Thread: Electronic Scales - recommendations?

I'm wondering whether people here might be able to provide some recommendations on some reliable electronic scales please?

I'm presently using the Hornady Electronic Scales I inherited with my reloading gear and while its been very stable over the last 2 years I've not been that happy with it in recent days as it seems to have become less reliable. I replaced the batteries, recalibrated it a couple of times but... mmmm, meh. I always intended to upgrade at some point so maybe now is the time. An electronic powder thrower would be awesome but I'm not sure I can stretch that far at present.

Advice on reliable options would be appreciated.

RCBS chargemaster.

Chargemasters are pretty reliable. I dont rate the Lyman Gen III, mine drifted fairly often on a run of 100 rounds.

If you can bear the pain and want to end up with the top end, get a fx-300i (pre charge with you current and trickle up) then keep saving for auto thrower v3

A&D fx120 or fx300 and just use a thrower to dump loads in then trickle the rest.

I have Lyman Gen 6. Had it for maybe 12 yrs. They tend to get a bad rap from some but I have had a great run out of mine. Fast, accurate and proof is on the radar and paper.
Had minor things go wrong with it that can be fixed with spares they give you in the kit. Even had it sent back to the states once for reasons I could have solved myself if I read the instructions. They were good about it and it was remedied for free.
Plasticky construction but I would buy another knowing what I know now.

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Had a Chargemaster for ~ 20 years now. Scales section of it shit itself 8 years ago. Non repairable item (like them all) so had to stump up for new scales. Cost me the same as I paid for the whole CM initially. Tossed up whether to go Lyman but stuck with RCBS. If it ever dies again I will just do without it and use my Uniflow dispenser.

The CM is reasonably repeatable and OK for say great hunting ammo and reasonable target ammo. Like all cheaper strain gauge scales you need to keep an eye on it for drift, plus give it a decent warm up time.

I also have an AnD fx300i. It has shown the CM to be reasonably repeatable and not always 100% accurate.
I use either the CM or my Uniflow to dispense a charge just under required and then a Little Dandy trickler to finish off on the fx300i.

To be honest a mechanical beam balance scale is a better device than most of the cheap electronic scales. I still have my Ohaus in the back of the cupboard. Reloaders miss the point that a device with an electronic display doesn't necessarily mean it will be accurate and repeatable.

Originally Posted by R93

I have Lyman Gen 6. Had it for maybe 12 yrs. They tend to get a bad rap from some but I have had a great run out of mine. Fast, accurate and proof is on the radar and paper.
Had minor things go wrong with it that can be fixed with spares they give you in the kit. Even had it sent back to the states once for reasons I could have solved myself if I read the instructions. They were good about it and it was remedied for free.
Plasticky construction but I would buy another knowing what I know now.

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Same had zero issues with mine

Originally Posted by BRADS

Same had zero issues with mine

Same also, until it got pinched


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Originally Posted by zimmer

To be honest a mechanical beam balance scale is a better device than most of the cheap electronic scales. I still have my Ohaus in the back of the cupboard. Reloaders miss the point that a device with an electronic display doesn't necessarily mean it will be accurate and repeatable.

Yep, I agree 100% @zimmer - the old analog vs. digital argument. The thing is I used those balance scales for years while balancing Main Rotor systems and Tail Rotors and I just grew to hate them. To be fair, they didn't get treated well.

Thanks for those suggestions Lads, much appreciated. I'll go forth and do some searching for local retailers and support a small business with a few hard earned dollars.

Go RCBS charge master lite, my Gen6 Lyman nearly had me putting new barrels on rifles after an initial good run.
People have had good runs out of theirs but I sent mine back to NZ distributer once realized it had issues and they said it was fine, it wasn't.
Smashed it to bits and put in bin in case someone else got hold of that piece of shit.

I think just buy another Hornady - great value and you are used to using one already.

Originally Posted by jackson21

Smashed it to bits and put in bin in case someone else got hold of that piece of shit.

LOL.

There's always the new and super expensive RCBS twin dispenser model recently introduced. IIRC RCBS claim accuracy/repeatability up there with the magnetic force restoration type scales.

Originally Posted by zimmer

There's always the new and super expensive RCBS twin dispenser model recently introduced. IIRC RCBS claim accuracy/repeatability up there with the magnetic force restoration type scales.

Super expensive? I don't think I'll even look for those online... (!)... I just found the price of the AND FX300i you recommended and I thought those were bad enough. Haha.

Originally Posted by planenutz

Super expensive? I don't think I'll even look for those online... (!)... I just found the price of the AND FX300i you recommended and I thought those were bad enough. Haha.

Ha ha yes the new RCBS I think is around $2k in Oz IIRC. A lot of guys gong the AnD way pay maybe $1.3k for the scales and then stack an auto dispenser on top for around another grand. So you could say the RCBS twin is maybe a better option. Not sure of its scale technology though.

My advice if you really want electronic at a budget is to look at the RCBS Lite auto dispenser. I think someone has already suggested that?