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I have a question about the scale that came with the press I bought from Lee. How trust worthy are the scales? I am new to reloading and I was just wondering if I should just get a digital scale? Thoughts?

I'd get a digital one. The balance scale works but it has a plastic balance beam, and the powder dish falls off the arm with the slightest disturbance which gets annoying. When zeroed you can take the empty dish off and put it back on (empty) and it won't always give the same reading. I'm fixing to start looking for a good digital one so if anyone has a good recommendation for you I'm all ears

Edit: If you have it already just give it a try. Zero it out with the dish and see if it goes back to zero when you take it off and return it. It doesn't always for me. I blame plastic...

I have the Lee scale and it seems OK to me. It is finicky - and I don't have another scale to check it against - but
I have spent a lot of time fiddling with it -like weighing the same thing over and over again to see if it consistently gets the same answer - and it did
I used the tiny little square of paper test they show in their ads. It should weigh 1/10th of grain - and it did - repeatedly
I measured out a load and repeatedly weighed it and got the same answer - but - it was a little different than what the book said it should have weighed. Was it me or the scale?
I loaded 100 rounds using the scale -weighing each load - slow - but I'm in no hurry
I shot the reloads and they were as accurate, or more accurate than factory loads. I don't think there was a problem with the scale. I'm still using the cheesy little Lee Loader, the one where you hammer the cartridges together, and I don't get consistent overall lengths which I think is hurting the accuracy. (A real press is on the horizon)

with my "vast" experience of a whopping 100 rounds - my summary would be -
(1) it looks cheesy, it feels cheesy
(2) it is extremely sensitive
(3) I have found no reason to doubt its accuracy - IF - you are patient and careful
(4) I too will buy an electronic scale (along with a real press) as soon as I can afford it

RCBS Range Master 750...buy this and you wont look back!!

I still have the teeter/totter and I compare the digital scale to it every now and then.

Jack

I have used a lee scale for quite a while. It works fine although it feels and looks cheap. I also have a digital scale although not an expensive one. I have to continually recalibrate that thing. So I use the Lee most of the time.

The Lee scale is known for being accurate, but it has mediocre dampening so it takes a while to settle down and give a final reading. It also requires a level surface.

I have a couple of digital scales as well as the Redding #2 Master Magnetic Powder Scale 505 Grain Capacity. The Redding (or its RCBS counterpart) won't necessarily be any more accurate than the Lee scale, but they have a built-in leveling capability and quicker magnetic dampening, so they settle into an accurate reading more quickly.

Personally, I far prefer a well-dampened balance beam scale for precision weighing instead of a digital scale, in that it is faster and easier to use.

The problem with many digital scales is two-fold. First, even subtle air current will make the readings jump around. Something as simple as the house air conditioning/furnace fan cycling on and off will affect the readings. Second, your cheaper digital scales will frequently lose their zero, so I don't have the same confidence in the reading.

If I am weighing powder charges, I set the balance beam so that it reads the targeted charge, say 6.0 grains for example. Putting powder in the pan will show the number of +/- tenths of grains directly without changing the balance weight (up to a maximum of 5/10th of a grain +/-). So it is quick and easy for accurate powder readings.

If I am weighing cases or bullets that may vary in weight, say +/- 5 grains and I only want to the nearest grain, then the electronic scale is quicker.

The Lee scale is perfectly adequate for a new reloader. Moving up to a nicer balance beam scale is a question of convenience and ease of use, not a question of accuracy.

If I was loading a rifle cartridge for tight accuracy, I might worry about it. If I was loading practice ammo, I think that scale is fine. I have even used the scoops and got very good reloads.

texasmusic wrote:I'd get a digital one.

^ this.

I have one of these Cabela's XT 1500 Digital Scale, love it.

I've been using this one with a lot of success.

http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Bench-Scale/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Always goes back to zero when the pan is removed/replaced and you can easialy calibrate it every time you use it with the included weights. I usually leave it on for 10-15min before weighing to let it warm up.

All good points, I use both balance beam and digital with equal success. The most important factor, as was mentioned, is air movement in the room. Be aware when the AC / heater fan turns on. It does affect the results.