chief99
Member
Anyone ever used the Lee powder measure and what would be your opinion on it's performance.
Lee powder measure
- Thread starter chief99
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It works fine for larger rifle powders. But small, pistol powders it struggles a bit and leaks powder through the rotating assembly.
I only use mine for throwing rifle loads. It is pretty consistent, usually within .1 gr of my target drop.
Edit: I have the Perfect Powder Measure.
I only use mine for throwing rifle loads. It is pretty consistent, usually within .1 gr of my target drop.
Edit: I have the Perfect Powder Measure.
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daboone
Member
Which one, the Auto Disk, Perfect Powder Measure, Classic PM or the dippers? They all work very well with some powders and not so well with others.
Reefinmike
Member
The perfect powder measure would bind up badly with any small ball powder like h335, w748, w296, h110, lilgun etc.. The pro auto disk however is fantastic. No complaints.
splattergun
Member
Binding and leaking issues reported with the PPM are generally fixable with a little adjustment of the handle screw to either loosen or tighten the rotator assembly. Sometimes a little judicious sanding of the rotator is required, but not usually.
I've had no problem with my 2 PPMs. One is used for pistol loading on my turret press (including Unique and other 'trouble' powders), the other I use on the bench for rifle loads on the SS.
Volumetric measures work about as well as any volume measures. The dippers are best used as approximate, putting the charge on a scale and fine tunig weight from there. The PRO autodisk gets pretty good reviews around here, but I have no experience with it.
I've had no problem with my 2 PPMs. One is used for pistol loading on my turret press (including Unique and other 'trouble' powders), the other I use on the bench for rifle loads on the SS.
Volumetric measures work about as well as any volume measures. The dippers are best used as approximate, putting the charge on a scale and fine tunig weight from there. The PRO autodisk gets pretty good reviews around here, but I have no experience with it.
I had a Lee Perfect Powder Measure many moons ago. It did not ring my bell.
It measured ok and I liked the ability to turn off the reservoir, but it was not the easiest to operate.
At least for me, since I was used to using a metal drum style powder measure such as the RCBS Uniflow, the Lee Perfect Powder Measure just did not measure up.
I gave it away after six months of use and several years of collecting dust.
It measured ok and I liked the ability to turn off the reservoir, but it was not the easiest to operate.
At least for me, since I was used to using a metal drum style powder measure such as the RCBS Uniflow, the Lee Perfect Powder Measure just did not measure up.
I gave it away after six months of use and several years of collecting dust.
perfect powder measure works. when I use mine I have to do a up, up, down to get it to throws consistent, but if you keep a study rhythm with a good, sturdy mount you should be fine.
expect .2 +/- grain throws, and powder on the desk.
i wouldn't not use one.
expect .2 +/- grain throws, and powder on the desk.
i wouldn't not use one.
ljnowell
Member
I've used an auto disc for a loooong time. Last year when I stepped up to a progressive I started using a pro auto disc also. It's very good.
bfalcon00
Member
Yeah I don't load rifle so I can't speak for the PPM. However, I do use the pro auto disk from lee on my 650 and love it. It can be kinda finicky with small charges (aka .380 ACP) on some powders, but overall I like it pretty well. I have found with quote "trouble" powders like Unique and such the throws can vary b +/- .3, but that was easy to solve. I just take my vibra prime and hold it against the powder hopper for a minute or so and the throws after that are all +/- .1 after that.
Hondo 60
Member
Lee makes 3 measures
The Pro Auto Disk is the best of the bunch and I like it lot.
You can turn it on & off, doesn't leak & measures at least some powders perfectly.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/348753/lee-pro-auto-disk-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
The Auto Disk is a previous version, they built a better one with the Pro version.
Can NOT turn it on & off & it mine leaks a bit.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/537685/lee-auto-disk-powder-measure?cm_vc=subv537685
The cheapest - Perfect Powder Measure is anything but perfect.
It came with a kit I bought & it leaks like a sieve.
It was the first piece of equipment to get replaced.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/540522/lee-perfect-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
The Pro Auto Disk is the best of the bunch and I like it lot.
You can turn it on & off, doesn't leak & measures at least some powders perfectly.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/348753/lee-pro-auto-disk-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
The Auto Disk is a previous version, they built a better one with the Pro version.
Can NOT turn it on & off & it mine leaks a bit.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/537685/lee-auto-disk-powder-measure?cm_vc=subv537685
The cheapest - Perfect Powder Measure is anything but perfect.
It came with a kit I bought & it leaks like a sieve.
It was the first piece of equipment to get replaced.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/540522/lee-perfect-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
mokin
Member
I've used the Perfect Powder Measure and an Auto Disk for many years. Both are accurate/consistent enough. I usually throw rifle cartridges a little light then trickle the remainder of the charge just to ensure I get what I want.
Fixed mine right up. Hardly leaks at all now.
Being willing to tinker and maintaining a steady rhythm are important with both devices as is keeping a fairly consistent level of powder in the hopper.
Fixed mine right up. Hardly leaks at all now.
Being willing to tinker and maintaining a steady rhythm are important with both devices as is keeping a fairly consistent level of powder in the hopper.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
I have all three.
I really like my Pro disk for pistol rounds.
I also use it for .223 with the double disk kit.
The auto disk is ok but skip it the Prodisk is worth the fee extra$. (upgraded to the pro disk)
My PPM dosent do a bad jub with stick powders,
depends on what you are after.
I really like my Pro disk for pistol rounds.
I also use it for .223 with the double disk kit.
The auto disk is ok but skip it the Prodisk is worth the fee extra$. (upgraded to the pro disk)
My PPM dosent do a bad jub with stick powders,
depends on what you are after.
I'm a new reloader (about a year) and only reload pistol calibers for now. I've been using IMR PB and 700-x and just found some titegroup (yet to open it).
I too find that it (the lee powder measure that came in the kit with my single stage press) leaks around the rotating arm so I stopped using it (too messy) and now only use lee dippers and a funnel (or make my own dippers from brass I cut to size).
The dipping method works because I use a single stage press and load 50 or 100 at a time and can visually inspect the powder in the brass in the loading trays before I seat the bullets.
I too find that it (the lee powder measure that came in the kit with my single stage press) leaks around the rotating arm so I stopped using it (too messy) and now only use lee dippers and a funnel (or make my own dippers from brass I cut to size).
The dipping method works because I use a single stage press and load 50 or 100 at a time and can visually inspect the powder in the brass in the loading trays before I seat the bullets.
I have the auto disk with the rectangular hopper. It is decent, but leaks 296, bullseye and titegroup to varying amounts. The throw is pretty accurate, .1 grain give or take. Supposedly you can sand the metal sides down a hair to get rid of the leakage, but I have not done that yet.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
The Pro Auto disk pretty much solves the leaking issue. If you have Lee dies (with powder thru)it would be a big time saver over dippers.
RealGun
Member
There is also an upscale cast version of the Perfect Powder Measure called the Classic Powder Measure. That extends their use of "classic" to designate cast.
fouled bore
Member
The lee auto disk and pro disk can have an issue from the manufacturing process Lee uses. Lee should have added a machining process to the cast base to insure the flatness of the disk sliding surfaces. The plastics hopper base also is not flat enough to contain the powder. All the issues can be easily fixed with just a file and a sheet of very fine sand paper.
On the cast aluminum base where the disk slide, lay the file flat and file this surface flat. Use a wide file and keep it flat. Lay the sandpaper on a flat surface and sand the bottom of the powder hopper flat, this is the part I had the biggest problem on mine and had to remove a lot of material. Use #400 or #600 sandpaper. Now the next step is very important to get it all working well. Measure all the disk to find the thinnest one. Be sure to measure all around the disk to check the parallelism of the disk. Sand the side of this disk that is against the powder hopper until it is flat and parallel to the bottom of the disk, you may need to use the file on the bottom of the disks. Make the other three disk this same thickness as the first one. I made all of mine +-.001. The last step is to adjust the legs the powder hopper sits on. Using the sandpaper and file adjust the height of these legs so that they are +.001 or +.002 taller than the disk. Take your time, make sure to keep them parallel to the disk sliding surface. If you make thes legs too short you will need to adjust all your disk.
After I did this to mine it no longer leaked any powder and consistently throws the same charge. Mine was leaking so bad with some powder it would lock up.
On the cast aluminum base where the disk slide, lay the file flat and file this surface flat. Use a wide file and keep it flat. Lay the sandpaper on a flat surface and sand the bottom of the powder hopper flat, this is the part I had the biggest problem on mine and had to remove a lot of material. Use #400 or #600 sandpaper. Now the next step is very important to get it all working well. Measure all the disk to find the thinnest one. Be sure to measure all around the disk to check the parallelism of the disk. Sand the side of this disk that is against the powder hopper until it is flat and parallel to the bottom of the disk, you may need to use the file on the bottom of the disks. Make the other three disk this same thickness as the first one. I made all of mine +-.001. The last step is to adjust the legs the powder hopper sits on. Using the sandpaper and file adjust the height of these legs so that they are +.001 or +.002 taller than the disk. Take your time, make sure to keep them parallel to the disk sliding surface. If you make thes legs too short you will need to adjust all your disk.
After I did this to mine it no longer leaked any powder and consistently throws the same charge. Mine was leaking so bad with some powder it would lock up.
kerreckt
Member
I have three PPMs set up for stick powder. They work well.
I use the Pro Auto Disk with the adjustable charge bar instead of the disks and it works well for pistol ball powder, and drops consistently. Does pretty good with Bulls-eye too. Wouldn't attempt it with Unique or large flake powders, but it does drop Blue Dot fairly well.
RealGun
Member
My Auto Disk, standard with the cube shaped hopper and adjustable charge bar, works very well for me with Unigue. I only went to the Pro upgrade kit on one of my measures dedicated to 327 Federal Magnum to stop the AA#9 from leaking enough to bind. That wiper in the Pro hopper seems to do the trick. The square hoppers vary in how well they mate with the charge bar and metal body. I could probably make it work, but had a Pro kit to try and will stick with that now.
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I have been using a Lee PPM for 30 years, off and on, and now just use it on occasion. My PPMs were just about as accurate with some powders as any powder measure on the market. But like every tool there are some things about it that some don't like. My PPM leaked fine ball powder until I "lapped" the drum. My PPM felt "gritty" with some log powders until I squirted graphite in the drum and adjusted the drum/frame clearance (not 100% fix, but better). I didn't like the "springy" feeling when running the handle through a full stroke until I reinforced the mounting system. As it stands, my PPM is just a bit slower then my C-H 502, a bit more friction as it runs through a cycle, but nearly as accurate (I once ran a hopper full of W231 through it with less than .1 grain variation per charge...
tcoz
Member
I used a Pro Auto Disk for a number of years and it was adequate. The things I didn't like were sudden unexplained inconsistent loads that would all of a sudden become consistent again and the fact that it's not easy to work up loads when you just want to vary them by a few tenths of a grain. I also found that whenever I moved it to a different turret, it would take quite a few drops before they would become consistent. I finally took the plunge and bought a Chargemaster which has been the best reloading investment I've made.
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