Do I really need a balance beam scale?

[TonyK]

Either one, I know the Dillon sells for less than what I paid for my 505, (store had it and I needed it...) Since you mentioned you won't get the press till Xmas time just order their scale at the same time and save some shipping costs...

Check weights are more often associated with digital but they couldn't hurt to check a balance beam just to be sure...

[roxfo]

I have a A&D FX120i for charge weighing (0.001g/0.02gr, force restoration).
I have another FX120i for backup, check-weighing loaded rounds etc.
I have a Denver APX-60 (0.0001g/0.002gr, force restoration) in case I really want to know what is coming off the A&D balances!
I have a counting balance for counting brass & bullets in quantities up to 1000.

But in the back of the cupboard is a 5-0-5 beam balance that I know I can call on whatever the circumstances anywhere on earth (that I can find a level spot).

If I could only keep one to use for the rest of my life it would have to be the beam balance.

..

Edited November 17, 2013 by roxfo

[cohland]

OK. I'll order a beam scale now and maybe a digital later. RCBS 505 or Dillon Eliminator? I don't believe Brian sells check weights does he?

Either would be just fine, they each have three poises which will make them easier to read than a cheaper one with only two poises. They both look suspiciously like my Ohaus 5.0.5 that I have had for nearly forty years.

Chris

Edited November 17, 2013 by cohland

[StealthyBlagga]

+1 for the beam balance.

I really want to trust my PACT digital scale, but it wanders just a bit more than I'd like (may be the "auto zero" function?). I have worked my whole life in the scientific instrumentation industry, and so I know that any consumer digital scale has to be built down to a very low price... for real accuracy it should cost at least 10x what most consumers are willing to pay.

I still use my digital scale for quick checks of bullets weights etc., but for powder throws I invariably reach for the beam balance.

[JLeeCZ]

Just ordered the Eliminator scale along with a few other odds and ends from Brian's store. Thanks for all the help.

[benos]

If I get the Brian Enos HP Digital Scale, as soon as it's back in stock, do I really need to get a beam backup?

At this point, it looks like I will not be restocking those scales. The

reseller switched manufacturers, and the new batch of scales are missing

some of the critical features that they old scales had.

Personally though, once I got my first digital scale, I never used a beam scale again.

be

[Xhris]

Personally though, once I got my first digital scale, I never used a beam scale again.

be

+1 Its much easier to know how much something weighs vs if it is over or under a specific weight. Takes that guessing right out of the game...

[Steve RA]

It's equally easy on a balance beam to see if you are under or over a specific weight. The pointer will be either up or down.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Some people have great difficulty reading a beam balance, or standard calipers.

The electronic scales & calipers are a lot easier for those people to read the

results.

But, the electronic s&c's are more expensive and have their own problems -

not that they're more accurate, just easier for some people to read.

IMHO, if you know how to read a balance beam or standard calipers, you're

better off - BUT, if You have a hard time reading them, it might be safer for

you to use an electronic one, but be aware of the downsides (see above).

[Graham Smith]

To the OP... You don't specify how you intend to use the scale, and that is an important question.

I'm going to assume that you aren't getting a scale so that you can trickle charge for bench rest rifle, so we can eliminate that. And if we eliminate that, then as far as I am concerned, you can eliminate the beam scale.

A decent digital scale is going to be faster and easier to use than a beam and just as accurate as you need for working up a load or checking one.

Bear in mind, that if you are don't put a beam scale on a solid level (in both planes) surface then you have just negated a certain percentage of it's accuracy. Also, if you don't get a really good beam scale, then it's accuracy is questionable. And beam scales are subject to temperature variations. Etc, etc. IOW, the only advantage to a beam scale is accuracy, but that accuracy is extremely subject to how it's used.

[Youngeyes]

I think Graham summed it up best with " Etc,etc". Get a scale, grasshopper and try it out. None of the quality scales will let you blow yourself up ,no matter what type. Get to reloading and enjoy yourself.

Just read that you got the Eliminator. Enjoy.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Youngeyes

[dtuns]

I always use two scales for redundancy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

[benos]

I always use two scales for redundancy

For me, that just made my brain hurt, more than it normally would, at that time, anyway.

If you are using a chronograph to test your loads, the workflow - adjust the Powder Measure's volume to get the desired velocity. Then record the weight, so with the same batch of powder, you could re-adjust the Powder Measure, if you need to, to get the volume of powder back to where it needed to be (to get the desired velocity).

For that reason / workflow, I never cared about the "number," or weight of the powder. The "number" was just a reference to re-adjust the Powder Measure to get the desired volume / velocity.

Say the goal was 1000 fps. If one scale said 4.8 grains was required for that, and another scale said 4.6 grains was required for that, that would make my brain hurt.

be

[motosapiens]

My strategy is to never run so close to the ragged edge that a couple tenths either way will blow up my gun. Fortunately, most reloading manuals are written with rusty old wwII guns in mind, and people that measure powder with their bathroom scale. I suspect that the vast majority of kabooms are NOT due to scale accuracy, but due to massive user error (wrong powder, double-charge) or massive equipment failure (defective/damaged brass, out-of-battery detonation).

I use an electronic scale exclusively now. I haven't used a beam scale since I bought my electronic one (the cheaper one) from brian.

Edited November 20, 2013 by motosapiens

[BullyDog]

I have and rcbs chargemaster and a couple of beam scales.

I am thinking of getting a second digital scale from Dillon to double check my loads.

It's been a while since I used my beam scales, but they are here for when there is no power or something fails.

[rjacobs]

Most scales are more accurate than they need to be IMO or maybe I should say we obsess over our scales being THIS accurate when in the grand scheme +-.1g probably wont make a difference unless maybe you are on the very ragged edge.

I agree with Brian that you need to be looking at velocity and accuracy to determine if a charge is correct or if it needs to come up or down based on powder lot variance. Now of course this is AFTER doing a proper load workup to find accuracy and pressure signs.

If you look at something like a precision rifle where you do OCW to work up a load, you generally have somewhere like a full grain of powder(+-.5g) before you start to get out of an accuracy node. Most scales we use are accurate to .1g, so if you are .1g heavy or light you will still most likely be in your accuracy node.

Pistols are different, but for me(and I am NOT a competitive shooter where PF means anything to me) I do a little load workup to make sure I get good function and decent accuracy and then I rock on. So .1 or .2 grains in the grand scheme of pistol loading, for me, isnt a huge deal either. I dont run on the ragged edge for pistols either.

[WillM]

I'm in the BE camp of never having gone back to the beam scale (bought in 1977) once I went digital with a Pact in about 1996. Nothing wrong with beam scale but in the volume or accuracy needs I've had at various times over the years it burns too much time to use the beam. Pushing 100k plus shotgun shells on the Dillon alone, not to mention the PWs and MECs before it, weighing powder averages at beginning of each session then spot checks on both powder and shot would eat a ton of time on a beam scale. The Pacts( I acquired another one along the way to use with their powder trickier for precision rifle and dangerous game loads) settle down and give an accurate weight much quicker than can be done with a beam scale.

Do I trust digital? I used it to weigh each and every round of .375 H&H Magnum I loaded for my then-18 year old son to shoot an African Cape Buffalo from 20 yards away in brush so thick one round is all he could get off before it would have been on him (and me).

Do I trust the beam scale? It's what I gave that same son when he began reloading on his own.

[JLeeCZ]

I'm sure I will get a digital later. Only loading pistol(for now) when I get everything finally set up. Maybe .223 farther down the road. Not planning to load max 9 and .45 but rather tinker to find the load I like. So far have plenty of Xtreme 147gr RN and Power Pistol, Starline brass, and CCI primers. Have backorders with Precision Delta for 147gr FMJ's and .45 230 FMJ's with 700x on hand and have 231 coming. Grabbing any powder I can for now until I test some loads and narrow down. My holdup is getting the bench finished so I can order the 550 in a couple of weeks. Off topic, I ordered the strongmount from BE with my order to help decide where/how to mount on the bench and so I am ready when the 550 arrives. Understand I don't need to worry about overhang with the strongmount, correct?

[cecil]

if you get a good digital scale... you won't need a balance beam scale.. I have a RCBS charge master 1500 ... you should calibrate it each time you turn it on... then its EXTREMELY ACCURATE...

[GeoffB]

Just to kind of back up what others have said. I found that the digital scale that I was using was fairly inconsistent as far as trying to be accurate to within .1 grain increments. I actually got rid of my digital and picked up an awesome beam type. I trust it completely, and that is all that I will use for my bolt action rounds. If you can pick up an older Lyman M5, they are awesome. Not made anymore though. I believe that RCBS makes one that looks just like it, not sure if the quality is as good as the older ones made by Ohaus though??

[deanq]

There wasn't any digitals when I started reloading (<$1000). All we had were balance beams. I am 100% digital now. I use a set of calibration weights, but I have found the digital scales to be snot on, so really only check them once or twice a year. You do have to calibrate the digitals though, and I do that whenever I turn it off/on or daily. JMHO.

[dtuns]

I always use two scales for redundancy

For me, that just made my brain hurt, more than it normally would, at that time, anyway.

If you are using a chronograph to test your loads, the workflow - adjust the Powder Measure's volume to get the desired velocity. Then record the weight, so with the same batch of powder, you could re-adjust the Powder Measure, if you need to, to get the volume of powder back to where it needed to be (to get the desired velocity).

For that reason / workflow, I never cared about the "number," or weight of the powder. The "number" was just a reference to re-adjust the Powder Measure to get the desired volume / velocity.

Say the goal was 1000 fps. If one scale said 4.8 grains was required for that, and another scale said 4.6 grains was required for that, that would make my brain hurt.

be

I only use 2 at the start to make sure both scales are getting same reading then I only use digital and check powder drop every 100 rounds.

[jmorris]

I have had a beam scale since day one of my metallic reloading days (I did reload Shotshells without a scale because the bushings couldn't be adjusted anyway).

I bought a digital 20 years ago or so and never used it again.

[rhett45acp]

I have several Balance and Digital including a Charge Master 1500.

One thing I did was weight the powder pan in a super accurate R&D grade Analytical Mettler Balance. Then take a sharpie and write the weight on the bottom of the pan. Down and dirty weight check on the fly.

Now days, the charge master is getting the most work. The PACT is located at my secondary reloading place for simple low volume Rifle loads.

Come to think about it, where are my balances?