Why do people prefer using a reloading press? It is because it is a lot cheaper than purchasing factory made-ammo for your weapon. In other words, you get to make the ammo yourself with the reloader, thereby saving cost. To accommodate your ammo, you can check the top rated rifle here.
Precision is very essential to ensure smooth reloading process. This is because ammo with precise measurements, size and weight are most likely to contribute to fine-tuned shooting therefore improving the accuracy of your shot.
That being said, you need to possess a great scale for reloading. The scale is used to measure the contents required to make your ammo such as powder, shots and bullets. Apart from that, an excellent constructed scale is easy to operate with a breeze as well as sensitive and accurate for a consistent period of time.
In addition to that, the factors affecting the performance of your product are accuracy, ease of use, weight and cost. Check out our top rated reloading scale products below.
Top 5 Rated Reloading Scales Comparison Table
| Name of Product | Weight | Grain Capacity | Accuracy | Ease of Use | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum Series Precision Scale | 2.2 lbs | 1500 | High | Easy | $$ |
| Hornady Electronic Scale | 1.9 lbs | 1500 | High | Easy | $$ |
| RCBS Combo 110V-AC Chargemaster | 6.2 lbs | 1500 | High | Moderate | $$$ |
| DS-750 Digital Reloading Scale | 0.8 oz | 750 | Moderate | Easy | $$ |
| American Weigh Scales Gemini | 4.2 oz | 300 | Moderate | Easy | $$ |
Weight
The weight influences how portable your scale is. The lighter the product, the easier it is for use to transport and carry it around with convenience. However, the weight does not determine the performance of your product.
Some heavy scales are well-performed due to the additional features they are equipped with such as a larger powder pan, bigger LCD display or even a powder hopper or drain to make the weighing process a lot easier and accurate.
Ease of Use
Before using the weighing scale, you need to calibrate it so it will be zeroed in. The product usually comes with calibrating weights in which you have to utilize them as reference weight in calibrating the scale. However, some products have auto calibration for your added convenience.
After calibrating, you then need to fill load into the powder tray and measure them, in which the measurements will be displayed on the LCD display screen. A good reloading scale comes with an easy to read screen that displays the weight and the unit. In terms of changing of units, most products can be measured using either gram, grain, ounces or carat units according to your preference.
Accuracy
Accuracy is the most important factor in determining the top rated powder scale. It needs to be calibrated beforehand to ensure good accuracy. Also, most scales are accurate to 0.1 of a grain. They offer measurement units from grains to grams, ounces and carats hence you can get an accurate readings based on your preferred unit.
Platinum Series Precision Scale
This precision scale offers measurements in grains, grams, ounces and carats units in which you can easily adjust according to your preference. Upon the purchase of the product, it comes with the scale itself, powder pan, clear cover, calibration weights, storage case, 110 V power supply and 220V adaptor.
The operation on the other hand is rather simple. Its simple controls allows for easy adjustments of units and tare weights during both calibration and taking measurements. The powder scale measures consistently and accurately, provided you make sure that the pan is always centered when placing it on the weighing scale.
Moreover, this product features 1500 grain capacity (100 grams) with an accuracy of 1/10 grain (0.01 gram). With these measurements, you are able to achieve maximum potential of handloads therefore ensuring an easy and smooth weighing operation.
Each weighing scale comes with an LCD display screen in which you can read off the related information such as weight, unit type and others. The LCD display of this reloading scale is equipped with blue backlights. Also, the large, hi-contrast backlit display is easy to read and quick to display the measurements.
Apart from that, this powder scale comes with 2 calibration weights for a 3 point calibration. With these 2 weights, you can calibrate the measuring scale with ease using the weights as a reference point. Also, this product auto shutoffs after 180 seconds of no use or idle state. Hence, you are able to save your battery life for a longer period of time.
Not only that, it is equipped with an integrated clear plastic covers which protects the scale from dust and debris tainting it. It is also a whole lot safer when transporting the scale during storage and transport. Weighing 2.2 pounds, the powder scale is light and very portable.
Suitable for :
- LCD screen with blue backlight
- 1500 grain capacity
- Integrated plastic cover
Hornady Electronic Scale
Weighing 1.9 pounds, Hornady’s electronic scale includes 2 calibration weights, 10g and 50g. These weights are essential in order to calibrate your scale, by using the weight as a reference point. In terms of operation, it is rather straightforward in which you just have to calibrate it, place the powder plan onto the scale and finally push the zero button to start weighing your contents of ammo.
In other words, if you are utilizing the powder tray, you need to zero the scale first before measuring your loads. Also, you can easily change the measuring unit from grains to grams or to carat by pushing to unit button to adjust them with ease.
It includes a 220V adaptor, AC adaptor and metal powder pan upon the purchase of this powder scale. Its large LCD display on the other hand is easy to read and displays the measurement of the load precisely to a tenth of a grain.
Moreover, this portable scale is equipped with a plastic cover to keep the dust and debris from staining the equipment thus making it a lot easier to clean and clear to read from. In terms of accuracy on the other hand, it displays accurate reading of load with high consistency. However, you need to always make sure that the pan is centered and on stable ground for a consistent reading.
The scale reads the weight fast, nevertheless it is not perfect as you need to calibrate and zero it every once in a while to maintain the highly precise and consistent reading of your load at all times. Not only that, you are able to measure various loads on it such as powder, bullets, cases and cartridges for instance.
In addition to that, it weighs to the accuracy of 0.1 of a grain. It has great precision with its load cell using the Lock n’ Load Auto Charge feature therefore being a great addition to your reloading press.
Suitable for :
- 1500 grain capacity
- 2 calibration weights included
- Accuracy : 0.1 to a grain
- Large LCD display
Best Scale for Excellent Hopper Capacity :
RCBS Combo 110V-AC Chargemaster
This powder scale is equipped with the Chargemaster 1500 scale and dispenser pre-assembled to form an excellent combination of speed and precision when measuring your loads. However, this electronic device can only be utilized with smokeless powder only, and also refrain from using black powder.
As an additional feature, it stores up to 30 different loads in memory for quick and simple recall each time you plan on measuring your load. The measurements dispenses in either grains or gram mode in which you can adjust easily according to your preference.
Furthermore, this product is equipped with a 1 pound powder hopper. This powder hopper is to be filled with your load and can be emptied with maximum ease and convenience into its powder drain. The average dispensing time on the other hand is less than 30 seconds for 60 grain of extruded powder charge.
In terms of operation, this powder scale is easy to operate. You just need to simply fill the 1-plus pound capacity hopper with the smokeless powder, enter your desired charge and simply just press the dispense button to measure the load. The calibration on the other hand is simple and must be done before measuring your load.
In addition to that, the clear cover of this product eliminates the fluctuations due to the air currents without obscuring the view of the charge. In terms of accuracy, it accurately weighs and dispenses all extruded, ball and flake smokeless powder from 2.0 to 300 grains, in which it is precise to +/- 0.1 grain.
The front-to-back unique layout of this reloading scale allows simple and quick access to the scale pan, hence it is very user-friendly as this feature allows it to be utilized by both right-handed and left-handed users with ease. Also, it can be reprogrammed according to your preference, using Youtube tutorial videos as your guidance.
Suitable for :
- Smokeless powder only
- 1 pound plus capacity hopper
- Has memory for 30 previous loads
- Front-to-back layout
DS-750 Digital Reloading Scale
This digital reloading scale comes with a powder tray, carry bag, calibration weight, battery and a built-in cover on the scale itself. The built-in integrated cover protects your scale from dust and dirt during storage, so you can have a clear reading of the measured value. Also, it operates on 2AAA batteries which are included with the purchase of this digital scale.
Besides that, it gives versatile measurements in which you are able to take measurements in grain, gram, carat and ounces units according to your preference. The simple control system of this product allows easy changes or adjustments to be made such as changing the units, tare weights and counting.
It has a grain capacity of 750 grains. In terms of accuracy, this measuring scale provide accurate readings of up to +/- 0.1 grain. The readings are also consistent and always defaults to the previous unit you use to measure your load. Not only that, this product comes with a large, high-contrast LCD backlist display which allows easier reading of the weight measurement off your LCD screen.
The tare feature on the other hand allows it to be zeroed with an empty powder pan on the scale. The weight measurement on the other hand of your measured load will be quickly registered on the scale for your convenience. To get a consistent reading, you need to make sure that the pan is always centered at all times on a stable and vibration-free surface.
Furthermore, it has an auto calibration feature in which you don’t require calibration weights to be used as reference weight in order to calibrate or zero in your scale, therefore contributing to maximum convenience. Also, it has an auto shut off and quick on settings so it won’t take a toll on your battery life.
Suitable for :
- 750 grain capacity
- Auto calibration
- Tare feature
- Auto shut off/quick on settings
Best Scale for the Money :
American Weigh Scales Gemini
This powder scale operates best using Polaroid AAA batteries, however it can still be powered up using 2 AAA batteries, in which the trial batteries are provided upon the purchase of this product. And the best part is, this weighing scale is backed by 10 years warranty hence it is very worth your investment.
In addition to that, it includes a carrying case with tweezers, a powder tray and calibration weights. The weights are important to be set as a reference point when calibrating your scale to ensure maximum weighing accuracy. Also, it weighs up to 20 grams in 0.001 gram increments hence giving you a precise and consistent reading.
The product states that it is suitable to be measured in both grams and milligrams however it is best used with grams unit to provide you with the most precise reading. To get a precise reading, you are advised to let your scale warm up for about 1 minute after turning it on.
Furthermore, this powder scale has a flip-down shield that protects the delicate weighing surface from scratches therefore ensuring its durability in the long run. The removable stainless steel weighing platform on the other hand makes removing and placing the load samples on the scale quick and easy for your maximum convenience.
Weighing 4.2 ounces, it is versatile thereby suitable to be used for measuring precious gems, valuables or materials need to make your ammo for reloading. The capacity however is very small; 20 grams in which you can only put in a small capacity of load at one go when measuring it.
Suitable for :
- Flip-down shield
- Removable weighing platform
- Small capacity
Conclusion
Choosing the best reloading scale, whether mechanical or digital is very important to give you the most accurate and consistent readings of measured load. This is important in the process of making ammo in bulks to fit into your rifle or firearm perfectly.
Hence, factors such as accuracy, ease of use and weight should be taken into consideration when choosing the best product well-suited to you. I hope my review assists you in making your decision.