Beam scale

[Kracken McGraw]

I thought about going digital, but saw too many "issues" with odd readings, fluorescent lighting causing sun spots, or some such....
My biggest issue with a digital scale was the inability (at least according to reviews) to trickle a few kernels/flakes in to bring it up the last few tenths of a grain.

I suppose an automatic dispenser/trickler/scale would eliminate that, but then you still have the possibility of electrical interference, from whatever source. It might not be an issue, but I saw enough reports of it to be concerning to me.

I don’t have the best one’s yet and they do have some quirks. When you zero your pan and the pull it off you will memorize that tare weight number, if that number starts to not look right when you return your pan with powder to weigh you then know it needs re-zeroing. When trickling you just simply raise the pan slightly and set it back down to get new trickled weight.
Make sure to buy one that measures in hundredths not just tenths.

 

[hornetguy]

I don’t have the best one’s yet and they do have some quirks. When you zero your pan and the pull it off you will memorize that tare weight number, if that number starts to not look right when you return your pan with powder to weigh you then know it needs re-zeroing. When trickling you just simply raise the pan slightly and set it back down to get new trickled weight.
Make sure to buy one that measures in hundredths not just tenths.

That was another of the issues for me... re-zeroing... On my $35 Ohaus, when I set it up, I use the leveling screw to set it to zero. Unless I move the scale drastically across my less-than-level bench, I'm done with zeroing.
It will be zeroed basically indefinitely. Once I get my dispenser set, I can throw 10-20 charges into cases, dump and put the last one on the scale, it verifies in about 3 seconds, max. If all is good, I dump it back in the case, and keep on truckin'.....
The old-school balance beam scale doesn't slow me down in the least. In fact, I believe it is very likely faster than the digitals...
The only things that affect it are dust build-up on the pivot points, and breezes...

 

[cwebster]

I took my Redding #2 and placed a 1 inch level on the base and adjusted the leveler screw till the base was level. Then the pointer was off zero a few tenths so I added weight to the pan till the pointer came to zero. Doing this should make the beam and base parrallel with each other. Added the weight in the pan to the cavity under the pan holder. Seems to be more sensitive now or it might just be in my head. Either way I'm staying with my beam scales.

 

[Tesoro]

Call me weird or whatever, but I have an aversion anymore to owning any reloading tools that started off with chinese finger prints on them. I believe I am now at that point and old Ohause scales are part of the mix.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Recently posted a wanted add for a quality beam scale. That post may have been a bit premature. I quickly had multiple offers to sell rcbs 1010 scales which based on my research are solid scales. However, some folks reccomended the lyman m5 which i do think i prefer over the 1010 barrel adjust option. However the poo brown color gets me... would much rather have the ohaus version or if rcbs ever had one modeled after that scale. I have a cosmetic hangup kreping me from going with the lyman. Would i be better off with a parker tuned 1010 over a layman m5?

EBay has a lot 5-10 scales in great shape ?

 

[cwebster]

EBay has a lot 5-10 scales in great shape ?

Seems that most folks that have digital scales have balance beams to verify the digitals. Don't trust the digitals I guess, so what is the point of having the digitals at all. Just thinking outloud here.

 

[Tesoro]

Seems that most folks that have digital scales have balance beams to verify the digitals. Don't trust the digitals I guess, so what is the point of having the digitals at all. Just thinking outloud here.

More effective to have a set of checkweights

 

[hornetguy]

Possibly just an urban legend/old wive's tale, but I'm pretty sure about 20 years ago I read that most of the top BR shooters would load at the bench, and would throw their charges with scoops....
I heard that volume was more critical than exact weight.....
Like I said, probably just urban legend...

 

[sksshooter]

i don't currently have nor do i plan to buy an electronic scale for weighting charges. i just don't load high enough volume to justify spending lab quality scale money. for the bulk of my loading it is plinking ammo so i throw those charges with a powder thrower. my hunting ammo and bolt gun 223 i weigh each charge on the beam scale. i will likely buy a cheap electronic scale based on reviews in a seperate thread. this will mainly be used for general weighing for quick projectile weight etc. After reading some of the responses here and doing a bit of experimenting with my current 5 0 5 scale i confirmed that part of my concern was invalid. i have a mini split on the opposite wall from my bench. my scale had been taking some time to settle and at times seemed to never quite settle out. turns out that my minisplit will blow just a faint stream of air even when not running with the compressor on. turned it off and my scale settled down instantly. i went ahead and claned the balance points with some alcohol to make sure it was free of dust/dirt etc and it seems to be functioning like new. i don't however have any check weights so that is first on my list to do next is order some check weights and see just how well my scale is actually reading. if i then find that it is off i will pursue a new scale a bit harder. otherwise i think i will hold out for an ohaus 10-0 5 for the right condition/price.

 

[Tesoro]

Possibly just an urban legend/old wive's tale, but I'm pretty sure about 20 years ago I read that most of the top BR shooters would load at the bench, and would throw their charges with scoops....
I heard that volume was more critical than exact weight.....
Like I said, probably just urban legend...

Is precision commercial ammo loaded by volume or weight?!

 

[hornetguy]

Is precision commercial ammo loaded by volume or weight?!

I don't have a clue. It would be interesting to find out. I suspect they use some type of charge bar, sort of along the same idea as a Lee Auto Disk measure, with a fixed chamber.....so if that is the case, it would be by volume.

 

[hornetguy]

i don't currently have nor do i plan to buy an electronic scale for weighting charges. i just don't load high enough volume to justify spending lab quality scale money. for the bulk of my loading it is plinking ammo so i throw those charges with a powder thrower. my hunting ammo and bolt gun 223 i weigh each charge on the beam scale. i will likely buy a cheap electronic scale based on reviews in a seperate thread. this will mainly be used for general weighing for quick projectile weight etc. After reading some of the responses here and doing a bit of experimenting with my current 5 0 5 scale i confirmed that part of my concern was invalid. i have a mini split on the opposite wall from my bench. my scale had been taking some time to settle and at times seemed to never quite settle out. turns out that my minisplit will blow just a faint stream of air even when not running with the compressor on. turned it off and my scale settled down instantly. i went ahead and claned the balance points with some alcohol to make sure it was free of dust/dirt etc and it seems to be functioning like new. i don't however have any check weights so that is first on my list to do next is order some check weights and see just how well my scale is actually reading. if i then find that it is off i will pursue a new scale a bit harder. otherwise i think i will hold out for an ohaus 10-0 5 for the right condition/price.

From what you described, I'd just stay with the 505.... dead simple, and repeatably accurate.... hard to beat that combination..

 

[hornetguy]

also.... I hope nobody takes my comments as criticism for chasing "perfection"... I have no problem with that at all.
I just wanted to put my two cents in on beam scale usage.... and my experience is that they are fully functional for probably 75% of reloaders. For the other 25% (guessing on the percentages) spending the extra money to "fine tune" the scale is, I'm sure, money well spent.
I just don't require that level of perfection for the shooting I do. Two thumbs up for you guys that DO need that perfection.
I'm too old and drink too much coffee to be able to "use" that level of accuracy.

 

[cwebster]

also.... I hope nobody takes my comments as criticism for chasing "perfection"... I have no problem with that at all.
I just wanted to put my two cents in on beam scale usage.... and my experience is that they are fully functional for probably 75% of reloaders. For the other 25% (guessing on the percentages) spending the extra money to "fine tune" the scale is, I'm sure, money well spent.
I just don't require that level of perfection for the shooting I do. Two thumbs up for you guys that DO need that perfection.
I'm too old and drink too much coffee to be able to "use" that level of accuracy.

Yea, I think about it like sharpening and balancing your mower blades after each mowing. Sure they are super sharp again but does the time and effort you put in appreciable. Does the outcome outweigh the input. My pea brain cant imagine chasing a powder charge to 2 decimal places is going to make one hoot worth of difference even at 1000 yds with all the other influences at that range. But what do I know?

 

[Cecil S.]

Another tuned Redding#1, hydraulic dampened scale. At zero in the left pic, at check weight value in the right. I love these scales!!! All the sensitivity and repeatability you need in a settling time of 4 seconds.

Looks like the one you sent me. I can tell buy the box.......LOL Thanks again.

 

[Tesoro]

Yea, I think about it like sharpening and balancing your mower blades after each mowing. Sure they are super sharp again but does the time and effort you put in appreciable. Does the outcome outweigh the input. My pea brain cant imagine chasing a powder charge to 2 decimal places is going to make one hoot worth of difference even at 1000 yds with all the other influences at that range. But what do I know?

The more things you can make consistent from your ammo to your shooting form a marksman makes. or something like that! It all adds up.

 

[sparker]

Looks like the one you sent me. I can tell buy the box.......LOL Thanks again.

I buy them whenever I find them as long as they are in nice shape. They are so elegant in their simplicity.

 

[Tesoro]

I buy them whenever I find them as long as they are in nice shape. They are so elegant in their simplicity.

explain how the 'hydraulic dampening' works in that scale, and how it beats magnetic dampening!

 

[sparker]

There is a paddle that is directly below the pivot knives that extends downward from the beam. It fits in a well cast into the scale body. You put oil (20 wt) in the well. The viscosity of the oil dampens the beam oscillations.

 

[sparker]

With 20 weight oil, a 46 grain charge dampens out to read in 4 seconds. Roughly half the time of magnetic dampening. Also, there is no magnetic bias.