Recommend me a beam scale for powder

[kennyc]

Anything other than the Lee scales...

amc577

actually other than the lack of proper damping making them take a while to settle down, the Lee scales are accurate and more than up to the job. There are more expensive scales out there that are less accurate and easier to damage without noticing, the Lee arms won't bend, they will break

[angrybear]

Mine's an RCBS 5.0.2 way better than the Lee I had before.
Usually plenty for sale on the bay especially from the states.

[loiner1965]

rcbs and lyman are good but i cannot be arsed messing about with them so i just use digital scales......far easier in my opinion

[del]

rcbs and lyman are good but i cannot be arsed messing about with them so i just use digital scales......far easier in my opinion

i was using digital the other night but i kept getting inconsistent readings of both sets so just carried on with the lee beam scale

del

[loiner1965]

i was using digital the other night but i kept getting inconsistent readings of both sets so just carried on with the lee beam scale

del

had this issue with lyman versions but the cheap chinese ones are perfect lol

[223AI]

Rcbs 505

[1066]

Although the Lee scale works well enough, being both sensitive and accurate, it's certainly not the easiest to read and adjust and as Kenny says, the damping leaves something to be desired. It's been around, unchanged, since the 1970's and was engineered as an entry level scale. (£12 then)


The common range of RCBS scales, the 502, 505 and 10/10 were dropped from the RCBS range around 3 years ago and for around 8 years prior to that all production was moved from USA to Mexico and China, with quality becoming variable to say the least. RCBS then introduced two new scales the M1000 and the M500, again made in China but, of the several M500 I've seen the quality seems ok and the scales work well. (I've never seen a M1000 so can't comment)


I would suggest, if you wanted to upgrade from the Lee and buy new, your choices are an M500 or the Redding No 2 or possibly the Hornady beam scale. These are all simple two poise scales with no frills but work well. I'm not keen on the current Lyman scales with their small knife edges, fixed bearing and lightweight plastic body.


A good used scales would be better quality than new but it's obviously a bit of a chance. The RCBS/Ohaus 502, 505, 5-10, 10/10, the Redding No 2, Lyman M5 and the old Hornady "M" type are all obsolete but would be good choices.