MTM Mini digital reloading scale

[dromia]

I suspect that the issues with the Lee scales is Lee's notoriously poor quality control.

Over the years I have played with three different Lee scales and along with the ineffective damping they were all inconsistent in their weighing.

When playing with the last one I had I found that its inaccuracy was due to moulding burrs on the beam which meant that the ball bearing wasn't seating in the same place in the indents thus making it variable.

I'm sure that there are scales out there with properly finished beams that work well and I suspect that you are fortunate to have one of them and will no doubt give your good service as you can live with the poor damping.

Personally I like to buy kit that I can have confidence in working in as advertised from the off, Lee produce things at a price point and to get there they get the customer to do their quality control for them.

I look upon Lee stuff as kits that need work and fettling to get them to work as advertised, if you are prepared to do that then they are a good buy.

I love their collet dies but have to polish them before using or they will jam and collapse cases, I'm prepared to live with for the concentricity and consistent case mouth diameter.

As to their scales, well life is too short to gamble on getting a good one when there are quality ones out there that do the job without fettling and have good damping.

To me scales are the last and most crucial tool to safe hand loads and I won't skimp on quality in the powder weighing department.

If you have one that works and feel safe with it then then keep it and feel good.

[Alpha1]

I use a Hornady scale unfortunately they don't make them any more I have two of them.
One of the scales was calibrated by the guy who makes the target master trickler I bought the scale from him and it is permanently set up with the target master trickler coupled up to a lap top with a web cam. No way would I use a Lee scale for this.
The other scale I use for general reloading . If you want to use the Lee scales fine. But I personally would chuck them in the bin and invest in a set from RCBS. Lyman. Reding or any of the reputable dealers a good set will last you a life time.

[ukrifleman]

Everyone is entitled to their point of view based on their own experiences and if anyone has had a bad experience with Lee products, that is unfortunate.

For myself, I load 14 calibres from .357 to 30-06 all with Lee dies, bullet moulds, Classic Cast turret press as well as the scale.
Maybe I have just been lucky and the god of quality control has smiled down on me but, I have never had a problem.
Each to his own I suppose.
ukrifleman.

[simong]

Evening peeps,

I have only been reloading for about 18 months so am probably in the class of " doesn't know any better" but I have used a Lee Safety Scale from the off checked against a Hornady Digital scale and I also use, horror of horrors, a Lee powder thrower :lol:
My 308's all chrono within 10FPS, my 357's all go through the same hole ( obviously when benched ) and so I can't understand all the Hoo Haa about Lee stuff.
I tried a Hornady digital powder dispenser, one of them program the weight in jobs, and it drifted all over the place about as fast as this icon !

Of course, this is just my opinion/experience, others are available, see Radio Times for details.

ttfn and happy humbug day

The Greek

[phaedra1106]

Scales wise, I've had 3 sets of the Lee scales supplied in various press kits I've bought and all have been sold onwards, once you use a set of RCBS 5-0-5 you never go back!.

Nothing wrong with Lee powder measures, their Perfect Powder Measure gave better test results than a lot of other makes.

Not sure what was up with your Hornady dispenser Simon but mine works perfectly, even with cut tubular Viht powder (N140). The usual cause is mains noise or a dodgy power supply, my bench has a medical grade filter on it's mains supply.

[FredB]

I bought my first Lee equipment in the 1970s. I currently have Lee, Lyman, Saeco, RCBS, NEI, CH and NDFS moulds, dies and press equipment. To me, being a Chartered Engineer with 40+ years in Engineering Design, Research and Development, the design of the Lee equipment is the best. From a manufacturing point of view, you get what you pay for: obviously an aluminium mould is not going to last as long as a cast iron one. I cannot tell the difference between any makes of die. I have fatigued and broken a light weight Lee press which I bought second hand for £15 and used for 15 years. I have one of the first Lee turret presses sold in this country and it is in perfect condition after loading more than 100K rounds. I have a single station RCBS press which is even older and is also perfect. Decide what you want to do and buy appropriate tools.
The idea that Lee or MTM makes electronic scales I find laughable----they are distributors and the same scales are available with other names on them. I have an RCBS 505 beam scale which I won in a competition arounf 1980. I have an electronic scale which suffers from a wandering zero and is certainly not suitable for powder measuring but can be use to grade cast bullets quickly, if you remember to keep checking the zero.
Fred

[John MH]

I'm a Chartered Engineer and I think Lee gear is junk, you get what you pay for, however, my very first press was a Lee and I loaded many k of .38Spl on it before moving on. Lee are a great place to start your journey.

[Alpha1]

The idea that Lee or MTM makes electronic scales I find laughable

Lee don't make or distribute electronic scales as far as I am aware. The Lee is a beam scale and a pretty poor one at that.
I also used Lee equipment probably about 35 years ago when I first started out but as I progressed with re loading I found other companies equipment a lot pleasanter to use out of the box. There dies are OK the hand press is use full. The Lee loaders work I still have one Lee powder measure and that's about it.
But if other people want to use it fine.

Chartered Engineer with 40+ years in Engineering Design, Research and Development

I also work in Research and Development its my job to build the stuff that the Design Engineers dream up pilot it so they can scale it up to Full plant scale. That's providing the wacky ideas work of course and in our case they usually do.

[Sim G]

As a dyed in the wool Lee user and fan, I can honestly say their scales and powder measure are cr@p. The cheapest and most accurate way to dispense powder, I found, was a half decent set of beam scales such as RCBS, a Lee dipper set and an RCBS trickler. (The powder measure on my Dillon is superb, but I don't load rifle cartridges on the Dillon...)

Five years or so ago, I bought an RCBS Chargemaster Combo. Accurate, reliable and quick. And outstanding addition if you can afford one these days.... (Four hundred quid now, I believe!)

As for the original question concerning some of these "mini scales"..... Great for drug dealers, shoite for loading!

[Mezzer]

My set of MTM digital scales went out the window within a week of purchase. Absolute crap!

I'd suggest a set of RCBS digital scales if you really must have a beam / digital comparison. My set have been reliable to date and they don't cost the earth.

Mezzer