I only load for my hunting rifles so I don't load a ton of rounds each year. I use a Hornady balance beam scale and double check each charge with a Lyman digital scale. I've noticed that a lot of the time if I take a charge off the balance beam and then put it back, the scale usually won't balance back exactly where it was, it will be off a little. Today I was loading 45.0gr of H4350 and after it balanced perfectly on the balance beam, I put in on my digital scale and it read 44.7. I put it back on the balance beam and it was way low that time. I trickled more powder in until it balanced and then it was 45.0 on my digital scale. Is this kind of erratic behavior typical of balance beam scales? I know .3gr is not usually going to blow up a rifle but I still don't like it. I also have a Lee balance beam and had similar issues with it, although it didn't seem to happen quite as often as the Hornady. I've always thought balance beams were supposed to be more accurate than digital scales, but I'm starting to wonder. I'm starting to think my digital scale is more trustworthy. I'm considering ditching my balance beams and just using my Lyman digital and buying another digital to double check. What scales do you prefer for loading? Thanks for the responses.

can't say i ever had that trouble out of my rcbs 502 scale. i am more leary of the digital scales myself.

Great topic. One I've had several discussions with amongst other avid reloaders. I have to say a beam scale just drives me nuts, so I don't use one. Electronic scales, the "cheap ones we use" are sometimes finiky. Let them warm up, make sure they're on a level surface. Keep it out of the line of air flow from a furnace/ac/fan....that can play havoc on them.

In your situation, do you have a "test" weight you can calibrate both scales to see if they weigh the same test weight the same?

The most important thing in reloading, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT AT A MAXIMUM CHARGE, is that your scale is CONSISTENT, even if it's off a tenth or two. Consistency is the most important thing with accuracy; again as long and you're not up against a maximum charge.

What one spends on a scale varies, lots of folks load on what I call a "crack scale" $35 battery operated. Some step up to a 110 volt bench scale and other use an auto dispense scale. I have a buddy who shoots the the American rifle team who uses a Prometheus scale, which sells starts out at over $3,000. Again, I and many others believe the KEY to a scale is that is CONSISTENT, for accuracy purposes.

CB, in your case, I'd check the scales 2-3-4 ways to check for consistency and use the most consistent scale.

I.use the Lyman digital scales as well. I've noticed the variable reading like you have. Every time I use them I run the calibration. Every measurement I zero them. Where I worry is when I'm working on a load and want to compare 52.5 gr to 52 gr. If it's off by .2 gr it sort of defeats the trial ?????? I try not to make it rocket science though.

I have a Lyman that I check from time to time against my cheap "crack scale.". Despite my suspicions, they both always read the same. Sometimes my Lyman will "drift" a little and I will re zero it. Warming them up is definitely important!

Yeah, I try to remember to zero my digital scale before I weigh every charge. It will start drifting a little if you leave a charge on the pan for a couple minutes but I swear it seems to be more consistent and accurate than my balance beams.

RCBS bean scale here. Had my 7STW out today with some loads that I worked up for Colorado. They may be finicky and an overall PIA at times but they do the job just fine. Not that it has anything to do with the scales but the gun is nailing 1” groups at 300 yards and about 2.5” at 500.

I’ll say this. After dealing with some of the digital scales that my friends own, I’ll stick with my beam. It’s slower but the digital scales like the chargemaster often struggle with over throwing or under throwing a charge. It can happen with all scales. Difference is, keeping my beam doesn’t cost me anymore money.

Agree, auto dispense scales will often times through a charge “over” your target charge n this is a pain. I run an auto charge n I set my target charge 1-2 tenths “light” and trickle UP to my target charge. Overall , I feel this is faster than chasing over charges. Extruded powder is the worst for dispensing n throwing over charges.

Keep your beam balance clean. A little, and I mean little, dust on the knife edge will bugger up your readings. A little dust on the tray that the pan rests on will do the same. Get a set of test weights for calibration, a can of air to blow the balance off, and a lint/static free cover. I even know a couple guys that are anal attentive (bench rest types) that go so far as to ground their balance to eliminate any static electricity.

Get a few bullets of different weight and check the two scales with those. At least you can compare apples to apples without more expense

Im a RCBS Chargemaster guy, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

I have a RCBS Chargemaster lite . Love it also! Once in awhile it will throw a overcharge , but not very often. Spherical powder throws well.

dust and dirt are a balance beam scales worst enemy,just a bit on the contact points can make them read off.As has been said,wipe them down or spray them with air. mine is mounted to my bench so it will not move and lose "level".Also have a cover for it to keep it clean.
Very little to go wrong with a balance beam scale that can't be fixed with a known weight and some adjusting and the batteries never go bad.
That being said, I do not load any kind of "bulk" ammo, 100 at a time is mostly what I do, but have friends who use the auto scales to help load hundreds of rounds a week.

I am as well. Love mine. Probably the best tool I’ve bought for reloading.

I use a beam. I bought it more than 30 years ago used. Sent it to O'Haus and had them repair it a few years later after I dropped it. Didn't charge me a cent and in the letter I explained it was my fault it was broke. I check it with bullets. I load 55 grains of powder in my 270 for example and shoot a 55 grain bullet in my 22 250. When I set a nosler 55 grain bullet on the pan I've yet to have it read anything other than 55 grains. I keep it in the box it was mailed back to me in. No idea how a digital scale would compare as I still don't need a new scale.

I use an RCBS beam that has magnetic dampening. When loading rifle cartridges for accuracy I set my powder measure to throw a bit low and trickle up to weight. If I touch the pan so that the pointer goes up it will settle a bit high due to the dampening. Trickling up gives a more consistent measure.

I have a Lyman balance beam that I got years ago. Once I had problems with it when the pin came lose and sent it back to Lyman and then fix it cal. it for me.No problems after that with it.I do also have a Hornady electric dispenser and it gose out of wack at times.I let it heat up for 15mins and dose it at times. So i use the beam mainly.

x2...and go to accurateshooter.com or call RCBS to reprogram the codes and it speeds it up with no trickling

What would you know about accurate shooting ??

I use a crack scale and check weights to st my powder measure ( RCBS ) Once that is set up, I throw my charges. Some stick powders, I throw a little light and trickle them up. Ball and flake powders are good enough to just use the powder measure.