[themighty9mm]

Dillons beam scale has been my first scale. It works, but seems I have to rezero it almost everytime I touch it. Its a bit of a exageration but not far off. So I am wanting to get a electronic scale and some check weights. I feel it will help speed up the process, and potentially be more easy for me to be accurate with.

I am considering the dillon made one. I have seen peopleuse the rcbs one aswell. In the 100 dollarish mark whats a good scale to get?

[HexHead]

Originally Posted by themighty9mm

Dillons beam scale has been my first scale. It works, but seems I have to rezero it almost everytime I touch it. Its a bit of a exageration but not far off. So I am wanting to get a electronic scale and some check weights. I feel it will help speed up the process, and potentially be more easy for me to be accurate with.

I am considering the dillon made one. I have seen peopleuse the rcbs one aswell. In the 100 dollarish mark whats a good scale to get?

I'm happy with the RCBS 750. I considered the Dillon, but didn't want to mess with the shield on it.

[Fwdftw]

I agree I do not have a dedicated shelf for my rcbs 502, and I always have to rezero it everytime I reload , while not that big of a pain in the ass it still sucks. Id like a digital scale. Friend of mine recently bought the hornady

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[Boxerglocker]

I have the Dillon digital and Lyman check weights. It's accurate but with all digital scales, use the AC power supply. Zero and use check weights frequently. Find a relatively stable area on your bench that you scale can reside it helps with consistency.

[F106 Fan]

The Dillon is excellent.

I do want to mess with the shield because air currents that I can't even feel result in 0.2 gr one way or the other. That's kind of a lot when using a fast powder like 700-X.

Obviously, the shield can be set aside but I don't generally do that.

I use the RCBS Reloading Scale Check Weight Set 510.5 gr
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con...ses_and_powder_

One nice feature with the Dillon scale is that it does power down when not used but if you make the occasional measurement, it stays on. I have never had it time out while I was actually using it. It also comes with a wall-wart.

I think you have to buy the case separately. I wouldn't want to leave the scale on the bench without the cover.

Richard

[ron59]

I have the Dillon beam scale and hated it.
Went digital and never looked back.

[FLSlim]

My Dillon digital (D terminator) has been just super! For me, it was well worth the $$.

[themighty9mm]

I'm looking at brian enos's website. He lists a dillon and another that is very similar and the exact same price. Has anyone used the non dillon one. I has a lifetime warranty where the dillon only has a 1 year.

This is the scale in question
http://www.brianenos.com/store/be.scale_hp.html

[HexHead]

Originally Posted by Fwdftw

Friend of mine recently bought the hornady

Which one? I originally bought the cheap one and took it right back once I read the manual. It only is supposedly accurate to 2/10ths of a grain, not one.

[themighty9mm]

I think I have it narrowed down to digital 4 scales. They all seem to be nearly identical. The Dillon D Terminator, Hornaday LnL, RCBS 750, or the one brian enos sells. Unless there is something signifgantly better in this price range, what one would you guys get?

[unclebob]

RCBS Charge Master combo. Right now Natchez has them on sale for $289.95. Buy another RCBS product that will put the order above $300.00 and you get a $50.00 rebate back from RCBS.

[F106 Fan]

Originally Posted by themighty9mm

I think I have it narrowed down to digital 4 scales. They all seem to be nearly identical. The Dillon D Terminator, Hornaday LnL, RCBS 750, or the one brian enos sells. Unless there is something signifgantly better in this price range, what one would you guys get?

I would skip any of the scales that don't have a shield. I know that leaves Dillon in and RCBS out but I don't know much about the others.

I really think the shield is a big deal, especially when I have the garage door open.

I'm not sure how much value there is in the fact that the Dillon shield is also electrostatically grounded. I don't have a way to test it. However, I am of the opinion that they didn't do it for nothing. I have no idea whether the other 2 scales have this feature.

BrianEnos.com has two 'other' scales. One is clearly a cheaper model ($75) and the other is more comparable to the Dillon ($134). The more expensive unit is a candidate because it has a wind screen (not shown). However, it doesn't seem to have a protective case/cover.

I have no regrets about buying the Dillon. These other scales may or may not be suitable candidates but my Dillon is working fine.

Richard

[themighty9mm]

Originally Posted by F106 Fan

I would skip any of the scales that don't have a shield. I know that leaves Dillon in and RCBS out but I don't know much about the others.

I really think the shield is a big deal, especially when I have the garage door open.

I'm not sure how much value there is in the fact that the Dillon shield is also electrostatically grounded. I don't have a way to test it. However, I am of the opinion that they didn't do it for nothing. I have no idea whether the other 2 scales have this feature.

BrianEnos.com has two 'other' scales. One is clearly a cheaper model ($75) and the other is more comparable to the Dillon ($134). The more expensive unit is a candidate because it has a wind screen (not shown). However, it doesn't seem to have a protective case/cover.

I have no regrets about buying the Dillon. These other scales may or may not be suitable candidates but my Dillon is working fine.

Richard

My loading is done in the basment, however I very much know what yu mean about the wind, even the air you cant necessarily feel. At my job we make m781s, we use very sensitive scales. To the point if you look at the thing just right it can change. Its a bit of a exageration, but not by much.

[Colorado4Wheel]

Originally Posted by themighty9mm

Dillons beam scale has been my first scale. It works, but seems I have to rezero it almost everytime I touch it. Its a bit of a exageration but not far off. So I am wanting to get a electronic scale and some check weights. I feel it will help speed up the process, and potentially be more easy for me to be accurate with.

I am considering the dillon made one. I have seen peopleuse the rcbs one aswell. In the 100 dollarish mark whats a good scale to get?

Strap the Dillon to your bench and it won't move and need to be rezeroed.

[SARDG]

I have Brian Enos' 'better' scale and it has a big wind screen and has been working well.

When Natchez ran the Chargemaster combo on sale I got that because of the trickler and ease of developing loads. That has a screen as well, and comes with a metal pan that insists on clinging to powder. I can't get rid of the static I guess, but use the plastic pan/funnel that came with Enos' scale.

After turning on the scales and letting them warm up, then calibrating, they both matched exactly at my load weight of 3.5gr, and with the 50 and 100 gram weights that the RCBS comes with. That RCBS will be wonderful when I get into rifle loads and it was fast for dropping 10 + 10 + 10 of various pistol loads I was working up. No manual trickling and no fiddling with my powder bar for a few test loads. It's almost entertaining watching that Chargemaster.

Both the above scales have an AC adapter and do not automatically shut off on AC - which is good! The Enos scale also runs on batteries if you wish, with an auto shutoff.

[Big Bore Fan]

I have the Dillon digital and reload out in my shed. I store the scale in the house and move it out side when I reload. I zeroed it once and use check weights every time, never a problem.

[themighty9mm]

Well, I have been looking and looking. Read peoples opinions on here and some other forums. Read reviews on websites. Came to the conclusion, that in a price point I am willing to pay (under 150) that the reviews are just not consistent enough with any of the electronic scales. Now I relize these reviews come from all types of people and they may not all be accurate. Some of those people may simply have not read directions. However seems about 70-80% of people are happy with brand x,y, or z. The others all report drifting zero, or complete failure of the scale rendering it inoperable and needing warranty work. Or even worse a completly new one. Sometimes on their own dime. Also reports of constantly needed to rezero. This even goes for the very few reviews I can find on the dillon. Found out the dillon scale isnt even made by dillon wich suprised me alot. So it seems I could easily potentially get all the problems I have with a beam scale, and a handfull more problems If thats the case may aswell save the money and call it good enough

[F106 Fan]

Well, if you're going to believe all the nonsense on the Internet, how can you even think about actually reloading? Primer tube explosions, kabooms, lead poisoning. Somebody, somewhere, has made all of these mistakes and have taken every opportunity to write about it.

There's nothing wrong with a decent beam scale. They may even be superior to the digital scale for trickle charging as you can watch the needle approach the index. You might even be able to get a lot closer to a nominal charge because a digital will always have a roundoff issue. A 20.0 gr charge could be a light as 19.95 or as high as 20.049 (assuming the scale always rounds up). I'm pretty sure you could get a lot closer with a beam scale.

I never expected that Dillon made their digital scale and I doubt that they make their beam scale either. I'm pretty sure they outsource a lot of their peripheral items. Heck, I'll bet even the case feeder is built somewhere else.

Like any electronic gadget, bad stuff can happen. Sometimes it happens sooner than later. I figure if I get 5 years out of mine, I'll be happy. Unfortunately, I still have my POS RCBS beam scale. It's still working fine after about 30 years. But it's still a POS.

I have no operational problems whatsoever with my Dillon but it is certainly true that that could change in a heartbeat.

Richard

[Colorado4Wheel]

Originally Posted by themighty9mm

Well, I have been looking and looking. Read peoples opinions on here and some other forums. Read reviews on websites. Came to the conclusion, that in a price point I am willing to pay (under 150) that the reviews are just not consistent enough with any of the electronic scales. Now I relize these reviews come from all types of people and they may not all be accurate. Some of those people may simply have not read directions. However seems about 70-80% of people are happy with brand x,y, or z. The others all report drifting zero, or complete failure of the scale rendering it inoperable and needing warranty work. Or even worse a completly new one. Sometimes on their own dime. Also reports of constantly needed to rezero. This even goes for the very few reviews I can find on the dillon. Found out the dillon scale isnt even made by dillon wich suprised me alot. So it seems I could easily potentially get all the problems I have with a beam scale, and a handfull more problems If thats the case may aswell save the money and call it good enough

Electric scales are susceptible to all sorts of interference. So that makes the reviews less reliable.

[unclebob]

Originally Posted by Colorado4Wheel

Electric scales are susceptible to all sorts of interference. So that makes the reviews less reliable.

[Colorado4Wheel]

What's so funny. If a guy has bad wiring/shielding/etc then even a good electric scale can be thrown off.

[themighty9mm]

Originally Posted by F106 Fan

Well, if you're going to believe all the nonsense on the Internet, how can you even think about actually reloading? Primer tube explosions, kabooms, lead poisoning. Somebody, somewhere, has made all of these mistakes and have taken every opportunity to write about it.

There's nothing wrong with a decent beam scale. They may even be superior to the digital scale for trickle charging as you can watch the needle approach the index. You might even be able to get a lot closer to a nominal charge because a digital will always have a roundoff issue. A 20.0 gr charge could be a light as 19.95 or as high as 20.049 (assuming the scale always rounds up). I'm pretty sure you could get a lot closer with a beam scale.

I never expected that Dillon made their digital scale and I doubt that they make their beam scale either. I'm pretty sure they outsource a lot of their peripheral items. Heck, I'll bet even the case feeder is built somewhere else.

Like any electronic gadget, bad stuff can happen. Sometimes it happens sooner than later. I figure if I get 5 years out of mine, I'll be happy. Unfortunately, I still have my POS RCBS beam scale. It's still working fine after about 30 years. But it's still a POS.

I have no operational problems whatsoever with my Dillon but it is certainly true that that could change in a heartbeat.

Richard

While I do agree, the internet is rampant with poor information. Beyond the internet my sources for information are about a total of 2 other people. One guy learned the basics from me, the other guy is just one sample size with limitations of his own. I beleive he uses a beam scale aswell. So beyond my own experience, the internet happens to be it. Outside of trial and error. And I'm sorry but I dont make enough money to trial and error my $150. That would be a considerable loss that could have gone to a good variety of other entertainments. So what I'm forced to do (or at least how I feel) Is weight the good and the bad. Read the reviews, ask people here and other forums. Get as many opinions as I can. From there weed through the BS. Find out what is real what is not, by using other sources, and chances of probability. Combine all that with my own experience on things somewhat similar (in this case electronics). From there determine "is this worth it for me". Based on the reviews/good new/problems I have read from several venders, other forums (dillon precision, brian enose, here, and a couple more) I have come to the conclusion that what I desire can happen in my price range. However, the chances of failure appear to be about 20-30%. Thats a very very rough number and could certainly be off. To me that is too great of a chance when what I have works. Albeit, a pain in the butt. Based on my findings though and the scales I use at work. I do know even electronic scales can be very finicky. Will often need to be rezeroed, and are very sensitive to even slight changes in air or vibrations. The upside of the electronic scale is the rezeroing, weighing ect is all much faster and less finicky. Down side is failure rate appears to be high. This is the conclusion I have come up with. I cant necessarily say I wont get one, but for the time being unless I can be shown otherwise. I will have to pass

[themighty9mm]

Originally Posted by Colorado4Wheel

Electric scales are susceptible to all sorts of interference. So that makes the reviews less reliable.

I am aware of how unreliable reviews can but but outside of throwing money at it, and hoping it works out. My sources for info are somewhat limited.

[F106 Fan]

Originally Posted by themighty9mm

Based on the reviews/good new/problems I have read from several venders, other forums (dillon precision, brian enose, here, and a couple more) I have come to the conclusion that what I desire can happen in my price range. However, the chances of failure appear to be about 20-30%. Thats a very very rough number and could certainly be off.

That number is probably off by 2 orders of magnitude. I would be surprised if the reject rate on the Dillon scale is even 0.2% (2 in a 1000). If the failure rate was even 2 in 100, people on this forum would be up in arms. Twenty in 100 is out of the question - Dillon wouldn't even sell the product. Remember, they have to guarantee it for a year and infant mortality is the most likely failure. If it makes a year, it may be good for life.

The few people who have a problem write all over the Internet.

Those who have no issues don't bother to write anything. Except, maybe, on these specific topic forums. Why would I bother to write a positive review? I'm not having a problem so I have no motivation. It's just a tool on the bench doing exactly what it is supposed to do. So what? That's why I bought it. To do what it is supposed to do.

But I agree with you, if you believe the failure rate approximates 20-30%, stay away. It isn't worth the risk.

Richard

[F106 Fan]

A closing thought: I have been dealing with Dillon since the early '80s. I have always been extremely satisfied.

Sure, I drink the Blue KoolAid but there's a reason.

I never even blinked when I bought their digital scale. I didn't even think that I should blink. It's Dillon, it's going to work just fine.

Richard