Lee safety scales

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Lee safety scales

Post by Diddums » 12 Apr 2018, 9:38 pm

I bought a Lee reloading kit and little Hornady electric scale as well.
I was doing some reloading tonight and when I got up to throwing powder charges I had bit of if an issue.
I threw a charge that weighed 32.6gn on the hornady scale but when I zeroed the lee scale and set it to 32.6gn the same charge dropped the pan straight to the bench.

So I don't know if the lee scale is wrong or if the Hornady one is.

Can anyone share any experience with either scales?
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by bigfellascott » 12 Apr 2018, 9:41 pm

Buy better ones mate, I got given a set of Lee scales and I couldn't give em away quick enough, cheap and nasty is my opinion of them.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by BRNO_Bigot » 12 Apr 2018, 9:57 pm

They're not great.

Back in the 80's when I bought my Lee stuff, my dad was as sceptical as most here. He compared the Lee scale against his RCBS and it wasn't very different (by that, I mean, my Dad who was certified anal, didn't think a reading of 0.1 gr was a big deal)

I now use a Lyman autoloader (whatever it's called now) and am happy with it.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Oldbloke » 12 Apr 2018, 9:59 pm

Borrow a set of scales that are known to be reliable and repeat the test. Double check all settings. All three should be pretty dam close.

I have a small Stainless Steel bolt that I use to double check the scales are set up OK. Set up and zero them then weight the bolt. It's about 120 grains. About half the capacity of my scales.

Use/weigh a bullet to check them.

Edit. I haven't used the Lee scales but have seen them. Primarily plastic and very light. At the time I thought it would be a good idea to glue some lead on the underside to help steady them. Just a thought.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by JimTom » 12 Apr 2018, 10:04 pm

Mate I had a set of Hornady scales and no longer use them. I found them to be a bit hit and miss. You only get what you pay for I guess. I now use a set of RCBS scales and have had no problems with them.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by tom604 » 12 Apr 2018, 10:29 pm

the hornady ones are rubbish, don't know about the lee
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by SHANAKATAK » 12 Apr 2018, 11:56 pm

I'll start off by saying all my reloading gear is Lee, apart from the scale.
Like my dies, the press, all the other bits and bobs. Good value for money IMO.

If you mean the metal Lee scale that comes with the kits I've got one. It's s**t.
I switched to a vintage Ohaus scale I was given, much happier.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Bills Shed » 13 Apr 2018, 8:02 am

Your scale should have come with a test weight. If not, do not trust anything. You need a reference to check your scale. Scales are the pointy end of reloading. You need to get it right. Get something you trust.

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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by bladeracer » 13 Apr 2018, 8:28 am

Diddums wrote:I bought a Lee reloading kit and little Hornady electric scale as well.
I was doing some reloading tonight and when I got up to throwing powder charges I had bit of if an issue.
I threw a charge that weighed 32.6gn on the hornady scale but when I zeroed the lee scale and set it to 32.6gn the same charge dropped the pan straight to the bench.

So I don't know if the lee scale is wrong or if the Hornady one is.

Can anyone share any experience with either scales?


What happens when you throw a 32.6gn charge on the beam and then dump it in the pan on the digital?
I would take the beam reading over the digital, electricity can be funny. Does the charge fit in the case?
I assume you didn't use the same pan? And you did zero both scales with their own pan in place?
Do you have a light bullet you can use to check them, or even a five-cent piece?
Last edited by bladeracer on 13 Apr 2018, 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by sungazer » 13 Apr 2018, 8:41 am

I agree the Lee ones are dicky to use to say the Least. However that sort of difference should not occur. The Lee ones when used correctly actually give pretty good results. The first thing to do though is made they are set up correctly. The razor blade needs to be in the grove. The other end of the beam the little bit on the end needs to pass through the middle of the two sides without touching each side is magnetized to help dampen the scales. then put your pan on and adjust for a zero reading settitng the reading to zero and using the thumb wheel. Then move your scale reading to the desired weight and place the pan on. Now check the beam again and throw your powder again check your beam centre. It should be very close.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by bigfellascott » 13 Apr 2018, 8:49 am

How old are the batteries in the digital scales - when they are getting on the flat side the scales can be a little iffy accuracy wise.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Diddums » 13 Apr 2018, 9:48 am

They are brand new batteries in the scale and this is the first time I've used it.
I calibrated the digital scales a couple of times and zeroed it as well.

With the balance beam I made sure that I zeroed it correctly and that the end wasn't touching the magnets.

I've loaded about 20 rounds going off the digital scales but I'm going to have another look tonight.
I'll try throwing a charge on the lee and then weigh it on the hornady and see what it says.

I'm going to my local store today to have a look at some better scales, I want to have confidence when I'm playing with gun powder.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by axio » 13 Apr 2018, 10:21 am

If youre after digital scales I use the Frankford Arsenal scales purchased from midwayaustralia and it seems accurate
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by bladeracer » 13 Apr 2018, 11:21 am

Diddums wrote:They are brand new batteries in the scale and this is the first time I've used it.
I calibrated the digital scales a couple of times and zeroed it as well.

With the balance beam I made sure that I zeroed it correctly and that the end wasn't touching the magnets.

I've loaded about 20 rounds going off the digital scales but I'm going to have another look tonight.
I'll try throwing a charge on the lee and then weigh it on the hornady and see what it says.

I'm going to my local store today to have a look at some better scales, I want to have confidence when I'm playing with gun powder.


You could try the Lee Dippers, impossible for those to be wrong.
A heaped 2.2cc dipper just happens to give me 32.6gn of AR2209. Only 31.5gn of AR2206H though.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Gaznazdiak » 13 Apr 2018, 11:37 am

axio wrote:If youre after digital scales I use the Frankford Arsenal scales purchased from midwayaustralia and it seems accurate


Me too.
I also have the Lee beam scale and find it a fiddly bastard to set tenths of a grain.
I only use Frank now.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by marksman » 13 Apr 2018, 4:09 pm

to check the scales weigh a projectile of known weight :thumbsup: it will be close enough :drinks:
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Oldbloke » 13 Apr 2018, 4:22 pm

marksman wrote:to check the scales weigh a projectile of known weight :thumbsup: it will be close enough :drinks:


Copy cat, I said that. :drinks:
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by sungazer » 13 Apr 2018, 5:52 pm

And I was just going to +1 on that I have two projectiles that i use as standard weights to keep check on the scales. I may pop the projectile in every 5 or 10 or 50 depending on how I think they are going. the tare weight without the pan is a good indicator of any drift or error.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by marksman » 13 Apr 2018, 6:20 pm

Oldbloke wrote:
marksman wrote:to check the scales weigh a projectile of known weight :thumbsup: it will be close enough :drinks:


Copy cat, I said that. :drinks:


very sorry :lol: :lol: :lol: :drinks:
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Diddums » 13 Apr 2018, 8:09 pm

May have been a slightly noob mistake on my behalf.

Anyone that has a lee scale will know what I mean, but on the 1/10 grain slide it has 2 zeros and I had it on the wrong one.
After I corrected it it now weighs the same as the digital scale.

Also weighed a 55gn sierra projectile and ot came in at exactly 55gn.

Thanks for the help everyone, gotta love human error.
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Re: Lee safety scales

Post by Oldbloke » 13 Apr 2018, 8:59 pm

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