My Lee Pro Auto Disk has gone crazy..

New to me too. I've loaded for a long time and MANY MANY thousands of rds with the LEE disc system.
I would: Put a disc in it and see if it drops as advertised. This will help isolate the problem .

If the disc runs properly EVERY time, take a hard look at how you had installed the ACB, it's slot the pin moves it with and the adjustable opening.

If the disc malfunctions, remove all parts of the powder drop system, from the powder hopper to the turret and inspect closely and reinstall by the numbers.

Also another thought. LEE says (never happened to me yet) that spring and arm that moves the disc can wear and malfunction. ???? I'd carefully have a look at that too if the disc doesn't drop consistently.

Take a pair of pliers and remove the spring from the unit. Then remoe the screw that holds the arm in place. (Look how the washers are on the screw so you replace them correctly) Then remove that arm and clean it. Many times after a few thousand rounds that arm gets goobered up and can cause sticking.

Hillbillyz said:

Take a pair of pliers and remove the spring from the unit. Then remoe the screw that holds the arm in place. (Look how the washers are on the screw so you replace them correctly) Then remove that arm and clean it. Many times after a few thousand rounds that arm gets goobered up and can cause sticking.

Click to expand...

That is probably your best bet to try first. BTW, the spring is under more pressure than you thinks so be careful it doesn't fly clear across the room.

There is a Pseudo spider nest in the Lee Impalpable drop tube hole.
Compounded by the hardening of the polymer powder measure wipe.
Caused by unusually cold weather this week.
Caused by global warming.

That was all caused by the end of the Mayan calender on Dec. 21st.

Your Lee powder measure will work correctly again after Jan 1, 2013.
Or maybe next summer if it warms up again.
If we all make it that long.

No need to thank me.


But seriously, I would suspect static electricity affecting either the powder, the measure hopper, the reloading bench, the floor you stand on, your fuzzy bunny slipper's you got for Xmas, or even the scale itself.

Get a can of Static-Guard at the grocery store and hose everything down lightly, except the powder.

rc

arm and clean it. Many times after a few thousand rounds that arm gets goobered up and can cause sticking.

Click to expand...

40K++ hasn't yet, but I'll remember the thought. Thanks

I too use the Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure.

I could never get the optional Lee Adjustable Charge Bar to throw a consistant powder load, so I dumped the Charge Bar and am now using the various disks that are supplied with the Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure.

No problems, and I now get consistant weight powder loads every time.

Just my experience.

When one of my AutoDisks started throwing the occasions light charge, I eventually traced it to an intermittent short stroking. I tossed it and bought a new one.

In order for the ACB (or the disk) to throw consistent charges you have to screw the die in or out of the turret so that the hole in the ACB is fully visible when looking down through the hopper, AND, is directly over the drop hole in the base when making the dump.
Surprisingly enough, this is usually when you get the best flare on the case mouth.
I had an ACB and PAD adjusted to give me really consistent drops of 5.3gn of HP38 on my LCT. When I moved the dies to a new LnL AP the difference in thickness would not allow the above adjustment. At its best almost half of the hole in the ACB was covered up when the hole should have been filling. This resulted in very erratic drops.

Trouble with w231

I was having the same trouble last winter. I placed a 2 inch washer on top of the powder, and that extra weight seemed to solve the problem. I have since switched to AA2. It meters perfect every time and throws the charge that is the number of the disc hole. For example, hole .40 throws 4.0 gr. of AA2

When I used a Lee Pro Auto Disk, I also used the adjustable charge bar.
It worked great for several 1,000 rounds & then suddenly started dropping very inconsistent charges.
Sorry to say, I never did figure out the cause.
I went back to the disks & it just worked.

I gave it up when I bought my current press.

frankt, I don't really have anything to offer except thanks for this post. I was getting ready to pick-up the adjustable disc next month. Now I think I'll stick with the regular discs.

Frank...Set aside the charge bar and try using the disks. I have a Breechlock Challenger press with the Lee Pro Auto Disk and no charge bar. Here are my results with Win 231:
Using the #43 hole I get consistent 4.4 grain charges. Using the #46 hole, I get consistent 4.7 grain charges.

Auto pro

I've never had any success with the adjustable disk, and for awhile I was having trouble with the fixed disks also. Turns out that the powder measure HAS to be FULLY screwed into the die, And it DOES work lose, at least with the turret press. If it's not screwed tight, the arm won't move the full travel distance, and the whole hole won't be over the drop tube, esp with the smaller charge volumes.

stevehenry1 explained it better than I did in my post #9.
The depth of the die in the turret controls how far the lever slides the disk/ACB when the powder measure is activated by the case. If the entire hole in the disk/ACB is not open to the powder hopper, it will not fill completely. If the entire hole is not directly over the drop tube at the time the powder is dropped, there will be a ledge and all the powder will not drop.
This is probably the cause of most inconsistencies in the PAD. It is not mentioned anywhere in the instructions and I stumbled onto it not too long after I acquired my LCT and PAD. I changed calibers and the PAD went from being completely consistent to erratic. I finally noticed that the only difference in the two setups was the amount of the die screwed into the turret.
Since finding this and learning to tighten the brass nuts FIRMLY, but not TOO tight I have had almost boringly consistent drops from both of my PAD's.
And, as stevehenry1 also stated, the movement of the PAD around the turret will tend to loosen the PAD. I solved this by using NO riser. That keeps the PAD positioned between two dies. It does kiss the Safety prime as it comes around, but really no more that it did with a riser, just in a different place. The marks at the 11:00 position are where it touched with a riser. It is now more at the 10:00 position.
When I acquired a LnL AP a few months ago I transferred all my Lee dies and PAD to it and it works just as well on it as it does on my LCT.

Make sure the soft elastomer insert in the hopper bottom is flush and not catching(closing up.) I also improved accuracy of drops by taking up the little slack in the bar where the actuating arm drives it with a little wad of cotton.

I get the exact same results as nevadabob posted.