Any opinions on the new Hornady M2 bench scale?

[Cole440]

What say you?

I have one of the first gen Hornady pocket scales and it is absolutely terrible. The major amount of zero-drift and auto off annoys me so much so that I completely stopped using it. I use a mechanical RCBS for most things, but it is a hassle to weigh unknown objects or trickle charge.

So, has anybody tried one of these?

 

[Dogtown]

Haven't tried it, but have gone through quite a journey with electronic scales over the past 15 years or so. I found the RCBS scale the most reliable but not good enough to be the sole powder measure. And I always eyed an FX-120, but baulked every time. So the system that worked best for me for precision loads was to use the RCBS electronic scale for pre-loading, to get a decent close but under-charge weight, then put it in a quality beam scale for final trickling. But as you can imagine, that's pretty damned slow.

Then I finally pulled the trigger on an FX-120 and well...I don't use a beam scale anymore.

 

[John Glidewell]

Have you looked at other options, A&D EJ-120 or A&D EJ-54D2? First one is strain gage and the 2nd is a force restoration scale. I have the 54D2 as my portable range scale for doing load development at the range. I gave up on the cheap strain gage crap. 1st one is around 200 and the 2nd is around 4-500. You could also consider the FX-120i without the v3 auto throw, just use Cambridge as the coupon code at check out and it is 470. I would spend a little more and get a quality electronic scale. https://ceproducts.shop/products/fx-120i-reloading-scale-122g-x-0-001g

 

[Cole440]

Have you looked at other options, A&D EJ-120 or A&D EJ-54D2? First one is strain gage and the 2nd is a force restoration scale. I have the 54D2 as my portable range scale for doing load development at the range. I gave up on the cheap strain gage crap. 1st one is around 200 and the 2nd is around 4-500. You could also consider the FX-120i without the v3 auto throw, just use Cambridge as the coupon code at check out and it is 470. I would spend a little more and get a quality electronic scale. https://ceproducts.shop/products/fx-120i-reloading-scale-122g-x-0-001g

Do you have any experience with something cheaper like the A&D EJ-120?

 

[John Glidewell]

No, but I would spend my $$ on that over the Hornady. It is all they do. I have a GemPro-250 which is similar and will weigh right next to my A&Ds. I bought the other A&D because my GemPro is dying. It was my range scale but started being temperamental. I have had it for over 5 years and abused it, still functions. I think you can buy the A&D with confidence.

 

[Cole440]

No, but I would spend my $$ on that over the Hornady. It is all they do. I have a GemPro-250 which is similar and will weigh right next to my A&Ds. I bought the other A&D because my GemPro is dying. It was my range scale but started being temperamental. I have had it for over 5 years and abused it, still functions. I think you can buy the A&D with confidence.

Honestly I have no attachment to the Hornady, and so far what I've heard from people who actually have it is that it seems to be fine but already the QC is not superb.

Honestly what I would buy is the gempro 250 if they hadn't discontinued the damn thing. Too bad.

 

[John Glidewell]

Sometimes you can find them on here. But for the $ I think that A&D would do fine. Better scale for about same $$ as Hornady. I tried other version from Hornady, Lyman and Frankford Arsenal and they all sucked.

 

[Cole440]

Sometimes you can find them on here. But for the $ I think that A&D would do fine. Better scale for about same $$ as Hornady. I tried other version from Hornady, Lyman and Frankford Arsenal and they all sucked.

After some research and much considering I ordered an EJ-123. Cost a little more but I think that its a good quality scale and will do everything that I need.

 

[John Glidewell]

What did you pay? You can get the FX-120i for $470 if you use Cambridge coupon code at checkout from Cambridge. Then you could add the v-3 or v-4 auto throw later.

 

[Cole440]

What did you pay? You can get the FX-120i for $470 if you use Cambridge coupon code at checkout from Cambridge. Then you could add the v-3 or v-4 auto throw later.

I was tempted by that, but old will knot scale has the ej-213 on special right now for like 319 or something. So it still came in over $150 cheaper.

I like the fx120 and mabye someday I will pick one up. But right now I hardly do any trickle loading so I just need a good accurate scale for setting pistol charges etc. I only trickle probably 30 rounds every two months currently, so I just do them by hand. The EJ series is load cell opposed to a single strain gauge like all of the "reloading scales" and the 123 model reads to the same accuracy as the fx120i. So, i thought I would give that a try.

I will update!

 

[Cole440]

New development just got word that the ej123 is backordered until at least late next month so back to the drawing board for the moment.

 

[John Glidewell]

MyWeigh GEMPRO 300 II SCALE - might be another option​

 

[Cole440]

I went round and round with all kinds of options. I ended up ordering the M2 after all, so I will be the test dummy.

The ej-120 only has a 0.2 grain resolution which isn't good enough for me and I didn't want to pay 400 for the ej-123 when I could get the fx-120I for only a hundred bucks more. At the end of the day I didn't want to spend that much anyway and there wasn't really anything else that filled my niche.

The M2 has the same loadcell as the autocharge pro which people really like, so I thought I would try that. I just need a scale that's usable for now, the gs-1500 I have has been a lemon since birth and will drift half a grain in a minute or two and you cant leave it on to warm up because of the auto off (figures). So, I will update with the results of this endeavor. I am fully prepared to return the M2 if it drifts excessively or anything else...

 

[Cole440]

Well folks, the M2 is going back to Hornady. I have decided its not worth $200 when I have to pick up and replace the pan every time I trickle powder. That and the zero wanders as expected. Not nearly as bad as my cheap Hornady but alas it still happens. It ended up being far quicker and more repeatable to trickle on my RCBS 5-10.

I considered going A&D but after reading reviews of the ej-123 having the same issues, I'm really just not willing to spend the money when I can get by with the mechanical just fine and the zero never wanders.

I am sure the fx-120i is nice, but I just can't justify it. I don't see it being enough more accurate/repeatable than my beam scale to matter. Maybe some day in the future...

Thanks for all of the input nonetheless.
Cole