Lee Auto Drum

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hugger-4641

Hugger-4641

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
2,680
Location
West TN
Ok, have to vent my frustration a little tonight. Been trying for over an hour to get 65gr load of SW4350 to measure consistently in my auto drum. Changed drums twice, tried reducing the powder in the drum. I could have already loaded these 300wm in my single stage!!! I've been very happy with the auto drum so far for 9mm, 30-30, .223, but I guess it just doesn't like sw4350.
 
I like H4831 for my 7mag, but it's not going to meter great thru a measure.
Maybe if I bought a expensive measure but it's the nature of the beast--big sticks.
Some measures like stick powders better than others but big sticks just don't meter as well as a ball powder.
 
I love mine. After a few hundrend cycles it drops dead on and doesnt leak even the smallest ball powders. It did at first.

It meters Varget well but thats the biggest stick powder i use it for.
 
Hugger-4641 said:
Ok, have to vent my frustration a little tonight. Been trying for over an hour to get 65gr load of SW4350 to measure consistently in my auto drum. Changed drums twice, tried reducing the powder in the drum. I could have already loaded these 300wm in my single stage!!! I've been very happy with the auto drum so far for 9mm, 30-30, .223, but I guess it just doesn't like sw4350.
Click to expand...
Mine won't drop anything consistently. It has .4 grain fluctuations so often, I need to load only mid-range charges. The worst piece of equipment I own. I really like the turret press it sits on, but the measure really takes away from the enjoyment of using the press.
 
I've noticed a few things about the auto drum.

The biggest creator of the variable charges is press vibration. If I charge, seat and crimp with smooth consistent movements then my charges are VERY consistent. If I zero the scale with the case then charged and check the weight with out seating and crimping the previous case it's almost always a light charge. I can say when it's set and all movements are consistent it will measure consistently. Indeed one small variation and the charge will reflect it.

When adjusting the charge it takes 2 cycles to stabilize. If I make an adjustment and check the next drop it will be off. This is even when making the adjustment with the press arm down. Verifying the second charge ended the cycle of the unobtainable weight.

It quarkie as it may be there is a rhythm that works.

Cheers
 
For ball and flake powders the autodrum works well in my experience. I use it with Unique and even then its acceptable. Never used it with any stick powders. Any stick powders I use for rifles get scooped and trickled up. Typically these are low volume so no need for a powder measure.

-Jeff
 
I've got an Auto drum, and a Le Perfect Powder Measure. I like them both.

Regarding the AD, once I figured out how to get a consistent movement with the press I have no problems with the drops. Spherical powder, flake, or even extruded.
TBH, I've only used a few stick powders; IMR4895, 3031, a few other IMRs. Very consistent drops.

The PPM is better with rifle loads than with smaller handgun loads, but with a good steady motion it drops consistently also.
 
Thanks for all the replies.. I've had good results with 3031, Hs-6, and a few others in the auto drum, but I'm gonna have to buy something different for the larger extruded powders. I'm doing too many to keep charging by hand.
 
Bartojc said:
For ball and flake powders the autodrum works well in my experience. I use it with Unique and even then its acceptable. Never used it with any stick powders. Any stick powders I use for rifles get scooped and trickled up. Typically these are low volume so no need for a powder measure.

-Jeff
Click to expand...
Yep Unique is what I mainly use.
 
Loading stick powder in my lineup means that I'm loading bottleneck rifle cartridges with my single stage press. I always trickle those one charge at a time . I only use the Autodrum with pistol loads on my turret press, where it shines.
 
I like my Lee Auto Drum(s), have 4...three sit on Dillon caliber conversions, and a single works with my Lee Turret. Find that the Auto Drum measures are as accurate as my Dillon measure, just about 1/4th the cost. I like 'em but I don't ever load stick powder.
 
Ah, yes! The joys of measuring VOLUME and converting to WEIGHT. ;)

I use the Lee Dippers - yellow metric cubic-centimeter and red US Standard cubic-inches - and trickle up to the charge if the dipper isn't right. I also use cards in the bases of some dippers to make custom measures for my regular powders/loads. Once you get the hang of the dippers, you can throw +/-0.1gr. very easily... BUT! you have to be consistent and the same is true of the drum/rotor measures - consistency makes for a good measure. Drum and rotor are nothing more than VOLUME measures - they do not directly measure MASS.

No matter what some "experts" - real or self-imagined - may say, gun powders - be they smokeless or "black" - are measured by their volume. In a fairly homogenous gravitational field, the weight of an object is proportional to its mass. That makes it reasonable to measure volume and convert it to "weight" using known properties of the powder.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
Lee auto drum parts
Replies
11
Views
587
badkarmamib
badkarmamib
powwowell
  • Locked
Lee Auto Drum Problem.
Replies
14
Views
3K
Load Master
Load Master
Jimster
  • Locked
From Dippers to Lee Auto Drum
Replies
3
Views
370
SARuger
SARuger
V
Problem with Lee auto drum and .44 die
Replies
6
Views
366
sparkyv
sparkyv
W
Lee Auto Drum Help Needed Please
Replies
15
Views
568
deadeye dick
D
Back
Top