looking for suggestions for precision beam balance scale

[panzer075]

I am looking for a good precise beam balance scale to check my powder charges for LR loads. Having a hard time finding scales that measure in grains..

any suggestions for good precise models..willing to spend several hundred if need be..

any ideas accepted..also how good is the rcbs 10-10 scale..accurate?

Chris

 

[RonAKA]

I would recommend a Redding Model 2. Simple and accurate. I have a Model 1 that is about 45 years old, and it still reads accurate to less than 0.05 grains.

If you go RCBS I believe their scale are made by Ohaus, and are very good. You may want to check and see if you need the capacity of the 10-10 which I believe is 1000 grains. The 500 grain models may be more accurate for the lighter weights you are likely to measure. Also look, at the scale and how they adjust. I find the Redding simple. The 10-10 looks overly complex to me. Just personal preferances. I'm sure they are all good scales.

 

[bheadboy]

buy the top in Ohaus, reguardless of who has their name on ti

Bob

 

[in2deep]

If you do a search there is a well-known fellow named Scott that has a business tweaking and tuning up scales and they run less than the price of a new 10-10.
I have one of Scott's and it really does register each kernel of Varget as you trickle up and I am pleased with it and it repeats better than my expensive Acculab digital scale although is a little slower to use but not much once I got used to it.
Found that I throw light into the pan then add p[owder slowly but steadily from the trickler and that stops the beam from bouncing up and down too much and saves time and prevents overcharging and starting over. Lately I use a Lee dipper for the coarse throw instead of a powder measure if just loading a small amount of rounds and it's almost as quick and less fussy and around 20 seconds and you have about as accurate load as possible.

 

[wooger]

+1 for Scott Parker, I have one of his scales and it performs flawlessly. I can even weigh a kernel of XBR easily.

 

[BBTC48]

Holy cow! I thought I was the only one who really liked to use the Lee dipper scoops. I never really cared for the use of the throws, just never trusted them much. Scoop..trickle. scoop..trickle. Always had good results with my good old RCBS 5-0-5. Mounting a magnifier in front of the match neddle. Took a while to find just the right one. Helps immencely (old eyes). Also have it raised up on the bench and this helps a lot too. Why can't someone elaborate on just what this fellow does to a scale to "tune" it up ? Not trying to steal his livelyhood any more than I'm stealing ammo company's livelyhood. Would simply be interested to do it myself if I thought it would be beneficial (and do-able). ???

 

[CJ6]

+ 1, Scoop Trickle, RCBS 10-10, everything OLD is NEW again.

 

[brian427cobra]

Prometheus Gen2 will dispense within 1/3 of a kernel the charge desired every 15 seconds

 

[jpretle]

Chris, look around for an RCBS 304. Mine has served me for 25+ years and I wouldn't trade it for any of the electronic models I've played with.

 

[Henryp]

Where do you get the Promethus scale and how much does it cost?

 

[brian427cobra]

I have a gen 1, not a gen 2, here is a pic

My Gen 1 and the Gen 2 side by side, I use a USB camera instead the magnifying glass to view the needles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sqNcs-uWzY

Website is no good
http://www.6mmbr.com/prometheus.html

 

[coyoteklr]

holy mackerel.....
has anybody tried the redding 3br powder thrower...?????
i use my old 10-0-10 to check it and go to work...
it is so consistent and accurate load after load it is scary....
i have checked 100 loads one after another and not a variation....
i trust it more than my scale......
granted it does't do stick powder very good, but i have become a ball powder shooter..... 8) 8)

 

[dennisinaz]

This is the Cadillac of reloading scales. The Ohaus 304. It was marketed by RCBS. Don't know why it went out of production. They are better than any of the digital scales under $400 that I have seen and aren't sensitive to EMI or A/C or ...

Here is one on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/RCBS-304-Beam-Scale-/290546723575?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a5ef2af7

 

[artbosco]

I am looking for a good precise beam balance scale to check my powder charges for LR loads. Having a hard time finding scales that measure in grains.

I'm using this one right now for a match tomorrow. It measures in .1 grains, is fast, portable and with the rebate goes for only $229.95: http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC98923&src=sim

For what it's worth, I know one former World Benchrest Team member that uses two at the range. He's also a high tech guy by profession and always innovating. Electronic wind flags are one of his inventions.