powder scale gift for new reloader. Is $125 wasted?

[1066]

Yes, even the Redding No2 is not what it was 15 years ago. I know they look the same but when you look closer you will see the older scales had a very nicely engraved beam, several years ago they switch to a printed tape stuck on the beam. The old level adjuster used to be knurled, now it's just a bolt.
I made this video a while ago comparing three Redding No 2's

 

[hambone1971]

Yes, even the Redding No2 is not what it was 15 years ago. I know they look the same but when you look closer you will see the older scales had a very nicely engraved beam, several years ago they switch to a printed tape stuck on the beam. The old level adjuster used to be knurled, now it's just a bolt.
I made this video a while ago comparing three Redding No 2's

And that's a good thing it's not the same. I have both and the new one (mine is 30 years old with the printed tape stuck on the beam) is much better with the magnetic damping. The tape means nothing, it's accurate to a grain, doesn't come off, etc. The other older one with engraved beam is nice to look at but takes forever to settle down with a load of powder. The leveling bolt is just a leveling bolt, what's the deal. Of course I'm not selling something here.

 

[1066]

And that's a good thing it's not the same. I have both and the new one (mine is 30 years old with the printed tape stuck on the beam) is much better with the magnetic damping. The tape means nothing, it's accurate to a grain, doesn't come off, etc. The other older one with engraved beam is nice to look at but takes forever to settle down with a load of powder. The leveling bolt is just a leveling bolt, what's the deal. Of course I'm not selling something here.

I think you're comparing apples and oranges there, all the Redding No 2's have magnetic damping. The earlier Redding scales had oil damping or none at all. For about twenty years the Redding No 2 had an engraved scale, first ones were brown with a silver metal engraved beam, but in the same shape body as the current No. 2. Then they changed to green with a black beam, nicely engraved with white markings. Then then changed to the applied tape.

I can't imagine someone at a production meeting at the time saying "How can we make this scale better" but I can certainly imagine someone saying "How can we make this scale cheaper"

I think reloading beam scales reached their peak with the Lyman M5 in the late '60's, early '70's. The only advance (or sidestep) since then, but introduced not long after, has been the rotary poise and the approach to weight system as used on the 5-10 and 10/10 scales. Since that date quality has eroded, so slowly that it's often gone unnoticed.

If you compare a Lyman M5 with todays orange scale with a plastic body it makes you weep.

Redding No 2, engraved scale

Redding No 2, applied tape

Early RCBS 5-10, metal knurled adjusting wheel and 10th grain markings.

Later RCBS 5-10, plastic level wheel, no 10th markings

 

[Bart B.]

A good scale is one that's repeatable.

Who cares if it's off 2 tenths grain?

 

[1066]

A good scale is one that's repeatable.

Who cares if it's off 2 tenths grain?

Can't argue with that Bart - consistency is the key.

 

[JimSC]

I certainly won't be paying big bucks for a scale. Like Bart B if a scale is off by a few milligrams from a $10 K lab grade scale I could care less. I now have two old school beam scales, two electronics neither of which cost me more than $225 and a RCBS powder dispenser scale setting on, around, and under my bench. I can get plus or minus a couple of milligrams precision on all my charges and get single digit SD ammo.

Anything more precise would just get caught in the noise of wind and shooting technique for me.

 

[Iowa Fox]

There are probably some on here who will disagree, but for the stated use the Lee Safety Scale would be a good choice. Add a rare earth magnet on one side to make the damper work better/faster. You will be surprised how sensitive and repeatable it is.

Any pictures of how you might have rigged up one like this?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I think you're comparing apples and oranges there, all the Redding No 2's have magnetic damping. The earlier Redding scales had oil damping or none at all. For about twenty years the Redding No 2 had an engraved scale, first ones were brown with a silver metal engraved beam, but in the same shape body as the current No. 2. Then they changed to green with a black beam, nicely engraved with white markings. Then then changed to the applied tape.

I can't imagine someone at a production meeting at the time saying "How can we make this scale better" but I can certainly imagine someone saying "How can we make this scale cheaper"

I think reloading beam scales reached their peak with the Lyman M5 in the late '60's, early '70's. The only advance (or sidestep) since then, but introduced not long after, has been the rotary poise and the approach to weight system as used on the 5-10 and 10/10 scales. Since that date quality has eroded, so slowly that it's often gone unnoticed.

If you compare a Lyman M5 with todays orange scale with a plastic body it makes you weep.

Redding No 2, engraved scale

Redding No 2, applied tape

Early RCBS 5-10, metal knurled adjusting wheel and 10th grain markings.

Later RCBS 5-10, plastic level wheel, no 10th markings

1066
I have a Lyman 1000 scale that I bought around 1981. It has the heavy cast base, it has nylon type v’s that it pivots on and with magnetic damper. It’s been very reliable. Just wanted to see what you knew about it.

 

[Depart123]

1066
I have a Lyman 1000 scale that I bought around 1981. It has the heavy cast base, it has nylon type v’s that it pivots on and with magnetic damper. It’s been very reliable. Just wanted to see what you knew about it.

Those aren't nylon pivot bearings, they are agate. American made by Ohaus. The bearings should wiggle just a bit, they were made to "float". It's one of the good ones we have been talking about.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Those aren't nylon pivot bearings, they are agate. American made by Ohaus. The bearings should wiggle just a bit, they were made to "float". It's one of the good ones we have been talking about.

Thanks, Meangreen!

 

[hambone1971]

This is a good forum to learn about a lot of stuff, didn't know my Redding 2 had a green Redding 2 predecessor with engraved beam. I have a brown one with engraved beam, no damping, it must be old old. That engraved Green one does look nice. My stickey on tape one does work to a half grain and that's good as I need for my reloading. It's always ready and warmed up, unlike my electronic ones i have to keep Tare ing , calibrating all the time. Thanks for the history 1066. HB

 

[17TACnes]

A good scale is one that's repeatable.

Who cares if it's off 2 tenths grain?

Just a question. How does one determine if a scale is repeatable without having a baseline weight reference to check the scale with?

 

[jonbearman]

Just find an older one made in the early 80's or earlier.I have a Dillon that is 28 years old and for the most part it works fine for average reloading however I have an earlier 5-10 that Scott Parker did for me and it is right on the money.

 

[Bart B.]

Just a question. How does one determine if a scale is repeatable without having a baseline weight reference to check the scale with?

It weighs the same thing the same number each time. 54.3 grains, for example. 20 to 30 times in a row.

On an expensive lab scale, 54.50961 grains. No problem.

Your bullets don't weigh exactly their stated weight, either.

Reloading is not an exact science. Too many variables in a given powder across all its lots to mandate exact weights of charges. Close but consistent is as good as it gets.

 

[Pwc]

I have a little Lyman pocket scale $24 and I use it to check my Pacific beam scale. Weights for the beam are right on. Just make sure the scale is level and in the environment (temp. and no air blowing on it) in which it will be used for at least 3 hrs. Don't take it from the house to the garage and expect it to be accurate when you turn it on.

 

[Depart123]

A little side trick for your beam scale...take a bit of iron filings and put them on the magnets next to the part that slides up and down in the slot. Tamp them down a bit flat with a popsicle stick so they don't touch the beam. Put powdered graphite under the pivots. Your beam will be more repeatable and sensitive.

When using my beam scale, I use a set of apothecary weights (Troemner) to zero the scale at or very near my charge weight.

 

[danny]

A little side trick for your beam scale...take a bit of iron filings and put them on the magnets next to the part that slides up and down in the slot. Tamp them down a bit flat with a popsicle stick so they don't touch the beam. Put powdered graphite under the pivots. Your beam will be more repeatable and sensitive.

When using my beam scale, I use a set of apothecary weights (Troemner) to zero the scale at or very near my charge weight.

I zero my scale by centering the beam reference mark to the scale body reference mark, and I have check weights. When centered, a scale that is working correctly will weigh corrrctly the whole range. That is how Ohaus and RCBS tell you how to do it.

Danny

 

[Depart123]

I zero my scale by centering the beam reference mark to the scale body reference mark, and I have check weights. When centered, a scale that is working correctly will weigh corrrctly the whole range. That is how Ohaus and RCBS tell you how to do it.

Danny

Then my extra bit of caution hinders nothing, right? I mean if it's really all the same?

 

[1066]

A little side trick for your beam scale...take a bit of iron filings and put them on the magnets next to the part that slides up and down in the slot. Tamp them down a bit flat with a popsicle stick so they don't touch the beam.

/QUOTE]

Can you explain that a bit more? or show a picture? I can't seem to imagine exactly what you're doing here.

 

[Depart123]

I'll post a picture when I get home.

But basically, I pulled this scale out of storage just for a change of pace one day. In the course of a couple of moves, the magnets that do the magnetic dampening had accumulated some iron or steel filings in the gap that the little metal piece attached to the beam rides in.

I was surprised how sensitive the scale was when I did some testing dropping single kernals on it. So, I cleaned it all up and removed the filings with a q-tip. The sensitivity and repeatability was pretty drastically reduced. I got some more iron filings and put them back on the magnets and the sensitivity returned. So...now they stay.