The Best Reloading Scales In 2023

Many shooters choose to reload their ammunition rather than buying commercial ammo. Reloading your shells can improve accuracy and save you money. The benefits are countless. However, without accurately measuring out your gunpowder, not only will the benefits be forfeit, but also, you could accidentally kill yourself. That is why having high-quality Powder Scales for Reloading is vital. It’s a must-have for getting the perfect amount of powder into each round, without dangerously under or overloading.

Guide to the 8 Best Reloading Scales

With the number of powder scales on the market, it’s important to research before making a purchase. If you’re looking for a scale that gives you confidence in your reloaded ammunition.

Buyers Guide To The Best Reloading Scales

Types of Powder Scales

There are two types of powder scales – mechanical and digital, of which most reloaders will have their personal preference. Here are the main differences between the two.

Mechanical Scales

• Weight is measured manually without the use of electricity.
• Beam balances detect the weight and take measurements.
• They are easy to zero and bring back to balance.
• Powder can only be weighed in grains.
• Grain capacity is usually from 300 to 1000 grains.
• No warm-up period before use is required.
• They are less costly than digital scales.

Digital Scales

• Digital scales measure your powder electronically.
• They require mains power or batteries to measure weight.
• They use digital LCD screens to display the weight.
• They can be easier and faster to use than manual scales.
• Powder can be weighed in various measurement units such as grains, grams, and carats.
• Grain capacity can be up to 2000 grains.
• Digital scales need to be calibrated before each use. Most come with calibration weights.
• Some require a warm-up period of 20-30 minutes before use.
• They are more expensive than mechanical scales.

As you can see, both types of reloading scales have benefits. To determine which style is right for you, it’s best to consider your usage needs as well as your preferences.

Top 5 Advantages of a Digital Powder Scales

Upgrading to a digital powder scale for your reloading process can have many advantages.

1. Faster response time – Digital scales do not struggle to balance out after adding weight the way balance beams do. The advanced technology can detect the weight and instantly show the number. There may still be a small ‘lag’ time of a couple of seconds but it’s much quicker than waiting up to 20 seconds for a mechanical scale to balance itself out.
2. Ability to weigh in different measurements- Unlike traditional manual scales, digital scales offer multiple measurement options such as grains, grams, ounces, and carats.
3. Can run on mains or battery – Many digital scales can be operated by battery (usually AAA or 9-volt) as well as through mains power supply.
4. Easy to transport- Some digital scales are very compact, light, and easily transportable. Whilst operating a mechanical scale on the go is not the simplest, digital scales are much more suitable for this.
5. Higher grain capacity – Some digital scales can weigh up to 2000 grains, whilst manual scales typically have a 300 to 1000 grain capacity.

What To Consider Before Purchasing A Reloading Scale

While you can still find traditional mechanical scales, the majority of the top powder scales for reloading on the market today are digital. If you are transitioning from mechanical to digital scales, or you’re new to reloading your ammunition, there are certain things you should take into account before making a purchase. Here are 3 factors you should consider before you buy.

Sensitivity

Digital scales have a high level of sensitivity. This is what gives you great precision and ensures you don’t waste powder. When looking for a scale you may want to check what the grain inaccuracy is. A gain inaccuracy of at least 1/10 is ideal.

It’s worth noting that sensitivity can sometimes be a problem with digital scales. Whereas mechanical scales are designed to prevent outside forces from affecting the accuracy results, digital scales have calibrators to improve accuracy.

The problem is, calibrators do not work seamlessly in all digital scales and a common complaint from buyers is the interference from environmental forces such as wind distorting the weight. To ensure you don’t experience this problem, it’s wise to read some buyer reviews beforehand. With that being said, be sure to reload in a quiet place and rest your scale on a flat, hard, and even surface to eliminate any potential weight disturbances.

Capacity

Grain capacity determines how much the scale can weigh. Even if you’re a reloading newbie, it’s best to opt for a high grain capacity scale as your needs can quickly grow.

A great thing about digital scales is that they usually have higher grain capacity than mechanical scales. Whilst manual scales have a grain capacity between 300 and 1000, digital scales have a capacity of up to 2000 grains.

A higher capacity will allow you to measure once rather than multiple times. As well as this saving you time, getting the measurement done quickly makes error less likely to occur.

Response time

A scale can either speed up or slow down your reloading time. Unless you don’t mind waiting 20 seconds between adding small amounts of powder, you will probably want a scale with a fast response time.

Thanks to the advanced technology used in modern-day digital scales, opting for a digital scale over a mechanical one is a good way to speed up your reloading time. For example, some digital scales response time is as quick as one second.

Why is gunpowder measured in grains?

• A grain is a very small unit of measurement, so small in fact that there are 437.5 grains in just one ounce, and 7000 grains in a pound.
• Grains are the universal measurement for reloaders and shooters for both bullets and gunpowder.
• Grains are the top choice for weighing powder because they give the most accurate measurement.

To throw charges with a minimal amount of variation, you’ll need to ensure that you have the same charge for the powder every time. To do this you need the most accurate unit of measurement possible, and as grains are such minuscule units of measurements, weighing in grains is far more accurate than any other unit.

Many modern digital scales now give the option of weighing powder in grams or ounces, however, these are bigger units of measurements and reloading manuals don’t use them. Therefore, most reloaders will only consider weighing their gunpowder in grains.

Exploring this further, weighing in grains is much easier than weighing in grams as one gram is equivalent to over 15 grains. So if you only need to weigh a very small amount (which is very common) then measuring 4 grains of powder would give you a much more accurate and precise result than measuring one-fourth of a gram.

How to take care of your powder scale

If you want your scale to continue working for years to come, you’ll need to ensure that you are taking proper care of it. This includes regular maintenance and safe storage which will protect it from damage and wear and tear. The more wear and tear your scale accumulates, the more likely it is to lose accuracy.

Here are some tips on how to best look after your powder scale:

• When not in use, store your scale in a protective case or box.
• Some scales come with covers or cases, however, if yours doesn’t, you can simply store it in a big enough storage box.
• Wherever you choose to store it, ensure it is in a place where it will not be knocked over or continually bumped into.
• Clean your scale after use either by wiping it down with a dry paper towel or with a mild soap and water solution.
• Don’t flip your scale over and shake it to dislodge powder grains as this could permanently damage the load cell.
• Clean your powder pan to prevent residue build-up with a drop of liquid soap, then rinse and let dry.

One last word of advice, read the instruction manual before setting up and using your scale for the first time. Although this may seem obvious, if you are new to reloading or this is your first digital scale, make sure you are clear on how to operate it beforehand. This will prevent any potential accidents or damages from a lack of understanding.

So, What is the best powder scale on the market?

As you can see, all of the scales I reviewed have pros and cons. However, the scale that stands out the most to me is the RCBS – Chargemaster Powder Dispenser / Scale Combo.

However, I would recommend considering your personal needs and preferences when making your decision as no one scale will suit all reloaders. Whichever you choose to go for, all of the scales I reviewed are of high quality and provide excellent accuracy and performance.