Thread: Electronic Powder Scales - Your Experience/Recommendation

I’m looking at up-grading my electronic powder scales and looking for your feedback on which Make/Model is best?

As a typical rule, “You get what you pay for!” But it is also possible to get quality and accuracy at a reasonable price.

The following three scales are on TradeMe, I would be interested in your experience, advice on these and other electronic scales. I don’t want to go to an auto-feed, set and forget model, because trickling is part of the fun of it and something we all do as we get older!

Frankford Platinum Series Precision Scale $314 https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/4426109349

Lyman AccuTouch 2000 Electronic Reloading Scale $458 https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/4433049176

Hornady Digital Bench Scale 1500gr $504 https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/4433091492

Currently loading 22 Hornet - 10grns & 222 Rem 18.5grns both using ADI AR2207

Hugh Shields
Controlled Rabbit Culling
Wellington

I've been reloading for almost 30 years. From 222 Rem to 470 NE and many calibers in between.

I started with the plastic Lee beam scale and quickly got a Ohaus which is very reliable.

About 15 years ago I got a cheap $25 digital scale on Trade Me. It checked out with the Ohaus for various loads. Very reliable. I am still using it.

Recently I got a new rifle in a new caliber. So again I checked calibration. Spot on.

May be I got lucky. But I do not think so. Highly accurate load cells are a dime a dozen and used extensively in industry. The electronics involved is very simple and low cost. I see no need to pay hundreds of $ for brands & cosmetic appearance.

Hi Hugh i bought this a couple of years ago as i wasnt happy with the cheaper ones not weighing to two 0,s past the dot and a bit wobbly in their readouts .
i think i paid about $900 or so .it was second hand on T/Me i gather they are a lot ore when new . i needed to get the good read out reloading 25 ACP etc
as just one kernel of powder makes a differences in these small cases ..
Pay once cry once Happy reloading [So do you reload to shoot or shoot to reload ]

Thanks Naki, Sound advice. Cheers, Hugh

Thanks AR7. Your response is 180 degrees diametrically opposed to Nakihunter! But that is sometimes how it goes. I think the middle ground is safe.
You Asked, "So do you reload to shoot or shoot to reload?" Which got me thinking..... I shoot to kill pest animals to get paid. Which means I reload to keep the costs down (Ignoring my time) so I can kill more pest animals and make more $$$. Diagrammatically flow chart would look like this: [Shoot] > [Kill] = [$$$] > [Reload] > [Shoot] > [Kill] = [$$$] (Repeat)

Hugh Shields
Controlled Rabbit Culling
Wellington

The "Buy once, Cry once" maxim applies here. Cheap digital scales are generally a recipe for frustration and upgrading. Classic example the other day- a friend called me to show him some beginner loading techniques. I arrived to find some reasonable gear especially the press but he had this micro battery-powered ?Hornady digital scale. The reality was even worse than the poor first impressions. It wandered all over the place despite an extended warmup and would often have drifted 0.7gr in under five weighings. Absolutely useless for the intended purpose would be a kind summary.

My advice- either buy a quality mechanical balance scale or else suck it up and buy a proper magnetic force restoration scale such as an AnD or Sartorious. Cheap electronic scales sound great but the reality is often far from it. My AnD 120i scales are one of the best things I've ever bought. They never drift and are truly accurate to one kernel.

cheap Aliexpress digital scales are rubbish.

almost all of the "cheaper" "reloading brand" scales are Aliexpress ones with a 300$ label added to it. - overpriced rubbish

All new beam scales are manufactured in china... rubbish.

lee... rubbish


That leaves:

Living with the fact that your scales are inaccurate and ignore the problem. Many "experienced" reloaders do just that and convince themselves their reloads work just fine (many do, some don't but fail to admit it or blame other factors)

Cheapest usable scale is an old (non china manufactured) beam scale, second hand from somebody. However if the knife edge is damaged it might not be reliable either. Bit of luck involved.

Some very expensive "reloading" scales are workable, but also overpriced for what they are.

Also expensive but at least up to the task are labratory scales in the 0.1 mg range

The perfect reloading scale does not exist. all are trade offs. There is a reason why "prometheus" and "auto-trickler" are a thing, and those two also have serious shortcomings.

@AR7 @6x47 @STC Quick update. So I went for the mid/low end of, "Buy once, cry once," with a Hornady Digital Bench Scale 1500gr.
These were on TradeMe for $506 & $540 (or $560, I forget now....) but then Delta Mike's retail store (not TradeMe) ran a Boxing Day Special for $430. At that price it was a no Brainerd and I found I didn't cry that much! Only a little tear! But that passed after the first 100 reloads were labeled and tucked away.
Thanks for the advice.
Hugh Shields
Controlled Rabbit Culling

Originally Posted by Hugh Shields

@AR7 @6x47 @STC Quick update. So I went for the mid/low end of, "Buy once, cry once," with a Hornady Digital Bench Scale 1500gr.
These were on TradeMe for $506 & $540 (or $560, I forget now....) but then Delta Mike's retail store (not TradeMe) ran a Boxing Day Special for $430. At that price it was a no Brainerd and I found I didn't cry that much! Only a little tear! But that passed after the first 100 reloads were labeled and tucked away.
Thanks for the advice.
Hugh Shields
Controlled Rabbit Culling
Attachment 241043

You would of been really excited with an auto charge.
Seating bullets while it charges the pan!

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

I would suggest you buy a Powder Dispenser like a Chargemaster or Intellidropper etc.
Best of both worlds and it would be your next step long term.
Keep and eye out for a second hand version.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

You would of been really excited with an auto charge.
Seating bullets while it charges the pan!

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

Budget constraints at the moment, maybe down the track a bit.....

Originally Posted by Simon

I would suggest you buy a Powder Dispenser like a Chargemaster or Intellidropper etc.
Best of both worlds and it would be your next step long term.
Keep and eye out for a second hand version.

Long term maybe. I'll keep an eye out....