lee scale as a target?
- Thread starter notyalc
- Start date
Think you can shoot 2 at once? I immediately upgraded my scale from the lee anniversary kit. I got a digital mini scale from MTM for about 42bucks new. Well worth the money. A scale is no good if it isn't consistent or easy to use.
P.S. I did shoot a toaster once that only made burnt toast. PM me with your email and I'll send you a pic.
P.S. I did shoot a toaster once that only made burnt toast. PM me with your email and I'll send you a pic.
Another scale to consider is the Redding beam scale.
Either the older or newer ones are very accurate and reliable.
My ancient Redding # 2 has outlived an RCBS 505 and a 510, still going strong.
I bought another on Ebay before Christmas for $ 16.00 and it is dead accurate and its probably as old as Ben Hunchak...
When my RCBS scales quit working I called RCBS regarding warranty and was told they had to be sent to Ohaus the maker in Florida.
I did so 2 years ago and have yet to see them..
Either the older or newer ones are very accurate and reliable.
My ancient Redding # 2 has outlived an RCBS 505 and a 510, still going strong.
I bought another on Ebay before Christmas for $ 16.00 and it is dead accurate and its probably as old as Ben Hunchak...
When my RCBS scales quit working I called RCBS regarding warranty and was told they had to be sent to Ohaus the maker in Florida.
I did so 2 years ago and have yet to see them..
I found the LEE scale to be of exceptional accuracy.
No, really. It didn't agree with a really nice Lyman scale by about 1.5 grains! I thought for sure the LEE was a piece of junk.
I compared its weightings against TWO digital scales and it matched up quite well to both. It turns out the LEE scale was actually the acurate one and the Lyman was off...
I find it exceedingly difficult to use. So much so, in fact, that I threw it away. That said, it is accurate.
No, really. It didn't agree with a really nice Lyman scale by about 1.5 grains! I thought for sure the LEE was a piece of junk.
I compared its weightings against TWO digital scales and it matched up quite well to both. It turns out the LEE scale was actually the acurate one and the Lyman was off...
I find it exceedingly difficult to use. So much so, in fact, that I threw it away. That said, it is accurate.
Thats a coincidence, my Lyman is off by quite a bit too and its very inconsistent as well.
Sometimes it will show several different weights for one check weight tested.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
Should have put it on the EE, I would of traded you for a toaster that only made warm bread.
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
I wouldn't shoot my Lee Scale, but I did nick my Chrony once
It is accurate for sure. Only thing wrong with the Lee Scale, IMO, it that it doesn't have the "notches" for the weights on the beam of say a RCBS 5-0-5.
Those little depressions for the ball and that hard to read vernier with the slide that takes forever to set...frustrating in the best of times and in the worst...well, that explains why some want to shoot the thing.
The Lee teaches patience which is a nice virtue to have, really.
It is accurate for sure. Only thing wrong with the Lee Scale, IMO, it that it doesn't have the "notches" for the weights on the beam of say a RCBS 5-0-5.
Those little depressions for the ball and that hard to read vernier with the slide that takes forever to set...frustrating in the best of times and in the worst...well, that explains why some want to shoot the thing.
The Lee teaches patience which is a nice virtue to have, really.
X2, I have the RCBS 5-0-5 and a Lyman Ohaus 10-10. They agree with each other every time I cross check them. The digital scale I have is a Dillon and it also agrees with the other two.
At the last gun show in Salmon Arm, I picked up an MTM digital scale for $50 taxes in. It didn't look like much but I needed another digital scale for a kit I was making up for my stepson.
The Dillon, cost $175. It honestly doesn't do a better job than the MTM.
The MTM also has the advantage of being able to allow the powder trickler to get closer to the powder tray.
I agree with the OP. The Lee scale is hit and miss. Some work all the time, every time, others don't work at all, no matter how much you set them up.
The one I tried came out of a kit a young fellow got for Christmas. We couldn't trust it from one load to the next.
I gave the young guy an older cast iron Redding scale I had picked up in a trade deal.
That Redding is at least 50 years old, like the rest of the stuff out of that trade. It's as accurate and repeatable as any scale out there.
The Lee scale will get you by in a pinch. There are a few things that can be done to loosen it up. The scale I tried out, had the V blocks off set from each other, blocking movement and binding.
i like my lee scale, never had a problem with it. But I was feeling a little wealthy and thought maybe I should have a better scale. So I bought an Ohaus, It works great too. but the only time I use the Ohaus is when I want to weigh something more than 110 grains. I find the little lee scale sets up faster and settles down quicker
Kim
Kim
I have a lee safety scale that I barely use anymore. I was tired of the fact that the little balance moves all the time, and re-setting it (ok, i can see a white line in those three notches...) is a pain. I bought a $30 gem scale (measures grains to .01, grams, oz, ct, only has a 20g capacity) on Ebay and it always works. I sometimes check it against the lee scale just to make sure, but it's never off by more than .2, which is the accuracy of the lee scale.
I bought my LEE scale a good 25 year's ago, and still use it.Bought an rcbs digital that lasted 2 year's till it started to flas so it went under the bench for retirement and out came the LEE.
The number's are set up the same way as a vernier caliper,which came before the dial/digital one's.
You should have good lighting in your reloading ares in the first place to see what your doing.
I set my powder weight by picking up the the beam and setting to finer measurement then LOCKING it it by pushing in that little pin,then set it on it's base with a little wiggle to make sure it seated properly then setting the ball bearing where it's suppose to go.
I find after time it settle's down quicker.
The number's are set up the same way as a vernier caliper,which came before the dial/digital one's.
You should have good lighting in your reloading ares in the first place to see what your doing.
I set my powder weight by picking up the the beam and setting to finer measurement then LOCKING it it by pushing in that little pin,then set it on it's base with a little wiggle to make sure it seated properly then setting the ball bearing where it's suppose to go.
I find after time it settle's down quicker.
The lee might be put in a junk category by many but these scales have reloaded a ton of rounds over the years. Most of us started reloading with one. I never use it any more but still have it somewhere.
On the chargemaster combo my 1st one screwed up after only a few weeks and I am still wating for the replacement so back to the old 10/10.
On the chargemaster combo my 1st one screwed up after only a few weeks and I am still wating for the replacement so back to the old 10/10.
Those MTM scales are not really made by MTM. They're also sold under a different brand name. Frankford Arsenal. This is obvious because they both function the same and they have the same model number DS-750. The FA one looks a LOT better though and is smaller. The MTM one can usually be had cheaper. I got mine for $24 on sale at Cabelas while the FA on cost $49 at WSS. They both work okay. I think I trust the FA one a bit better though. Maybe it's the smaller load plate but it seems a bit more consistent. Anyway, they both measure up well with much more expensive scales.
I rather imagine the scale is made by some third party OEM for both brand names. This is probably similar to how Cabela's 400 vibratory tumbler is the same as the Frankeford Arsenal 400 vibratory tumbler which is the same as Kelly's 400 vibratory tumbler... Also good tumblers by the way.
That was the only problem I found with my old Lee scale.
Other than that I actually liked it better than the RCBS one I'm now useing
That is my finding too & one of the reasons I liked it better than my RCBS.
