Anyone use one of these? Are they accurate and/or reliable? At 190.00 they're alot more affordable than the rcbs digital setup at 325.00. Thanks--JM.

check this out from 4/27

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/004597.html

helidriver72 -- I have both the Lyman Autoscale and RCBS Digital setup. I have had the Lyman for years and it is the mainstay of my powder measuring. I just bought the RCBS system last year. I find the Digital system actually slower. It has to be Calibrated each session, and this is time consuming. The old Autoscale I keep filled with the powder I use most with several rifles. I set the beam then punch the button and in 9 seconds I have a load, I then seat bullets between dropped loads. I am getting used to the RCBS system, and I use it when I load large amounts of a powder other than what I have in the Autoscale, but I still hate to go through the Calibrating procedure each and everytime. Sometimes the RCBS system is persnickty and has to be calibrated more than once. In conclusion, I love that old Autoscale, would never give it up. Yes I will try the new stuff, but it is hard to beat. Good shooting.

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I had the Autoscale when it was originally made and marketed by Arcadia Machine Tool. I had nothing but grief with it. It was inconsistent and inaccurate. I sent it back a couple of times, then finally returned it and got my money back. They shortly thereafter sold it to Lyman. On the other hand I bought the Pact trickler system, same as marketed by RCBS. I find it to be faster and more accurate than the Autoscale even dreamed. I also have a scientific scale which measures grains to the hundreds. The Pact repeatablility has been every bit as accurate as the scientific, and it's much faster. It is now my mainstay for weighing. I use the Lee powder dippers to scoop a charge just short of the desired weight, hit the trickler while I seat a bullet and the next charge is ready to dump in the case. It's faster than I am.

Though I calibrate every session, which is fast and easy, I've never found the need. Once you know the weight of your pan, weighing it verifies accuracy. Only problem I've ever had was with the trickler which allowed the small grain powders like H110 into the mechanism. That was changed after early production and after my trickler was upgraded by Pact (free) I've never had another problem.

Periodically Pact has sales of the scale and trickler. Each can be acquired for about $125 direct from them.

I have used an Autoscale since they first came out, still the same machine and never a problem, that would be nigh on to 20 years? Give or take. It has been accurate, reliable, repeatable, and easy to use. I have loaded everything from 17 Rem to 45-70 and get good reloads. The only drawback I can see is that it doesn't work well with ball or flake powders. That has never been a big issue with me, other options are available for the few times I try to build a load with ball powder. If you set up a routine with the Autoscale, it is dispensing a load as you are checking and seating the previous. I obviously like it.

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If Elmer didn't say it, it probably ain't true.