Digital Powder Measures: What's good and not good?

[Blackhawker]

I'm considering buying a digital powder measure but I'm a little skeptical about them when considering their prices.  I sure would hate to spend $300.00 for something that only lasts a year or so.  I've read some bad reviews on Midway's website written by customers but then again, most people don't post a review unless they have something to complain about.  Does anyone here have any experience with the RCBS, Lyman, or PACT models of digital powder measures?  If so, any problems or complaints etc?

[revbc]

Bought the Hornady about 2 months ago, so far with limited use, it has been very good.  Using flake or ball powder you may have the run it in the slow mode, sometimes it wants to overmeasure.  I have not loaded very much with it at this point.  It's not real convenient when working up a load, loading 3-5 cartridges per powder load.  You have to dump it and get all the powder out.  It has a drain that works ok, but you still have to get in there and sweep it down with the brush they send ya.

As far as accuracy goes, I give it 5 out of 5.  It's fairly quick dumping a load, especially when on auto.  I'll probably use it more, once I get some good loads worked up for my 223 savage tactical.  I'll make a run of 50-100.

[quickdtoo]

If ya don't mind Chinese stuff, the Lyman and RCBS are both good units, I don't know about the Hornady dispenser, but the Pact is made in the US if that matters to anyone and is the least expensive of the big name units, it and the Lyman units have been upgraded since the 6mmBR review, still love my Lyman, specially after the DPS3 upgrade, as you'll see, with stick powders they'll all over dispense sometimes, the Lyman does so pretty reliably, so I just set it to dispense .1gr less, then trickle up if needed. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,121473.msg1098411828.html#msg1098411828

http://www.pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=126

[DDZ]

I have a PACT that I bought a good many years ago. I can't remember how long ago, but it was shortly after the digital scales hit the market. I'm still using the same scale today, and I've never had any problems with it. My RCBS 505 has not come out of the box since I got the PACT. Its simple to use and easy to calibrate. They say that it should be calibrated for every use, but I used to just check it with a known weight. If it weighed correctly I would not calibrate, it almost always weighed correct. In the last year or so I have noticed that I have had to calibrate it each time I use it, but it holds its calibration during use. It only takes about 30 seconds to calibrate anyway.
I have been thinking about getting a new PACT with the powder dispenser. The new ones look identical to mine except they have a port to connect to the powder dispenser, which mine does not have.
None of the PACT products are made over seas. Everything is made in Texas. I can't vouch for their costumer service, because I have never had to contact them, but I have heard that it is very good and they stand behind their products 100%. From owning a PACT scale and using it for as many years as I have, I would never buy anything different.

[eye shot]

I have the Lyman and it works good except using W 296 powder, it wants to bind up.

[quickdtoo]

Mine did that with some fine powders too, but not since the DPS3 upgrade.

Tim

[wncchester]

Digital powder scales are a mixed bag and, for dependability, it seems luck is more important than color. 
If you get a bad one, it's bad. 
If you get as good one it's great...until it fails. 
At their best they are at least as good as a beam scale.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a pact with a dispensor and a lyman dispensor and both work fine. I had one other pact and it kind of gave me fits. After a few trips back to pact it worked fine too though. Lost that one in a fire.

[drdougrx]

I've also had a PACT for years and it still works great!!

[quickdtoo]

Lyman has tips in their FAQs that will help anyone with an electronic scale...static electricity, cell or cordless phones, overhead florescent lights, moving air from a fan or vent will affect them due to their sensitivity.

Tim

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/faqs/scales-measures.php

[Blackhawker]

Lyman has tips in their FAQs that will help anyone with an electronic scale...static electricity, cell or cordless phones, overhead florescent lights, moving air from a fan or vent will affect them due to their sensitivity.

Tim

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/faqs/scales-measures.php

I had read some reviews on several brands of balances and I saw that many factors can interfere with these balances, such as cell phones, florescent lights etc.  Who would have thought that?  One of my many concerns is static since it seems that most of the dispensing chambers appear to be made of plastic.  I can only imagine during the dry winter months having H-110 or W-296 fly all around and stick to everything in the dispensing chamber area.

[quickdtoo]

Static affects more than just the powder, it can cause erratic readings, drift, or the scale won't zero, but a wipe with a used dryer sheet as stated in #3 in their FAQs solves the issue just like it does with any powder measure. 

Tim

[Flynmoose]

I have used my RCBS Chargemaster for about five years. It works
great. I like it for Hornets where a small difference in charge can
make a big difference.