Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure problems

[ArchAngelCD]

Are you rotating the turret between drops? If you cycle the handle and let it rotate between drops the drops will be more consistent than if you keep running the case into the die without rotating.

That is also my thought. Rotating the powder measure around the turret settles the powder before the next throw and greatly aids in the throw consistency.

When checking powder weights when setting up the powder measure i always tap the side of the hopper a few times before I throw another charge or the results are slued.

 

[CSestp]

Tried rotating/tapping/even played some smooth music and whispered sweet nothings into its hopper. Still getting at least a +/- .5 grain difference.

It stays within safe amounts where I could use it for plinking ammo. Just makes my nerves itch.

Do you keep the screws that hold the hopper on tight or loose?

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
I keep mine just snug.

 

[kingmt]

Tight. If they are lose it will leak & the amount will be all over the place.

 

[RustyFN]

Tried rotating/tapping/even played some smooth music and whispered sweet nothings into its hopper. Still getting at least a +/- .5 grain difference.

It stays within safe amounts where I could use it for plinking ammo. Just makes my nerves itch.

Do you keep the screws that hold the hopper on tight or loose?

I don't know what else it could be if the sweet nothings didn't work. If you have the smaller hole in the top disk and are rotating the turret between drops they should be consistant. Mine all drop within .2 grains. I am using ball powder, maybe your powder is too course.

 

[kingmt]

As for taping & shaking. I try to keep as much of the movement down as I can. I get +/- .05gn. My scale/despensor only weighs to +/- .1gn tho. So it could be less of a difference then that. Ether way it is close enough to mske me happy.

 

[BBDartCA]

My Pro Auto Disc was downright dangerous with Titegroup. Would randomly throw just a light dusting of a charge. And when the 9mm 147g load is only 3.2 to 3.6g, it slows down the process having to take a long look at each load to make sure powder volume is right.

 

[RustyFN]

My Pro Auto Disc was downright dangerous with Titegroup. Would randomly throw just a light dusting of a charge. And when the 9mm 147g load is only 3.2 to 3.6g, it slows down the process having to take a long look at each load to make sure powder volume is right.

I had the same problem with my pro auto, TG and adjustable charge bar. With the fixed disks I can throw TG all day with almost no variation.

 

[tahoe2]

I only ever used mine for handgun loads (single disc) works flawlessly, keeping it clean and just snugging up the screws.
I do all my rifle rounds with the "perfect powder measure". But I don't load enough volume in rifles to need a progressive.
Never tried the double disc, just seemed too risky to me.

 

[HJ857]

For larger charges I use two adjustable charge bars stacked, in the same way you'd stack two discs. Keeping both cavities the same makes for exceptionally consistent drops. Of course it makes the PAD 20 or so bucks more expensive.

 

[BBDartCA]

I had the same problem with my pro auto, TG and adjustable charge bar. With the fixed disks I can throw TG all day with almost no variation.

Do you mean the "micro discs?"

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have found the adjustable charge bar is not a good choice for throwing very light charges because when pulled back to a small opening the charge hole does not sit below the hole in the powder measure. The charges are not always right in that case.

 

[RustyFN]

Do you mean the "micro discs?"

No the disc's that come with the pro auto disk measure.

 

[Seymourrocks]

Lee Pro Auto-Disk Problems

Hi All,
I am new to the forum so I don't want to just but in. Also I have only been reloading for a year and a half now. I use Lee equipment with very good success. I load mainly pistol rounds on a Loadmaster with the Pro Auto-disk PM. I had some problems with the metering myself and absolutely hated the toilet chain method of throwing powder. :banghead: It was very inconsistent and just didn't work well for me. My solution was to replace the L bar with the F bar and I get a + or - of .1 gr. for almost all powders that I use. I also verify the setup with a good quality digital scale. The only rifle round that I currently reload is the Remington .223. As I understand it Lee used to ship all their progressive presses with the older Auto-Disk PM but developed the Pro ADPM because some people were double charging and over pressuring their guns and it was seen as a design flaw rather than operator error. Thus Lee wanted to avoid any potential law suit. I can see the point of argument. Of course when you set up a press this way you must visually verify each and every charge without fail. Something I consider necessary no matter whose press you use or what powder drop you choose. In my mind it is the only way to insure that you don't double charge or miss a charge without a lockout die or powder cop. I load the Remington .223 rifle rounds on the Lee Classis Turret press using just the single disk. I exclusively use Hodgdon BL-C(2) and it meters very well being a spherical powder. I like Hodgdon Varget as well but it is an extruded powder and meters poorly. Varget is also a compressed load for a 55 gr. bullet or anything over in .223. I determine the charge that I want and divide by 2 and figure the volume needed. At the powder drop station I intentionally double charge the case while tapping the powder drop. I consistently get a throw that varies no more than 2 and a half tenths of a grain total. I believe that this is a safe practice for this round because there is no way to triple charge a case since a double charge comes right up to the low part of the neck. Any mistake would be quite obvious. Again a visual inspection of each drop is mandatory in my book. I am the powder cop!
For those of you interested there is a nice mod that will greatly improve the accuracy of Lee's Auto-Pro PD that is fairly inexpensive. Here is the link.


http://forums.loadmastervideos.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1128&highlight=

Seymourrocks says, "My Glock Doth Rock!"

 

[partyboy424]

I'm sure the OP has resolved his issue by now, but for future owners of the Lee Pro Autodisk Powder Drop.

1. If you have just purchased it and you're getting eratic powder throws. There is a problem, with all powders I have tried (HP38, clays, bullseye, silhouette) It throws within .1 grain 99% of the time. However, when I first bought it, it would throw +/- 2 or 3 grains. I examined and measured everything and called lee, the solution involves a simple tool "hit it with a rubber mallet"

If you look at the metal drop tube that goes into the die. This is the peice that will be pushed up and down causing the powder to drop. It is extremely common for this not to be pushed into the black piece of the setup far enough. and will make it so that the charging disks don't come forward enough, so sometimes nothing will come out, the next try they will have shaken and had more powder crushed in and then will over drop and it's just a mess. So, hit the powder drop tube with a mallet until it is snug. It's only in there by compression.

2. The handle on the side of the powder drop that moves back and forth (connected to the chain or spring) This gets gummed up extremely bad and can stick. (leading to squibs) take the whole thing apart and polish any metal to metal contact points and you'll have 1000's of trouble free powder drops.