Hornady Beams cale ??

Hi guys

I wanted to know if anyone has personal experience with the Hornady beam scale? I want to get a new beam scale and that specific one got my attention. I know they are off the market now, but one of my local gun shops still has a phew of them and they are going for a decent price IMO. I want to load 308win with it, so i want something that is very accurate.

I was going to say with all the success I have had with Hornady, as a matter of fact, alot of my stuff is eventually going to be hornady, it should be a good beam scale.

My worry is, you say they are off the market? Why have they quit making and selling it? Will it still be fixed or replaced if ever needed? You will be buying one after they took them off the market so does all warranty still exist for it?

Still makes one wonder if a tool is really good, then why take it off the market? I understand sometimes they upgrade and make better, however again, a good tool should remain no the market at a good price while selling the other tool. That is just me tho........

I guess since I don't own one, I really can not comment on how good they are either. I have the 5.0.5 beam scale and really have not looked for a different one.

*Addition to my answer*

After looking into it and doing some research, the only reason they stopped doing the beam scale is that Hornady wanted to go all digital. No other reason which is really a shame. I believe a company should offer both to maximise their sales and to have better options for people who just do not want to go to digital like me LOL...

All of the reviews I have seen for it prior tho have been good...

Hornady doesn't make or sell anymore beam scales.... I really don't know why. While i was at the store looking at their beam scale as well, the guy told me that Hornady only have the digital scales and took the beam scales off the market.

I have recently broke my lee classic single stage press and bought a hornady lnl classic single stage press. Exelent press IMO, good quality. That's why i've decided to maybe get their beam scale as well. As i do not trust the digital scales 100%.

He also told me that he has been using Hornady products for the past 25 years and haven't had any problems and if i do get a problem then i can go back to him and sort it out (Maybe just a sales tactic, maybe not).

Getting replacement parts over here in South Africa is in anyways a pain in the back side, so to be honest i don't really care about the "repairing issue" that much.

Just so that you know about my lees press, it happened while seating/crimping 9mm not my 308win.....

Beam scales are a pretty rock solid design if the price is right I would buy with out hesitation Hornady is first rate gear none better IMO

Agree, I don't think you will go wrong purchasing that Hornady Beam Scale. As said before, all of my dies and most equipment will be wearing the Hornady logo. They sold me on their dies when I got em for my Grendel and then got a set of 270 dies when they were on sale not to mention I got 100 free bullets each die set so that is 200 free bullets right there. So, IMO, with the free bullets, I really did not give much??

Once you get it, let us know how it is....

Are you sure they took it off the market or is it not going to be offered where you are? Do you know the part #? My friend has a Hornady beam scale and loves it.

Hornady makes some good stuff....most of it is carry over Pacific Tooling from years past. A scale is only as good as it's calibration/calibrator....Most beam scales will be consistent when set up correctly...it's up to you to determine how accurate it measures. If it is a great deal...go for it.

With scales, being consistent is the most important thing....It really doesn't matter if it is off a tenth of a grain or two....because you work up your loads anyway. Does it matter that your scale says the charge is 46.2gr when it is actually 46.4gr? Not really, since you worked up to that charge weight and that is what you developed the best load with. just my opinion...

I don't know anything about them but after what you guys have said I need one, I will not rest until I get one

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Unfortunately we are not able to get the free bullets over here

I'm going to try my luck with it and buy it tomorrow. I have a friend that has the 505 or the 1010 RCBS, maybe i can compare it to his.

Hawcer: That last bit you said, it's true. I don't mind it actually being 46,4 and it's giving me a reading of 46,2 for example. As long as it is consistent.

Thanks again for everyone's help, I'll keep you posted.

Hey, does it look like this one? If so...It's not too different than my Redding scale. It should work well for you...a quick search on the net and I found no ill words about it. They did quit making "analog" scales though....Hornady has gone pure digital.

Hey guys, sorry for replying this late, yesterday was the first time i could test my rounds since i got my Hornady beam scale. Unfortunately i will have to take my rifle in for glass bedding and free floating... Because, the last time i took my barrel+action out of the stock, i used very fine steel wool to get all the rough edges out from the inside of the stock. I think that it may have caused the rifle barrel to touch the stock.... Because my groupings was about 2 inches with the factory ammo that i've used before that i got a .359" grouping. The test rounds i've made, i got about the same.

EXCELLENT scale imo !!! It's consistent every time, easy to use. It also makes it so much easier and quicker to charge my cases then the lee. It used to take about a hour just to charge 10 rifle cases with my lee scale. With my Hornady scale, it takes a hour to charge 20 rifle cases plus the bullets seated This may sound very long to some of you, but i try to get my rounds as perfectly as possible.

Glad your liking your beam scale. I myself, could not get my big sausage fingers to work the small slides on the Lee scale or push that little button in. Everytime I thought I was on spot with mine, I would notice up the bar a little, I would see a second number or half of a second number and it had me questioning wether I was where I needed to be or not.

Sorry to read about your rifle. My 700, I have done something simular. I wanted a fully free floated barrel. I took my stock off, now it was free floated except these 2 little nubs at the beginning. A dremel tool later those nubs were gone and so was my accracy. I had been getting a good tight group. Now they have opened up to barn door accracy. Those nubs were there for a reason (pressure point) to aid in accracy...

Hope you get yours back up and running soon...

well how much are the beam scales tommy? I could use some to replace my tired lee's..

Which Beam Scales? The one Blade bought? The Hornady are no longer being made. You would have to find a used one. I have the RCBS 505. I bought mine brand new in the box off of ebay and got it for 55.00 which for this scale is a super price. There are many different model beam scales. Midwayusa and others have them.....

sorry it was blade who said his local shop had a few older ones still in stock.... i was thinking that you said it tommy.... DOH!!!!

kcatto wrote:sorry it was blade who said his local shop had a few older ones still in stock.... i was thinking that you said it tommy.... DOH!!!!

wow I tried to hit quote but hit vote .... go figure ....anyways KC I have an Old Lyman beam scale that is in almost perfect condition if you are interested in it.

always interested.... i will shoot you a PM... thanks...

kcatto: if you want to get a beam scale, make sure it has the magnetic stabilizer in it, that makes a HUGE difference. you just have to bump the beam a bit if you throw in more powder, to make 100% sure that you get a accurate reading. It's still a hell of a lot faster then the lee.

btw Tommy, i just sent my rifle in to the gunsmith and he said i can get it back in 2 weeks time... it's going to be a LONG two weeks lol. He said that when he is done, he is going to take it to the range to make sure it worked. IMO, that's very good service

Excellent service!!! Can not wait to read about the results..... Fantastic....

Blade wrote:kcatto: if you want to get a beam scale, make sure it has the magnetic stabilizer in it, that makes a HUGE difference. you just have to bump the beam a bit if you throw in more powder, to make 100% sure that you get a accurate reading. It's still a hell of a lot faster then the lee.

The Lee scale says it is "Magnetically Damped". Says it right here:

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Lee-Safety-Powder-Scale/


Why is the Lee scale so slow? I have tried to use mine three or four times but I always give up because it is sooooo slow. What is it missing that Hornady and other scales have? I do not have any other scales so I cannot directly compare.

With the Lee as well as all other dampened scales, it really helps to have the initial charge(from a powder measure) only a grain or two from being perfect. Also, be sure the pointer or beam isn't contacting the scale/magnet at any time...this slows it down or causes it to stick. If you have to, hold the pointer on zero while pouring the charge into the pan....then release the beam to let it settle, this will speed up the wait time.

ohh....what other scales have that the Lee doesn't is Length! Balancing a long pole is far easier and faster than balancing a short pole( circus tight rope artists apply here)