doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com My Dillon digital scale died. Help!

I have been using my Dillon d-Terminator II (by Ohaus) that I bought 15 years ago. I think I paid around $45 for it. I have been happy with its ease of use and accuracy. It finally died. Looking for a replacement has left me bewildered. I have read tons of reviews, mostly on Amazon and all I see are problems regarding holding zero, fluctuating and changing numbers while a load sits on the scale for a while and not registering small changes as you add powders. I would love to hear suggestions or advice. I have read many including the popular one by Lyman, Dillon RCBS and Hornady. I cannot reload until I get a new one.

I probably won't be much help, Milt. I still use an old balance beam Texan scale. They work forever . No obsolescence.

I assume you're talking digital.

Yes I am. Digital sure saves time and encourages using it often. I have a science background and I am comfortable with balance beam scales. I think I still have one or two. I don't have the patience anymore to choose it over a digital scale. I was sure spoiled with the old Dillon.

I picked up a small Lyman about six months ago, I think it’s called a pocket touch, cheap, seems fine. I wanted a little speed and convenience over my balance beam scale, and they seem to agree. I also have an old calibration set of weights that was also cheap, that I’ll still use now and then.

What are you weighing?

It sounds like you are talking reloading

I have an edlund and a escali (food industry scale) for weighing guns.

This inexpensive Hornady has run well for me during a couple years of intermittent use.

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-G3-1500-Electronic-Scale-050104/dp/B0C4QBW4ZM

Another good place to look.

https://scalesgalore.com/

A friend recommended the RCBS charge master and I bought one last month. Its a dispenser and scale combined. I don’t have enough experience with it yet to say it’s the way to go, but he has been using his for several years and he shoots a lot. Cabela’s had one and I used some of those points I always forget about to get the coast down.

I bought one of these and quite like it.

Although an auto charger would be fun to use, I mostly use a MEC 9000 and I need to check my charge weights so a digital scale is what I would like. I have read hundreds of reviews and all of them say that drift is a big problem even when you to to more expensive units. I wonder why my Dillon never gave me a problem. Maybe because it was made by Ohaus. Now every scale is made in China. The MEC 100R is the only one I cannot find a review for but it is made in China also.

BTW Brent, I was looking at an old thread from 2007 and saw you were using the same picture in your posts.

I will call the company you suggested on Monday. Thanks.

Damn near every digital scale made that isn’t for very high end laboratory work is going to be made in China these days. I have a couple of laboratory grade ohaus digitals that are also made in China. Regardless of where they are being made, I have found that most are very accurate, even the cheap food type scales you can buy on Amazon. Almost more important that the scales themselves is a good set of calibration weights. If you don’t have highly accurate calibration weights, who knows what your scale is throwing. Some think that simply hitting the tare button on the scale is enough to calibrate.
Correct room temp, most manufacturers insist that you let the scale “warm up” (usually turn it on and let it sit the 5 to 10 min before calibration and use), keeping it away from light sources that emit magnetic interference, when in use keeping it away from vents, fans and other drafty areas is also important.
Many people just turn on a scale and start using it. Theres a right way and wrong way to using one.

My basement has no HVAC system but I run a dehumidifier at 50% all year. The temperature fluctuates seasonally but not daily. The only wind is my breathing and I hold my breath when taking measurements since I found it affects the readout. The lights in the room used when reloading are overhead LED spotlights. The Dillon came with calibration weights so I am good there. The Dillon seemed accurate without a warm up but I can see the newer ones need it.

Some of the reviewers seem to be knowledgeable and go into it quite deeply. Maybe I am expecting too much. When you adjust for inflation, the $45 Dillon would cost several times as much although a few of the cheaper ones seem to have similar reviews to the more expensive ones. Maybe they are all using the same or similar mechanisms. Even the Hornady m2 at around $170 seems to have a problem with number creep.

Static also has effect on measurement. Number creep can sometimes be attributed to a static charge being present.

You guys are still not saying what you use these scales for. Are you using them to check to weight of powder when you reload?

I have several electric scales. All made in China. All get checked against a known weight, that I checked on a balance beam scale. I’m old school and will still break out my balance beam for fine work, but I do like the speed of an electric scale. For new loads I setup with the balance beam. Once I’m dialed in I then check it with an electric scale. If they agree I use the electric scale to spot check. When you find an electric scale you like but a second one as a spare. They are very cheap these days but not likely to last a decade each.

I have found all the cheap electric scales are within .1 grains of each other. For me, that is acceptable. When setting up for a new load I try for +/-.1 grains. Under if possible. More interested in under these days. In my youth I pushed the limits, not so much these days. I want consistency if possible.

I load in large batches these days. When I load I try to do it in one session or two at the most. Just finished loading 4,000 20 gauge shells with 3/4, 7/8 and a few 1 ounce loads. Next will be 5,000 28 shells with 3/4, 13/16 & 1 ounce for everything from Skeet to late season Dove to Sporting Clays. When I want to shoot it is so much easier to just grabs boxes loaded with what I need, right off the shelf. I print out a label that notes shot size, shot charge, powder type and weight, wad, primer, fps and date loaded. Sounds like a lot of unless you let your printer do 90% of the work. Loading 10-15 or more boxes of the same load makes keeping things straight easier but also more important I only need to load a few times a year instead of every week like I once did. I am so glad I have a couple Spolars and a set of 9000hn MECs as backups.

Jimmy, my first post's last sentence is "I cannot reload until I get a new one." It also says "fluctuating and changing numbers while a load sits on the scale for a while and not registering small changes as you add powders."
I think you can go back and read it and draw your own conclusions.

Milt, when I really got into reloading I bought a Cabela's digital scale which worked great but I found out that it did "drift" after a time. I would do an average of 10 individual drops and started noticing drifting. I then would set of my beam scale and re-check as I was going. I would weigh the powder in a dipper and then zero it and after a bunch of drops I would see the scale was not at zero with the empty dipper on it. Can't explain the reasoning.
When I set up again to reload a different gauge or different powder I always re-check with the digital scale and the beam scale to see what the specified bushing is dropping and then just start reloading how ever many hulls I want. I did find out the the red powder baffle really helped in getting more consistent drops. I use a Mec Grabber in 12 gauge and Mec 600 jrs. in .410, 20, 28, and 10 gauge although not much now in 20 and 28 gauge.
To tell the truth not much reloading in any gauge now and not shooting much anymore. Was going to start again this year until this heat hit.


In reading the one post from Dustin, I do use the weights to first make sure it is calibrated, but as I said it still drifts after a while, not much, but the beam scale is right on.

Fwiw, I have used quite a few digital scales. I have had very little to no amount of drifting. Calibrations are remarkably consistent. However, I have used so many because the strain gauges in them seem to fail eventually. I am currently using an OHaus Scout with relatively low precision but the best durability yet.

I also use a beam balance and compare across scales. A $35 used OHaus beam balance is really hard to beat.

I use the RCBS with the brass bowl to check my powder. I have been using it for 25 years. I always have the problem of losing a few flakes of powder when I transfer it from my MEC to the scales and back to the reloader. Sometimes the flakes will come out and stick to the side of the plastic hull.I never worry about it that much, although I do try to be careful. Static electricity, humidity and loss of powder is a common thing. I usually check the weight of my powder every 2-3 boxes of shells. I don't think I am going to notice if a shell has a few flakes of powder missing that has been spilled. Or if the weight of the powder in a box of shells is a little off because of the humidity in my reloading room, when I reload at different times. I'm just not that critical. 👍

OK, I will pull out my beam balance if I can find it. Thanks on that.

Jimmy, try cutting a strip of dryer sheet softener and stick it in the hole in the top of the powder bottle making sure some of it is in the powder. Leave some sticking out and replace the red stopper. That will reduce static. It does for me.

I have the metal baffle from MEC but stopped using it. I have been getting very good drops without. I don't know why it changed over the years. Once I get going with the 9000 things go smoothly with few problems and pretty accurate drops but I check around every 25 rounds. I do spend a lot of time weighing loads when I first start as the drops increase as the powder compresses from the vibration of pulling the lever.

My ears are open and I am digesting your advice. I must admit that I am disappointed in the machines that are out there and I am surprised by the reviews, mostly on Amazon where a few of the the scales seem to be as good as ones costing 5 times as much.

I can use a beam balance to make my hunting loads but larger quantities for sporting requires a digital unit I can depend on.

I ground my reloading machines to the water pipe overhead in my reloading room. But I will try your dryer sheet idea, also. That sounds like a great idea. Thanks for the advice!

I've always ran target loads that are well below maximum pressure. I have high confidence that the fixed volume of the bushings I use, don't drop dangerously high charges. I just can't see myself, checking every box, but no arguement if others do. If a weight seems off, the machine might have been jostled around different than the routine, but that powder drop is probably okay.

I'll weigh heavy loads one at a time, but I don't think I ever changed a bushing to hold the same weight powder drop, once a machine is set up. I pick up odds and ends from many vendors, but Lyman has been outstanding with customer service, from my experience. I had a different cheapie electronic import act up, all they asked for was some simple documentation, to get another one on its way to me. Even if it's not perfect, a scale in this application might be for screening and not precision.

I cannot argue with your logic and it seems it has worked for you. I assume you have all your fingers. On the other hand, I need to feel that my loader is delivering what I asked of it. Once set up, I will measure a string of half a dozen loads and then maybe another string to feel secure that my drops are correct. Usually, they will be within 0.1gn and then I will test again after about 25. If something is wrong I can stop and fix it. So far, I have all my fingers.
Again, on the other hand, I purchased a bunch of one pound Winchester powder and as I go to the next bottle I have seen up to a whole grain variance between the one pound bottles. Add that to a machine error and a poor performing scale and that could be an unfortunate problem.

If you are using a MEC 9000, you should never get a variance in loads between shells that would cause a gun to blow up. Unless you are shooting a gun that is too dangerous to shoot to begin with. I don't think you have any reason to worry about that. I have never heard of anything ever happening like that.

From their website:

"Using an ultra-sensitive mechanical balance beam system comprised of primarily non-ferrous metals, the Prometheus Gen II is extremely resilient against the presence of lighting ballasts, cell phones, and other sources of electromagnetic interference. Electronic scales can hide behind a digital display and only show you what they want to.

With the Prometheus Gen II you can see the needle move yourself. If something is affecting your charge weight, it won't be shrouded in electronic programming and hidden from view, you'll see every moment of the weighing process clearly."

I rest my case, pardon the pun.

Overkill for shotshell reloading, of course.

I don't think I will give them a call.

LeFusil said:
"Correct room temp, most manufacturers insist that you let the scale “warm up” (usually turn it on and let it sit the 5 to 10 min before calibration and use), keeping it away from light sources that emit magnetic interference, when in use keeping it away from vents, fans and other drafty areas is also important."

Years ago, an old coin, jewelry and bullion dealer gave me a free piece of education on scales. He pointed out that, if the scale pan is exposed below an air vent, it is more than likely the pressure from the downdraft will add to the weight of whatever it is you're buying. In today's world of $2400 gold, that little breath could be pretty valuable. A gram extra and you're talking a hundred bucks.

Ever since my spidey-sense has tingled when I went into coin-jewelry-bullion sales places and saw the scale near an air vent. Often affected -negatively- my willingness to buy.

I have several powder scales, a digital RCBS Chargemaster Auto dispensing scale, an Ohaus 1010 I bought when I was in college, and my Dad's old oil dampened Redding. I seldom use the RCBS because I don't think it is much faster than just using my Ohaus Duo-Measure and the Ohaus 1010 scale. The Ohaus scale has worked flawlessly for decades, and the magnetic dampening settles the beam quickly. It never needs batteries, and I expect it will outlast me. Set up is quick, and once set up, it never loses zero. I keep it covered and stored in the original box when not in use, and make sure the knives and agate bearings are free of dust. I see powder scales at gun shows that show rough use and abuse, and shake my head, because an accurate scale is probably the most important tool in reloading.

Any powder scale whether digital or balance type may be sensitive to air movement. Balance scale pans typically hang from a single point on the end of the beam. With digitals, it is important to center the load or pan over the correct spot on the tray. As Dustin said, digital scales do require a warm up period, and may still drift from zero. Before replacing your Dillon digital, it might be worth cleaning the battery terminals and trying a fresh set of batteries. And if it has a 110 volt power supply, it would be worth trying to use that to see if is still flaky. But electronic components like capacitors do break down over time, and load cells fail too. I've done a number of calibrations and replaced bad load cells in large industrial electronic scales, and always started by checking and cleaning connections with electrical contact cleaner, because unseen corrosion can cause large errors. Load cells are so sensitive to minute changes in resistance that you should never shorten the factory length of the shielded wires. But in a cheap digital powder scale, load cells and other components aren't worth servicing if out of warranty. I have also read that people solved drifting due to static electricity by wiping down the scale with an anti-static dryer sheet, but I've never had cause to try it.

I have a set of calibration weights to periodically check my scales, but only because the weights were in a box of reloading supplies I bought at a gun show. For many years, I simply did the same as my Dad, and kept a few jacketed rifle bullets of different weights to check my scales over a range of weights. I even took that a step further, and verified the exact weight of my scale calibrating bullets by taking them to my college organic chemistry lab, and weighing them on an incredibly precise and sensitive Mettler H-15 Analytical Balance. That scale was so sensitive that you could clean and weigh an object like a bullet, and then weigh it again after touching it with your fingers. It would then show a very tiny increase in weight due to any trace of skin oils deposited from your fingers.

To each his own, and I sincerely hope Milt finds a suitable replacement for his Dillon, but I'll keep using my old Texan balance beam scale. It has a reservoir for thin oil that a paddle is to "ride in", which is intended to slow the oscillations of the beam quicker, but I leave it empty and prefer to watch the oscillations until they settle out. As for time savings that may be available with an electronic scale, I can pass on that, too. I'm in no hurry when I reload and prefer a relaxed pace. I weigh EVERY charge for my rifles to + or - a tenth grain. Sounds like it'd take forever with my old scales, but I recently reloaded fifty .220 Swift cases exactly this way, and didn't feel like I wasted any time at all.

If I shot a lot of pistol or rifle rounds in practice and competition I'd probably do differently, but I'm gonna stick with what's been working for me for some 40+ years.

Best, SRH

I can't ever see myself using a digital scale, anyway. Like I said earlier, I have the RCBS scale with the brass pan that balances that weight of the powder. I have been using it for 25 years. I have always noticed that the pointer doesn't quite come up to the balance line every so often. Or maybe it will come up a little over the line. That's close enough for me. Dump it back in the shell and go on. As long as I don't get an extreme difference in a load of powder, I don't worry about it........... I'm sure as heck not going to go, "Uh-oh!! I'm a few flakes off! Where's my tweezers?" Then pull a few flakes of gunpowder out of a load until it's perfect. Then on the next hull, "Uh-oh! I need to add five flakes of gunpowder! I'm a little light on this one!" I'm not going to run through a box of reloads out at the club and ever notice the difference between a few flakes of gunpowder in each shell. I don't know who would. I'd bet factory loads aren't that critical!

Really, the only thing that I would want a digital scale for, is to weigh my guns. Right now I don't have any scales so I am in the process of finding one for that purpose. I have been looking at them on Amazon.