Changing bushings on Load-All II

[deafsg1]

Hey everyone,

Last night, I finally set down to find out the relative, average charge weight in grains of each bushing for the Lee Load-All II loader for a given powder. After two bushings, I got tired of taking the press handle off the hopper base, carefully sliding off the assembly, and pouring the powder back into the powder container before changing the bushings.

This is a little risky, but you can change out the bushings WITHOUT emptying the powder. This ought to be done before you load up shot in the shot hopper, as you are trying to determine the correct bushing from scratch before you do ANY reloading. Before you pour any powder into the hopper, observe where the left and right edge of the powder dump hole in the hopper is, and mark that on the hopper base below the charge bar, where the company name plate goes.

That way, when you have to determine the average weight of a bushing's charge for a new powder or new recipe, all you have to do is:

1) Slide the charge bar all the way to the RIGHT
2) Take the name plate off, observe where the edge of powder dump hole is
3) Start sliding the RIGHT end of the charge bar out towards you, keeping the LEFT end in the charge bar housing and making sure that the LEFT round end stays within the dump hole markings, until you can completely clear the bushing of the charge bar housing.
4) Carefully pop the bushing out

Reverse all the steps to get the reloader ready for the next bushing weigh-out. If you're weighing out shot, reverse everything left-right for this process. While you're sliding out the charge bar, observe not only in relation to the dump hole markings, but also observe on both sides of the hole to make sure nothing is leaking through.

Also, if you are weighing-out multiple bushings or the whole set, simply leave the name plate off until you get everything settled.

It works for me!

 

[scout26]

Another thing that helps with the Load-All is to drill a 3/8" hole in a corner of the top lid. Then when you want to change shot and/or powder (or are done reloading for a while) You can position the hole over the shot side and pour that back into your shot container. Then rotate the lid and pour the powder back into it's container. Try to keep powder in it's original container.

I like using old bleach bottles to store shot. Much easier and neater then trying to keep it in bags. Peel off the label, use a sharpie marker and just write on the bottle "#8 Chilled Shot" or "#5 Plated Shot". They hold 25+ pounds of shot. The handle makes it easier to refill bottles, tubes, or hoppers, then trying to pour shot out of a bag.

Put the bleach bottle in a box, put a funnel in the bottle, open the bag of shot and pour away. If some shot spills it goes in the box and you can easily dump it from the box into the bleach bottle. If a lot of shot spills, the mess is contained.

And you will dump a bag of shot at some point. Ask me how I know .......

 

[SASS#23149]

You have waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more patience than I.