better than half of them being bad, but it's not zero risk. Nonetheless, for 0.1 grain accuracy, I don't think I would spend over $50 at this point unless it had a special feature I needed.

As soon as you go for 0.01 grain accuracy (usually an actual 0.015432-grain precision, as that's the conversion factor for 1 milligram and the precision scales are often 1 milligram resolution) you need to consider the transducer in the unit. The magnetic force restoration scales are more stable, settle faster, and drift much less than the strain-gauge-based load cell scales. They also cost about twice as much. But as I own both types, I can tell you the analytical balance is far more stable and settles much faster. Once you have one, you won't go back. But it is a lot of money.
 
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I had to go back to analog for maybe 20 rounds, and it was slooooow going.
I have a 550b Dillion for all straight wall cases, throw charges for rifle with a RCBS powder measure. Never saw the need to use a scale for anything except setting the Dillion and the RCBS measure and then threw all the charges after that.
Click to expand...

Same here. I always trickled the final amount for my hunting rifles; for my LnL; once the drop is balanced on my 5-10, it is off to the races.
 
Long shot I had the same issue several years ago. I have a Ohaus 1010, Pacific and several RCBS 505 scales that don’t get used anymore. I have a Hornady electronic bench scale that has worked very well for me and tracks right with any of the mechanical ones I have.
If you do get a 110 volt electronic scale just leave it plugged in and on unless you only load once a month or so. There are several be it Hornady, RCBS, Dillon, Lyman that will do what you want.
 
Go digital and check with check weights, not another scale.

Digital scales have weird readings when not weighing your load. Makes people go crazy. Get a check weight kit. When you question your scale, drop a check weight close to your charge weight and move on. It will be good until it is not. Then freak out. I haven’t had to freak out yet.
 
Most digital scales need a few moments to warm up; they are also adversely affected by things like fluorescent lights; balance beams are not.
 
My new RCBS Chargemaster Combo takes about 20 seconds to warm up, and I’ve had no issues with fluorescent lighting. The Lyman it replaced took 30 minutes to warm up. Don’t know about the new Lymans.

If the Chargemaster died tomorrow, I’d get another one quickly.
 
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