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Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

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Minuteman
May 12, 2011
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western south dakota
I have been using a 505, and a digital for several years. Lately the 505 has been hard to keep accurate. I have to zero it several time while loading maybe 40 to 50 rounds. I have decided to buy a new beam scale, and am looking for suggestions. What works for you?
Thanks,
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

I've had a Dillon that's worked for about 20 years now.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

Get a soft bristle brush and clean the knife seats, knives and beam. You may have a dust problem.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

There is a 10-10 beam for sale (or was) on accurate shooter for $85. These are some of the better beams made, especially the older ones sold as RCBS, but made by Ohaus. I have a early 80's model and it works like a champ still to this very day.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

You should contact Scott Parker at: [email protected]

he tunes beam scales and usually has some on hand to sell or can tell what he prefers to work with. I have one that is accurate enough to detect one kernal of powder. i'll never go back to digitals.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

as stated just clean it out, there probably something in there thats making it stick. beam scales really dont have anything to go wrong with them, I have an older RCBS and a new dillon there both dead on with each other
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

It's either dust, dulled or burred knife edges, or the pivot beam isn't centered and one end is rubbing on a bearing retainer clip. Beam scales just don't "go bad" unless they've been physically misused.

Ohaus makes the Dillon as well as RCBS' scales. And, before that, they made Lyman's. Likely made beams for others too but of that I'm not sure.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

Acculab VIC 123. I weigh to +/- .02 gr. So much easier to get single digit SD's.

6.5x47
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

"<span style="font-style: italic">I weigh to +/- .02 gr. So much easier to get single digit SD's."</span>

We can sandpaper the last kernal of powder to get charges accurate within .0000001 gr. but until we can buy cases with equally precisely matched internal volumes and precisely duplicated primers then agonizing about powder charge accuracy better than .1 gr is meaningless. Low SD is better obtained with good load development and consistant loading methods. IMHO.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6.5x47</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Acculab VIC 123. I weigh to +/- .02 gr. So much easier to get single digit SD's.

6.5x47 </div></div>

I know its hard to think in this day and age that everything is better if its electronic, while there are very good electronic scales, few are within the price range of an average consumer, and a simple mechanical balance beam scale that has been tuned\calibrated will last more than a couple lifetimes, and be more than accurate for this sport\hobby. If I didn't have a Gen 2 Prometheus I would be using a tuned Lyman M5 from Scott Parker, a USB camera hooked to my laptop to view the needle, Uniflo powder throw, and a Omega trickler.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6.5x47</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Acculab VIC 123. I weigh to +/- .02 gr. So much easier to get single digit SD's.

6.5x47 </div></div>
If I didn't have a Gen 2 Prometheus I would be using a tuned Lyman M5 from Scott Parker, a USB camera hooked to my laptop to view the needle, Uniflo powder throw, and a Omega trickler. </div></div>

That is exactly my setup and I could not be happier. However, I have a Targetmaster Powder trickler in the mix.

M5Sensor2.jpg


Terry
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is exactly my setup and I could not be happier. However, I have a Targetmaster Powder trickler in the mix.</div></div>

What turns on/off the charge master? Is it a mech switch or a light beam?

Thanks!
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MtnCreek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is exactly my setup and I could not be happier. However, I have a Targetmaster Powder trickler in the mix.</div></div>

What turns on/off the charge master? Is it a mech switch or a light beam?

Thanks! </div></div>

Photo sensor.

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3OpcFRox4aY"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3OpcFRox4aY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

Thanks for all the input. I cleaned and checked the knives and seats after the first time this happened. I could not find anything binding or rubbing anywhere. I will email Scott. Thanks again.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

I have a relatively new 505 that drifts about and discovered the large poise weight would shift position in the notch ever so slightly as the beam would travel to the upper or lower extremes such that a +/- .2-.3 GR variation would occur. I'm waiting on a Lyman M-5 from Scott.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

I have a new 505, as well. At first I had nasty zero shift problems in the nature of .5-.6grs. Turns out my knife edges had great big burrs on them. Knocked those off and now it holds zero within +- .05grs. If I don't make sure the beam stays centered in the pivot slot and the medium weight is positioned right, it'll open up to +- .1grs. I'll probably contact Scott when I don't feel so broke.
 
Re: Time for a new beam scale, suggestions welcome.

RCBS 10-10 scale has always worked for me. I saw one on ebay, buy it now price of $70.
 
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