Next Generation: New RCBS Powder Scales

[GW Staar]

First, the M500. It's no longer vapor. It's in stock at Midway etc. for $80.

What's there to like? Can you say ambidextrous? For us lefties it's great! They changed the beam with not only a scale on both sides, but with finer graduations to allow two poises to do the work of the three found on the 505's (and Dillon Eliminator's). Some are going to cry "cheap". But I see no reason that two poises can't do the exact same work as three if the beam is designed for it. And it's one more poise to not have to set. Here's a close-up of the business end: (notice the 2nd plastic poise is gone)

So for 6 grains of Unique move the left poise to to the first mark (5 grains) and the right poise to 1. Setting a 10-10 isn't even close to as easy.....and you don't have to tighten the roller! (Yeah I know 505's are easier than 10-10's too)






On the damper end the pointer is redesigned for the ambidextrous feature: (notice the teeth on the other side)
I think this end will be a lot easier to read with older eyes.



Even the cup has an extra handle for use on the other side of the scale.

I think it's a good looking scale, and probably a worthy update to the venerable 505!

There's not much data out yet about the yet to be stocked M1000. But here's a picture with the discontinued 10-10: (notice the M1000 is a 2 beam 3 poise system, also ambidextrous)



I may have to retire my 45 year old 10-10....as good as it has served me, I've always been less than happy with the mic wheel. Too hard to adjust it without moving the whole beam with my clumsy right hand and then have to tighten and loosen and retighten. Honestly, I'm ready for a better way.

BTW! Did you know that Amazon is still selling new 505's for $45!!! That's not going to last......once the sellers realize that have an out of production classic.

 

[cwall64]

My 30+ year old Ohaus 10-0-5 is like that... But no left handed view (and I am a lefty!)

 

[MEHavey]

Quite frankly, I'd rather have the simpler 500/1000 series over
the 10-10/mic wheel design (one of which I bought for my son)


My Texan from early `60s -- still my true cross
-- even w/ a ChargeMaster this last ten years

Near fool-proof....
("near")

 

[GW Staar]

My 30+ year old Ohaus 10-0-5 is like that... But no left handed view (and I am a lefty!)

Interesting! Looks like a 10-10 minus the mic wheel. Never seen one of those. Thanks for posting!

MEHavey: When I bought mine I had two choices available to me, the 5-10 and the 10-10.....both had mic wheels. The 505 was an improvement and I never once used that additional weighing capacity of the 10-10. Took them a long time to change out the 10-10. That said the 10-10 is amazingly accurate and been that way for 45 years. The mic is a pain in spite of that for a lefty. cwall64's scale would've been way easier.

 

[1066]

The new M500 is a direct replacement for the 502 scale. The 502 is the bottom of the current RCBS range (forget the nasty plastic R130). The 502 has the same two poise system, also used by the new Hornady beam scale and the Redding No 2, Lyman D7 etc.

The RCBS 505 was considered the next step up with a three poise system, as also used on the older Hornady "M" type and the current Dillon Eliminator.

The new M500 has exactly the same knife edge/floating agate bearing set-up as the current RCBS range, it also has exactly the same stirrup type pan hanger. It has the usual magnetic damping, although the damper blade is now in line with the beam rather than at right angles.

As pointed out, the beam is printed on both sides, a long overdue modification so can be used either way.

My M500 is made in China, it has a well cast, although light, metal base, the level adjusting wheel is a slight improvement on the 502/5 scales. Still plastic but a little larger and castellated.

The moment length is the same as the 502/5 at around 6 1/4 inches and has the same 500 grain capacity.

I've checked my scale with check weights and have found it to be reasonably accurate right through the range.

All in all, a good basic scale, the only advantage over the 502 is it's ambidextrous qualities.

I think RCBS missed a chance here to introduce a better scale.
I would have liked to seen a 100 grain scale. I would guess that 98% of users are interested in accurately weighing powder in the 3-60 grain range.

Imagine your car speedo reading 0-140 mph, now imagine you are trying to keep exactly to 15.8 mph, it's not the right tool for the job, you would be far better off with a speedo reading 0-20mph

I know it's handy, at times, to weigh bullets and cases but a cheap digital does a good job of this sort of thing.

Another change I would like to have seen would be to modify the pan hanger system to a single point system - the stirrup is often the cause of poor accuracy.

Just my thoughts, of course.

 

[1066]

Quite frankly, I'd rather have the simpler 500/1000 series over
the 10-10/mic wheel design (one of which I bought for my son)


My Texan from early `60s -- still my true cross
-- even w/ a ChargeMaster this last ten years

Near fool-proof....
("near")

That's interesting - I've not come across one like that before. It shares the same beam as the excellent older Hornady/Pacific "M" type but without the magnetic damping. Is there an oil well under the knife blades?
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/393771_Should_I_trust_this_old_Hornady_Pacific_scale_with_out_calibrating__Recommend_me_some_weight_s.html

Here's one I tricked up a little:

 

[MEHavey]

Is there an oil well under the knife blades?

Roger that.

But I leave it dry, center the balance near zero manually, and then tap-tap-tap
with a finger on the table right next to it to micro-vibrate the bearings to get true zero.

Works like a charm and is really exact/repeatable.





postscript: Again, it's now used as second opinion/true-cross calibration to the ChargeMaster
when I get paranoid -- and even then after using Lyman checkweights as a triple-check.

 

[1066]

Roger that.





postscript: Again, it's now used as second opinion/true-cross calibration to the ChargeMaster
when I get paranoid -- and even then after using Lyman checkweights as a triple-check.

I see you're a measure twice, cut once man too

I have several old oil damped scales in my collection. One of my favourites is an old Webster.

 

[HOWARD J]

My new 5-0-5 Chinese is very light & takes longer to give a reading than a Lee scale
someone let us know how long the M500 take to give a reading & how stable is it for weight ?

 

[1066]

My new 5-0-5 Chinese is very light & takes longer to give a reading than a Lee scale
someone let us know how long the M500 take to give a reading & how stable is it for weight ?

The damping on my M500 is quite good, certainly as good as any other 505/2. It has conventional copper plate/magnets.

Yes, the scale is light but this is very easily remedied by filling the base with resin or plaster of Paris etc. A few old bullets or lead shot could be added if necessary.
This is a weighted 505:

 

[jmorris]

I read that Scott Parker quit doing "tune up's" on the new RCBS scales because they were no longer made in the USA and the Chinese versions had issues.

I am guessing these are a clean sheet?

I know the old ones were made by Ohaus but not sure if it was Ohaus or RCBS that was the result in an inferior product. First guess would be Ohaus as RCBS is moving away from the "new version" of a product that has been around for decades.

 

[Walkalong]

Looks like the same system as the Redding R2 scale.

 

[9mmepiphany]

All this RCBS scale talk made me go dig out the one in a cabinet in the garage. I'd gotten it as part of a gun deal 30 years back and never took it out...it was still in the original box (lube leaked from the next box) and still wraped in cardboard and newspaper.

It wasn't marked...except for the Ohaus manufacture markings... but I've figured out that it is a RCBS 5-10. It was easy to set up and zero. I don't have any weights light enough to check it...but it read the same as my electronic scale when I weighed a bullet

Is this a good scale?

 

[1066]

All this RCBS scale talk made me go dig out the one in a cabinet in the garage. I'd gotten it as part of a gun deal 30 years back and never took it out...it was still in the original box (lube leaked from the next box) and still wraped in cardboard and newspaper.

It wasn't marked...except for the Ohaus manufacture markings... but I've figured out that it is a RCBS 5-10. It was easy to set up and zero. I don't have any weights light enough to check it...but it read the same as my electronic scale when I weighed a bullet

Is this a good scale?

Yes, the 5-10 is an excellent scale. It was a step between the basic 502/505 scales and the top of the range 10/10 (not counting the 304).

It used the same beam as the 10/10 with the rotating barrel poise system and also had the same approach to weight system as the 10/10.

I can't remember when it was discontinued, maybe 15 years ago, certainly before the quality started to drop and the company stopped being run by engineers and the accountants took over.

Here's a couple I tuned up some time ago.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtYglAd9Dc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCTHCfDBlU

 

[HOWARD J]

5-0-5
All I know is the Chinese takes twice as long to give a reading also it has a chrome liner on the pointer & is very irritating when you look at it for a reading

 

[catgunguy]

"1066" I really like the extended pointer on your scales. Are they your secret on how to add those or would you share how you put them on? Thank you.

 

[1066]

"1066" I really like the extended pointer on your scales. Are they your secret on how to add those or would you share how you put them on? Thank you.

Not really a secret but it did take some working out. The pointer and mounting needs to be antimagnetic such as brass or copper.

I use something like this as the mounting, drilling through the beam for the stub to go through and super gluing it in place. The pointer is usually copper wire filed and polished to a point.

MOUNTING

What you must remember is that you will need to re-tare the scale. Any weight added to the pointer end will need about 10 times as much added to the weight box.

 

[catgunguy]

I thank you for your response. From your video it looks like you have a slotted screw holding the pointer to the beam. Is the screw also non magnetic? Also I do not see how the part that you refer to in the link works for mounting the pointer on the beam. Thank you.

 

[vaalpens]

BTW! Did you know that Amazon is still selling new 505's for $45!!! That's not going to last......once the sellers realize that have an out of production classic.

Thanks for the information. This is a good price for a new RCBS 505 scale, so I decided to order one as an early fathers day gift to me. I already have an Ohaus 505 that I bought used, so this will be a nice complement since I like the 3 poise system on the 505.

 

[1066]

I thank you for your response. From your video it looks like you have a slotted screw holding the pointer to the beam. Is the screw also non magnetic? Also I do not see how the part that you refer to in the link works for mounting the pointer on the beam. Thank you.

Ok - Have a close look at the connectors in this link. If you break the plastic apart you will have 3 individual brass connectors, they have a hole where the wire normally goes and a short spigot that goes through a circuit board for soldering. They also have a little bent bit of tin and a screw on top.

CONNECTOR

Now, you are right about the screw being magnetic, I have found brass screws at times, but mostly they are 2.5mm steel. If you are trying to get the very best out of your scale these will effect the reading because they are close to the damping magnets. I usually end up making the screws myself out of brass, they are very small and it's a slow job. I though I would get away with a 2.5 mm marine grade A5 stainless steel grubscrew but all the ones I've found are magnetic.

 

[catgunguy]

Thank you very much, that really helped.
Sorry to every one for hijacking the thread.

 

[moxie]

I have an RCBS 5-0-2 made by Ohaus. Bought new in 1988. Never had any checkweights until some years back I got nervous and bought some. The old scale was spot on! My wife made a cover for it years ago and I think that's a good idea, keeps the dust off.

 

[Rule3]

Looks like the same system as the Redding R2 scale.

As I posted in another thread, I e mailed them and they still make their scale here in the USA. The scale has a label for the indicator marks not etched in but still seems like a quality scale.

 

[fguffey]

What's there to like? Can you say ambidextrous?

I will not be purchasing another set of scales if ambidextrous was important I would first place a mirror behind the scale and then turn the scale around. I have the old Herter scales, Redding scales, Ohaus scales, RCBS scales and test weight. I have Ohaus industrial scales, it does not bother me but on one scale test weight have different weights. I trust that scale, I do not use it for reloading.

F. Guffey

 

[GW Staar]

That would be a pain to line up mirrors just so to read it head on. Would require 2 mirrors to read the scales forwards, but it could be done.

However, 1066's video camera would do a great job with the scale turned backwards. That would be smart for lefties who preferred the pan on the left!....and don't want a new scale.