I'm just starting out and I have the Lee balance beam scale. It works and seems to be accurate, definitely repeatable, but when I thought I'd check my bullet weights against the manufacturer's claim, I couldn't because the scale maxes out at 100 grains. I also find it very fiddly to get down to the tenths of a grain- bump a tiny bit this way, bump a tiny bit too much the other way, back and forth . . . maybe some balance beam scales are easier to use. I appreciate this thread, it helps new guys like me decide which way to go and which way not to go.
Is it reasonable to buy a better beam scale, or use this one and add an electronic scale?
The Lee scale is a good, robust, usable scale. But it's an entry level product too, with accuracy to 0.2gr. Since average powders increment in 0.2 or 0.3gr steps, it will do most jobs just fine.
Better balance beam scales measure to 500gr, have magnetic dampening, and pivot on gem stones with 0.1gr accuracy. This lets them react quicker to small changes while at the same time steadying more quickly for readings. Your reloading requirements will tell you when you're ready for a scale of greater accuracy.
I think you can go
balance or
digital on your next scale, as long as you realize your Lee cannot be used to check a good digital. You
must also buy the check weights.
On the other hand, there's a lot of hokus-pokus in the digital scale market. Example: a digital may display 2 or even 3 decimal places inferring that it is super accurate. No, the scale's
accuracy is what the specs say it is. Another common over-sight is
repeatability. Will it return to the exact same reading 5 items later ? Lastly is to realize that
software controls the display. Software takes out the "fluttering" and probably averages 100 readings every second. That can affect
accuracy and
repeatability. So lower-end digitals can use software tricks in place of features like
dampening.
