I started reloading about a year ago with the lee scale. I made sure I had good light and got straight away from it to set it. Once I got it set it worked real good and consistent I thought. I just picked up 3 scales from my uncles estate sale that was into reloading for many years. there is rcbs 5-10 a Texan and Redding scale and now I see what people talk about. They are so much easier to use.
Lee Safety Scale impressions
- Thread starter rcmodel
- Start date
- Status
Yeah, Lee products in general and the Safety Scale in particular are a good way to get into reloading inexpensively and many of their products will last a very long time, it's just that they are not the "cream of the crop" and don't fit eveyone's needs all the time. I would trust my gun and personal safety to the accuracy of my Lee Safety Scale (I've been doing that for years, but I only load with lots of safety margin anyway), but it takes getting used to and shakey hands/poor near field sight are not attributes to using this scale easily. There are better products out there (at higher prices). Hasty readnings and adjustments are also a no-no with this scale, so is changing pans, they tend to vary all over the place and your weights might be dangerously innacurate if you change pans without rezeroing.
But if you know its limitations and work within them, it is an inexpensive and accurate scale.
But if you know its limitations and work within them, it is an inexpensive and accurate scale.
Classic55belair
Member
I don't mind the Lee scale at all. It may not be the easiest to use, but I'm young, have steady hands and good eyes (can't hear for crap though). You just have to understand that as you start the Lee scale, for example, at 50gr. As you side the minor adjustment you watch it. Ok. You are sliding it up to 5gr and starting to balance. You now watch the .1gr markers count up .1, .2, .3 and so on. So If you see .9gr you will begin to see the .0gr start to show again. Once the .0gr lines back up and .9 is nearly gone you at at 6.0gr and so on. Like I said, obviously not the easiest but it is very accurate.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Well this thread motivated me to go in search of the Lee Safety Scale I knew was around here somewhere. I found one. Had two but think I gave one away years ago to a new loader. The manual for the scale is really pretty good with directions and of course well illustrated pictures. We all like pictures. 
Using the Scale for Repeated Charges:
USING THE SCALE TO WEIGH AN UNKNO WN CHARGE:
I see the scale as exactly what the name implies, a safety scale. It does what it should do and does it well. Nowhere as nice or fancy as some of the other higher end powder scales but adequate. Consider this scale cost less than many of its counter parts, in many cases, half the cost.
Ron
Using the Scale for Repeated Charges:
USING THE SCALE TO WEIGH AN UNKNO WN CHARGE:
I see the scale as exactly what the name implies, a safety scale. It does what it should do and does it well. Nowhere as nice or fancy as some of the other higher end powder scales but adequate. Consider this scale cost less than many of its counter parts, in many cases, half the cost.
Ron
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Bob, while I didn't spend much time in the materials chem lab I did notice the scales they used which far, far exceeded the requirements of the scales a hand loader needs to make safe and accurate ammunition. Analytical chemistry is the study of the separation, identification, and quantification of the chemical components of natural and artificial materials. The average hand loader needs to be able to accurately resolve 0.1 grain on a powder scale. The Lee safety scale does that just fine. The scale affords adequate resolution and accuracy for its intended application.
So while you say based on your experience as an analytical chemist the scale was not designed for an analytical chemist but a hand loader who only needs an uncertainty of +/- 0.1 grain and a resolution of +/- 0.1 grain. The scale does that.
The Lee Safety Scale is an inexpensive (OK Cheap) scale that does what it was intended to do and has for decades. You can't compare it to the balances you likely use for work.
Ron
Your assessment is spot on in my opinion. If you have the patience to operate the scale, it is spot on to 1 tenth of a grain I find. LIKE A LOT OF LEE STUFF, IT IS MOST DEFINITLY A LITTLE FIDDLY! But once fiddled with, works fine with excellent "repeatability." I can take the pan off and replace it and get the same weight, I can empty the pan, refill it with the same load and get the same weight.
If it gets "inconsistent" it is because I bumped it and disturbed the setup of the pivot point. Granted the lines on the 1/10 th grain slide are also fiddly, but continued use gives an excellent feel for it.
If one doesnt want to go to these lengths, I understand, after all it is an under 25 dollar scale. One not inclined to fiddle may want a more expensive balance type scale to eliminate some of this. That said, looking at reviews I see all sorts of "Recommended" scales getting 1 to 5 stars on a 5 star grading, lending me to think all of them may have some degree of "fiddliness" about them. If you are in that camp, I guess a digital scale may be best, but they can also vary from battery strength to fluctuations in line voltage if of the plug in variety.
I think I am going to try the Dillon scale, seems to run around just under 80.00 more or less delivered. Until then, I will continue to use the Lee safety scale, which I have used enough to be accurate with. I only use the balance scale to double check the drops from a Lee pro disc powder dropper, another fiddly unit I can get fine accuracy from.
So, I'll say this about that: Yes it is inexpensive, there is a unique learning curve to it, it can accurately weigh to a tenth of a grain if you persist. Not the easiest to use, not the fanciest but it can work. If not inclined to fiddle, and not inclined to get used to its learning curve, then choose another and see if it is more to your taste. I doubt that you are going to find the scale that pleases all loaders based on the reviews, but I am sure that if you want to spend the money, a "superior" (at least to some, but maybe not others) can be found. Several have been mentioned here in this thread.
Russellc
ljnowell
Member
Based on my experience as an auto mechanic reading micrometers and calipers frequently, I have no problems reading my Lee safety scale. It's served me well for many years and will continue to do so. Far from worthless.
LOL. RC, you had a brain fart, is all. It's obviously 49.9 on that scale. The slider can go negative by a half a grain, plus or minus, for obviously beneficial reasons.
A slide rule is useless, too, if you're looking for the answer to pop up on a seven segment display, somewhere.
Edit: it should be immediately obvious that the last digit is ".9", by the way. There's no 8 or 0 or 1 in the equation. (If there was, it would be a choice between 49.8 and 50.0, by the way, not 50.0 and 50.8, lol). The 9 is in the middle line, making this *.9 grains. From there, you can tell between 49 and 50 by the position of the "0" in the bottom window. I have a feeling RC has been reading the scale, incorrectly, the whole time, putting all of his figures off by a tenth or two, and causing the odd "dilemna" on either end of the tenth's display.
Edit edit: Just maybe RC is literally reading the middle line, considering the 9 and the 0 as the outer two lines! But then, you would have to wonder how he could have ever got a reading of 2.9 in the first column... Hopefully just a brain fart, and not an early sign of dementia.
If YOU can't read it, it is worthless to you. For the average joe, we would have no problem. RC's notebook shows the Lee works just fine compared to his other two scales. Unless you are the exception who cannot read it.
A slide rule is useless, too, if you're looking for the answer to pop up on a seven segment display, somewhere.
Edit: it should be immediately obvious that the last digit is ".9", by the way. There's no 8 or 0 or 1 in the equation. (If there was, it would be a choice between 49.8 and 50.0, by the way, not 50.0 and 50.8, lol). The 9 is in the middle line, making this *.9 grains. From there, you can tell between 49 and 50 by the position of the "0" in the bottom window. I have a feeling RC has been reading the scale, incorrectly, the whole time, putting all of his figures off by a tenth or two, and causing the odd "dilemna" on either end of the tenth's display.
Edit edit: Just maybe RC is literally reading the middle line, considering the 9 and the 0 as the outer two lines! But then, you would have to wonder how he could have ever got a reading of 2.9 in the first column... Hopefully just a brain fart, and not an early sign of dementia.
Last edited:
JamieC
Member
If you can't read it, maybe a pair of reading glasses might help. It is a bit picky, but works just fine IMO.
It is just a scale, if one isn't smarter than a scale...... 
It is an accurate scale, I had one as my first scale. When I built a bench I was not going to build a separate shelf off-bench at eye-level to fiddle with it, it is fiddly and it does not poise-to-weight very handily. But for checking powder throws, it works okay.
All that being said, my M5 or 10-10 removes any stress the too small too light Lee might cause. I wish whoever decided on it at Lee would have made it full size relative to the rest of the reloading scales on the market.
It is an accurate scale, I had one as my first scale. When I built a bench I was not going to build a separate shelf off-bench at eye-level to fiddle with it, it is fiddly and it does not poise-to-weight very handily. But for checking powder throws, it works okay.
All that being said, my M5 or 10-10 removes any stress the too small too light Lee might cause. I wish whoever decided on it at Lee would have made it full size relative to the rest of the reloading scales on the market.
Personally, my major issue with the Lee is the damping sucks and the slider is hard to adjust without making the beam sway around, wildly.
I put two screws into my scale. One is a fraction of an inch above the pointer when level. The other is a fraction of an inch below the pointer when level. So my scale damps quite quickly, now.
And I can pin the beam down to the screw while adjusting the slider, no moving/swaying, and then just let go to get a quick reading hi, low, or good.
I put two screws into my scale. One is a fraction of an inch above the pointer when level. The other is a fraction of an inch below the pointer when level. So my scale damps quite quickly, now.
And I can pin the beam down to the screw while adjusting the slider, no moving/swaying, and then just let go to get a quick reading hi, low, or good.
Last edited:
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
A minute to zero a 5-10 is about 45 seconds longer then it should take after the initial set-up and leveling.
rc
rc
Potatohead
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 5,375
Now you know-
Potatohead
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 5,375
Good one lj !
Potatohead
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 5,375
I heard that analytical chemists are definitely smarter than scales-
jcwit
member
I am able to use and read the Lee scale just fine.
The fact is tho, there are many scales out there that are much easier to use and read.
I like easy. Life is hard enough without making it harder
The fact is tho, there are many scales out there that are much easier to use and read.
I like easy. Life is hard enough without making it harder
Potatohead
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 5,375
Where would you put the screws? I would like some "additional dampening" on my Lyman Pro 500. Didnt know you could do that
scale
I have used an old magnetic dampened Redding scale ( it's very similar to the 505) since the late seventies I guess. Noticed the first day that when the beam ( or more correctly the tab on the beam) dropped to the bottom of the dampening slot, the beam was a little "sticky" coming back up when adding powder to the pan. This was slowly things down a lot. Stuck a Q-tip stick in the bottom of the dampening slot (in the frame) so the beam could not fall all the way to the bottom of the slot. Solved the problem immediately and the stick is still there ( though probably not the original one ). OYE
I have used an old magnetic dampened Redding scale ( it's very similar to the 505) since the late seventies I guess. Noticed the first day that when the beam ( or more correctly the tab on the beam) dropped to the bottom of the dampening slot, the beam was a little "sticky" coming back up when adding powder to the pan. This was slowly things down a lot. Stuck a Q-tip stick in the bottom of the dampening slot (in the frame) so the beam could not fall all the way to the bottom of the slot. Solved the problem immediately and the stick is still there ( though probably not the original one ). OYE
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Scales of this type use Magnetic Dampening and Dampening could like be placed in one of three categories. They can be called Under Damped, Over Damped and Critically Damped. When we wait for a scale to settle we are waiting for the dampening to do its thing.
While I am not quite sure what GLOOB is getting at I figure what he has done is used screws as shown below:
Gloob pretty much nailed it when he said the dampening on these scales sucks!
Under damped is when the beam pointer swings above and below the Zero Indicator before finally coming to rest. While the screws do not change the dampening they will restrict the beam travel. Assuming I guessed the right location of the screws. The screws will keep the beam from swinging wildly above and below the Zero and hopefully allow the beam to come to rest quicker.
Over Damped would be when the beam pointer slowly crawls up to the Zero Indicator.
Critically Damped would be described as just right. The beam pointer will approach the Zero Indicator, pass to just above it and return to it quickly.
All of this assumes a correct weight but I am sure you get the idea.
I will add that unless your Lyman Pro 500 really has dampening issues I wouldn't screw with it. The Lyman Pro 500 Magnetic Powder Scale features an extra large leveling wheel, dual agate bearings and large magnetic dampener which helps to zero the beam arm in seconds. When something works it isn't always a good idea to try and improve upon it.
Ron
fallout mike
Member
I might would use it for a paper weight.
- Status
Similar threads
