Lee Turret Auto Drum Leak

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Ironwill1406

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Hi,

I am using a Lee Turret Press with the auto drum. I am seeing specs of powder here and there on the turret ring...it’s just a little but it’s definitely leaking out of the drum. I read on Lee’s website that this is common. I have a new small paintbrush and catch trays and I occasionally clean it off.

Other opinions? Common?
 
It happens on mine. More with spherical powders than extruded or flake. 300-MP just falls out everywhere. No real issue with Unique.
 
I get that too. Just a few flakes, so I sweep it up and put it in a container to save for use on July 4 for a big flash for the kiddos.
Others might toss it in the garden as fertilizer.
 
Check your drum. I use AA#2, AA#5, and Ramshot Silhouette and have no discernible leakage and I have used this to load everything from 380 to 45acp.
 
Some drums leak more than others. Some powders leak more than others. If it's only a few flakes, don't sweat it.
 
I had the same problem, I tightened the screw until it quit leaking. I was about 80 rounds in before I caught a light charge, due to the drum not fully returning because of the friction. To be safe, I pulled all 80 ( only found one other questionable round, but 1 is too many), reset, and learned to accept the leakage. 80 rounds with a kinetic puller sucks...
 
Run some graphite through it. Rcmodel used to mention that trick to members occasionally. Seems to work.
 
Irishlad, do you activate the Dandy manually ?
I’m about to throw the towel in on the drum.
 
Others have all ready answered.
The only thing I will add is that I will live will a very small amount of leak as long as I get a very consistent powder charge each and every time. No matter what I have tried I always get a little leak of powder on my MEC 600Jr 410 shot shell reloader when using H110. But the charge is very consistent. On my Lee drum, it depends on what powder is used. Graphite does help.
 
badkarmamib said:
I had the same problem, I tightened the screw until it quit leaking. I was about 80 rounds in before I caught a light charge, due to the drum not fully returning because of the friction. To be safe, I pulled all 80 ( only found one other questionable round, but 1 is too many), reset, and learned to accept the leakage. 80 rounds with a kinetic puller sucks...
Click to expand...

This is exactly my experience. Don't be tempted to over-tighten the drum because it will result in inconsistent turns and powder-throws. I get quite a bit of leakage with very fine powders like H110, but very little with coarse ball and flake powders like H335, HP-38, Be-86 or Blue Dot. I don't think there would be any leakage with extruded rifle powders either.

I use a clean paintbrush and a blow-gun on a hose from an air-compressor to blow the powder and other copper and brass dust off the press, dies and shellplate.
 
I dealt with the "LEEking" for a while. Even switched to other types of powder instead of ball powders on some loads (like H322 instead of H335) and just accepted when I used fine powder it would leak. I cut a piece of cardboard that fit around the mount and dumped powder back in every 15 or 20 rounds. I tried the graphite and adjustment/wiper tricks i've seen posted. I think I just got one with loose tolerances.

I have to say though with larger granule powders and some stick powders you can't get much better for the price.

I've since moved to a Redding #3.
 
How does the Redding work on a progressive press? Do you turn the drum by hand or is there a case activator for it sold separately?
 
I've tried various fixes to no avail for the finest powders such as H110 and AA#9. I'll try filing the back side of the insert some more, otherwise I'll use the LPPM for these finer powders.
 
Have you tried it with different drums. My original leaked badly, this second one doesn't leak at all.
 
I got one when they first came available leaked called Lee had me return it.Repaired one still leaked.Couple years later read where Lee had made some changes to how they were made returned it again still leaks.Larger powder ok I don't use AA9 or 110 in it.
 
There is a video out there about using Mother of Mag polish. I polished the inside of the auto drum. It smooths the rotating action, giving you a chance to tighten the drum a bit more before drag takes over. I tried the graphite powder, but felt polishing was a cleaner way of doing it.
I also used the polish on the extra drum set I bought later. The original drums were much smoother.
 
I've got three of the Auto Drums. The're cheap enough to have one on every turret ready to go. Only a minor leak on one and I fixed it with electric tape. Done in a matter of minutes and back to reloading.
tLXTtXH.jpg

Dave
 
I just look at it as the cost of convenience. Convenience always cost more money.
 
I'm rather a Fan of Lee products. Use their dies almost exclusively.

The Lee disc measure (is it still made) leaked any kind of ball (or spherical) powder like a sieve. Finally gave up on it about the time I discovered the Dillon powder measures with their stuff. So that's what I use mainly. After a few charges, they settle down and are quite accurate for most purposes. (I weigh and trickle maximum loads.)
 
D Rock said:
I've got three of the Auto Drums. The're cheap enough to have one on every turret ready to go. Only a minor leak on one and I fixed it with electric tape. Done in a matter of minutes and back to reloading.
View attachment 921509 I can see where this would contain the leak but I don't see how it fixes it.Does the powder built up inside the drum to cause any problems hard to turn?

Dave
Click to expand...
 
The problem with that particular drum was that if it was tight enough not to spit out a couple of grains, the drum didn't cycle properly/fully. Very little leaknig but just enough to be aggravating after a few hundred rounds. I now use that powder measure for .380 Auto and I only shoot a few hundred rounds of that a year.

I wondered about cleaning out the powder that was trapped but I have checked it several times and no buildup was there. It either finally seated itself properly or the drum just eats it. :D I still have the tape on and just forget about it. It delivers very accurate measures of powder.

Dave
 
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