How do I weigh a 158 grain bullet on a Lee Safety Scale

[bbogue1]

The Lee Safety scale is a good scale except for one thing. It only weighs up to 100 grains I'd like to make sure the cast bullet is the correct weight before loading. Is there a way to measure bullets heavier than 100 grains?

[dragon813gt]

No, not w/ that scale.

[c1skout]

Use a pair of linemans pliers to snip the boolit in half, then weigh each piece.

[dverna]

Yes, cut it with a set of side cutters. Weigh both parts.

Don Verna

Damn C1 beat me by a minute!!!

[runfiverun]

those are better answers than throw the scale away and get a good one.

[bbogue1]

Sounds good, I'll save the halves and throw them in the melting pot for next time. Seems to me if I had a tall thin graduate I could fill it with water then see how much water it displaces then calculate that amount of water in grams. How about getting an older Redding or Pacific scale?

[Beagle333]

Just snip it. Easier than all math.

[Cowboy_Dan]

Sounds good, I'll save the halves and throw them in the melting pot for next time. Seems to me if I had a tall thin graduate I could fill it with water then see how much water it displaces then calculate that amount of water in grams. How about getting an older Redding or Pacific scale?

That would give you the volume of the boolit, you would need to multiply by the density of your particular alloy rather than the density of water.

[MT Chambers]

It's a "safety" scale and not meant to measure anything that could be unsafe.

[Walkingwolf]

I use a small jewelers scale to weigh bullets.

[Caster1977]

I don't weigh bullets.


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[flyin brian]

When I first started loading I was given a large bag of SMKs that were 3 sizes mixed up and all I had to weigh them was a Lee scale. I taped a 100gr bullet to the left side of the balance arm and that way i was able to sort the bullets into 3 piles based on how the scale responded to each bullet i sat on the tray.
Its no way to get an accurate weight, but it did make it possible to sort those bullets

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[Walter Laich]

[QUOTE=flyin brian;3921931]When I first started loading I was given a large bag of SMKs that were 3 sizes mixed up and all I had to weigh them was a Lee scale. I taped a 100gr bullet to the left side of the balance arm and that way i was able to sort the bullets into 3 piles based on how the scale responded to each bullet i sat on the tray.
Its no way to get an accurate weight, but it did make it possible to sort those bullets

great way to 'shade-tree garage' the problem. I just weighed my first bullet in over 8 years--got a mold from a widow and she didn't know weight, just that it was for cowboy .38 Sp.

It turns out it is a 158 gr Big Lube Groove bullet mold. Makes a mighty fine projectile

[MT Chambers]

Some funny ideas here, what if the bullet is 500grs., do you snip it into 5 equal pieces then weigh each piece?? C'mon the op needs to get himself a good scale!

[Walkingwolf]

Some funny ideas here, what if the bullet is 500grs., do you snip it into 5 equal pieces then weigh each piece?? C'mon the op needs to get himself a good scale!

The Lee scale is a good scale for it's intended purpose, that is to weigh powder charges. I find a good electronic jewelry scale is accurate for bullet weights. Mine works quickly when I sort my bullets according to weight variance.

[bbogue1]

Taping the bullet to the side of the scale is Genius, I tell you!!! Genius. Gave me an aha moment AND the answer to my question. Thank you!!!

If you want to do this you need to remember the tape has weight, too. I'd go a slightly different route. I posted what I thought would work this morning. IT DOES NOT WORK So, I set out to find out what does allow the accurate weighing of bullets exceeding 100 grains. I learned a thing or two also. Here's what I did:

This does work Using the LEE Safety Scale this process will allow you to weigh objects from 100 to 200 grains.

Make yourself a 64 grain lead weight that is wider than the top of the beam at the 100 mark. Attachment 186109 I think the 64 grain weight is the same as the ball, but, I'm only guessing. place it on the flats above the 100 mark.Attachment 186110 With your greater than 100 grain object in the pan move the ball till the pointer flys above the arrow then roll it one slot back. VERY CAREFULLY adjust the grains until the pointer sits at the point of the arrow. I weighed what I knew their weight. The two bullets were a 140 grain and a 122 grain Here is a photo of the 140 grain:Attachment 186111

Here's a photo of the 122 grain bullet (with beautiful powder coating I might add. ( I did not make this bullet Kudos to who did.Attachment 186112

Sorry if I mislead anyone, it seemed logical to me but I apparently had a misunderstanding of how scale mechanics work. I now suspect that 64 grains is the weight of the ball. Double the ball weight and you double the measure range of the scale. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ADJUSTEMENT WEIGHT (64 oz. on the scale!!!!) Thank you for being patient.

[too many things]

yea I did read this

[jmorris]

Some funny ideas here, what if the bullet is 500grs., do you snip it into 5 equal pieces then weigh each piece?

Trick question. That would be silly, you already know it's a 500 grain bullet...

[robg]

Used to use my Lyman 500 ,it was too slow when sorting boolits ,bought an electric jewelers scale checked against the Lyman both agree, well worth the cost .

[shooterg]

That cheap little Lee scale I have always measures within .1 of the Ohaus and RCBS labeled Ohaus scales I have. Nothing wrong with cheap when it WORKS !