I started loading some 300 win mag the other night, and was comparing my charge on my digital scale, 74.5 grains of imr7828, to my lee balance scale. My balance scale is reading different than my digital scale. i'm not sure which one to trust. i calibrated both scales, but when i put the same pan with the powder on the beam scale it's off a significant amount than my digital scale.....any suggestions?? anyone else have this problem with the lee scale? thanks
lee scale issues
- Thread starter hvychev77
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MtnCreek
Member
Few tenths or few grians? I typically trust a balance beam over digital. I have a Lee balance beam (think it's called safety scale) and I've had good results with it, but I calibrate it with check wieghts close to the same wieght of the charge that I'll be using. You should probably look into getting a set of check wieghts.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Did you zero the Lee scale with the pan you are using? The pans for each are different weights and unless you zero both with the pan you are using the numbers will be off.
Funshooter45
Member
I keep a couple bullets handy to use as a quick verification tool for my scales. I know their weight precisely and they don't change. Even if you don't have a bullet that you have confirmed the weight on previously, depending on what bullets you have around, you might use one of them to see which scale is lying. For instance, I know that my Hornady AMAX bullets will always weigh within 0.1 gr of the listed weight of 155.0. Usually 9 out of 10 of them will weigh exactly 155.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
That right there is your problem I betcha.
Scale pans are not interchangable between scales, unless you re-zero the the different scale with the other scales empty pan first.
At any rate, you simply cannot switch back and forth with the same pan full of powder and expect both scales to read the same weight.
Unless you had already zeroed both scales with the same pan.
rc
Unless its a high dollar labratory, certified digital scale, I'd trust the beam scale first. The Lee scale is designed so that if it is not actually broken (nothing to bend, etc.) it will be accurate. But then again, some find it difficult to read a vernier scale.
i did zero both scales. i only have one powder pan and both scales were zeroed to it. i'm not sure how much the beam scale is reading differently but the needle is a good ways from where it should be. it reads to the light side each time. i am really torn here....
NavyLCDR
member
Borrow a third scale from someone.
Also, measure the weaght of the pan and powder on the Lee scale by moving the slider until the needle is zeroed and then read the weight to determine the difference between the two.
Also, make sure the knife edge of the pivot point of the beam on the Lee scale is actually in the groove on the base, and make sure the magnetic dampening blade behind the needle marker is centered between the magnets on the base and not rubbing against one of them.
Also, measure the weaght of the pan and powder on the Lee scale by moving the slider until the needle is zeroed and then read the weight to determine the difference between the two.
Also, make sure the knife edge of the pivot point of the beam on the Lee scale is actually in the groove on the base, and make sure the magnetic dampening blade behind the needle marker is centered between the magnets on the base and not rubbing against one of them.
Historian
Member
+1 for check weights. They will tell you right away which scale is off. My money is on the digital scale being the bad guy in this opera. I trust my beam scale over anything that relies on electricity.
Historian
Historian
gamestalker
member
I have both and my beam is always on the nose every time. My digital will bounce + or - .1 without any good reason. Change batteries just to rule out a possible low or bad battery.
Nushif
Member
I hated my Lee bar scale thingy ... This was probably my fault because I can't zero it ... or read it ... but man. I can't figure them out for the life of me.
That is to say, I feel your pain.
That is to say, I feel your pain.
chrome_austex
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I had a digital scale go south on me, however it would register it's calibration rate as a 'PASS'.
I kind of thought something was amiss, but took a batch of rounds to the range and discovered they were all shooting 6" low and chrono'd slow. thank god the digital scale failed on the mildly low side.
Get some smaller check weights (not the single large calibration weight that comes with the digital scale), and verify which scale is wrong. My bet would be the digital one.
Try a new battery if the digital scale is just a little off. The digital scales are sensitive to voltage.
I kind of thought something was amiss, but took a batch of rounds to the range and discovered they were all shooting 6" low and chrono'd slow. thank god the digital scale failed on the mildly low side.
Get some smaller check weights (not the single large calibration weight that comes with the digital scale), and verify which scale is wrong. My bet would be the digital one.
Try a new battery if the digital scale is just a little off. The digital scales are sensitive to voltage.
Old krow
Member
I'd trust whichever one weighed the check weights correctly. I personally would prefer actual check weights since they come in smaller sizes. A good set of check weight, or at least a way use something as a standard, should eliminate any doubt in which one is "off."
Some are suggesting that you weigh a dime etc., but that wont help you much as the heavier the charge the more a digital scale can be off. If you take two different digital scales and weigh some things on them both, you will find that the heavier the weight the more they can contradict. As long as you are sure that you know how to properly zero and read the Lee scale, then you can be confident that it is the correct reading. I have a Lyman, Lee, and two digital scales and my twenty something year old Lee is always the one to trust over the digital scales. I even tested my old Lee beside a new one and they weighed everything the same every time.
Wolfman Bill
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I’m not too sure I would put much stock in a dime weighing 35gr. I never heard that one before so though I would check to see if holds true.
I raided my change jar and came up with 16 fairly new looking dimes. I weighed them all on both my precision digital (good down to .02 gr) and my old RCBS standby.
The measured dimes weighed anywhere from 33.8 gr to 36.7 gr.
I raided my change jar and came up with 16 fairly new looking dimes. I weighed them all on both my precision digital (good down to .02 gr) and my old RCBS standby.
The measured dimes weighed anywhere from 33.8 gr to 36.7 gr.
so i did some more investigating today and found that my beam scale is off somewhere between .3-.5 grains from my digital sccale. i don't know what's up with the beam scale, i can zero it dead nuts, weigh out a charge, and then put it back to zero and it's off a good amount. the digital scale is dead on with the calibration weight each time. i weighed a dime and it was close to what was previously stated, and it also weighed close on the beam scale. I did go buy some new batteries so, i'll put them in next and we'll see where to go from there. i thought about just buying the rcbs 505 scale, just because i don't really like the Lee Scale, and i'm starting to have my doubts on the reliability of it.......any more suggestions? i'll update what i come across when i put the new batteries in. thanks for all the advice guys.
The thumb wheel used to set zero can spin a bit free to say the least. I always use a very small amount of none harding pipe dope or gaskets sealer on the threads in the area the wheel likes to be in the area of zero. Work a very slight amount worked into the threads. This will keep the thumb wheels stable.
Get some check weights. All loaders have to have a static point of reference concerning there scales.
Get some check weights. All loaders have to have a static point of reference concerning there scales.
NavyLCDR
member
How far off do you consider to be a fair amount? Pointer deflection on that scale registers in the .01 grain region. So if the pointer deflects say 1/2 of the way up or down off center you are only talking .03 or .04 grains. If you have stick type powder, you can drop individual granules of powder and see the pointer move.
ranger335v
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"anyone else have this problem with the lee scale?"
Sounds as if you have already commited yourself to which is off, but I doubt it's the beam scale.
It matters how much off you're talking about but a difference of a couple of tenths is no effective difference at all.
Sounds as if you have already commited yourself to which is off, but I doubt it's the beam scale.
It matters how much off you're talking about but a difference of a couple of tenths is no effective difference at all.
maybe i'm just being too anal about it all. the pointer on the beam scale is probably a 1/4 of an inch higher or lower than where it should be located. i'll know more in the next few days. i'm going to compare it to another scale as well as putting in some new batteries. i'll update what i discover. thanks again guys.
jfh
Member.
If the Lee scale seems to vary between various charges, I would also double-check that you have it--the razor edge--centered properly on each measurement. It is not hard to get the balance off a hair and have binding.
Then, as others here have heard me say before--the vernier slide is most easily used by
1) taking the beam off the balance,
2) leaving the vernier friction pin 'in'--keep it dragging.
3) positioning a thumb on either side of the vernier slide and
4) adjusting the vernier with a 'push' with your thumbnail from either side, as needed.
Because the friction pin is on, the slide will move positively--and you will soon learn the amount of push needed to accurately adjust the vernier.
When you replace the beam, of course, you do need to check the ball for the 10s setting you need, confirm the balance is clean, and that the scale operates smoothly.
As for the accuracy issues here--I vote with the balance beam being the accurate one. I now have had two (three?) cheaper digital scales, and those go south every time. Besides standard life-span / accuracy issues, these scales start to drift and change reading as the battery voltage goes down--e.g., as a battery discharges.
I use my digitals for tare weighing--and, I do own a own set of check weights.
Jim H.
Then, as others here have heard me say before--the vernier slide is most easily used by
1) taking the beam off the balance,
2) leaving the vernier friction pin 'in'--keep it dragging.
3) positioning a thumb on either side of the vernier slide and
4) adjusting the vernier with a 'push' with your thumbnail from either side, as needed.
Because the friction pin is on, the slide will move positively--and you will soon learn the amount of push needed to accurately adjust the vernier.
When you replace the beam, of course, you do need to check the ball for the 10s setting you need, confirm the balance is clean, and that the scale operates smoothly.
As for the accuracy issues here--I vote with the balance beam being the accurate one. I now have had two (three?) cheaper digital scales, and those go south every time. Besides standard life-span / accuracy issues, these scales start to drift and change reading as the battery voltage goes down--e.g., as a battery discharges.
I use my digitals for tare weighing--and, I do own a own set of check weights.
Jim H.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I highly doubt it's the Lee scale. (like the others said) That scale is almost fool proof in design. It might be a pain to use but it's VERY accurate.
Seedtick
Member
+1
I really liked mine but it had a minor mishap one day.....and then I tried to fix it. It is no longer with us....
Seedtick
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