From my beginning re-loader experience I’ve come to a conclusion that the Lee safety magnetic $20 powder scale that comes with the Lee reloading kit is not too good.

I’m looking at purchasing the Dillon eliminator scale at $50 any better suggestions?

Anybody have + or - experience (input) with this product? I would appreciate it, thank you.
Vinnyg

You are right, the Lee scale is crap. The Dillon is a very good scale for the money. You can also go RCBS, all of them are good or if you want to step upto digital, get the Dillon.

The RCBS scales are made by Ohaus, and I believe I've seen it posted that the Dillon is also. Can anyone verify or refute?
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RCBS 10-10 all the way!!!!

Best scale on the market IMO!

Just avoid the Redding #2. I've recently bought it and I'm unsatisfied.

There are a few keys to good scales, balance beam style. They must be kept clean. Placed on a level work surface. And use of a quality check weight set.
With the above in mind any of the balance beam scales can work reliably.

muck

Hornady Pacific balance beam scale.

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:
Just avoid the Redding #2. I've recently bought it, and I'm unsatisfied.

Have you looked into returning it to Redding?
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quote:

Originally posted by smedley:
RCBS 10-10 all the way!!!!

Best scale on the market IMO!

Ditto

I like the 3 poise scales a little better than the 2 poise or the roller poise of the 10-10.

The RCBS 505 is one of the 3 poise type. The old Bair, Texan, Pacific and Hornady models were all 3 poise scales. To me they were a little less likely to get the grain and tenths of a grain reversed.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:
The RCBS scales are made by Ohaus, and I believe I've seen it posted that the Dillon is also. Can anyone verify or refute?
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Yes, the Dillon is made by Ohaus too. Great scale!

I have never used the Dillon. But I have been using a Lyman-Ohaus M5 since 1968. I recently bought a "used" (almost brand-new) one of the same from e-Bay for $25.00 last year. I have no idea how long ago it was made, but it is very good too. Lymnan discontinued this M5 scale years back. But if you can find one priced as reasonably as I did, buy it. It is a very good, accurate scale and I like the internal beam/pan storage arrangement. I suspect it is pretty much the same scale as the current RCBS 10-10.....

Why no mention of electronic scales? I've had my Pact for quite a few yrs and can't complain. I was leary about it for a while so I set up my RCBS 5-0-5 scale to check the Pact with. Didn't take me long to trust the Pact.

til later

Ohaus 10/10. Been using one for almost 50 years. One of these days I'm gonna send it in for a refurb. I use it now to proof my Lyman 1200. Or if I've just a few to load and don't want to wait for the 1200 to warm up.
The electronic scales can be super sensitive to vibrations on a conventional floor and can also be effected by florescent lights.

I used a RCBS 1010 for several decades, then a couple years ago I started having trouble reading the numbers on the tenth roller scale. I purchased a RCBS 505 and couldn't be happier, numbers are easy to read, no more flashlight and reading glasses.

1010 is hard to beat. I have the older Lyman version made by Ohaus an dit's been a very reliable scale.

Just check ebay, 1010s and 505s go really cheap quite often.

Good Luck

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
1010 is hard to beat. I have the older Lyman version made by Ohaus an dit's been a very reliable scale.

Just check ebay, 1010s and 505s go really cheap quite often.

Good Luck

Reloader

Good advice. Actually, any of the older scales with actual metal (aluminum) beams are pretty good (Lyman, Herter's, Redding, etc.) Look for the magnetic as opposed to oil dampened models. I've tried the electronic scales. They simply are not well adapted to reloading in my (admittedly Luddite) opinion.

Let's talk about function, features --

I have an RCBS 5-0-2. It's probably 20 yrs old and works fine. It has a magnetic damper in the beam which needs to be kept clean. Lately the beam has been "sticking." I've cleaned the balance points and the damper.

This scale gets wrapped up in cloth protective wraps and stored it its box. Any scale needs to be covered and stored when not in use. (ALL reloading components need to be stored away when not in use.)

I've checked accuracy on this scale against a digital. It's dead on.

As for the "sticking" -- any balance beam scale needs to be checked to ensure that the beam is swinging free, seated on its pivots.

My chief concern is that the poises on this scale are small and difficult to read. Large poise is 5 gr. increments and it's easy to get it on the wrong notch unless you double check. The poise needs to be read/checked in good light and at a distance you can see fine detail. (No sitting in front of the TV watching a movie in the dark with the scale on the other side of the coffee table. -- I've seen this set-up.)

And an RCBS Powder Pro digital.

The thing I like about the digitals is that it gives a READ OUT in digits rather than simply matching a needle on a balance beam.

This comes in handy for all sorts of reload functions:

You can weigh bullets, brass, powder charges all on one scale without resetting a poise or otherwise "setting up." That feature alone makes a digital worth whatever it costs.

The scale comes with its own set of calibration weights. Because it reads out in digits rather than a "match needle" you can use bullets as test weights to see if the scale is accurately calibrated. It's simple to calibrate, but requires referencing the manual.

Again, it gets stored in its box. Scales need to be stored in dustproof boxes.

RCBS has unconditional warranties -- really serious unconditional warranties. I messed up a primer tool, my fault. RCBS told me to send it to them, they wanted to see how I could mess it up so they might engineer that fault out of the product. They sent me a new one.

The replacement they sent me included extra "primer rods" -- the post that seats the primer, with its springs, collars, plungers. It's nice to have a "backup." I didn't ask. They just included them in the replacement.

A "pistol" measure die for my RCBS Uniflo Powder Measure. It's a smaller dose unit. They sent me one free on request.

New powder tube for my RCBS Uniflo -- It's 25 yrs old and cracked. Free.

Dillon makes good stuff too, but I've been with RCBS forever. I like their products and their service. No frills, no hype, just "work horse" equipment at a working man's price.

There are companies in the shooting business who stand behind their products absolutely -- RCBS is on that list.

I used my Lee scale for 12 years without any trouble. Which means I checked it's accuracy against other scales & it was spot on. Sure, it's nothing fancy, but it works. I bought a Redding. I've found it to be a great scale. I have no experience of the other scales, but a good friend rates his RCBS electronic scale (not sure which model) highly.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:
Just avoid the Redding #2. I've recently bought it, and I'm unsatisfied.

Have you looked into returning it to Redding?
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I live in Italy; sending the scale back to Redding and ask for a refound sounds like a "mission impossible"

quote:

I live in Italy; sending the scale back to Redding and asking for a refund sounds like a "mission impossible."

My oversight.

If you haven't already done so, an e-mail detailing your problem and asking for advice might net you some positive results. All e-mails get answered, usually within a day's time. Patrick Ryan, an engineer with Redding, handles customer contact and has always been very accommodating whenever I've had occasion to deal with them.

techline@redding-reloading.com
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I have an RCBS 10-10 and a RCBS Digital Powder pro. I still use the 10-10 to check my Digital Pro. A great beam balance scale.

Well thank you guys, I put some money in my local area by purchasing the Dillon eliminator scale from the local gun store.
YES, it’s a three poise scale and made by Ohaus Corporation.
This scale is superior by far compared to the $20 Lee scale.
After setting up my new Dillon scale I checked and checked and checked with the weight set and bullets and its dead on!

I feel confident with the accuracy of this scale and have already put it to work.
I can tell I’ll have it for a long time.

Well near 40 years of reloading gives me an opinion . 10/10 Ohaus RCBS DILLON !.

I don't trust those cheap Chinese Electronic scales ( I don't care who's name or color they've got )and I've got 9 now 7 have been given to me !. So I'm guessing other re loaders don't like them much either , other wise they wouldn't have given them to me !. I'm likable but NOT that likable !!.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

quote:

I have never used the Dillon. But I have been using a Lyman-Ohaus M5 since 1968. I recently bought a "used" (almost brand-new) one of the same from e-Bay for $25.00 last year. I have no idea how long ago it was made, but it is very good too. Lymnan discontinued this M5 scale years back. But if you can find one priced as reasonably as I did, buy it. It is a very good, accurate scale and I like the internal beam/pan storage arrangement. I suspect it is pretty much the same scale as the current RCBS 10-10.....

quote:

Posted 13 May 2008 17:36 Hide Post
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I also have a Lyman M5 damn near unused in the box and the best buy going on ebay I also have a RCBS 10-10, the 10-10 in like new cond. is selling for $70+ on ebay is it worth that much more then the Lyman maybe because of the RCBS warrenty my 10-10 was acting up called RCBS they gave me work order number to send with scale to Ohaus, they compleatly rebuilt the scale including new weight pan and cover that the other one turned yellow
i'm sure that's why there $40 $50 more used.

I own and strongly as possable reommend RCBS scales. With the 5-0-5 as the minimum/maximum you will ever need. Plus you can suffer having someone use it for a hammer, send it back to RCBS and they will fix or replace it no questions asked. How do I know this? because my dad GRHS, reduced mine to three oddly shaped pieces and I called RCBS as I had nothing to loose. I said my 5-0-5 suffered a "little" accident and could they do anything for me, they said to send it to them and they would see what they could do. Some time lator a got a BSN 5-0-5 in the mail, free.

I have owned scales made by RCBS, Lee, Redding, and was able to use and evaluate Lymans and Hornadys' and the RCBS was hands down the best. I was FYI, extreamly disapointed in the Redding scale. For the price I paid, it sucks in all respects compaired to the 5-0-5. This is comming from a guy who owns and uses redding dies for 90% of my reloading.

You will never go wrong with 90%++ of the RCBS equipment you buy.

rcbs 10/10 is about as good as it gets for a bar scale and the price is easy on the pocket book.

I just switched to the RCBS auotmated system and for the 250.00 it cost me I am very satisfied that it has cut my reloading time by 40% overall. But htis is big bucks. but zI love the precision and speed of the new scale/distribution system.

quote:

Originally posted by rje:
RCBS 10-10 is about as good as it gets for a bar scale, and the price is easy on the pocket book.

Actually, it costs twice what other beam scales do.
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