Even more interesting fact: they're still not. Due to the process of baling cotton, it is not possible to have bales weighing exactly the same. Bales are around 500 pounds, usually closer to 480 pounds, but individual bales weigh varying amounts. Figure anywhere from 450 to 510, give or take. And just for the record, if you forget to switch the press and just keep packing cotton, things will lock up when you get around 600 pounds of cotton in there. You don't want to do that . . .