School me on scales...

ThomasPI · Jan 9, 2017

Working on putting together a new Dillon package. Kind of hung up on the scale thing.I look at one site and great views on any given scale and then go to another and same scale is not so much liked. Big shocker LOL. I've been told that in general I'd need to spend upwards of $150 for a reliable and repeatable digital scale and I'm good with that IF that's a reasonably true statement. With all that being said, what are y'all using for digital scales that have proven to be reliable and repeatable?

Thanks !

TennJeep1618 · Jan 9, 2017

For general handgun reloading and plinking rifle rounds, you can spend $30ish on the Hornady digital scale and be perfectly fine. If you want to reload precision rifle ammo, I'd look into a GemPro scale.

I've still go my Hornady scale, but I use my RCBS Chargemaster 95% of the time, because it's always on my bench.

ThomasPI · Jan 9, 2017

Thanks, just for general handgun ammo and plinking etc. Nothing serious YET lol.

Seanpcola · Jan 9, 2017

I don't reload but I use a digital scale for mixing epoxies and model building. I have to be accurate on the epoxy mixes to .1 gram. Had a $200 scale for years. It broke so I bought one at Harbor Freight for about $8.00. My dad gave me a set of scale calibration weights that he used in the lab to check that scale occasionally and it's now 5 years old and 100% accurate. Those calibration weights are so precise that you can't touch them with your fingers. So, I would try one of those if they work handling powder.

ThomasPI · Jan 9, 2017

Thanks Sean !

JohnAL · Jan 9, 2017

Make sure you get a scale that reads out in grains, not grams. No use for grams in reloading.

ThomasPI · Jan 9, 2017

Thanks John!

Seanpcola · Jan 9, 2017

JohnAL said:
Make sure you get a scale that reads out in grains, not grams. No use for grams in reloading.

There you go, I didn't know enough about reloading.

JohnAL · Jan 9, 2017

Some scales are switchable with the press of a button, others are not.

Seanpcola · Jan 9, 2017

I'll check mine tonight.

shootnstarz · Jan 10, 2017

I've been using a RCBS Range Master, around a hundred bucks and has worked for years. It's good to also have a beam scale to check the accuracy of the digital now and then. Actually I'd get a beam scale first.

Rick

MarkS · Jan 10, 2017

RCBS 505 beam scale is what I use now and when loading plinking ammo for a pistol I only check every tenth round once I get the Lee powder measure set but for rifle ammo I check every round.

JohnAL · Jan 10, 2017

I loaded with a beam scale for 40 years before I went electronic. I'll never look back. With electronic scales just let them warm up for 20 minutes, use check weights to verify calibration, then load away.

ThomasPI · Jan 10, 2017

Thanks, am I better off with just a scale or something like the RCBS Chargemaster where it'll dispense the load for setting up the 650? Yes, brand new at this stuff lol.

TennJeep1618 · Jan 10, 2017

ThomasPI said:
Thanks, am I better off with just a scale or something like the RCBS Chargemaster where it'll dispense the load for setting up the 650? Yes, brand new at this stuff lol.

I love my Chargemaster and I believe it's worth every penny; however, I don't use it very often anymore. I used to use it for precision rifle loads (and even plinking loads when I was loading on my turret press) and now it has become an extremely valuable tool to help work up new loads. It's so easy to just punch in a number and automatically dispense 10 charges at each weight, rather than trickling powder in the pan for every charge. That being said, it's not cheap.

As with most everything in reloading, it comes down to you determining how much your time is worth.

JohnAL · Jan 10, 2017

I love my Chargemaster for hunting or other rifle loads where I want more accuracy and I'm loading on a single stage press. For my everyday plinking or practice loads on the 650 I have no use for the dispenser although I do use the scale to setup or check. You can buy the Chargemaster scale alone then if you decide you want the dispenser down the road you can add it. They just snap together.

TennJeep1618 · Jan 10, 2017

JohnAL said:
You can buy the Chargemaster scale alone then if you decide you want the dispenser down the road you can add it. They just snap together.

Excellent point. I forgot about that.

MarkS · Jan 10, 2017

JohnAL said:
I love my Chargemaster for hunting or other rifle loads where I want more accuracy and I'm loading on a single stage press. For my everyday plinking or practice loads on the 650 I have no use for the dispenser although I do use the scale to setup or check. You can buy the Chargemaster scale alone then if you decide you want the dispenser down the road you can add it. They just snap together.

Didn't know that Thanks

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ThomasPI · Jan 10, 2017

JohnAL said:
I love my Chargemaster for hunting or other rifle loads where I want more accuracy and I'm loading on a single stage press. For my everyday plinking or practice loads on the 650 I have no use for the dispenser although I do use the scale to setup or check. You can buy the Chargemaster scale alone then if you decide you want the dispenser down the road you can add it. They just snap together.

Thanks very much. It's between the Dillon and the RCBS at this point and unsure.

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