Lee 1000 with unique powder problem

[paccw]

I have the Lee pro 1000 loading press with the auto disk powder charger.
It works great except I have a VERY tuff time getting Unique to meter .

If I want 6.0 gr i end up with 5.6 to 5.9 grs.

This is the only podwer so far that acts this way?
And tips?

 

[HSMITH]

It is the nature of the beast with the auto-disk measure.

Switch to Power Pistol, Tite-Group, or Universal Clays if you want a powder in that burning speed range that will meter.

 

[Uncle Don]

It really doesn't matter what brand of measure it is. Unique is kind of known for this although I've never really had that problem. As to the auto disk, I like it because the cavity can't change and as long as its set up like the directions, you get a full drop every time that is consistant. Those that don't set it up properly are ones who usually claim that it produces squib loads. Pretty simple, turn the powder through die in until it touches the shell holder, then back out a half turn. Put the measure on the die at this setting and you're set.

I agree with the other poster regarding switching to something that meters better than Unique. Additionally, Lee is conservative with thier disk numbers because there can be as much as a 16% difference in the density of the same powder brand from pound to pound.

 

[paccw]

Well it sounds like I'm not the only one who has this problem with unique.

Makes we wonder why everyone likes it so much

 

[HSMITH]

My Dillon measures meter Unique to within a tenth and a half, usually under a tenth. My Redding measure meters it well inside a tenth of a grain, I can't see any deviation on the scale.

Unique is a fantastic powder, but not all measures are up to the task.

 

[Uncle Don]

My Dillon measures meter Unique to within a tenth and a half, usually under a tenth. My Redding measure meters it well inside a tenth of a grain, I can't see any deviation on the scale.

Unique is a fantastic powder, but not all measures are up to the task.

I agree that Unique is a great powder but I'm curious how you think that one measure with a cavity (especially fixed) that drops (X) amount of powder is different than any other that does the same thing. Some people have trouble with Unique, some don't, but it's not because of the brand of meausre they use. Do a search and see how many people have complained about with Dillon measures with Unique too. My point is that technique and setup make the difference regardless of brand. For the record, I have the same results with an auto disk and Unique that you do with your measure, but that doesn't mean that it's not a problem for some other people.

 

[Steve C]

Uniqe's flat flakes of powder needs to be setteled a little in the powder hopper in some measures, esp on initial fill up. As you operate the measure or the press the powder compacts a little from the vibration and the throws change weight a few 1/10ths. Since a 1/10 grain is only a few powder flakes it doesn't take mutch to see charge variation from throw to throw. When I use Unique I'll settle the powder a bit by tapping the measure or running it some. This helps make the charges more consitant.

 

[caz223]

Unique meters fine through my dillon, I'd say ±.1 grain, or maybe just a bit more.
Even saying that, I haven't found a powder that beats my top powder, unique in the .45 acp platform.
I've tried some excellent ones, too, including power pistol, HS-6, WSF, bullseye, titegroup, etc.
Blue dot has the same metering 'problem' but I had a friend run some of my powder dispensed loads through his chrony, and blue dot has awfully good SD for having a metering 'problem'.
I think that since you have a number and perceive it to be too high, you try something else without testing the accuracy.
If you don't get the accuracy, don't blame it on the metering, because that just isn't it. Not from what I've seen.

 

[HSMITH]

Uncle Don, a lot more plays into it than a simple cavity. Baffle design or lack of a baffle, closeness of tolerances, rigidity of the mechanism, repeatability of the mechanism and so on. The better the measure the less setup and operation alter the dispensed amount.

I have had at least one of all the popular powder measures on the market looking for one that 'does it all well' and I finally found it in a Redding 3BR. The Lee measures leave a lot to be desired with the exception of the 'Perfect Powder Measure' and short cut stick powder where it really works nicely.

The Dillon measures work beautifully with Unique right out of the box without any special setup, operation or treatment, as does the Redding 3BR.

 

[paccw]

Yeah well thanks....I guess

I'll keep my Lee since EVERY other powder meters GREAT.


And to all you Dillion fans

I'm so sorry I ask for help here:banghead:

 

[HSMITH]

Well, I am sorry the answer to your question isn't what you wanted to hear:banghead:

 

[Uncle Don]

The Dillon measures work beautifully with Unique right out of the box without any special setup, operation or treatment, as does the Redding 3BR.

You should quantify that statement to say that it's your experience, not a general piece of information that you are "educating" the rest of us to. While I agree that the Redding is a good measure, the auto disk does a very simple thing and as a result, gives very consistant drops. The powder through die actuates a lever that moves the disc from under the powder supply to the hole in which it dumps it's contents through the measure, die and into the case. If you pull the lever approximately the same each time, it equates to turning a knob or anything else you need consistency for. As the lever moves back up, the spring returns the disc at a consistant speed under the powder supply again. The fixed disc is simply not capable of taking more or less powder each time unless the measure is improperly set. That is a variable that negates any measure so apples to apples, I think they all do more than an adequate job. I'm sure the Dillon works fine, but I assure you that the Lee auto disc does as well.

 

[1911user]

I have the Lee pro 1000 loading press with the auto disk powder charger.
It works great except I have a VERY tuff time getting Unique to meter .

If I want 6.0 gr i end up with 5.6 to 5.9 grs.

This is the only podwer so far that acts this way?
And tips?

Are you using the table that Lee sends with the measure to choose a cavity? I found that the actual weight was always less than what the table said it would be (lawyer proofing?). Consistent operation and full stroke of the powder disk is important (for Dillon measures also).

The biggest problem I had with a lee autodisk (other than limited fine tuning) was smaller powders that would get into the nooks of the autodisk measure and jam it or otherwise cause eratic operation. I had to shim a dillon 450 measure to be able to use AA#9 which is a very fine powder my autodisk couldn't dream of dispensing. I ended up using a hornady measure for AA#7 and AA#9 before I upgraded to my Dillon setup. I've had no problems with the 550 measure.

Another thing that will help is keeping the measure over half full since it doesn't have a very good baffle. After you've setup the measure, throw the first 10 throws back in the hopper; it takes a few cycles to get everything consistent. Don't expect us to proclain Lee as the end-all be-all of reloading equipment, it isn't. It's not junk, but it's not great either.

 

[CodeSlinger]

Hey, all brand loyalties aside, lets look at the numbers quoted.

My Dillon measures meter Unique to within a tenth and a half

You're saying you get your desired charge +/- .15 grains. Hypothetically, lets say you wanted a charge of 5.75gr. What would your Dillon give you? According to your numbers, you'd get 5.6 to 5.9gr, which is precisely paccw's quoted results with the Lee.

 

[caz223]

Then I'M saying that's acceptable with unique. (That's about the norm.)
Chrony the results and get better SD or accuracy with any powder. Go ahead.

 

[HSMITH]

Code, I see about a tenth and a half total variation. If I wanted 5.5 I would get anywhere from a tich over 5.4 to a tich under 5.6 grains. As Caz has pointed out it is WAY inside of any consistency level needed for accurate and consistent ammo.

Uncle Don, the disk and measure FLEX. If you don't believe me put some indicators on the measure and the disc and run Unique or Blue Dot through it and watch it. That takes the consistency you had out of the equation. I have used and measured 3 different Lee autodisk measures, two of mine and one that belongs to a buddy. The leaks with very fine powder are another story alltogether. He has gone to powders that meter better, and any issues he has had with the measure have been eliminated or reduced to a point that it doesn't matter anymore. Precisely what my first post advised to do. The Lee autodisc does work, and in some cases it works very well. It is not as versatile as some other powder measures available. That is all I have been saying all along.

I am not picking on anyone, their dog, or anything else. Just stating what I have seen from the use of the measures.

 

[YellowLab]

The only large variences I've come across with my Lee Pro Auto Disk is with extermely small charges of any kind of pistol powder.

Its nice that we think that we can meter +/- .1 gr on our scales but we cannot reliability do that. The grains will 'lay' a different time each throw and each volume will fill with a different number of kernels and hence weigh a different amount. Plus each kernel will have a different weight/density etc.

Our scales are also suspect. Talk to a pro about how accurate the scales are... there is no way a scale can measure accurately from 1 grain to 100. The most accurate measurements will occure in the middle of the scale, not the bitter ends. Digitals are the same way. Get a scale that calibrated to a max of 10 grains and they you would have 5 gr as a mid point and hence a much more accurate scale. Which would then prove that our charges actually are all over the place... no matter who made them.

Its not a red vs blue thing.... we all would like to *think* that our gear is the most uber accurate on the market, but they are all the same thing.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

From HSMITH: "Uncle Don, a lot more plays into it than a simple cavity. Baffle design or lack of a baffle, closeness of tolerances, rigidity of the mechanism, repeatability of the mechanism and so on. The better the measure the less setup and operation alter the dispensed amount.

I have had at least one of all the popular powder measures on the market looking for one that 'does it all well' and I finally found it in a Redding 3BR. The Lee measures leave a lot to be desired with the exception of the 'Perfect Powder Measure' and short cut stick powder where it really works nicely.

The Dillon measures work beautifully with Unique right out of the box without any special setup, operation or treatment, as does the Redding 3BR."

I have a Redding 3BR. My Hornady LNL measure that came with my Hornady LnL progressive is significantly more consistent with every single powder I use. (W231, W296, 4895, H110, Titegroup and others that I can't think of right now.) That said, the 3BR is a decent powder measure, but it is not the wonder wookie you're extolling it to be. It's not any better or worse than any of the rest.

Each measure works better or worse with some powder than some of the others. Extolling the virtues of various powder measures the fellow who started the thread doesn't own isn't helping him. It's kinda like extolling the virtues of a Porsche 911 while you're standing beside a guy who's working on his broke down on the side of the road Camaro or Mustang. "That's nice, but who really gives a rat's rear?" You ain't helping, you're just sounding off.

paccw,

I don't own a auto disk, but I plan on buying a couple to use on a Lee classic turret I plan on buying, so I've been reading quite a bit on them. Here's a couple potentially helpful suggestions:

1. Try cleaning up any flashing on the plastic moldings.
2. Make sure the assembly fits together as good as possible and polish up all working parts.
3. "Lubricate" the measure with some powdered graphite.
4. Try the next factory "load setting" for the measure and see what results you get. If they're what you're looking for great. If not, let's go on to step 5. Buy a Micro disk and add that to the mix and see how it works.
6. Buy a double disk kit and see how that works with it.
7. Buy a adjustable charge bar or an aftermarket charge bar and see how they work with the measure.
8. Get a fellow who's very experienced with Lee products to come to your place and help you or give Lee Tech Support a call and see what they suggest. They've probably ran into the problem before.
9. Finally, if you can't get that particular powder to meter as you wish in that measure, try another suitable powder.
10. If you can't get another powder to work, perhaps then it's time to try another measure. But I don't think you'll make it to this step before you resolve your issues if you're patient and persistent in working on the problem.

Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[Lennyjoe]

I notice with Unique that my auto disc does measure .1 gr either side. If you want 6.0 gr and are only getting 5.7 with the cavity you select then you will have to trickle powder to achieve 6.0. If you go up one cavity you might end up with 6.7 or so grains and will have to remove powder to achieve the 6.0gr level.

Nature of the beast with the Auto Disc. It works for me though for range ammo. For accuracy I hand measure each load.

 

[HSMITH]

Dave in Ga, read the whole thread. Notice in particular my first reply. It was also mentioned in a subsequent reply.