Digital vs. Beam Scales

[Sarge]

Hey folks, I have a son who is just getting into reloading and he asked today what I thought about digital scales. I've always used beam scales myself but I'm hearing some good things about digitals, so I thought I'd ask the gang the following-

Have you tried digitals?

If so, how'd you like 'em?

What brand/model did you buy?

Thanks for you input-

 

[jack pringle]

am waiting on a definitive response myself. have an old Ohaus 10-10 that has served me well for four decades. great for trickling in the long gun loads, but want something faster to weigh cast bullets, cases, this and that.

have put off buying a digital as it is about 1/4 the price of a nice used S&W. have theorized could get less than half purchase price back if i didnt like it and put it up for sale. no cheer in mudville on that.

i wont be using it for powder, just comparison weighing. if i weigh the same object ten times, will i get the same result each time ? is it faster ? will be grateful the answer to these two questions is included in your post.

hos

 

[Jeeper]

I use a digital pretty much exclusively. I like how quick it is. They have been accurate enough for everything I have ever done. If I ever get into benchrest I might buy a nice beam scale. Personally I think that a nice powder measure is worth more than a nice scale. I really like my digital but I know a lot of people that hate them since they say they are not as accurate. TO each his own.

 

[444]

I personally like the digital scale. For me, it is much faster than a beam scale. I especially like it for trickling in charges as you can see the weight climb as more powder is added. I also like the fact that you don't have to adjust anything. For example, when I am setting my powder measure, I can throw a charge, see where I am (without making any adjustments). As was mentioned, it is also great for weighing things other than powder, like bullets. It also doesn't take nearly as long to "settle"; when you add powder it dosn't sit there swinging up and down. I have had some problems with my digital scale. Several times I have tried to use it and couldn't get it to work. I never figured out why. The display just gave me an error message. Days later, it seemed to work fine. The first time this happened to me, I gave up and decided to go back to my beam scale, however, I couldn't find the pan. So, I bougth a second beam scale. As for accuracy, it is just as accurate as my beam scales. I have a set of check weights to prove it. I am not sure of the model numbers of the scales I own other than the RCBS 5:10 beam scale, a Redding beam scale which I remember being their more expensive model, and an RCBS digital scale. After using the digital, I almost never use the beam scale again. If I could only have one, I may go with the beam scale just because of the couple times I couldn't get the damn electonics to work right.

 

[Sarge]

Thanks folks-

Jack, I've been using an old Ohaus 1010 for 16 years now, and it was probably 30 years old when I got it. A finer beam scale has yet to be devised. I have used several cheapie/freebie beam scales over the years, but never for more than a couple of months. Scales and powder measures are no place to cut corners. .444 & Jeeper, thanks for the honest and quick replies. I'll forward all this to my son when the string peters out.

 

[jack pringle]

as i said in previoius post - have been contemplating this for some time.

thanks for the straight up responses. quick and repetitive was my concern.

gonna get one now. just gotta be more than a 500 grainer for those big 45/70 cast slugs.

thanks again.

hos

 

[PoiDog]

I like the speed of the digital too. The beam scale was driving me to distraction. I guess if you're used to that, it's okay. I'm a relatively new reloader, less than three years, so I was able to make the change with no hassle.
The Pact scale goes on sale at Midway for about $90 quite often, sometimes they throw in the wall wart as well.

 

[Edward429451]

I've been using the same RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale for about 18 years now, with no problems whatsoever. Checked its accuracy by comparison to two other scales recently, right on the money!

Thought about getting a digital but did not for the reasons 444 described, fear of no-worky when needy.

Good luck and happy shooting!

 

[WESHOOT2]

TRUSTWORTHY

My 505 and a Lyman check set.......................

 

[dfm]

This is a no-brainer. Beam scales are great - if it was still 1950. Yes, they work well but they've been superceded by the digital. If anything the speed of the digital makes it a handsdown winner. Just remember to keep a spare battery around and you shouldn't have any problems.

dfm

 

[Bogie]

Digital scales are fast.

They may or may not be accurate. Use them only in a windless environment (that includes air conditioning, opening doors, etc.), and recalibrate often.

The el-cheapo scales prevalent in the reloading environment are accurate to plus/minus 0.1 grain. That means that your 2.8 grains of bullseye will weigh somewhere between 2.7 and 2.9.

To get REAL accuracy, you've gotta spend some major bucks.

I own a Pact BBK, a Dillon/Ohaus beam, and a Lee. When I _really_ want to know what a load of powder weighs, I use the Lee, which can be read to within 0.05 grains. When I'm weighing bullets, I use either the BBK or the Dillon, depending on how I'm doing it.

 

[ms1200]

i have an rcbs powder pro scale & and the electronic dispencer. i really like it alot. i use this setup for most of my handloading and find it to be accurate and alot faster(for me).that being said i also have two beam scales. i use them along with check weights to verify my electric scale. they also give me a backup option in case something should happen to it

 

[stellarpod]

One little caveat on the beam scales: KEEP THEM CLEAN.

I've found a neat trick that works for me. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and pick up one of those Rubbermaid clear plastic shoe boxes (about $2) and then discard the lid. Whenever I'm not loading I place the shoebox upside down over my scale (Dillon) and it keeps all the little dust-grimies out. Fits perfectly. Makes for a cheap, durable dust cover that will even protect your scales from any minor things that might inadvertently fall on them. You may not have a this problem with your loading facility. But, I load at the bench in my garage and dust can be a problem.

 

[freestate]

I own both a Pact digital and a Redding No. 2 Master beam scale. For weighing powder I prefer the beam scale hands down to the digital because it's faster when used with a powder measure, more sensitive, more accurate and more reliable.

I simply do not trust the digital for weighing powder any more. Recently, for instance, I thought I'd use the Pact to weigh some charges for some 7.65 Argentine Mauser loads. I wanted 47 grains of IMR 4350. I loaded 20 rounds. When I got done I decided to double check some, so I recalibrated the scale and reweighed the powder from several cases. Guess what? The powder now weighed anywhere from 47.5 to 48 grains. And yes, I let the scale warm up for at least an hour before I started.

I use the Pact for weighing bullets and cases, but I'll probably never use it again for weighing powder.

 

[SC_shooter]

I have a PACT BBK2 but I always rely on the 5-0-5. The PACT is a little faster but I'm not sure it's as accurate as the 5-0-5.

For weighing powder, I'll stick with the 5-0-5. I just don't trust the PACT.

 

[swifter...]

Put me in with the guys that own & use both, but don't trust the digital.
Digital is convenient, but when I start pushing the envelope, I need greater precision than it gives. My Dillon tends to drift 0.2 gr. without any warning, rhyme, or reason. Periodically, when it really goes into POS mode, I send it to Dillon and get a new one...
Sometimes I wish they'd give a cash refund...

Fact is, at the price range for the digitals -$150+/- - you're gonna get a much better beam scale. A GOOD digital is a bit over $400, like the Ohaus Navigator. sigh...

Tom

 

[Steve Smith]

I use an OLD Lyman Ohaus M5 scale...dead nuts accurate. No need for digital.

 

[hitnthexring]

Considering how often you will use the scale, I think a digital is a waste of money. I only use it to weight every 10th or 20th charge & occassionally weigh bullets. My Dillon scale was $48.00 & the test weights say it is absolutely perfect.

 

[buford1]

I have the RCBS powder pro scale and dispenser. Love them both accurate and quicker than my beam scale.

 

[cobb]

Ya, I'm really not sold on digital scales. It is kind of like my 1911's, old and faithful like my 505.

I really don't see the speed that everybody has with the digital. I have even sent my Pact back to check its calibration, and the factory said everything is just fine. Put a charge on the scale, and now watch it for a short bit. It may go up a tenth, or down a tenth, but I have to wait and see and make sure. My RCBS beam I can see almost right away if it is too light or heavy, at least a few seconds faster than the digital. Now I'm still watching the digital to see if my charge is too light, or too heavy, and it doesn't change,,,,,but,, I just have to wait a bit more to see if it does change. Usually not, but a few times that it has in the past, I always want to give it those extra seconds to make up its mind.

Yes, I still use my digital. But I always check it against my beam.