I was set to buy the RCBS Rangemaster 750 but I am reading mixed reviews about it.

What are you guys using?? I would like to hear your opinions.

I do not need the electronic powder measure/scales for the amount of ammo I will load. For my purposes I only need an ACCURATE digital scale and will use it with a powder trickler. I will spend up to 200 bucks.

Thanks

In my opinion the Hornady 1500GS is best avoided, their Lock-N-Load scale is somewhat better, but I’m not extremely happy with it either. I’ve had one quit completely; it was replaced under warranty, both Lock-N-Load scales suffered from what I refer to as wandering. With a load sitting on the pan, the weight reading wanders around a bit, no more than a tenth or two, but enough to make me question it.

I have had a RCBS for 5 years...works great.

I heard that they are made in China now....wonder if this is true?

I have an ancient (early '90s) Lyman and it still works just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:
I heard that they are made in China now....wonder if this is true?

Is there anything NOT made is China these days?

I bought a RCBS 750 the other day. Set it up and could see that it would be difficult to use my trickler. Thought about it for a while and asked myself WHY do I need a digital scale when my old trusty RCBS 505 worked so well over the years. Oh well I figured I'd give the new digital scale a try. After all, I needed to up-grade some of my reloading stuff and be a little more "modern". So I continued to unpack my new scale then spotted the words MADE IN CHINA on the side of the carton. I packed it back up ever so neatly and returned it to my dealer. I explained to my dealer that I am so sorry to have returned my purchase and will always by products from him that are NOT Made in China. I'm now VERY happy to give new life to that old MADE IN USA, RCBS 505.

I have an RCBS since day one when they offered them many years ago. No issues.

quote:

Originally posted by CJWinWA:
both Lock-N-Load scales suffered from what I refer to as wandering. With a load sitting on the pan, the weight reading wanders around a bit, no more than a tenth or two, but enough to make me question it.

I've seen the same thing happen with laboratory balances. They could "wander" up to .1 g (~1.5 gr) if several people were moving near them. Asked the Professor about this, he said it is normal. The balances were so accurate, that the change in air pressure from the people moving would register as weight on the pan.

He said they had ordered ones with new barometric technology to account for this. I was graduated since then, but I wonder how they worked.

I have both a RCBS 502 and 750 Range master. They are both dead on. It helps to let the 750 warm up before calibrating it.

I've had an RCBS Chargemaster since they first came out and it has been great. Had a power surge a few weeks ago and RCBS sent me a new transformer no charge. Unfortunately the scale itself was also destabilized so I replaced it with the Chargemaster Combo. That is the best reloading investment I have ever made. As fast as you can seat a bullet and put the round in the box, the next charge is ready to dump.

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:
I heard that they are made in China now....wonder if this is true?

The RCBS that was made in the US was done so by PACT for RCBS. You can still get new PACT scales made in the US.

Oh Boy...what a can of worms.

So is there a scale made in USA which is similar to the RCBS Rangemaster 750??

I have to admit that the Made In China thing does bother me.

quote:

Thought about it for a while and asked myself WHY do I need a digital scale when my old trusty RCBS 505 worked so well over the years.

Exactly!

A balance beam scale is much more dependable, and in many instances faster to use. It is unaffected by static electricity, barometric pressure, voltage spikes, RF interference, or the user's bad breath.

If you compare ratings of the Pact to the RCBS dispenser, the RCBS comes out on top, Midsouth has the RCBS for $290, RCBS has a $50 rebate.

http://www.midsouthshooterssup...m.asp?sku=0004498923

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...10-volt#ReviewHeader

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...10-volt#ReviewHeader

http://www.midwayusa.com/gener...rebates~rcbs-save-50

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:
I was set to buy the RCBS Rangemaster 750 but I am reading mixed reviews about it.

What are you guys using?? I would like to hear your opinions.

I do not need the electronic powder measure/scales for the amount of ammo I will load. For my purposes I only need an ACCURATE digital scale and will use it with a powder trickler. I will spend up to 200 bucks.

Thanks

I use one of these from Dillon Precision http://www.dillonprecision.com...tor_Electronic_Scale

I inherited a RCBS Partner (made by Pact) from a friend. I also have the 2nd generation Dillion scale.
They are both stable if used where the air is still and there is no static from a carpet.

Why anyone thinks he can buy US made electronics these days I don't know.
Chinese workers are paid about $.50/hour.
Most of the designing is done in the west but manufacturing is done somewhere else.


Huge disclaimer here

I NEVER use an electronic scale for weighing individual powder charges.
They are used only for weighing bullets and brass.
Why weigh bullets - I used them to sort cast bullets by weight.
I sort large lots of brass (100 to 500 pieces of rifle brass) by weight and put similar weight cases in the the same sub lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Thought about it for a while and asked myself WHY do I need a digital scale when my old trusty RCBS 505 worked so well over the years.

Exactly!

A balance beam scale is much more dependable, and in many instances faster to use. It is unaffected by static electricity, barometric pressure, voltage spikes, RF interference, or the user's bad breath.

Agree.

But you still must be careful. I have an RCBS 304 scale which I believe is no longer made.

But I have to be careful of air currents, and I once heard about someone whose balance beam scale read incorrectly because an insect was sitting out-of-sight on the balance beam. You also must be sure that the weights have fallen completely into their slots (trust me . . . this can be a problem).

Irrespective of what variety of scale you use, verify it's accuracy with check-weights.

Most of the time, I do so after every 15 - 20 rounds. When I'm using a powder measure, I do the same thing.

Midway has the 750 on sale for $104 so i am ordering it today

Been using the RCBS 1500 Combo a few years and no problems. Let it warm up, use check weights and calibrate. Never leaved plugged in.

I hope never to go back to a scale, only in an emergency! If it ever gives up the ghost will place an immediate order for another . . . unless the next bestest greatest invention comes along before then

I also use the RCBS Chargemaster and I really like it.


.

RCBS Chargemaster. +1

quote:

Originally posted by BayouBob:
I've had an RCBS Chargemaster since they first came out and it has been great. Had a power surge a few weeks ago and RCBS sent me a new transformer no charge. Unfortunately the scale itself was also destabilized so I replaced it with the Chargemaster Combo. That is the best reloading investment I have ever made. As fast as you can seat a bullet and put the round in the box, the next charge is ready to dump.

Amen!

Another happy RCBS Chargemaster user here.
It rarely throws anything but the dialled in load & when it does it beeps to let me know.
It's an unfortunate fact of life that pretty much anything electronic is made in the PRC these days, though the gradual increase in exchange rates IS beginning to reintroduce some domestic manufacturing industries.

I use a very old (original?) RCBS digital scale (500 gr. cap.) and has worked well for many years. It does have some long term drift but the way I use it that isn't an issue. I periodically check it with a set of standard weights and it has never been off or needed adjustment. Sartorius has taken over Denver Instruments, which were supposed to be good; they are fairly expensive.
C.G.B.