Scale issues

[Clovishound]

Background. I started out with a tight budget for reloading so I got a Lee balance scale. Inexpensive, accurate, a pain to set up and use. A few years later I picked up a Franford Arsenal 750. Checked it frequently against the balance scale. Was happy with it for years.

Then both the Lee and the Frankford Arsenal took a quick trip to the floor. Lee was toast. FA still worked, but I lost confidence in it. Bought a new FA. Decided I needed another check besides the check weight and a carefully weighed powder pan.

Money is not as tight now, so I looked at the various brands. The RCBS looked like the best despite being made in China, and a previous disappointing experience with a set of their dies.

They had the model 500 locally at a competitive price, so I picked it up.

My thoughts:

Easy set up and calibration.

Easy to use. The beam settles down very quickly.

Accurate and repeatable. This is no surprise for a balance scale.

Well made. I like the agate balance point vs the knife edge. More robust and falls right into place.

Down side

The 5 grain demarcations are a little awkward. You have to be careful setting the left side weight or you can have a grossly erroneous reading. Since I load mostly pistol calibers, they are all in the 3.5 to 6.0 grain range with the powder I normally use, so not really a factor. Also, since I weigh the charge on the electronic first, I have a weight to set the balance scale to, and can quickly determine if it is spot on, or not.

Bottom line, I am satisfied with this scale. I still use the FA electronic as a quick QC to ensure my powder measure is not drifting off. I use the balance at least once every session to check the FA, and any time the FA gives me any doubt, I dump that into the balance.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Good choice. I started reloading with my dad back in 1955 and still own his old
Redding balance scale he bought new for $5.00 . I have two Reddings that are less than Ten years old ,and except for the color and the dampening system,they are trustworthy as a scale can be. Have fun!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I started out with a Lee Powder Scale . I then purchased an inexpensive Frankford Arsenal digital which caused me problems. I then bought an RCBS 5-0-5 which works fine but is no easier to use than the Lee Scale. I still use the Lee scale whenever I am loading.

 

[Luckyducker]

I started out with a RCBS 505 scale but have since upgraded to a RCBS 10-10 scale and haven't looked back. The 10-10 is much easier to keep set where it should be, as I had trouble once in a while when the slider weights on the 505 would mysteriously get moved while using it. I had a small electronic scale that was a PITA to use for weighing powder and just used it to weigh cases and bullets until it finally quit working. It was no big loss.

 

[mikld]

My first scale I got in 1970 was a Lee Safety Scale (pre-web so I didn't hear any Lee Haters badmouth Lee scales). I still have a Lee SS scale along with an RCBS 5-10, Lyman D5 and a couple older scales (oil dampened Redding, and a "Sierra"). A couple thoughts about the Lee sale; it's just as accurate as any scale I've used in 30+ years of reloading. I like the "safety" feature of a lockable poise. The only detractors is the beam is a bit slower to register, and the scale is calibrated with a vernier type scale (some can't or won't learn to read a vernier scale). I normally keep my RCBS on the bench and check my FA 750 against it making sure the digital is right, but often use my Lee or Lyman, depending on which I grab first...

I haven't seen a 500 (no reloading shops in my town) but RCBS is a good company and I've not heard anything wrong with any of their scales. Quality tool....

 

[Clovishound]

 

[tom black]

Used a 505 since I started reloading in '72. Been a good old scale, never a problem with it.
Tom Black

 

[Ka6otm]

I've got an Ohaus 10-10 scale that I've had since Moses parted the red sea.

I use it to check the calibration on my RCBS partner electronic scale a couple of times a year.