Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure problems

[CSestp]

Hey guys, I have just began to wade into the world of reloading. I started trying to use the confounded contraption called the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure. Well the dang thing kept throwing wild loads so I just said screw it and used the scale. While using the scale has gotten me some very consistent loads that turned out well. I would like to crank out some rounds just to burn, and wouldnt mind a .5 grain difference here and their. Only problem is my LPADPM is throwing sometimes a difference of 1.5 grains.

I am loading .308 so I'm having to stack the disks on top of one another to get 40 grains. Or at least what the instructions say should give me 40 grains. Any advice would be great. Also if your needing more information as to how I have improperly setup or installed this horrible headache machine please ask.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have been using a Lee Pro Auto Disk for a lot of years and even though it looks and feels cheap it has always been very accurate for me. It throws accurate loads with both ball and stick powders. I'm wondering what could possibly be causing your problem. Just out of curiosity what powder are you using? (not that I think that matters)

*EDIT* Are you using a double disk setup? If you are are you sure you have the larger hole disk on the bottom with the smaller hole disk on top?

 

[LiveLife]

+1. For me, I use my Pro Auto Disk for pistol loads with small flake/ball powders and get less than .1 gr variance.

The double disk kit may be OK for plinking .223 loads, but for precision .308 loads, I would not use it.

For my .308 loads, I use Lee Perfect Powder Measure.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

For my .308 loads, I use Lee Perfect Powder Measure.

I also use a Perfect Powder Measure for most rifle ammo other than .223.

 

[kingmt]

I think you should just send it to me & be done with your headache. You have already decided it is the powder measure at fault so I doubt you look any farther for the real problem.

 

[Redneckly33]

I would love to hear the outcome of the Problem?

 

[Rmeju]

My Pro AD measure has always been accurate, but I don't use the double disk so I can't speak to that.

As one poster mentioned, make sure your disks are stacked properly!

 

[1KPerDay]

CSestp, what powder are you using? I'm wagering a stick powder?

 

[joecil]

I use one to load black powder using two disks. As someone stated make sure the larger opening is on the bottom. I also find if the hopper is empty or filling it the first time to run about 10 loads through it and measure until it levels out. I also don't let the hopper get much below 1/4 full. I also use the micro disk for small amounts as I like it better than Lee Micro meter though it will work for some loads. I actually have several so I don't have to change them for each turret I have set up.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I'm all ears on this one.
My Lee auto disk isn't accurate either anymore. .4-.5 gr. off. It used to be. I took it all apart and cleaned everything I can clean on it. I used to use nothing but 2400 when it was new in the 1990's when it came on my pro1000, and it was supperb. Now it doesn't matter what I use in it, it is all over the place.

I did all kinds of tests on it with different hole sizes and different powders. Same thing.

My next step is to call Lee's customer service and have them go through the thing with me because I just can't find any reason why it won't throw a .1 charge.

I haven't had time to call them lately though, stuck on jury duty.

Mine used to work well, my feelings are, it will work well again.

Call Lee and explain the problem to them.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Hey guys, I have just began to wade into the world of reloading. I started trying to use the confounded contraption called the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measure. Well the dang thing kept throwing wild loads so I just said screw it and used the scale. While using the scale has gotten me some very consistent loads that turned out well. I would like to crank out some rounds just to burn, and wouldnt mind a .5 grain difference here and their. Only problem is my LPADPM is throwing sometimes a difference of 1.5 grains.

I am loading .308 so I'm having to stack the disks on top of one another to get 40 grains. Or at least what the instructions say should give me 40 grains. Any advice would be great. Also if your needing more information as to how I have improperly setup or installed this horrible headache machine please ask.

When you say "a .5 grain difference" and yada yada, are you saying that the disks throw a certain amount different from stated in the manual or are you saying that one throw yields 40 gr and the next perhaps 41?

What powder are you using?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Also, I think if you stack them, the upper one should be the same size or smaller than the lower so powder can't get hung up on the "ledge".

 

[nosmr2]

I was running into the same problem with my single disk setup a while back. The nuts on the side weren't tight. Fixed them and it threw consistent again.

I tried to run a double disk for my .223 loads but never got totally satisfied with the results and bought a RCBS thrower. I don't crank out a ton of rifle rounds so the increase in the amount of time wasn't a big deal.

 

[CSestp]

I have tried both larger disk hole on top and bottom, I am using stick powder (IMR 4895). I didn't spend a whole heck of time trying to figure this out. Just figured I would run it across you all. I could have been setting it up "backward" have heard thats a common newbie problem with it. I'm bored at work and was trying to get a few ideas before I tinker with it over the weekend.

To answer the differences I would set my disks up to drop 40 grains of IMR 4895. I would throw one thats 39 grains then something like 41.5 then maybe 40.5 then 39.5. It just threw wild loads never the same. I'm going to tinker with it tonight. I've heard putting a washer on the top of powder to weigh it down helps, or coating alot of the device in graphite. Will keep on updating. If I cant get a constant throw i.e. (difference of .2 + or -) I'll call lee monday.

 

[1KPerDay]

So far I haven't had luck metering 4895 consistently in either the auto disc or my Redding powder measure. I always end up having to throw it low and then trickle up to weight by hand. FWIW

Also, not that it really helps you but the military ball rounds I've pulled from the same lot had powder weights that varied by even more than 1.5 grains.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I just use ball powder through mine in rifle. I use a Lyman 55 for stick and use the knocker. I wonder if one mounted the Lee to the top of a Lee turret press, as is done most commonly with pistol cartridges, would it "knock" it beneficially on its way from one station to the next..

 

[reebtog2002]

I too have a LPAD and love it (only for pistol loads) I have found if stacking for rifle loads that it becomes a headache. I load a lot of 223, and for that I bought a Lee Perfict Powder Measure. Works great and the extra time it takes to load 100 rounds is worth it to me not to be fighting with the auto disc and my scale trying to get it dialed in. I got the Perfict Powder Measure for under $35.00 at sportsmans wharesouse. GOOD LUCK.

 

[CSestp]

Well just spent the last 30 min throwing powder. Double and triple checked the graphs and instructions. Had it set for 40 grains. Most it threw was 39.5. Most of the time it was throwing 39.0 - 39.3. With a few as low as 38.5. This was with the powder full with a washer. Disk's in their recommended arrangements. With graphite on the rails and top of top disk.

I threw maybe 50-60 times.

While its throwing 7 out of 10 in the 39.0 to 39.3 range those other 3 have me scared. Just don't think its up to being efficiently used for rifle rounds.


Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[res7s]

While its throwing 7 out of 10 in the 39.0 to 39.3 range those other 3 have me scared. Just don't think its up to being efficiently used for rifle rounds.

For extrude powder try the Lee PPM or stay with the PAD and switch to ball powder. Neither my RCBS Uniflow, my Hornady LNL, nor my Lee PAD will throw consistent charges of extruded powder, but my Lee PPM will.

 

[RustyFN]

Well just spent the last 30 min throwing powder. Double and triple checked the graphs and instructions. Had it set for 40 grains. Most it threw was 39.5. Most of the time it was throwing 39.0 - 39.3. With a few as low as 38.5. This was with the powder full with a washer. Disk's in their recommended arrangements. With graphite on the rails and top of top disk.

Are you rotating the turret between drops? If you cycle the handle and let it rotate between drops the drops will be more consistant than if you keep running the case into the die without rotating.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I just figured the problem out with mine but it is probably a different problem than you have. My problem was with pistol and rifle powder both.

My reloading room is air conditioned with no return vent. Believe it or not I left the door open from my loading room to my garage so it would warm up and the himidity would rise and my Lee auto disk just through 15 charges of 3.2 grains in a row.

I have a serious static problem, I cut the air conditioning vent down to almost off and will have to get used to loading with the door open. I also noticed that I had hardly any pistol powder sticking to the sides of the measure.
Good luck with your problem, I hope you get it solved. I would definately call Lee on it.

 

[foxtail207]

The plastic in the loaders can cause static electricity for sure. I read that if you have that problem you can run powder through it before actually measuring to fully coat the surfaces so the charge will be dissapated. I had this problem with my Lee PPM.

Also, I was advised by an old time reloader not to use the Lee PPM for rifle loads... always measure with a scale. That's what I have done. I use the PPM for handgun loads only.

 

[kingmt]

I use a powder that will only measure in my scale/despensor but it isn't stick. I've used 4064 & it was +/- .2gr. Every thing else +/- .1gr.

Did you get the double disk kit or are you just stacking them?

 

[CSestp]

@ foxtail thats kind of what I have been figuring out through out the night. Just playing around it works pretty well as a single disk. Oh well I got plenty of .357, .380, 9mm, and .45 that needs reloading. Just gotta get set up for it.

 

[1SOW]

LEE Pro-Disc System: Mine is less than .1grs off using several ball and small rod powders for pistol, X 30K++ 9mm.
As said, you must either rotate through the die cycle OR tap it with a wooden dowell to get accurate throws. The shaking of rotating the press through the dies works well.
With double discs, I would tap it each time, because I'm anal about reloading.