Balance beam poise?

[mdi]

Didn't wanna hijack Catpop's thread so I'll start another. I guess I'm getting older and occasionally have problems moving the .1 gr poise on my balance beam scales without bouncing the beam off the rest (Lyman/Ohaus D5, old model/oil dampened Redding). Besides the Lee, is there another type of fine adjusting, one tenth grain, method used on a reloading scale? Been looking at scales from most of the major vendors and RCBS, Lyman, Hornady all have a thin sheet metal 1/10th poise that needs to be lifted and set into another notch...

Nope, don't want no new fangled electronic scale (tried a $$$ one and it was not repeatable, and an el cheapo that is fair, but I have to "tare" it often and I don't trust it)...

 

[DLrocket89]

I'm 32 years old, have good eyes and steady hands, and I find the .1 sheet on the RCBS is annoying too. If you happen to find something outside of the forum, please post back as I'm interested too.

 

[Reeferman]

I don't think any beam scales won't bottom out when moving any of the poise on any of the ones I have. I did take a small piece of soft rubber and put it on the frame where the beam copper hits and that has helped. The 10-10 already has a spring under it to help with this but was actually made for trickling approach.

 

[Rule3]

Other than perhaps Redding they are all under "Ohaus" name but made in China now, so not much difference in them,

Redding used to be USA made not sure?

 

[1066]

Both the RCBS 10/10 and the 5-10 use a rotating barrel poise for the 10ths, you may find it easier to use....Although both are now discontinued there still plenty of good used ones about.

 

[Reeferman]

If I use my 505 scale I have a set of long bent tweezers to move the small poise. Like 1066 said the Ohaus 10-10 I have uses a barrel for the 10th poise which can be a pain as well.

 

[FROGO207]

Yep 1066 beat me to it. You need a Ohaus/RCBS 10-10 scale with the rotating 10ths. I have a pair in case one fails. You do frequently see them for sale used. I have the one that is pictured with the cover there above my post in Catpops thread. I just hold the beam steady with my finger over the pivot area to keep it from moving either way and adjust with the other hand. It should work the same with the other tin weight you have to lift as well.

 

[Skeet 25]

This week I purchased two rcbs 5-10 scales and one ohaus scale .Im new to rifle reloading and had to purchase scale to get the other stuff I wanted with the exception of the first one. Once I make sure they work perfectly one or two will be for sale. The first to arrive tomorrow. The reason I went with this type of scales because they were recommended by members of this forum. I will post pics as they arrive.

 

[glc24]

Yep 1066 beat me to it. You need a Ohaus/RCBS 10-10 scale with the rotating 10ths. I have a pair in case one fails. You do frequently see them for sale used. I have the one that is pictured with the cover there above my post in Catpops thread. I just hold the beam steady with my finger over the pivot area to keep it from moving either way and adjust with the other hand. It should work the same with the other tin weight you have to lift as well.

Yep! Was wondering if anyone would post this.

 

[red rick]

I have been very disappointed in my RCBS 10-10 scale . It will not hold balance / zero . I sent it back once , customer service was top notch but it was not fixed . They told me to send it back again and they might replace it . They said the quality went down when they went to China . They said there new scales are made by a better Chinese company now . My Lee scale is not as easy to use , but I trust it more .

 

[1066]

I have been very disappointed in my RCBS 10-10 scale . It will not hold balance / zero . I sent it back once , customer service was top notch but it was not fixed . They told me to send it back again and they might replace it . They said the quality went down when they went to China . They said there new scales are made by a better Chinese company now . My Lee scale is not as easy to use , but I trust it more .

Yes, for several years all RCBS beam scales (made by Ohaus) have been made in either China or Mexico even though they may have "Made by Ohaus, NJ, USA" cast inside the base. The only way to tell is to look on the cardboard box to see where it was actually manufactured.

Any RCBS 5-10 you find was made in USA. They dropped the 5-10 before they started overseas manufacture.

RCBS dropped the 10/10, 505 and 502 a couple of years ago now and introduced two new beam scales, the M500 and the M1000. The M500 is a direct replacement for the 502, just a simple two poise scale, the difference is that the graduations are printed on both sides of the beam so it can be used either left or right handed.

The M1000 is a larger three poise scale and weighs to 1000 grans.

Although both still made in China, the M500 seems to work well.

All the Dillon Eliminators I've seen in the last three or four years have been made in Mexico.

Here's a recent Dillon I worked on.

 

[Decoy80]

For loading rounds smaller than 50BMG a good vintage set of RCBS 5-10 scales along with a deluxe setof check weights kept covered when not in use and used where they are not subject to being jarred on the bench has served well for my use. I do not trust anyones electronic scales as too many things affect their reading accurately and playing with powder is dangerous when very small amounts cause great difference in pressure. Old relibale,steady and slow wins just like the old turtle and hare race. If you are rushed for time personally I think handloading is not a good idea. Just to add there are electronic scales of excellent accuracy when used and kept in laboratory conditions but for most folk like myself they have no laboratory or the budjet for those.

 

[mdi]

Research showed RCBS' 5-10 scale also has a "drum style" 1/10 gr adjustment/poise. But alas, that to has been discontinued...

 

[Hardtarget]

As I was reading this it came to me...this, weighing the powder charge, is a very critical part of our hobby. We would think the companies that put their brand on a scale unit would assure it would be consistent, reliable, and robust so we could expect it to last and function properly. I just don't understand this almost ho-hum attitude as to the mfg.quality. Just me...had to say it.

Mark

 

[mdi]

Actually, one of the least expensive, simplest, scales is pretty trouble free; if it ain't actually broke, it'll work accurately. The Lee Safety Scale.

 

[Bartojc]

Actually, one of the least expensive, simplest, scales is pretty trouble free; if it ain't actually broke, it'll work accurately. The Lee Safety Scale.

Funny you should mention this. I had not used my Lee Safety scale in quite some time. This weekend while checking loads and suspecting my electronic scale was drifting I pulled out my Lee and checked a number of loads on both scales. Either they were both wrong or everything was fine The Lee as simple and hard to work with as it is, worked well and was very consistent. I still do not like how long it takes to settle down, but it gave me renewed faith is keeping things simple, and not fixing what isn't broken.

-Jeff

 

[thomas15]

Both the RCBS 10/10 and the 5-10 use a rotating barrel poise for the 10ths, you may find it easier to use....Although both are now discontinued there still plenty of good used ones about.

Not to hijack this thread but what is the difference between the 10/10 and the 5-10?

 

[1066]

Not to hijack this thread but what is the difference between the 10/10 and the 5-10?

Actually very little mechanically speaking. They both share exactly the same beam, knife edge/agate bearing setup and they are the only RCBS scales with the "approach to weight" spring under the beam.

The difference is that the 5-10 looks more like a conventional scale, similar to the 505, but the 10/10 is an enclosed body with a plastic dust cover. If you search google images you will see the difference.

Both good scales - the 5-10 was dropped maybe 15 years ago, the 10/10 dropped 2 years ago.