RCBS 5-10 scale question

[TennJed]

I am getting my feet we with reloading and picked up a used RCBS 5-10 scale as a add on to a trade i made. I believe everything is here but the instruction manual.

Here is a pic



Can anyone verify if everything else is here?
Any place I can download a online instruction manual?
Any good tips/sites/links on how to use this darn thing?

Thanks

 

[kelbro]

Yep, all there. Great scales. Can you zero it? Set it level and set everything to zero and see how it lines up. The screw foot is how you adjust it to zero.

RCBS has the manuals on their website.

 

[TennJed]

i think i got it leveled to zero. I downloaded the manual and (maybe it is too late at night) it is pretty confusing.

I got the large poise at zero
The micro poise is at zero
put the pan on
adjusted the leveling foot till it balanced at zero

Now to try to get the weighing down.

 

[billybob44]

Jed, you have a FINE scale there! I have had one for years=very accurate. The only difference between yours+mine is that the "0" with ^ on yours is not on mine-I just have a center mark+small "hash" marks above+below the center mark. Mine was bought in '76' or '77' and still works GREAT.
A couple of hints on your scale:
1. Be SURE to have the scale pan on the pan holder before you try to balance(center the beam)==Ask me how I know that
2.Try to keep it covered, or at least in a cabinet-to keep dirt+fall-out off of it,especially off of the pivot pins+roller bushings.
3. Your scale has "Magnetic Dampening", meaning that there is a copper disc that goes between two magnets (Just behind the left side pointer). With this in mind, keep all/any power supplies,tools, metal objects, or anything else, away from the left side of your scale. The "Dampening" slows down the bouncing of the beam when it is tyring to center.
4. Keep around a good "Premium" 50gr. bullet to check the calibration of your scale. I use a .224" Hornady 50gr, V-Max. or the same in a Sierra bullet. Most of those are as accurate as a test weight.
Enjoy your scale+have FUN hand loading...Bill..

 

[rcmodel]

I helps to use them on a level work surface too.

Not only end-to-end, but sideways too.

If the scale is tilted front to back, the beam will eventually walk to the lower side and rub on the frame, which will effect accuracy.

rc

 

[StevenDale]

i have been using one for over 35 years and it has never given me need to find anything better. Following a simple creed "If it works don't fix it."

 

[41 Mag]

One other tip for easier use of it,

If you turn the pan holder in just a bit in the wire supporting ring, it will allow the pan handle to sit just a bit more up front, in a fashion that makes getting hold of that stubby bugger much easier.

Myself I have mechanic's fingers which have a tendency to not be so graceful, and it makes it a WHOLE LOT easier to get them around that stubby pan handle.

These are great scales and as mentioned in the other post, keep the dust and debris of and out of the V-notches and your set for years of reliable service.

 

[MEHavey]

Perfect scale with almost nothing that that can go wrong/get out of whack unless someone takes a hammer to it. Trust it w/ your life. [only a semi-pun there. )

some times the pointer will stop a bit off, just touch the beam and start it swinging again, most of the time it will go to center.

Just continuously tap your finger on the table next to the scale as it's settling to zero. Along w/ a good cleaning, I (mostly) promise it will never hang up offset from the true balance point if you make that part of your technique.



I've been using that "finger-drumming" method on this old Texan balance since 1969, and still use it occasionally to check the Green Monster (lower right) to see if Isaac Newton & James Clerk Maxwell are still shaking hands in the physics afterlife. :




(Yeah, and I dust it off before I use it.)