Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure quality...

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Stefan A

Stefan A

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Is absolutely a piece of trash...

Maybe I shouldn't post when I am as frustrated as I am - so I am prepared for the flames. And I know others use this piece of garbage successfully. But I have had it. I've posted on this before and I don't know what to do - so if you have any suggestions, I'm listening. I am using 296. I have adjusted this thing every which way I can and I don't know what I'm missing. I am getting incredibly inconsistent charges - like full grain differences. I'm lucky when the differences are only 1,2,3, or 4 tenths. Powder is pouring all over my legs with every pull. I have tightened and loosened that black screw. Too loose and powder just dumps from it. Too tight and it bends the lever. Anywhere in the middle and the powder leaks with every pull and the charges are inconsistent. I've taken the whole thing apart piece by piece and reassembled. The drum has extra play at the top and bottom of the stroke - like it's loose. Video of problems below

If no suggestions for a fix, please advise on a different brand that will fit in the Lee turret press.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Stefan A said:
Is absolutely a piece of trash...

Maybe I shouldn't post when I am as frustrated as I am - so I am prepared for the flames. And I know others use this piece of garbage successfully. But I have had it. I've posted on this before and I don't know what to do - so if you have any suggestions, I'm listening. I am using 296. I have adjusted this thing every which way I can and I don't know what I'm missing. I am getting incredibly inconsistent charges - like full grain differences. I'm lucky when the differences are only 1,2,3, or 4 tenths. Powder is pouring all over my legs with every pull. I have tightened and loosened that black screw. Too loose and powder just dumps from it. Too tight and it bends the lever. Anywhere in the middle and the powder leaks with every pull and the charges are inconsistent. I've taken the whole thing apart piece by piece and reassembled. The drum has extra play at the top and bottom of the stroke - like it's loose. Video of problems below

If no suggestions for a fix, please advise on a different brand that will fit in the Lee turret press.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. I went through same issues and eventually sent it back for repair. Didn’t help so I switched to the disk setup and it was a marginal improvement—only marginal.

I was also using it on their turret press. And looked for alternate brands. Finally found a little adapter that fit on the die to use with other brands—nope, everything is too top heavy.

I finally gave up on every Lee powder handler and the turret.

Oh yeah some powders are better than others if that’s any consolation.
Good luck
 
W296/H110 is a finer spherical powder than I have successfully used with the auto drum.

If all you have is an auto disk might try 2400 or, if your not trying to get the most out of a magnum, Unique.
 
I am a little cooled off now :) I took the whole thing apart and polished/cleaned all parts real good. Seems a little better now. Powder still leaks with every pull. But charges are a bit more consistent.
 
Stefan A said:
Is absolutely a piece of trash...
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Click to expand...



THANKS FOR THE LAUGH
 
My auto drum does not move the full range of motion when using it. If i move the drum by hand it will. No biggie as far as throwing powder. I polished the inside a few times before the leaks stopped. I also reinforced the plastic arm with JB weld. It would flex pretty bad with bulky powders like the dot powders and unique. For me it was an upgrade from the perfect powder.
 
I used to use the Pro Auto Disc by Lee with my turret press. I got rid of the turret press, but still have the Auto Disc Pro and the Double Disc set to go with it.
It doesn't work well with powders with bigger chunks of grain, like rifle powders and magnum powders, but works fine with the typical non-magnum handgun powders.
It tends to throw less than the chart says it will, so measure a few chargers with the scale before you load ammo for autos.

Here's a simple solution you may not have thought of: Lee Dipper set. It's not great for smaller charges, like in the 3-6 gr. range, but the idea is a great one. You can make intermediate dippers out of old casings. On the smaller end, it comes with 0.3 and 0.5 cc, but I'm finding 0.4 cc is a common need for Win 231. One nice thing about the dippers besides how simple they are is how compact, portable and reliable they are. It's not the FASTEST way to load, but once you get it figured out, it's VERY consistent and almost free.

The dipper set come with a big cardboard slide rule that shows approximate chargers of many different powders with each dipper. As you make your own dippers, you can make cheat sheets, too.
 
Smaug said:
I used to use the Pro Auto Disc by Lee with my turret press. I got rid of the turret press, but still have the Auto Disc Pro and the Double Disc set to go with it.
It doesn't work well with powders with bigger chunks of grain, like rifle powders and magnum powders, but works fine with the typical non-magnum handgun powders.
It tends to throw less than the chart says it will, so measure a few chargers with the scale before you load ammo for autos.

Here's a simple solution you may not have thought of: Lee Dipper set. It's not great for smaller charges, like in the 3-6 gr. range, but the idea is a great one. You can make intermediate dippers out of old casings. On the smaller end, it comes with 0.3 and 0.5 cc, but I'm finding 0.4 cc is a common need for Win 231. One nice thing about the dippers besides how simple they are is how compact, portable and reliable they are. It's not the FASTEST way to load, but once you get it figured out, it's VERY consistent and almost free.

The dipper set come with a big cardboard slide rule that shows approximate chargers of many different powders with each dipper. As you make your own dippers, you can make cheat sheets, too.
Click to expand...
I only use dippers now (well actually only one dipper—the .5cc) with a digital scale and occasionally together with a trickler.

Once I had built up a large inventory of 9mm & 45acp with my uniflow, dipping a few magazines full here and there is plenty fast to maintain inventory level and always ensure my charges are exact and not just really close.

Can’t really think of a non-clunky way to do it with the turret press though.
 
Last edited:
It's odd to me that some folks just cannot make the Lee powder measures run.

I have a Perfect Powder Measure, a Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure, an AutoDisc, and an AutoDrum.

I use and like them all. I will say that of the 4 measures, the AutoDrum gave me the most trouble. I did have to work with it some to figure out how to work it.

A call to Lee asking for help, some very close reading of instructions - more than once - and a bit of patience helped immensely.
The earliest AutoDrum measures had some design problems with the finish on the surface of the drums themselves (if you have the drums that are shiny, and are leaking, call up Lee and talk to them), but after some redesign work all is well.

Lee equipment has its quirks, as do all brands. Generally speaking, a heavy hand is not the way to get it to work better.
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
It's odd to me that some folks just cannot make the Lee powder measures run.

I have a Perfect Powder Measure, a Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure, an AutoDisc, and an AutoDrum.

I use and like them all. I will say that of the 4 measures, the AutoDrum gave me the most trouble. I did have to work with it some to figure out how to work it.

A call to Lee asking for help, some very close reading of instructions - more than once - and a bit of patience helped immensely.
The earliest AutoDrum measures had some design problems with the finish on the surface of the drums themselves (if you have the drums that are shiny, and are leaking, call up Lee and talk to them), but after some redesign work all is well.

Lee equipment has its quirks, as do all brands. Generally speaking, a heavy hand is not the way to get it to work better.
Click to expand...
I have not tried small drops yet, only 25 gn. It might do good with 4-5-6 grain drops with pistol powder

Lee APP is so good! but I did have to return 1st one,
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
It's odd to me that some folks just cannot make the Lee powder measures run.

I have a Perfect Powder Measure, a Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure, an AutoDisc, and an AutoDrum.

I use and like them all. I will say that of the 4 measures, the AutoDrum gave me the most trouble. I did have to work with it some to figure out how to work it.

A call to Lee asking for help, some very close reading of instructions - more than once - and a bit of patience helped immensely.
The earliest AutoDrum measures had some design problems with the finish on the surface of the drums themselves (if you have the drums that are shiny, and are leaking, call up Lee and talk to them), but after some redesign work all is well.

Lee equipment has its quirks, as do all brands. Generally speaking, a heavy hand is not the way to get it to work better.
Click to expand...
I could make them run alright it was stopping them that was the tough part:)

But seriously, I just didn’t warm up to them and decided to move on to a uniflow. After that, it would’ve been like returning to an old girlfriend you never really liked anyway.
 
Mark_Mark said:
I have not tried small drops yet, only 25 gn. It might do good with 4-5-6 grain drops with pistol powder

Lee APP is so good! but I did have to return 1st one,
Click to expand...
The number one thing to remember with the AutoDrum and a larger volume powder drop is to make certain to allow enough time for the powder to actually drop out of the measuring cavity into the cartridge case.

One has to keep the case up in the measure for a couple seconds.
 
CQB45ACP said:
I could make them run alright it was stopping them that was the tough part:)

But seriously, I just didn’t warm up to them and decided to move on to a uniflow. After that, it would’ve been like returning to an old girlfriend you never really liked anyway.
Click to expand...
my Uniflow is like a Prius that gets better over time. Smooth and never complains
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
It's odd to me that some folks just cannot make the Lee powder measures run.

I have a Perfect Powder Measure, a Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure, an AutoDisc, and an AutoDrum.

I use and like them all. I will say that of the 4 measures, the AutoDrum gave me the most trouble. I did have to work with it some to figure out how to work it.

A call to Lee asking for help, some very close reading of instructions - more than once - and a bit of patience helped immensely.
The earliest AutoDrum measures had some design problems with the finish on the surface of the drums themselves (if you have the drums that are shiny, and are leaking, call up Lee and talk to them), but after some redesign work all is well.

Lee equipment has its quirks, as do all brands. Generally speaking, a heavy hand is not the way to get it to work better.
Click to expand...
Perhaps the fact that they work for some folks and not for others speaks to the consistency of Lee's manufacturing and not the overall quality? Maybe you happened to get the good ones while poor Stefan A got one of the crappy ones that their QC staff missed.

Anyway, I'd rather pay the extra money so I don't have to "work with it some" to get a product to operate correctly. To each his own.
 
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