Had a couple light drops with Lee powder drum

Was dropping 4.7 gr of Titegroup (.45 acp) on Lee 4-hole w/Lee drum & powder-thru die. (They are sized first of course)

I check each drop as I go in case the powder looks really wrong before I seat the bullet.

Well I had 2 that looked very light. So I dumped those to charges on the scale and they were probably a grain or two. Definitely would have been squibs.

These are fired, mixed brass & I didn't note the make.

But it's the cases. When I tried the same cases, they would drop light again. The other cases worked the drum perfectly. The problem cases didn't look any different to my eye.

Since they got a primer already, I just dropped powder into a "regular" case, poured it into the "abnormal" cases, and seated the bullet. They look okay to me.

So why did these couple cases not actuate my powder drum properly? Thin case wall or something?

 

Check the case length, they may not fully raise the dispenser.

 

380 cases mixed in with 9mm?

Don't go by eyeball. Measure them with calipers.

 

Most likely case length. Some reason those cases are not moving the expander plug enough to fully activate the drop. Maybe sizing or wall thickness but length is my best guess.

 

Crud!

I forgot to mention the cartridge.

.45 acp.

 

I use the same setup. With that big difference in volume maybe you shot stroked it and, as AJC1 said, check the case length. Or the drum did not fully cycle, or powder bridging. On my large volume cases like 223 i give it a little tap at the end of the stroke to clear the drum

 

Yea, I should have.

 

When my auto drum does that. It usually has a powder clog (bridging) i think they call it. .

 

Didn't see the case caliber. Most likely short stroke.

 

.45 acp. Titegroup.

Only did it with two cases & it was repeatable.

I should have measured them.

 

I had an issue the other day with the auto drum. I was dropping 4.0 grs of Titegroup. I started with 300 9mm cases, and i toss finished rounds into a plastic container. I usually measure every drop for the first 20 or so, then check about every fifth. I got through about 100 or so with every single one right on the dot at 4, so I started checking every 10-15th round. Then I got one that was 2.5. Tried again and got 2.0. Checked 20 in a row and got drops all over from 2.0-4.5. Took everything apart, cleaned, and rechecked 20. Same result. Never could get it to drop 4.0 consistent again. Had to finish with auto disk which worked perfect.
Since I had been tossing them all in the same container, and couldn't know which ones were low, had to pull about 150 and start over.
I have changed my process now. I no longer toss finished rounds in a bucket together; I use loading blocks and separate each 50 round lot.

 

Interesting.

I start with cases separated in a tray & put them back in the tray. I was considering just going bucket to bucket and forgetting the tray.

I might take cases out of a bucket but put finished rounds in a tray.

 

I had the same problem with my AutoDrum as the OP. It was always something that would prevent a full cycle. I couldn’t trust it. I solved the problem with an AutoDisk. Much better design and no more fiddling with adjustments when changing loads

 

Check your AutoDrum setup. The AutoDrum PM needs to be screwed all the way into the powder thru die before setting the die/flare. If it is not, a slightly short case will not always actuate the drum rotation fully. If the AutoDrum is not screwed all the way in, back out the die, screw the AD in fully, and then reset the die for your desired case flare. Hope this helps.

edit: if using a powder thru riser, it should be screwed in fully and the AD screwed in fully to the riser.

 

Another thing with the auto drum. Is to give it a few seconds to dump the powder.

 

Thanks. This very well could be my problem. I will definitely try this. As for the OP, it surely sounds like this could be the problem there as well.

 

Sometimes I rotate the drum so it doesn't impact the primer feed device. This could loosen it. I'll be sure to check that it's snugged down in the future.

Yes I use a riser.

 

I use the autodisk too. To me the drum is to much of a hassle. I use the autodrum only on 223's cause the double stack seems like a hassle. The AD die flares the case the AD does not.