LCT and Auto Drum setup questions

[WestKentucky]

I set up and ran my first real batch of reloads with the LCT wearing the safety primer and the auto drum. I liked operation, but setup is/was a real pain.

The auto drum is kinda clunky to install... probably because I’m not used to it, BUT it was in the way of installing the other dies if I put it in first, and other dies were in the way if I put it in last.

I understand part of my frustration was that I was using older RCBS dies with RCBS locking rings. Are there rings that don’t get in the way for the LCT? That turret head is tiny! Not an issue on 3 die sets, but 4 got clunky quickly. If so I need a few sets to go on all of my RCBS dies...or I need to drill and tap my Lee rings for a setscrew.

Another frustration with RCBS dies was not having a powder through die. Since I was loading 38spl I grabbed the powder through die for 9mm and ran it in the charging location. It worked but wasn’t optimal. Is there a “universal” powder through die?

 

[WestKentucky]

Might as well throw out a pic of my cluttered bench....the oil jug catches primers when I dump my drop tubes. The toolbox is full of gun tools, mag parts, and projectiles. Off screen top left is powder storage away from kids and critters, more brass storage, and directly below the blue bag is my harbor freight tumbler. I need to clean up and rebuild my palletwood bench mounted shelves.

 

[Laphroaig]

You can buy a powder through die go with your RCBS set:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/220495/lee-powder-through-expander-die-38-special-357-magnum

 

[WestKentucky]

You can buy a powder through die go with your RCBS set:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/220495/lee-powder-through-expander-die-38-special-357-magnum

I’m trying to avoid that because I would be buying a bunch of them for my old die sets. I’m hoping for something more universal. Like a 20 caliber stem that drops into everything. Otherwise I’m buying 22cal 25 cal, .277 diameter, 7mm, 30 cal, 32 cal, 38 cal, 40 cal...it gets expensive in a hurry.

 

[Laphroaig]

The expander is caliber specific and is only good for a limited range of case lengths too. I can't imagine a one size fits all. Your .357 expander won't work for .40.

 

[WestKentucky]

Right, but most of my die sets are 3 die sets. If I could simply charge cases with something universal I could still run a 3 die set with the extra hole being a charging station

 

[horsey300]

There is a powder through die for rifles, I use the large one, the small one only goes to .86" (too long for 9mm). Might work for your 38s though. ...https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690668/short-rifle-charging-die also, to clunk it up less, there's a riser, but it was made for the auto disk....https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690041/auto-disk-riser

 

[Livin_Cincy]

I use the LEE Riser ( as mentioned already) designed to put your powder measure above your other three dies.
https://leeprecision.com/auto-disk-riser.html

In the LEE die sets they include a powder thru die that will match up to your powder measure. You can also buy them individually:
https://leeprecision.com/reloading-dies/hand-gun-dies/powder-thru-expanding-die-only/

These might work for you as well:
https://leeprecision.com/charging-die-kit.html
I have never used them so I am not sure. I would say call/ ask them.

You can buy these items from any source. I just went to the LEE site for clarity.

 

[Toprudder]

You will have to run an expander on the pistol brass, so I vote to buy the proper powder-thru expander for each caliber that you load. And get the riser - or two of them - to get the Auto-Drum high enough so it does not interfere.

If you still want to use the RCBS expander, I guess you could use the Lee universal rifle powder-thru die and mount the measure on the turret to follow the expander. Then you will have to seat and crimp in the same operation (which may be what you are doing now).

The problem with using one universal powder-thru die is that the locking ring would have to be adjusted differently for each caliber, so having a set-screw locking ring would not have any advantage. Spend the $12 for each expander, so transferring your Auto-Drum from turret to turret will be much quicker as you won't have to adjust the die each time. And, you can then crimp in a separate step if you desire.

Another option would be to have the Auto-Drum on a separate turret, with a universal powder-thru die, and run your operation in single-stage, batch mode.

 

[WestKentucky]

hese might work for you as well:
https://leeprecision.com/charging-die-kit.html
I have never used them so I am not sure. I would say call/ ask them.

I hadn’t seen what they call the short charging die. I had heard of the long charging die, but hadn’t thought about using it for really short rounds like 30 carbine. I will look into these.

And yes, I am seating and crimping at the same time on most of my die sets.