Lee Auto Disk opinions

[alemonkey]

I used to reload about 10 years ago when I was in college, but a lack of time and money compelled me to sell off my equipment and give it up. At the time I didn't have an automatic powder measure and just used a trickler & scale. I absolutely hated that part of reloading because it was so tedious.

So now I'm planning on getting back into reloading with a Lee turret press. I'm probably going to start with .40 S&W and .308. I want to go with some kind of auto powder measure, and I'm wondering how the Auto Disk works. I keep reading about having to swap out disks for different calibers - do different disk sizes determine how much powder it throws? If so, that seems like it wouldn't give you much ability to adjust the powder charge. Any opinions on whether I should go with a different measure? The package deal I'm looking at from Cabelas includes the Auto Disk with the press, so that's why I'm asking.

 

[fastbike]

Go with the Auto disk

Each disk has several openings for powder, so that you can throw a wide range of loads. Go to the Lee website and look at the tables. Basically, a given opening in the disk will throw a specific charge for a specific powder.

If you load for the larger rifle cartridges, you will need a double disk set, or will need to throw double loads. For smaller pistol cartridges, you can also get a microdisk.

I love my autodisk and my Lee Turret.

 

[jfh]

I'll second the autodisk. But, I have mine set up with adjustable charge bars--and that allows almost any charge to be thrown. Auto Disks aren't perfect, but if you get the latest / most deluxe version (round hopper), they work well. And, they really are made to work well with the Lee presses, mounted on the PTE Die.

I've loaded over 6,000 rounds since June on my Turret, all with the Auto Disk mounted for powder dispensing.

In addition to the Cabela's package, check out the Kempf's Turret package--it might be cheaper, depending on how much you want to buy at once, with one shipping cost.

http://www.kempfgunshop.com/products/reloading/leeprecision/kits/KempfKit.html

Jim H.

 

[alemonkey]

Ah...I had gone to the Lee site but somehow missed the owners manual section. That's reassuring, it looks like there's a pretty wide range of adjustments.

 

[alemonkey]

One more question for jfh - is this the charge bar you're talking about?

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=150005&t=11082005

Also, it says it's for the Pro Auto disk...will it work with the regular one?

 

[jfh]

yes, that's the one--

but it should be cheaper to order it from Graf & Sons, or maybe even from Lee. It works with all the lee measures except for the Perfect Powder Measure. (I have various Auto Disks going back nearly twenty years.

If your kit doesn't include them, be sure to add the "riser" and the swivel--both are needed to set up the Auto Disk on the Turret.

At Graf & Sons, combine the Lee part number with "Lee"--for example, "Lee12345" and do a search--the part should pop right up.

Note that Graf is another excellent Lee source--and that while they have a $30.00 min. charge, they include shipping in their prices and add on a flat 3.98 handling charge. I bought most of my Lee updated products this year from them. If I'd been in the market starting over, I probably would have bought from Kempf's.

Earlier this year, I priced out a Kempf's Classic Cast Turret package complete, including dies, tumbler, media, calipers, etc., etc., and it came in at about $315.00 before shipping. That included everything one needed to get going, short of a sufficient supply of ammo storage boxes and the components.

Jim H.

 

[wally]

Any of the dealers/resellers will be cheaper than direct from Lee.

I never had any problems with the original Auto DIsk except for when I tried to use the adjustable charge bar to get below 3.3gr of Unique for some .380 loads -- the very oval opening and the Unique flakes didn't mix. Other than this I've used the original for over 20 years. Got four total now counting the one that came with my new Loadmaster. Only my dedicated to .45ACP Dillion XL650 doesn't use a Lee Auto Disk.

--wally.

 

[Phil A]

This link has a lot of information on the options for the LEE classic cast turret press.
http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm

The Pro Auto disk is definitely worth the extra money. I have the adjustable charge bar but I like the disks better for volume reloading. It is more consistent for me across more powders. Ball and short cut powders generally meter better. - Phil

 

[RustyFN]

First of all welcome back to reloading. If you go with the Lee turret make sure it is the Classic Turret. The Classic kit is a little more money than the Deluxe kit but worth every penny. Also make sure the auto disk is the Pro Auto Disk. I have the Classic with the Pro Auto and it has been a great press. I also use the adjustable charge bar for certain loads and the disks for other loads. My Pro Auto Disk has been very accurate. The only thing I didn't like was the Lee safety scale, so I bought a digital. The Lee safety scale is very accurate but not easy to use. I load 9mm, 38/357 and 223 on mine and am very happy with the quality of the ammo it makes. I heard of somebody stacking two charge bars instead of the double disk kit but haven't tried it myself.
Rusty

 

[pinkymingeo]

I have an adjustable charge bar, but prefer using single or double disks whenever possible. My experience is that charges through the adjustable tend to creep up over a period of time, while the disks are rock-steady. The pro autodisk is a remarkably good tool, even if it is cheap. You'll see guys with very expensive setups checking loads every five or ten rounds. With the autodisk you find, after getting comfortable with it, that it can't throw a double and, in fact, is absolutely consistent. On the down side, autodisks tend to leak some powder. Not a lot, but enough to be annoying. Seems like all Lee products have some bothersome flaw to deal with.

 

[JDGray]

Definately get the Pro Auto Disk, no screws to strip out in the plastic threads. Mine is very consistant, but use my Perfect Powder Measure for the light stuff.

 

[alemonkey]

Thanks for the input guys....it's nice to know that you don't have to spend a ton of money to get a decent setup. The Lee kits that come with everything except dies are very affordable.

What's the difference between the Classic and regular turret press? It looks to me like the Classic is beefier and can handle taller cases?

 

[jfh]

Lee Turret vs Lee Classic Cast Turret

There's the obvious differences--a cast aluminum (or pot metal) frame for the former, and the cast iron frame for the latter. Functionally, probably the most important difference is an ability to load larger rifle cases in the Classic Cast, with a bigger ram and a vastly improved used-primer removal setup.

Other differences can be enumerated, but my speculation is that Lee will be build a 4-die progressive as well, based on the Classic Cast Turret just as they did with the original Turret and the Pro 1000. And that is the real reason to buy the Classic Cast, unless lowest cost is an absolute factor in your purchase.

Jim H.

 

[evan price]

An auto-disc measure comes with 4 discs labelled A-D. Each disc has six cavities of differing sizes and Lee includes a chart that cross references cavity size to volume in grains of most popular powders. As long as you are loading stuff to a reasonable tolerance you won't have a problem with the disk selection. Some guys shoot an "exact" grain amount of powder and the disks maybe don't hit that "exact" amount perfectly so for those guys the adjustable charge bar is an option, or if two smaller cavities can add up to what you need, the doubling kit gives you four more disks and a metal riser set and longer screws.

I was impressed with how repeatable the charge volume has proven; when I first started I measured every tenth charge and it was always right on. So I stopped and only measured every time I refill the primers (100 rounds) and so far I never had a problem. Now I just measure the first time I start the press for the day and don't worry about it. Once I had a .1 grain variance when I was loading .44 mags but the problem wasn't repeateble.

I have three of the old-style autodisc measures (the kind with the spring return rather than the chain) and as far as leaking, I have no problem with leaks; I get a sort of "graphite" looking buildup on top of the disk in use which I am sure is powder dust but no leaks.

Personally I prefer the spring-return old style ADPMs because you don't have to worry about the chain slacking on the new style and getting reduced loads or squibs. Of course you have to be careful you don't double-charge a case, but I take care not to let this happen.

 

[trickyasafox]

i like the auto disks- word of warning though they usually weigh light- sometimes very light. double check some throws on a scale and don't take the chart as gospel- you could end up below minimum loads and give yourself a headache.

 

[RustyFN]

Personally I prefer the spring-return old style ADPMs because you don't have to worry about the chain slacking on the new style and getting reduced loads or squibs.

The pro auto disk comes with both, the spring for the turret and the chain for the Load Master.
Rusty

 

[wrangler5]

Another vote for the Auto Disk. Been using a half dozen of them (one for each turret - they're cheap enough to do that) for 20+ years and they have been accurately described by others. The Pro is indeed superior to the standard, for its easy shutoff of the powder hopper and thumbscrew removal of the hopper. Just be sure you get the spring return arm, as the chain-pull arm doesn't work on turret presses.

I have used them to load 223 with a double disk kit, but I'm not sure even the largest double disk setup will be enough to do 308 loads. Try it, but don't be surprised if you can't get there with the double disk.

One big improvement in the Classic over the original turret press is that the Classic lets spent primers drop all the way through the ram, and you can install a tube to direct them out of the ram into a bucket on the floor. With the original design, spent primers fall out of the ram and supposedly into the base of the press - which they sometimes don't do but end up bouncing around your bench or the floor. And eventually you have to empty out the base, which can be a nuisance.

I started with an RCBS 505 scale many years ago, and later "stepped up" to a Dillon digital. I have now gone back to my 505. I found that the Dillon didn't always hold zero, and had to be rezeroed fairly regularly, which effectively meant you had to pay attention to it every time you put a load on the platform. I found it more convenient to just go back to the balance beam. (I will admit that a digital scale is much more convenient for comparative weighing - like when you want to sort cases or cast bullets by weight, and you can zero the scale on one item and then each unit thereafter just displays as plus or minus a small bit from the original.)

 

[rdhood]

I like the auto disk. For ball powders (W231) with pistol loads, it is consistent. You'll notice I did not say accurate. I've noticed that... depending on powder... you might get up to +/- .2grain accuracy from stated claims (use a scale and measure a couple of charges). But, if it throws +.2gr for a given powder with a given disc, it will throw it every time.

If anything, they could use a few more graduations for small charges (more disc graduations in the 4gr to 7 gr range), and larger capacity for some rifle loads.

 

[DawgFvr]

jfh: Hey, hey, hey...do not dis the cast alum turret...The Lee turret is made from an A360 alloy of aluminum casting which has a tinsel strength of 46,000 PSI, compared to 28,000 to 30,000 PSI for cast iron. Bottom line: the new Turret is far more stronger than the old cast iron which seems more hardier cuz its weighs a ton. Not so however. The use of light alloy also means improved corrosion resistance and light weight which makes indexing more positive and reduces wear and tear on equipment and operator.

 

[alemonkey]

Can it dispense more powder with the adjustable charge bar? Anyone know what the max is that it can handle?

Also, theoretically speaking, let's say some day I get a rifle in a caliber with a BIG case capacity...would it be feasible to use it to charge twice in order to hit the desired amount? Or would that be just asking for trouble? I was thinking I'd read it can be used off the press. I could live with that, as long as I don't have to mess with a trickler again.

Sorry about all the questions, but I really appreciate everyone's input.

 

[wrangler5]

Alemonkey, if you're going to be using a bench-mounted powder measure there are lots better choices than an AutoDisk. Even Lee's Perfect measure would be better (I have one but don't like it and don't use it.) The Perfect can also be mounted on a turret, but it will not return automatically after dropping a charge as it only works with a chain pullback and has no spring option like the AutoDisk does. However, the Perfect will throw much larger charges than an AutoDisk, so if you don't mind manually cranking a measure back to its fill position you might be able to use it effectively on a turret to do larger rifle cases.

Rdhood, one of the uses of the double disk kit is to provide finer increments between "sizes". If you are already using small quantities of fine powder this might not suit, as the smallest double disk charge is obviously two times the smallest hole in a single disk. But if you're loading medium to large cases or using bulky powders you might look into the double disk kit.

 

[ForneyRider]

I like the auto disk. For ball powders (W231) with pistol loads, it is consistent. You'll notice I did not say accurate. I've noticed that... depending on powder... you might get up to +/- .2grain accuracy from stated claims (use a scale and measure a couple of charges). But, if it throws +.2gr for a given powder with a given disc, it will throw it every time.

If anything, they could use a few more graduations for small charges (more disc graduations in the 4gr to 7 gr range), and larger capacity for some rifle loads.

There is a micro-disk for the small stuff.

Does the double disk do pretty well?