Upgrading Scale

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • jasonh31

    Marksman
    Rating - 66.7%
    2   1   0
    Feb 8, 2013
    163
    16
    North Manchester
    I would like to upgrade my scale from my current Hornady lock and load scale, that came with my kit. My Dad has a Lyman and really likes it. Just looking for suggestions from others, thanks.
     

    trophyhunter

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Sep 2, 2008
    686
    18
    South Bend
    I would like to upgrade my scale from my current Hornady lock and load scale, that came with my kit. My Dad has a Lyman and really likes it. Just looking for suggestions from others, thanks.
    Unlike most of their offerings, I would say Dillons Eliminator scale comes at a cheap price and it's got to be a best buy. It's made by OHAUS scale for Dillon and there's three things in particular I really like about it.

    One is the overall size of the scale, it's on the large side of most offerings under $100.00 and the leveling adjuster wheel is bigger and easier to use and the balance beam follows suit with larger markings making it much easier to read.

    Also, the right side of the balance beam has two ranges of adjustment with 0.0 to 1.0 and a separate 0.0 to 10.0 allowing up to 11 grains of adjustment with the main counterweight to the left of the balance in 10 grain increments from 0 to 500 making it very user friendly.

    I find Dillions scale to be much less finicky when it comes to air currents even when there's a 5 grain load in the pan and I run large CFM volume exhaust fans in my loading shed that don't bother it a bit it's the only scale I'll ever have on my bench from here on out.
     

    Fullmag

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Sep 4, 2011
    1,956
    74
    Curious about why you want to upgrade. Is it slow balancing? My RCBS 10-10 is much better than my Redding scale at balancing quickly.
     

    ru44mag

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Feb 6, 2013
    2,369
    48
    I just got a flier from MidwayUSA that shows a special price on the RCBS 502 scale $29.95. I think they are normally about $80

    I was looking at this too. It's right below the free HAZMAT offer on primers. Anyone have one?
     

    bgcatty

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Sep 9, 2011
    3,023
    113
    Carmel
    +1 for the Dillon scale. It's accurate, easy to use and is well built by Ohaus scales. At its price, it is a real "bargain". Go for it, you will not be disappointed.
     

    sugarcreekbrass

    Expert
    Industry Partner
    Rating - 100%
    26   0   0
    Mar 29, 2015
    938
    43
    West central
    Last year I upgraded from my RCBS beam scale to a Chargemaster. I always measured each charge and that was getting old doing pistol ammo. Now I can dump a charge into a case and seat a bullet while the next charge is pouring out. I know it will take time for it to pay off but I sped up the process. I still use the beam to check every 5th or 10th charge.
     

    boostjunki

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jul 7, 2015
    130
    18
    Elkhart County
    My most prized beam scale is an older Hornady that was actually made by Pacific. It's a bit larger overall that their current offering and more accurate and settles more quickly than the Ohaus scales I've used. If you google image search Hornady Pacific scale you'll find it, but good luck finding one for sale.
     

    O'Shark

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 2, 2011
    264
    18
    Ladoga, IN
    Here's another vote for the Dillon/Ohaus. I had been using a Lyman since 1986 and had been happy with it. I use a calibrated Mettler Toledo laboratory grade scale at work and made up my own check weights. Out of curiosity, I tried the weights on the Lyman scale and it was reading .3 grains too light. With the newer powders like Clays and TG, this is unacceptable. I bought a set of RCBS check weights and got the same results. The Lyman was just "off" so I thought I'd try something else. I got the Dillon scale and found the check weights to be right on the money. My only beef with it is that it does take longer to settle in. It is magnetically dampened but not very much whereas the Lyman almost seemed to be over dampened. I'd rather have the accuracy and 3 or 4 seconds of extra waiting is time well spent to get more accurate readings.
     

    RMC

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Sep 7, 2012
    510
    18
    McCordsville
    The main thing about a powder scale is consistancy. If you are working up a load for accuracy then you rely on performance more than what the exact measurement is but you still want to hit that same measurement each and every time. If you weigh a load and put it in a case then the scale should read exactly the same if you empty the contents back into the pan. I record my load recipes based on the numbers my measuring equipment gives me. If I use 9.2 grains of Power Pistol according to my scale and it does everything I want, it doesn't matter if the scale is a few grains off of being actual as long as it's consistent. If I get a different scale I calibrate it so the readings are the same. What will make a difference and it could be a big one is if the powder measure isn't consistent. Some powders don't meter well in some powder measuring devices. I usually make sure mine will give the exact same results 10 times in a row before I proceed. Ball powders usually meter the best and some of the extruded powders are really a PITA. I've tried numerous scales and the only one I didn't like was a Lee. It measured OK but it's not as sturdy as most of the others. I've used an RCBS Uniflow for over 20 years and have no reason to change.
     
    Top Bottom