Dang this scale...which one should I try next?

[StringJumper]

I am relatively new to reloading and I purchased a RCBS Rangemaster 750 digital scale. It was a RCBS product (good rep), of mid-range price ($120), and seemed to filll my need.

Unfortunately it is probably easier for me to win the lottery than to zero this scale. I fire it up, calibrate it EXACTLY as the instructions say, and then when I zero the scale it starts climbing and bouncing......01, .02, .03, .01, .04, .03, .05, etc, etc...

I put together some loads Friday night and went to the range on Saturday. With all three loads I was getting 100+FPS difference in the velocity. :(

I tried using it on the DC (battery) power just to see if I had a problem with my electrical current. No luck....same bouncing around and failure to zero.

What is a good digital scale that won't bust my budget ($120 - $150)?

[Ol` Joe]

Trade it for a good balance beam such as the RCBS 10-10 or 505.
I`m not a fan of digitals for just the reasons you`ve mentioned.

[swamp]

Danny, have you used your calibration check weights to determine if the scales are giving you a true reading? The scales could be bouncing a little due to air currents, vibrations from the floor, house etc... I doubt that .05 of a grain would make much of a difference.

Perhaps its your chronograph and not the powder charge?

[ncboman]

Danny, try putting a nickle on it and see if it will zero and hold.

I doan trust digital scales either and MUCH prefer balance beam scales. Ohaus makes good ones. I loaned mine out and it never came back so I'm using an elcheapo Lyman 1000 now. :o

Ohaus scales (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=85r1ScIRoc2VB9m6-ccM&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=Ohaus+scales&spell=1)

ncboman

[30-338]

Depending on how new the scale is I'd call RCBS. I bought a RCBS 1500 when they first came out must of had it over 10yrs it wouldn't hold zero so repalced it with a new one and it's great. Depending on when you got that scale if was winter and being shipped might have messed thing up had that problem with the scale shipped from Midsouth they just send new scale.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Do you have a fan or an AC vent blowing on or around the scale.

Alan

[Whelen Nut]

sj

Do you have flourescent lights directly overhead? Also, some scales take a few minutes to settle down before they hold zero.

WN

[Bill Mc]

My electronic scale will vary if I breath on it. That caused me much grief when I first started using it.So I'm real careful ot . :)

I only weigh cases and usually do it twice to make sure it hasn't changed.

The old beam scale is used for measuring powder.

[AK-49]

the balance beam scales fluctuate too but you just don't see it as clearly as you do with the electronic scales. A few fractions of a grain will make little difference in the consistency of your handloads. What is tolerance that you are willing to accept +/- 0.20 grains...

[ncboman]

Powder scales are all touchy.

I try to work with mine up on a shelf in my huntin closet to keep from breathing on em and out of drafts.

The tendency with digitals is to work with them under you and that may be the problem. :rolleyes:

ncboman

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I am very new to the electronic scale scene. In fact I am still under 200 rounds at 190. I positioned it at the back of my bench and I let it tell me when the charge is right. The weather has been cool enough that I haven't needed a fan but when it gets hotter I'll have to confine my powder measuring to early morning hours. The fan would affect my old beam balance scale as well so 6 of 1, halfdozen of the other.

If it keeps messing up call RCBS. I did and although I was on hold for a measured 21 minutes when they got on the phone with me, I was #1 priority until I was totally satisfied. They walked me through every step and did so cheerfully and let me with a feeling about "customer service" that I haven't had in a while. I felt like I was ....a.....a...customer!

Alan

[StringJumper]

Yes, I just had the same experience with RCBS. I was caller #28 in queue and it took 61 minutes according to the timer on the phone before I got a person to speak with. But it was not too much of an inconvienence for me since I was at work and could still work and be productive while waiting.

And once I got a person they were extremely interested and concerned about my problem. They told me to send the scale back and they would replace it at no charge, and they did not even ask me how old the scale was! (For the record the scale is less than a year old so it was covered but it was refreshing to not be denied service based on the fact that you could not find a small piece of paper from a months old transaction.)

RCBS has the customer service thing down pat. They are in the same league, or better, than Thompson Center and Leupold. And it pays off. Just yesterday I went to buy a 7mm/08 die. The gun shop said sure, we have a Redding right here. I said no, just special order a RCBS and I will wait on it.

[30-338]

I am very new to the electronic scale scene. In fact I am still under 200 rounds at 190. I positioned it at the back of my bench and I let it tell me when the charge is right. The weather has been cool enough that I haven't needed a fan but when it gets hotter I'll have to confine my powder measuring to early morning hours. The fan would affect my old beam balance scale as well so 6 of 1, halfdozen of the other.

If it keeps messing up call RCBS. I did and although I was on hold for a measured 21 minutes when they got on the phone with me, I was #1 priority until I was totally satisfied. They walked me through every step and did so cheerfully and let me with a feeling about "customer service" that I haven't had in a while. I felt like I was ....a.....a...customer!

Alan

If they walked you through and you having problem again what did they say was the problem the first time?

[LE]

Mine is touchy at times also, not crazy about it, but I keep on useing it. Did pick up a 505 on Ebay that I keep as a back-up. Might give it a try sometime as I started with a balance beam and their isn't that much difference in measuring time.

[swamp]

any scale that can measure down to hundredths of a grain isn't going to be reading zero unless you are in a very still and vibration free environment

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

If they walked you through and you having problem again what did they say was the problem the first time?

the only problem I had with it was that it was pouring too slow. With that fixed it worked fine afterward. It is very sensitive to air movement.

Alan

[Hi Ball]

First off I like the Georgia Peach "Bil Mc" only use an electric scale to measure brass. I have 2 other balance beam scales I weigh my powder on.