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Any interest in reading a review of the RCBS M500 Scale?

Heck yeah , write it up Scott. Could you compare it to the older Ohaus scales and point out the differences?
 
RCBS M500 scale review.

After recently tuning an RCBS M1000 scale, I purchased an M500 scale as the beam is different, or so I thought.

First thing I noticed was that the scale body is very lightweight. I thought plastic at first but shortly found it to be of Aluminum. The beam is long and the beam minus the main poise is light in weight. When assembled however, the scale is top heavy and can easily be knocked over. The fine poise is a thin blade of aluminum, just as it should be. The main poise is the same size as the monstrously large poise on the M1000, just lighter in weight.The v-notches on the top of the beam appeared to be uniform both in depth and spacing. The set washer on the right side of the main poise was thick and not a good fit for the V-notches. The dampening vane is made of Copper. The indicating system uses a metal insert with three points on either side of the beam.

Likes: the simple, two-poise beam and an ambidextrous design.

Dislikes: it’s top heavy in use. Magnification is needed to indicate any real level of precision. The dampening vane was not attached securely which caused repeatability problems. No flat surface for use with a level.

The sample I had did not produce sensitivity nor repeatability to my standards. The sensitivity could have been helped by a better indicating system. The repeatability was crippled by the fact that the dampening vane was not securely attached in a way to prevent its movement.

I was hoping that it would be a scale of current production that I could recommend and use as a base for tuning. Sadly, I cannot. Reddings and older Ohaus scales are still the ways to go.

Scott Parker
Single Kernel Scales
 
sparker said:
RCBS M500 scale review.

After recently tuning an RCBS M1000 scale, I purchased an M500 scale as the beam is different, or so I thought.

First thing I noticed was that the scale body is very lightweight. I thought plastic at first but shortly found it to be of Aluminum. The beam is long and the beam minus the main poise is light in weight. When assembled however, the scale is top heavy and can easily be knocked over. The fine poise is a thin blade of aluminum, just as it should be. The main poise is the same size as the monstrously large poise on the M1000, just lighter in weight.The v-notches on the top of the beam appeared to be uniform both in depth and spacing. The set washer on the right side of the main poise was thick and not a good fit for the V-notches. The dampening vane is made of Copper. The indicating system uses a metal insert with three points on either side of the beam.

Likes: the simple, two-poise beam and an ambidextrous design.

Dislikes: it’s top heavy in use. Magnification is needed to indicate any real level of precision. The dampening vane was not attached securely which caused repeatability problems. No flat surface for use with a level.

The sample I had did not produce sensitivity nor repeatability to my standards. The sensitivity could have been helped by a better indicating system. The repeatability was crippled by the fact that the dampening vane was not securely attached in a way to prevent its movement.

I was hoping that it would be a scale of current production that I could recommend and use as a base for tuning. Sadly, I cannot. Reddings and older Ohaus scales are still the ways to go.

Scott Parker
Single Kernel Scales
Click to expand...
I have a 25+ year old RCBS 505 that sometimes sticks. When it does so, all the sudden I go from nothing to say over weight. Im sure it needs a thorough cleaning. You mention an older Ohaus or a Redding. Are the new Redding’s any good? Thanks.
 
sparker said:
RCBS M500 scale review.

After recently tuning an RCBS M1000 scale, I purchased an M500 scale as the beam is different, or so I thought.

First thing I noticed was that the scale body is very lightweight. I thought plastic at first but shortly found it to be of Aluminum. The beam is long and the beam minus the main poise is light in weight. When assembled however, the scale is top heavy and can easily be knocked over. The fine poise is a thin blade of aluminum, just as it should be. The main poise is the same size as the monstrously large poise on the M1000, just lighter in weight.The v-notches on the top of the beam appeared to be uniform both in depth and spacing. The set washer on the right side of the main poise was thick and not a good fit for the V-notches. The dampening vane is made of Copper. The indicating system uses a metal insert with three points on either side of the beam.

Likes: the simple, two-poise beam and an ambidextrous design.

Dislikes: it’s top heavy in use. Magnification is needed to indicate any real level of precision. The dampening vane was not attached securely which caused repeatability problems. No flat surface for use with a level.

The sample I had did not produce sensitivity nor repeatability to my standards. The sensitivity could have been helped by a better indicating system. The repeatability was crippled by the fact that the dampening vane was not securely attached in a way to prevent its movement.

I was hoping that it would be a scale of current production that I could recommend and use as a base for tuning. Sadly, I cannot. Reddings and older Ohaus scales are still the ways to go.

Scott Parker
Single Kernel Scales
Click to expand...


The M500 is the scale I've used in the past and don't use much since I bought my ChargeMaster. It took me a while to figure out what to do to get accurate repeatable measurements with this scale. It DOES require magnification to get accuracy and I use Web Camera attached to a computer, which allows me to see changes that occur down to a granule of powder. While I could get good accuracy then, I found that I had to release the pan of powder from my fingers pretty much at the exact same position (include the space,front and back, where the damper vane fits) so that the osculations of the arm were the same. When I do that I get very good repeatability. . . . as long as I don't happen to bump the scale in any way effecting any kind of change in the way the center pivot rested in the ceramic bearings. Once I got used to this, it produces pretty good results . . . though sometimes a little slow.
 
Scott,

I thought the Lyman M5's were pretty good scales also?

Your thoughts??

Thanks

Edit. I see I was fooled by the LYMAN Name- Made by Ohaus for Lyman
 
Last edited:
epc308 said:
I have a 25+ year old RCBS 505 that sometimes sticks. When it does so, all the sudden I go from nothing to say over weight. Im sure it needs a thorough cleaning. You mention an older Ohaus or a Redding. Are the new Redding’s any good? Thanks.
Click to expand...

New Reddings are ok. I prefer older ones.
They can both be helped.
 
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