Best affordable reloading scale

[gomeybear]

Ok so the terms best and affordable don’t usually go hand in hand. Ive used a few different scales and Im currently using the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Scale. Its ok but it doest seem to bounce around alot in the .1-.2 grain range.

Y’all probably have had some similar experiences with scales that are under $100 as all of mine are.

Cutting through all the BS whats best bang for buck on a digital scale? Willing to save up for one if I absolutely have to also, just looking for that affordable alternative at the moment.

[SIMJOSH1]

Definitely not in the affordable category.. but I went with a FX120i... After that I went down the rabbit hole and got an autotrickler / throw v3 setup and absolutely love it.

That setup is not needed... I'll probably never take full advantage of it - which long range shooters tend to get them but if you want absolute accuracy - this is it. CEproducts . shop 745 but with Cambridge as the code goes down to 450ish shipped.

I played around with a couple 20-30 dollar scales... Friend has a decent 150$ scale that's made with the same strain gauge and it' floats.
-Most all strain style scales will float to some degree no way to really stop this. Turning off all fans and AC - will help - Biggest issues for most scales is turning the auto off feature OFF. (FX120i uses a magnetic force restoration hybrid load cell fyi)

If I were to go that route again. I might just get a RCBS charge master / master lite. Accuracy is as good as it'll get using the strain style scale and from tests you'll find online comparing it to the fx120i - you'll get consistent loads + or - 0.05 on average easily.
Anyway - you get the ability to enter a charge weight and won't sit there playing with the trickle charger anymore!

[gomeybear]

Ive seem the Fx120 package w/ automated thrower. So does that one not have a coarse throw? Another words you have to throw a powder charge from a powder thrower and then use it for just the trickle function or will it do the whole throw and fine trickle?

[SIMJOSH1]

You can buy just the trickler or both..
Think it's around 1000$ all in maybe a little less.
(Scale, thrower and trickler)

Powder throw goes on top of the scale and drops straight into the cup. Generally you set it 1-2gn under target weight, then it trickles up the rest.
I can get around 50 charges thrown in 10-12 minutes easy once set up for that powder...

If I'm on a progressive I use a Dillon powder die.. By the time I load a bullet and new case, the powders waiting for me to dump the next cycle. Rinse repeat

[gomeybear]

Thanks for the reply! So the RCBS wouldn’t be any quicker per se just alot cheaper of an option it sounds like?

[SIMJOSH1]

Yea. It'll still use the same strain gauge style load cell your used to using.. So it will drift some but its a bit more accurate and has the benefit of trickling the load automatically..

Probably 600-700$ more for the entire fx120 auto throw and trickler equipment (over an rcbs )

I personally went fx120 because.
1) I go agro when a scale drifts
2) I rather pay more for expectations that'll be met vs utter disappointment
3) Had the money to blow
4) I expected to spend more than 3-400 over the next couple years searching for a scale that met the previous reasons.

[dellet]

You would probably be better off buying a quality beam scale for around $150 maybe less, than one of the cheaper electronic scales. The beam scales are always as accurate you are willing to make them, never wear out and you will still be able to use it 50 years from now.

Then if you really want a top notch scale/thrower save for a one time purchase.

I’m pretty sure even when you have whatever the latest and greatest is, you will keep the beam scale. I rarely get rid of quality iron tools and the last a lifetime, many times duplicated in some way. Electronics have a life expectancy and always seem to need upgrades.

[gomeybear]

Thats where Im at with it too. The scales drifting piss me off. It steals your confidence, and makes me doubt all my charge weights. Hence, when anyone here asks “what’s the charge weight?” I typically add an an approx. symbol “~” because Im really not confident in the measurement shown by the scale. They are definitely not accurate to a tenth of a grain.

@dellet I have an RCBS 500 (I think that’s the name of the model), that I use to check against the electronic scales. Only reason I dont use it consistently is its slower than electronics, and Im having to bend my neck down constantly to make sure its leveling. I like them they’ve just made it more of a cumbersome process for me. I agree I’ll always have it handy though.

[rebel]

Slower is not bad, it's more precise. There are some amazing digital stuff out there, some of the match guys spend thousands. It's funny that they always compare them to the precision of a quality beam scale.

[gomeybear]

@dellet and @rebel.... curious what y’alls choice for measuring charges is?