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I'm interested in changing to a digital powder scale. However, I see alot of negative reviews out there on some of the big names like RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, etc.

I'm just about to give up finding one that I can afford that holds it's accuracy. Have any of you found one that really gives repeatable measuments to 0.1gr accuracy?? Have any of you found one that doesn't drift and need to be rezeroed every tenth round? Has anyone found one that satisfies both of these requirements and doesn't cost a month's wages?

If so, please give make and model number, and where you purchased it.

Thanks in advance.

I use and just simply love the Hornady (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/818489 ... 0-220-volt) and when compared to my Old and Trusty, RCBS 1010 scales (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/415607 ... n-capacity) and I did a comprehensive comparison, I couldn't find any variance and believe me I tried hard to induce one.

But, if all you want is a basic scale, a customer came over with one these and I was very impressed (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/175512 ... n-capacity). Of course he came over with one similar to this, that he got from a gas station, for about $8 and that too preformed well.

I guess the thing to do is buy one and assuming you already have a trust worthy Balance Beam Type Scale, reproduce the test, I'm about to imbibe for you. I'll describe it, but in truth, the Hoot-Dude does this for a living and if we can get him in on this, do what he says, and use mine as mere interesting tubular-data.

I weighed 200 loads on my Balance Beam Scale (bbs), one at a time, so I could then weigh the exact same load, one at a time, on the Hornady Electronic Scale (hes). They all weighed exactly the same. Then I weigh 10gr charges with the bbs and I collected all ten charges, in another powder scales pan and they equaled 100gr total, when weighed on the bbs. Then I weighed the 100gr charge on the hes and they equaled. I repeated all this again, but using powder charge lots of 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, & 500 grains. They all equaled, exactly. Then I reversed the process, throwing the charges on the hes and weighing them on the bbs.

The Hornady Electronics, performed flawlessly and I have the added benefit of really fast trickle charges and super quick powder amount and brand changes..

..t

I use the Hornady basic scale that came with my Lock-n-Load reloading kit - http://www.midwayusa.com/product/438260/hornady-gs-1500-electronic-powder-scale-1500-grain-capacity. I have never had a problem with calibration (it comes with its own calibration weight), which I check before I use it each time.

Note that I may have a + or - variation of 0.1 grain during reloading, but I attribute this to way the powder is dispensed from the powder measure, not drift in the scale. You can use a powder trickler to correct for this, if you must.

One drawback is that the scale "times-out" after a short period, so if you are checking every 10th round and don't work all that fast, for example, you may have to turn the scale back on and set the tare value each time.

If everyone else is like me, they hardly ever take time to visit different forums for the sole purpose of exhorting the positive experience they had with a product. On the flip of that coin. I have been know to go out of my way to share a negative experience. With that in mind, I take one complaint read online and divide it by 100. That's probably a better ratio of how many uninspired but pleased customers there are for every displeased customer. All that leads up to me saying how pleased I have been with my Lyman 1200 DPS 3. Like Tim, I have compared mine not only to several balance style scales I have, but also to a more precise one we have at work that I can sneak out on weekends. They measured the same down to less than a tenth of a grain. With the Lyman, it also dispenses which can be a real time saver since the time it takes to dispense matches the time it takes me to spin around to the press seat and taper crimp the previous round. I leave mine powered up and running 24/7. The wall wart probably draws a penny's worth of power a month when it's just sitting there, staying warmed up and ready to go. It's relatively insensitive the EMI and there's no breeze in the shop, though if there were, I could close the cover while charging. My wife got it for me for Christmas several years ago and it has proven worth it's weight in gold. I'm sure any big name Digital Scale, either dispensing or not is a reasonable instrument to own.

Hoot

LlindeX, Are you looking for just a scale or a combo scale/dispenser? All of the major makers scales that I have used are accurate and repeatable. The connected dispensers get varying revues and you can find fans and foes of all of them.

BayouBob wrote:LlindeX, Are you looking for just a scale or a combo scale/dispenser? All of the major makers scales that I have used are accurate and repeatable. The connected dispensers get varying revues and you can find fans and foes of all of them.

BB,

I'm really looking for just an accurate and repeatable simple electronic scale, not a combo scale/dispenser unless that's what I've got to buy to get the accuracy and repeatability. I've got a couple of good balance beam type scales that I've used for years to reload for my hunting rifles. I have been really satisfied with both of them. However, now that I've gotten a couple of AR's and am reloading alot more, a buddy of mine told me that using an electronic digital scale will greatly speed up my reloading process. He used an RCBS combo scale/dispenser and says he loves it. It costs close to three hundred dollars, and I don't reload enough to justify spending that much.

I should have known better than to expect something for nothing, but I purchased one of those $40.00 MTM electronic jobs at Bass Pro Shops. Got it home and ran some test comparisons against my balance beam scale. Man, was I shocked. Then, I tried repeatedly check weighing a single 62gr bullet for 100 times. That bullet weight varied by a full 1.5gr ; and always weighed about 1gr. more than it did on either of my balance beam scales. I read about the EMI interference, drift, and such, so I moved up to my wife's dining room table and repeated the tests. No florescent lights, no cell phones, no electrical interference of any kind. No drafts, and a steady table. Same results. Then I tried re-tareing every time prior to weighing the bullet. Same results. I then did the same testing on my balance beam scale. After 100 trials on the balance beam, the variance in the test bullet weight was 0.2 grains. Just what I had always expected: +/- 0.1 gr.

After all this frustration, I got serious and began researching consumer reviews of digital scales on various websites. I know there's got to be several scales out there that are reasonably priced and meet my accuracy expectations. My expectations can't be that extreme. But darn, every one of the scales I have checked on has a bunch of negative reviews. I very much repect the opinions of both Hoot and Wildcatter above. And, either of them have far greater reloading experience than I do. I looked at the Midway USA on-line reviews for the scales they recommend and see alot of negative reviews for each of them too. Looks like Hoot is right, "A person is much more likely to take the time to document a negative experience than a positive one.".

My reloading entails powder loads as light as a few grains for 45ACP to over 70gr for big magnum rifles. I trickle charge over 99% of my loads to get repeatablility and accuracy. I absolutely have to get a scale which gives repeatable readings when weighing the same item over and over within that weight range.

I recently bought an RCBS 750.
They are on sale right now at Midway USA for $104.99
Regular $114.99

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/814722 ... =102986869

Google "Lab Scales". Try eBay too, I saw a gob up there, reasonably priced. I saw models for $4-$4000 bucks. As I said, I looked hard at one bought at a gas station for way less than $10 and I gotta tell ya, it was great. Usually you get what you pay for, as they say. But some of these electronic scales are great and well priced..

..t

I think any scale that most of trusted traders are selling is enough for finding measurement. Because they have maximum accuracy with NTEP certification and you can also use them for legal trade. So you must find one on Amazon because there are many traders who are selling scale with certification.

My Franklin Arsenal was an upgrade from my Lyman 1500, it was only $35, no issues with "walking" like the Lyman displayed, used to drive me nuts