So how do y’all feel about electronic scales? I’ve had an RCBS Lil Partner for a while and I was wondering if everyone experiences the same things I do with these things..
Constantly having to re-calibrate.
Test weights will read differently after using the scale only for an hour or two.
Battery life isn’t very long.. Scale starts to be unreliable when 9v battery gets a little low on charge.
Scale will perform at its best only at room temperature.

Are there some better than others now? Or do I just need to upgrade? What do you think?

Sometimes I just don’t want to dink with it so I go back to my Ohaus 10-10 scale I bought way back when.. It’s a little slower but it always works..

Thanks.

I've had a pact for 10-years. I HAVE had problems with mine, but only when I have left it unplugged for extended periods of time and then plug it in to use.

Pact says they need some "warm up time"... I leave mine plugged in all the time now and have no problems with it.

RDub, I think there are definitely better scales now, and I would upgrade. I have a new Pact digital precision, and it has eliminated the issues you described, which I used to have with my 9-volt battery model from Cabela's. My Pact is electric as well, and it's nice not to worry about the battery. Mine is very stable and very accurate--I have a laboratory quality triple beam and a Denver Instrument digital lab scale that I check it against from time to time--it's always right on.

Good Luck--Don

I bought an elec scale because I just knew it would be faster/more accurate/better, etc. Used it once, sold it, and went back to my RCBS.

I feel your pain

I have an older Pact, and also have a Lyman 1200 DPS. Both work fine if kept in a stable environment, but temperature changes wreak havoc... constant adjustment and rezeroing. The Pact was so much trouble with 9 volt batteries that I converted it to use a transformer/wall wart.

The Lyman DPS is really cool, but a PITA to clear of powder, and requires a 30 minute warm up period. Unless I'm going to load over 50 rounds of rifle ammo, I don't even set it up.

I have a RCBS charge master dispenser, I love it, Calibration is fast and stays accurate, It very fast and each charge is weighed, I doubt if I will ever use my balance beam scale again. I have a Pacific dispenser it was accurate but a PITA to set up, Maybe I will just set it up for the 22-250 and leave it.

FWIW - Pact will upgrade their older scales for a nominal fee.

quote:

I was wondering if everyone experiences the same things I do with these things..

Yes, Not to mention they are a real pain to trickle the last few tenths of a charge w/.

The real use I get from my Digital scale is for Bullet and Brass Segregation and for that it works wonderfully.

Nothing like a good ole' Beam IMO.

Reloader

I have the original ohaus electronic scale sold by RCBS.It was expensive but it is very accurate and much faster than my old 10-10.

RDub..

I've been using a PACT for four years now and am quite pleased with it. They are very sensitive to air currents, so use them where they are somewhat protected from AC and heating currents.

Mine has a transformer so I don't need to worry about batteries anymore: that tends to also cut down on variances quite a bit. Always let the unit warm up for fifteen minutes before loading. I use check weights every twenty or thirty rounds.

RDub,
I have a Dillon electronic that is probably now an antique (like me!), and have finally concluded that it is best used for checking rough weights before dropping them on to my really old Lyman. I keep my Dillon "on" when I am in a reloading mood and run it on wall current. It is also very sensitive to air movement and the AC or heat really plays ned with it. Very little works better than the old fashion balance beam scales. Kudude

Well thanks for the comments..
I agree that, for weighing cast bullets or cases the electronic scales make quick work of it.
I may try a newer model and see what happens. Until then I'm happy with the balance beam for critical charges.
Thanks again..

quote:

Originally posted by RDub:
...I go back to my Ohaus 10-10 scale I bought way back when.. It’s a little slower but it always works...

Hey RDub, Sounds like me. I also use an Ohaus 10-10 and it still works just fine for me too. Interesting that the old Magnetic Dampening works so well compared to the Electronic Scales for my old hands.

But, sensitivity is what you pay for when you get an Electronic Scale. I do "borrow" an Electronic Scale from a buddy when I do Case Sorting, but I can do it on the Ohaus if need be.

If you do find an Electronic that works with similar Stability to the old Ohaus 10-10, I'd sure like to hear about it.

Have a Lyman 1200 DPS that I have used for over a year now and am very satisfied with it. Re: teh 30 min . warm up- this can be bypassed if you are in a real hurry-just verify that it is reading true. I rarely unplug mine but if I do need it to bypass the 30 min warm up, I just check it with the included "check weight" or a known oblect, like a 130 grain bullet that I know is 129.9 gr. and move along.

I have an older pact e-scale. I don't use it much----I do all me reloading off of my rcbs 10-10 scale. I love the 10-10. Usually I use both just as a mental check at the beginning of a reloading session....then switch over to just using the 10-10. I also have a vibrashine powder trickler--that is really really nice!!

I use two scales. I have an RCBS power dispenser and then I use a jewelers scale for my charges. It is sensitive to +/- .01 gr, not the +/-.1 gr of the more common scales.

For cases etc I use the less precise RCBS scale. I've never used balance scales (too slow), though I'd place them as being more precise than the RCBS variety.

I, too, have a Lyman for 10+ years and love it.

Good battery life, accurate, very little warm-up time. Wouldn't go back to the old BB type for anything.

I have the Lyman DPS 1200 and I'm well pleased with it. When I first got it, I varified it against my 10-10 but have stopped doing that as unneeded.
I turn it on when I first go into the shop and I usually have 30 minutes worth of piddling around to do before I can get down to powder charging.

I'm curious, I have a Lyman DPS 1200 also and was wondering what is the longest amount of time you guys have kept your electronic scales plugged in??? Bill T.

I recently bought a new, real inexpensive scale for under $25 that reads to 0.1 grain and seems to work fine - variation of a few tenths in powder charges doesn't mean much in terms of accuracy anyway compared to bigger factors such as wind and shooters skill.

reply to billt- I have left it on over 2 months with no problems. Spoke with Lyman and they said no difficulty in leaving on continuously.

I would second the vote for the RCBS scale/dispenser. I recalibrate the scale every time I use it and it seems to work great. Every load is weighed and dispensed. I have checked it with a balance beam scale and it is on the money.

Hiya
Well if any of you guys are still hangin around here, I recently upgraded to an RCBS Chargemaster 1500 electronic scale and couldn't be happier with it. I have not had to calibrate hardly at all. It has given me consistently accurate readings for a few months now.
What is really nice is it responds to trickled powder very well.
I might be a coincidence but it seems my chronographed velocity spreads have gotten better also.
Anyway thought I would update y'all..

quote:

Originally posted by gab:
reply to billt- I have left it on over 2 months with no problems. Spoke with Lyman and they said no difficulty in leaving on continuously.

I believe it. I work with CNC Milling Machines. They have digital readouts that are left on continually for months, even during the weekend because the manufacturer says it's better to leave it on then constantly shutting it down and turning it on. Bill T.

I love to answer this question...
I have had the older RCBS “2 piece†scale & dispenser and it was not great. I needed to warm up at least 10 min and would drift .1-.2 gr every 10 rounds or so… I got into the habit of using my check weights every 1-3 rounds…
That said the new RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser Combo is GREAT.
No warm up
Fast dispensing
No drift that I can tell… (I still check every 3-5 rounds)
I love it and recommend it to any one who will listen