I now have my fathers old Redding beam type scale and I'm not sure of the accuracy being that it was in storage for twenty years or better and it might have gotten banged around a bit. I have loaded some pistol shells with it and reduced the charge a little so not to run into any problems. What I want to get is a new scale and don't know what would be the best for me. I don't do any mass producing of ammo, but am looking at a RCBS chargemaster. Any pro's or con's of these automatic dispensers and scales. They aren't cheap but looking at some good quality beam types, they are fairly expensive too.I I've heard of some scales having a dampening which mine does not have and drives me crazy. any thoughts

Get a set of check weights and see if yours is OK. I have a 5-0-5 with magnetic dampening and like it.

Not a huge fan of electronic scales myself. (Basically just because I can't afford a Chargemaster )

Definitely check weights...you will want/need them for either type. I have a couple of both...beam and electronic scales. Won't be happy til I have a Chargemaster either.
Electronic scales work great if you use them EXACTLY the way the instructions read with regard to flourescent lights, drafts, calibration, warm up time and are the catsass for weighing objects that you don't have a nominal weight for. A lot of people put more faith in a beam scale but my personal experience is that many of the same problems exist with those as with an electronic...again check weights are the true test.

I don't like electronic scales for anything but, case seperation and bullet seperation. For that they work great.

For loading I don't like a electronic at all. They are a real pain when trying to trickle that last little bit and you have to rezero them often. IMO it's hard to beat a good beam. I like my old M5 Lyman made by Ohaus. I like to be able to see that beam slowly rising on that last little trickle of powder. I also have a Dillon Precision and Lee, they all work fine.

Good Luck

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by northwoods39:
I now have my fathers old Redding beam type scale and I'm not sure of the accuracy being that it was in storage for twenty years or better and it might have gotten banged around a bit. I have loaded some pistol shells with it and reduced the charge a little so not to run into any problems. What I want to get is a new scale and don't know what would be the best for me. I don't do any mass producing of ammo, but am looking at a RCBS chargemaster. Any pro's or con's of these automatic dispensers and scales. They aren't cheap but looking at some good quality beam types, they are fairly expensive too.I I've heard of some scales having a dampening which mine does not have and drives me crazy. any thoughts

Clean the pivots and bearing surfaces with alchohol, (the pivots are usually hardened steel "knife edges", they bear on surfaces that are normally polished stone, inspect those surfaces for damage. Make sure that the beam swings freely (not draging on anything), and confirm the scale with check weights. Odds are the scale is good to go. Age doesn't have much effect on balance beam scales.

As others have stated, balance beam scales are a "must have" electronic scales are just a "nice to have" for some exercises, such as segregating bullets or brass by weight. For powder weighing, I will always have more trust in a balance beam scale.

Northwoods I have load many a thousands of rounds with a reddings just like you have.

It is now siting on display with lots of old reloading stuff the new magnetic dampered ones are so much faster. The redding is just as accurate but takes for ever to settel down.

I have the RCBS Chargemaster and have nothing but good things to say about it. It has made powder charging much more pleasurable.

It has 2 ea 50 gr checkweights with it and I calibrate it each time I turn it on. I used to check it with the balance beam but have stopped because it is always right on. The trick is to wait 5 seconds after it beeps and it will give you the weight in the pan. Sometimes the last trickle will drop too much. About 2 or 3 times in 25 loads. If it does just dump the pan back in the hopper and push the buttom again.

Like poetry in motion.

AZPete said it better then I can, your beam scale is likely fine and as accurate as any.

quote:

Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
AZPete said it better then I can, your beam scale is likely fine and as accurate as any.

DITTO!!

If you are looking for a new scale, I would suggest an RCBS 10-10!

northwoods: when you use the scale, notice if the beam is moving equal distance above and below the zero point without hesitation. if it is it's okay but you need check weights. rcbs has them. the redding scale in my collection was made in the late 50's and i use it occasionally. also if the beam is moving equal amonts above and below the zero the weight is correct, reading the beam while it is moving is the most accurate.

If you don't have any check weights, while you are waiting for them to arrive you can weigh a couple different bullets to give yourself an idea if your scale is working properly.

As mentioned, not much to go wrong with a beam balance.

Note, that a 180 grain bullet will most likely not weigh 180 grains, but will be a tenth or two off. But it will give you faith that your balance is accurate at the higher end of the scale. You can also measure a couple smaller weights, like pennies and dimes, then total them up and weigh the quantity of them.

Most everything I load for seems to shoot best several grains below maximum anyway, so I don't really explore the upper limit anymore which is an added safety factor.

Even if this one is undamped, it will make a nice backup to an electronic should you decide to get one (which is what I would do in your situation I think)

Reloader I'm with you on the electric there more work then I want to do.

RCBS 10-10 here

RCBS 10-10 for me also. Electronics fail and they need a power source also. And you still need a backup for it. Simple works.

You know the lifetime waranty on Leupolds? It is only good for 3 yrs on electronics like the illuminated reticle. Read the fine print.

Lyman Ohus, 42 years and still accurate. (it's a beam scale)

I use an electronic scale to weigh bullets, cases, anything but powder going in to a case. I'm with others who don't like the response you get from an electronic scale when trickling in the last bit of powder. It's much more to my taste to scoop in most of the powder with a Lee powder scooper then finish it off with a trickler.

You might say I use a beam scale when I can set the scale and add to the pan unto I reach weight. I use the electronic for anything where the weight is unknown and the scale will tell me the weight.

oldbeam scales are as good as new ones.....just check them out and use them out and use them

I really don't care for electronic scales...at least the ones I've used so far.

Thanks for all the good advice. I think I'll upgrade to a dampened beam type with the lee scooper and the trickler. This keeps things simple. In the future I might get an electronic scale for bullets and cases and such.

I think anyone that does not like the RCBS Chargemaster just has not used it. It is a wonderful tool. Trickles every charge for you to just right. Tells you if it screws up. Can't imagine going back to not having one.

I think saeed uses one almost exclusively in the testing lab.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I think anyone that does not like the RCBS Chargemaster just has not used it. It is a wonderful tool. Trickles every charge for you to just right. Tells you if it screws up. Can't imagine going back to not having one.

I think saeed uses one almost exclusively in the testing lab.

Yep!

You can use a sledgehammer to drive fenceposts instead of a tractor cause the tractor might run out of gas....give me a break--how much reloading are you doing when the power goes out--do you use a candle or a coleman lantern to load by--keep your powder away!

Electronic scales are the new paradigm. They are calibrated the same way as a beam--with check weights.

The RCBS is the zoot-capri!

PS--I have two beams, and three digitals (including one labratory grade digital) and they all return results that are within hairs breadths, interestingly, the one that will go heavy easiest, is one of the beams. --You fix that with.....check weights.

both types work fine,each can be fussy,as stated above use check weights and always double check your scale weight and always zero your scales each and every time you use them, i like my rcbs digital, but i think i wore it out!....regards jjmp

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I think anyone that does not like the RCBS Chargemaster just has not used it. It is a wonderful tool. Trickles every charge for you to just right. Tells you if it screws up. Can't imagine going back to not having one.

I think saeed uses one almost exclusively in the testing lab.

Yep!

You can use a sledgehammer to drive fenceposts instead of a tractor cause the tractor might run out of gas....give me a break--how much reloading are you doing when the power goes out--do you use a candle or a coleman lantern to load by--keep your powder away!

Electronic scales are the new paradigm. They are calibrated the same way as a beam--with check weights.

The RCBS is the zoot-capri!

PS--I have two beams, and three digitals (including one labratory grade digital) and they all return results that are within hairs breadths, interestingly, the one that will go heavy easiest, is one of the beams. --You fix that with.....check weights.

Well I also use my tractor to put in T posts, either that or a wetback.

I've never used a beam, period. I think I threw mine out when I got the Redding starter kit- looked too cheaply made to be accurate.

I've got an RCBS powder dispenser, which I used to use to throw a quick charge into the powder in my tray. It is very accurate a real pleasure to use, but it is sooooooo gooooood daaamn sloooooooooooowwwwwwwww. I wound up getting an Harrel powder dispenser to throw .25-.10gr less charge and then use a tweezer to top it off. I use jewelers scales, one is accurate to +/-.05gr, the other +/- .02gr (1 kernel of powder).

To each his own. Digital scales are just so easy to use. I also can afford batteries too

quote:

Originally posted by northwoods39:
I now have my fathers old Redding beam type scale and I'm not sure of the accuracy

I've heard of some scales having a dampening which mine does not have and drives me crazy. any thoughts

As some have pointed out, your simple redding doesn't need to be still to read the centre of the swing. The manual for them states this and also to use your thumb and finger to bracket the pointer and a light touch on the pointer will stop it.

Mine is as accurate as needs be, and if your trickling the powder into the pan just as it starts to move up it will stop swinging almost straight away.
Naturally we all need more and better gadgets, but I've kept the cheap Redding while selling off some dampned scales that didn't measure up.
Good pun?

Check weights are great. I've never seen a beam that needed them to check accuracy, but I use them often to set the weight I require, which helps eliminate the possibility of you putting up the wrong setting, if you zero when empty.

I found electric to be good and quick, but mine wandered off zero about every 20 minutes or so.
And if you want to be a fussy puss, they can only read to a tenth of a grain, where as a beam can read to about one granual, and about 5 of them little sticks to a tenth grain. (For what it's worth, probably nothing.)

I've had an electric flash up and down a tenth so I suppose it was maybe measuring to a twenty ith, or maybe it was just undecided.

Anyway the swinging Redding will more than do the job, but if it doesn't swing she's buggered.

Just received a RCBS 10/10 and powder trickler today. Got both off of Ebay for $100. It is a very nice scale and I like the dampening. I think it will be a step above the redding.

northwoods39 ----- I load between 3000 and 4000 loads per year, therefore my method may not be typical, but here it is. I use two of the older Lyman Autoscales that are set up with only one powder each. The Autoscales are electronic dispensors that also have a dampened beam scale that levels when the set amount is dispensed. I can use either of those beams whenever I so desire. I also use a Lyman 1200 Electronic dispenser and it is also set up with only one powder all the time. In addition to these three dispensing scales I have one of the new Lyman 1500 electronic scales with the powder trickler for the powders I may use that are not in the dispensers that are loaded with my most commonly used powders I shoot weekly. I really love the new Lyman because it has a zero button that is reccomended you push every 15-20 loads just to be sure you are still zeroed. The powder trickler is very, very handy also. When you shoot as much as I do, you tend to find the quicker steps somewhere down the line. Yep, I have some money invested but this is what I do instead of Golf, so what the hell, reloading and shooting in preparation for a hunt is what makes me tick. Good luck and good shooting.