Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure Driving Me Nuts

[prickett]

I use an RCBS Pro 2000 press and also have scraped the RCBS powder measure in favor of the Lee Auto Disc. It gives the the added advantage of powder thru the die, giving me a 6 station press!

If it doesn't drop the weight of powder you are after, you can always use a file or xacto knife to expand the cavity to a size that drops the charge you are after (since often one cavity doesn't drop enough and the next cavity up drops too much).

 

[FM-793]

+1 on the adjustable charge bar. Can't imagine not using it - it's very accurate and consistant, and no more screwing around with discs.

 

[smaj100]

pro auto disk

I am using win231 on my loadmaster for 380, 9, & 40. With great success. If you read the Lee sites and forums it clearly states that it is designed to throw up to 5% light. I found right after I started using it for my wifes 380 that, I had been using 2.5gr on a single stage press measuring each round. I then went to the autodisk with 2.6 and started having FTE & FTF problems. I quickly started tracing the problem when I read about the 5% light, so I upped the load to 3.2 and problem solved. I use 231 solely for all my pistol loads because it meters very well.

I love my loadmaster.

 

[redbandit98]

Im at work right now so i cant remember right off hand which hole I use for 45 acp and winchester 231 at home. I want to say its #49. Its "supposed" to throw 5.3 grains but it throws 5.1. I will say that it does it very conistantly though. I tried the next hole up from it think its supposed to throw 5.7 grains so it throws 5.5. There is no in between so I am thinking of getting a double disk kit so i can dial it in on mine. I want to throw 5.3 but with my standard disk and 231, its impossible. (for me anyways).

 

[DELTAJOHN]

I agree as well, the LEE disk setup tends to come up light. I usually adjust it up one or two holes and get close to the load I'm after. The adjustable charge bar is the SHAT! It even meters out, and holds hockey puck flaked IMR 800X within .01 grain for my 10mm loads reliably! My only regret, not buying 2-3 of those adjustable charge bars for my favorite loads, and leaving them pre-set! The bar can be bought for $7.00 each, gotta love Lee if you are a cheapskate like me!

John

 

[FM-793]

My only regret, not buying 2-3 of those adjustable charge bars for my favorite loads, and leaving them pre-set!

That's a great idea - don't know why that never dawned on me. Thanks!

 

[Racinbob]

I use the Pro auto on my single stage and it works like a champ. I love the adjustable bar. It's dead on with the Bullseye and W231 I use.

 

[redbandit98]

thanks guys, now I have to go buy one.

 

[italian biker]

If you're not dead set on that powder, for my 40S&W with 180gr plated Berry's bullets, I use Hogdon Universal(Clays Technology). With the Pro Auto Disk, using Disk B, and the .66 cavity, I get a consistant 6gr every time I've measured with both my digital and beam scales. The listed grain range for that powder and bullet combination is 5.7 to 6.2 grains, so I'm safe not to under charge or over load a cartridge. I like around the middle of suggested load minimums and maximums on everything I load, but that's just my preference.

 

[Ghiller]

The Dillon has an adjustable bar, that goes in and out, the Lee has a choice of discs, that have a perfect round hole, with drill index sizes, so, once you find the hole that has your powder charge, it is always perfect..My dillon will sometimes vary within about .3 grains...when you are trying for 3.5, and you only get 3.2, it could mean meeting power factor, or not..

 

[SSN Vet]

Boy, I never heard this "problem" come up before....

start one or two sizes larger than the chart tells you and take a chill pill.

Lee's chart is conservative and the powders density and packability can change with environmental factor such as humidity....

use your scale to get to the right disk size and then pull the handle till the cows come home

 

[smaj100]

auto disk powder charges

I wanted to add another note about the discs. I read on another site were several fellows were using a drill bit to modify the holes in the disc to allow for a custom disc. Just ensure that you have a backup set of discs in case you make a booboo. Some would drill them out and another guy used a wooden dowel with very fine sandpaper to allow a few more .1's. If you are throwing very light loads like I do for my 380 you can use a micro disc kit. I ordered one and found I just worked up some loads by hand that were listed on the standard disc kit and stuck with those. The micro kit is still in its box.

 

[Spencer Hart]

Unique

anyone used Unique in the .71 disk? How many grains for you? I get 6.0 gr

 

[flynlr]

Unique
anyone used Unique in the .71 disk? How many grains for you? I get 6.0 gr

and things get stranger.

I use the Pro auto disk and using the .76 I throw 5.7gr
of Unique, verified on a digital and a lee bar scale.

this is using the spring on the Powder measure , not the chain method \.

 

[bluetopper]

One thing that has helped me with the auto disc, especially with large flaked powders, is I cut the baffle out of the hopper that is directly over the disc so the powder drops directly into the disc.
I heated up the end of a long knife to do this. It melted right through it.

 

[rokchucker]

I purchased my classic turret "bare bones" as I already had dies and a rcbs supreme master reloading kit, so I had everything I needed except for the press. After doing my first run with the classic turret, I decided there had to be a better way than mounting my uniflow powder measure directly on the turret, this caused 2 potential problems,
1. manually working the lever
2. not crushing the shell against the powder drop tube with excessive force

the solution as I have found in the hornady case activated powder drop adaptor kit. For many of us who have moved up from a single stage, we already have a perfectly good powder drop, why not use it on the turret? True, the $55.XX price for the kit is more than a powder disc system from lee, but it allows you to use a much more accurate powder measure. it raises the powder measure up, and places an adjustable case activation feature, when you press down on the press handle, the casing comes up through the die and pushes upwards on a spring loaded actuator, which is fully adjustable for different case lenghts, and throws the powder charge. good stuff!

This will let you mount and use both the rcbs uniflow powder measure, as well as the hornady powder measure on your classic turret press.

 

[Ghiller]

The Dillon uses an adjustable "bar", and it can vary a little..the Lee is a perfectly round hole, that seems to be more accurate...once you dial in a size, you get the same exact charge...every time...I have adjusted the Lee unit to my dillon..works better in the 9mm, because I'm only using 3.2 grains of VV320

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

I haven't tried Unique in the auto disk, but with ball powder like Titegroup, it's dead on accurate. I'm kind of curious why the OP seated bullets before actually weighing the charge. I'm just not that trusting of anything, even if it does say "LEE" on the side.

 

[wolfe]

I had a problem with this tonight. I loaded IMR 700x on the .57 disk and get the perfect measure of 4.3 grains...

I tried a Alliant BLUE DOT on .71 and got like 7.5 grains when it was suppose to throw 8.2 grains..

Thanks for the info. I think I'll up the disk measure until I get the appropriate measure..

 

[RVenick]

That happens with some of the flake type powders as others have posted above. When I use Unique it is a size or two bigger then what the chart says it should be I keep a spreadsheet with everything I load so I use that a lot. I am not sure about Blue Dot's shape but if it is a flake create a conversion chart for it.

 

[lgbloader]

My dillon will sometimes vary within about .3 grains...

Using what powder?

Just curious as I don't have these issues with my 3 Dillon PM's and my 3 Uniflows either.

LGB

 

[LiveLife]

After powder change in the hopper, I always cycle the disk 3 times (put powder from case back in the hopper) and weigh the next two charges to verify the weight regardless of the volume disk (cc) used.

If the charge weight it correct, I continue. If not, I change the hole used.

I ordered another disk set so I can have custom in-between charges from the factory preset holes.

FYI, I found smaller flattened powder like Bullseye/W231/HP38/700X/Zip/HS6/WSF etc. meters better and provide more consistent charges. YMMV.

 

[DaveBeal]

I started reloading about six months ago, all with the Pro AutoDisk. I'm pretty happy with it, but I've noticed two things:

- The metering is more consistent if you tap on the AutoDisk powder reservoir for several seconds after filling it, to get the powder to settle. Otherwise, it settles gradually as you use powder, so the throws get heavier.
- The adjustable charge bar doesn't meter consistently for small loads (like 4.0 grains of Bullseye), probably because of the long narrow shape of the cavity.

 

[LiveLife]

The metering is more consistent if you tap on the Auto Disk powder reservoir for several seconds after filling it, to get the powder to settle. Otherwise, it settles gradually as you use powder, so the throws get heavier.

DaveBeal, what powder are you experiencing this with? In the past 15+ years, I have not experienced this regardless of powder type or size container (1 pound to 8 pound jugs). I fill my Pro Auto Disk hopper 1/2, 2/3, full and charges are consistent from start to finish, even when the hopper is almost empty. I have not experienced my throws getting heavier.

 

[sonick808]

the charts have been off more than 50% sometimes for me depending on powder type.

Use the chart as a ballpark ref only. The only way to find your disc combo is to weigh the charges with the powder your using. And even then, only after you've thoroughly coated the discs with graphite by working powder through them. You could even bathe them in powdered graphite if you want.

Setting up powder throwers can be quite tedious and frustrating, but the end results are well worth the investment.