Portable scale reviews / recommendations ?

[gle3105]

I’ve been searching a good deal for a portable type scale. Might be an Amazon purchase so I can send it back if it doesn’t perform.

Criteria: Does it stay zeroed. Will stay at tare setting. Accuracy to .1 grain or better. Trickling response time.( I found one specifying <2sec )
Battery plus AC.
I have beam scales, an older RCBS ds, Hornady Powder auto thrower.
Having seven presses I’m wanting a “moblie “ scale.

First hand experiences please.

 

[rp10ml]

I have a Frankford Arsenal DS-750 compact that I really like and keep it in my box. I also have the Frankford full-size scale for at home use. I've compared them to each other and they are dead on. The compact is battery only and the full size scale is battery or AC

 

[gle3105]

I have a Frankford Arsenal DS-750 compact that I really like and keep it in my box. I also have the Frankford full-size scale for at home use. I've compared them to each other and they are dead on. The compoact is battery only and the full size scale is battery or AC

Trickle time response?

 

[rp10ml]

Trickle time response?

I can tell you that I had an RCBS 750 and that thing was the slowest scale, add a few grains, nothing, add a few more, then you are over. The Frankford is a lot faster as far as trickle time. I personally do not have any complaints about either one of them. Hope this helps.

 

[JIMYJAC]

2nd on the Frankford Arsenal DS-750. Bought 2of them 1for me and a buddy. Does the job well without breaking the bank.

 

[gle3105]

Thanks fellas. I’ll give the FA DS-750 a go. Not a “bank breaker”.
Appreciate your replies.

 

[bstorric]

I bought a scale from Amazon (non reloading specific) and it has been really good. It’s also accurate to .02 grains which is really nice for very accurate measuring. Unfortunately I just looked and it’s currently unavailable. I paid just $20 for it but it really is pretty nice. I have another one that is smaller and more cheaply made but I use both to verify my charges. I’d definitely buy this one again if it ever becomes available again. Just make sure to turn it on and let it settle for a while to “warm it up” before using it. I didn’t know that and it started drifting at first. Once I learned it need some warm up time (pretty much all scales do apparently) it works great. I also have some lyman scale check weights…they give me peace of mind that it’s measuring what it should measure

 

[JBushnell]

This one has been good for me. It jumps in twos, so the accuracy is 0.002 not 0.0001 but I have found that a single grain of smokeless can be 0.004, so good enough for me. It has a time out, but it's long enough that it's never turned off on me while reloading...

I think the recommendation came from "Johnny's Reloading Bench" on YouTube.

 

[Squint]

I bought a scale from Amazon (non reloading specific) and it has been really good. It’s also accurate to .02 grains which is really nice for very accurate measuring. Unfortunately I just looked and it’s currently unavailable. I paid just $20 for it but it really is pretty nice. I have another one that is smaller and more cheaply made but I use both to verify my charges. I’d definitely buy this one again if it ever becomes available again. Just make sure to turn it on and let it settle for a while to “warm it up” before using it. I didn’t know that and it started drifting at first. Once I learned it need some warm up time (pretty much all scales do apparently) it works great. I also have some lyman scale check weights…they give me peace of mind that it’s measuring what it should measure

I have a scale that's almost identical and they are dandies. I have another one that didn't seem to be accurate until I discovered that you have to have the scale setting level. Don't sound like much of the deal but it is in my garage where everything tilts. It's not hard to place a small level across the scale before you turn it on and level it. I don't think you can go wrong with one of these, they way in multiple different modes from kilograms to grams to grains. They come with a scale checker, I have checked them against my old time Redding that I've had since 1959, it's a beam bar with an oil dampener system, probably they haven't been made since 1960 but whenever I weigh on bullets on those little electronic scales, they weigh the same on that scale. In the old days I have weighted many bullets from Speer, Hornaday, and Remington. I have bet my life on that Redding scale because handloads that are done wrong can kill you.
Squint

 

[Mufasa]

This one has been good for me. It jumps in twos, so the accuracy is 0.002 not 0.0001 but I have found that a single grain of smokeless can be 0.004, so good enough for me. It has a time out, but it's long enough that it's never turned off on me while reloading...

I think the recommendation came from "Johnny's Reloading Bench" on YouTube.

View attachment 23607

For that price well worth the try - quite a far cry from the traditional brands cost!

 

[MrTom]

I have this scale and while it is not what one would call portable it is hyper accurate. One granule of IMR 4198 will cause a weight change.

I’ve play games with three of the cheaper battery operated scales over the last three years and just got fed up with batteries at half-life and temperature messing with the scales’ accuracy and not by a little bit.

This unit is a $150.00 piece of equipment that I do not regret paying for.

 

[DavidAR10T]

I'm sorry to break it to some here... you AIN'T getting 0.02 grain accuracy for under $450.00 'Merican with fast and accurate trickle times. Unless you purchased an A&D FX-120i scale with a AutoTrickler V4 combined kit @ 2 years ago.
If its got a name other than A&D or Sartorius your not getting getting it for under $650. And you still better have a 120V ac line conditioner on the bench even with those two names. 0.001 gram = 0.01543236 grain accuracy will cost you @ $700 with wind shield.
0.1 grain accuracy is easy to purchase for under $100 and be good enough for 600yd matches, BUTT!!! not 1000yds.
It is a shame that the PACT DPS is no longer made.
Heck, I Maxwell Smarted this deal.

 

[gle3105]

#12 post.
That’s all very well and good. But I did spell out my criteria in the first post. Being a Muzzle Loading forum .1 grain kinda of works for me.
1000yd shooting is not my intention.
But thanks for your interest.

 

[DavidAR10T]

#12 post.
That’s all very well and good. But I did spell out my criteria in the first post. Being a Muzzle Loading forum .1 grain kinda of works for me.
1000yd shooting is not my intention.
But thanks for your interest.

"I'm sorry to break it to some here..." and the statements on specs/$ that I made
should have been crystal clear that I was not responding to your post, sir.

 

[gle3105]

NP

 

[redpep]

Gempro 250!
To bad they Don't make this one any more!

 

[Hanshi]

Several years ago I bought an "el cheapo" Chinese scale. I can't recall from where I got it but it was cheap, under $20 I believe. I've used it a lot over the past years and it still works just fine. Dimensions: 4.75" X 3" X .75" marked with AWS-100. I also have a couple of RCBS balance beam scales I bought many decades ago. So far no complaints. Almost forgot. I also have a very nice postal type scale good for up to 90 pounds.

 

[356]

For weighing deer and raccoons I use the Outmate Digital 660# crane scale. I was introduced to this scale by a land manager who had one and said it was inexpensive, reliable and as accurate as his very expensive Vestile crane scale. Given he was a non-resident land owner, he didn't want to haul his good scale back and forth, plus if it came up missing he would not be out much. Given his comparative experience, I purchased one, and have been pleased with it.

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