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RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

CK_32

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Jan 22, 2010
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Ok so this isnt really a problem but I was just wondering How do you guys zero your RCBS 5-0-5 scale??

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My scale has always been cup side heavy and its not my reloading bech as I have tried this on several surfaces in various parts of my house.

When my scale is put on 0.0 It is always cup side heavy

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The way I zero my scale probably isnt the correct way but it works for me and this is how I do it.

A. I counter balance the counter weights on about 1.4g's for it to level out perfectly. I wright that down everytime and make sure I add that into the over all weight of the loads.

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(Actually at Zero. Angle of the camera was high to not catch flash reflection)
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B. I either put magazines or papers under the other end until zero. Not really anymore due to papers moved one time and my loads were off.Usually it takes about an inch of papers to zero the scale this way.

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I've been told to zero the scale you spin the white part on the dial end of the scale to adjust the level up or down. I've tried that and it just spins and doesnt help anything.

Is there a proper way to zero this thing or is what I'm doing how all of you guys zero this thing?
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

See how you have it on the magazines. Remove them and screw the white foot you can see in the picture out. You'll need to screw it out until it hols the scale up as height as the magazines do. Zero all your weights out and turn the foot until the scale is zeroed. If the white foot turns and the threaed rod attched doesn't then you need to remove the foot and get the rod to working so it can be threaded in and out. This rasies and lowers the scale on that end so it can be zeroed.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Yea I've been told that and tried it but it doesnt do anyhting. The white foot spins and I feel clicks almost like elivation adjustment clicks but the silver rod in the middle doesnt spin. And when I spin the white wheel it doesnt go up or down at all.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Soooo.. I just tried it and the wheel just came off.. The groovs in the wheel if there were any to match up with the grooves on the rod are now gone. The inside is now smooth... I tried grabbing the rod with my hands and spin it that way and its stuck in there pretty good.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Ok then somethings wrong. Can you remove the white foot or can you get ahold of the rod and make the rod turn. The rod is what will adjust the scale up and down. It sounds like the white foot is just slipping on the rod. I bet someone tuned the rod in until the foot broke loose from the rod.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Did you buy this new or used. I have the same one it's a good scale. If you bought to new then return it to the store and swap it out. If you cant' get it working. But the rod not turn in and out is the problem.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Im thinking of maybe getting my dremel and slitting a line on the top and maybe try to unscrew it that way. Its really stuck in there. with all my might I cant get it to unscrew. I dont want to take plyers to it because I really dont want to damage the threads and maybe the rod it self and have the foot not be able to be put back on.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

May need to try so pliers on it, but be easy it's just had of Alum. no need to get crazy. If you can't get it to break loose I'd take it back. Make sure you are turning it the right way righty tighty/lefty loosey. LOL but better safe than sorry.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

I got it brand new in the RCBS ready to go kit.

The store I bought it from I have vowed to never go back to. I've already tried returning a heavy duty case to them that didnt fit my rifle and they basically told me to go F my self. Even after I talked to a guy on the phone who told me to bring it in no problem. Then come to find out supposidly no one by that name works there and they dont do returns..
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Sounds like the rod has hung up on a small bur or part of the threading cuttings left over. If you get it out make sure to clean the rod and the hole out very good. When putting the rod back in do it by hand (this thing was never meet to be tight) and if you fill a spot getting tight mark the rod and recheck the hole and rod for burrs.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

I would call RCBS. You will have to wait on hold for a little while, but they have excellent customer service. It sounds like the wheel is broken on the bottom. It should spin easily moving that side of your scale up or down to level. You are bottomed out on the low end. It sounds like its stuck up there pretty good. On one of my forays overseas one of my kids decided to use my RCBS press to crush things. I found that when I came home I couldn't insert a shell holder into the ram because they had bent it. I called RBCS and told them exactly what had happened. The lady laughed said "Boys will be boys" and sent me a new ram free of charge. I had a similar incident with a inertia bullet puller. Call RCBS and they should get you straightened out. You can make it work now, but there is no reason to not have it working like its suppose to.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Driftwood</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would call RCBS. You will have to wait on hold for a little while, but they have excellent customer service.</div></div>

Exactly, send it back to RCBS warranty dept, with a NICE letter explaining what is wrong, and you will most likely recieve a new one, that works.

I <span style="text-decoration: line-through">accidentally</span> stupidly overshot some brake cleaner towards my 10-10 scale and it wiped the hash marks completely off of the single grain reading on the beam. The hash marks were painted onto a piece of sticky back aluminum. I simply called 'em up, told 'em what I did, the girl asked me if I wanted a new piece...a week later it was in the mailbox, no questions asked. Not quite the same thing but I wouldn't screw around trying to fix, and ultimately screw up, something if the warranty is so easily had.

RCBS, a good outfit....
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

CK sorry to hear it bro, bummer when new shit is busted from the get go...

Ya, that little leg thingy is what you use to zero... all weights should be set to zero and the leg adjusted until the pin is reading on the line... with the pan included of course... then you can measure

Worst case scenario you have to wait a tiny while till RCBS replace your current unit. In the mean time see if you can find a bolt or something that matches the thread pattern and just use that until your new one turns up.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

Yea thanks for all your help again guys. I just shot them an e mail and am going to wait on their responce. If I do not get one I will get them a call and see if I can have it replaced. I heard their customer service was great.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

RCBS has great customer service. They should have parts to you soon. They replaced parts for my case trimmer that I bought about 15 years ago and used once before finding out I didn't have the brass slugs under the set screws. They sent out slugs, set screws, and the threaded collar that you set the adjustment with. I asked about prices and they emailed me that the parts were on the way under warranty.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

I sent them an e mail yesterday morning and I still havnt gotten a reply..

Edit: Just gave them a call. They were glad to send me a whole new leveling foot and its in the mail as I type.

+1 for RCBS. Just about the niciest customer service I've had yet along with midways.

Now hopefully I can get this dam rod out of this thing and pop the new one in there with out damaging my scale.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

I agree with Enios: add or subtract weight by unscrewing the area under the pan. It will have some lead pellets. You can add pellets if needed by cutting up a lead bb or two with wire cutters and adding it.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

The lead weights under the pan hanger cover are to level the beam and it appears CK's beam is fine. The screw foot is used to level the body to match the beam, not the other way around.
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CK_32</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I sent them an e mail yesterday morning and I still havnt gotten a reply..

Edit: Just gave them a call. They were glad to send me a whole new leveling foot and its in the mail as I type.

+1 for RCBS. Just about the niciest customer service I've had yet along with midways.

Now hopefully I can get this dam rod out of this thing and pop the new one in there with out damaging my scale. </div></div>

Take a diamond cutter wheel on a dremel tool and cut a slot in the bottom of the rod and use a screw driver to get it out! If it gets to hard call RCBS back and they shoudl send you a new unit.

Terry
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The lead weights under the pan hanger cover are to level the beam and it appears CK's beam is fine. The screw foot is used to level the body to match the beam, not the other way around. </div></div>
You are correct, but I was suggesting that as a way to get them working without jacking them up with something else or shifting weights around... also, I try to keep mine level as possible and he's having to jack them up pretty high, looks like to me...
 
Re: RCBS 5-0-5 Trouble Zeroing. (Pics)

I got my RCBS 5-0-5 new in the box this month, had a similar bit of confusion around that leveling foot, but the solution is simple.
To confirm, my attempts to turn the dial resulted in nothing, and as the metal post is not slotted for a screwdriver, I was kind of wondering WTF.
SOLUTION:
Pop off that white piece of plastic (you can put it back on later), grab a pair of pliers and grip the metal stub where you see the teeth (they caused that clicking like the scope adjustments when you turned/forced the plastic dial). So now gripping the knob around the teeth with the pliers, use a moderate amount of force to turn the metal knob as if loosing a screw, and you'll 'unstick' it. In fact, it is a screw and with this initial loosening you can put the white plastic piece back on and have a perfectly functional leveling foot.
For whatever reason, it seems the thing is just too solidly tightened at the factory for that plastic piece to move the screw, but with some initial coaxing, you free it up and it will work like a charm.