Mixed cases and powder drum malfunction
- Thread starter Shivahasagun
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CQB45ACP
Member
Well then I disagree if you mean a 45ACP case that’s a little short here or there will prevent a properly adjusted & correctly operating Lee auto drum from dropping a charge due to a small degree shorter length case. I just think it’s unlikely they can be adjusted with that degree of precision. But, I do agree if the whole shbang is out of adjustment then any number of bad things can happen.
I’m half tempted to drag mine out and give it a test. Half tempted
I’ll send it to you and you can do it.
LiveLife
Member
Get ready to eat your hat.
Case activated powder measure rely on resized case length to drop the powder charge. If powder measure was set with longer resized case and shorter/trimmed resized case does not lift the powder measure enough, partial powder charge drop can occur.
So measure some samples of resized case lengths and use shorter case to set the powder measure and case mouth flare.
Same goes for setting taper crimp on .45ACP. Using longer resized case to set the crimp amount can/may result in shorter cases not returning flare back to stick the round in chamber to prevent slide returning to full battery. So use shorter case to set the taper crimp amount and longer cases will apply skosh more crimp (Which is not much of an issue).
CQB45ACP
Member
Yum yum, but not biting. Someone here is from Missouri so on their behalf I say “show me.” Show me on a Lee auto drum the binary go/no go 45ACP case length that makes this happen. I’m not talking about the theory of it all. I’m talking about OP’s issue.Get ready to eat your hat.
Case activated powder measure rely on resized case length to drop the powder charge. If powder measure was set with longer resized case and shorter/trimmed resized case does not lift the powder measure enough, partial powder charge drop can occur.
So measure some samples of resized case lengths and use shorter case to set the powder measure and case mouth flare.
Don't like case mouth digging into your bullet when seating/taper crimping in same step?Same goes for setting taper crimp on .45ACP. Using longer resized case to set the crimp amount can/may result in shorter cases not returning flare back to stick the round in chamber to prevent slide returning to full battery. So use shorter case to set the taper crimp amount and longer cases will apply skosh more crimp (Which is not much of an issue).
My memory of that contraption is there is enough “sloppiness” that a thousandth difference in case length isn’t going to make it go or no go.
But, doggone it, youse guys is gettin close to makin me drag my Lee stuff out and run a myth busting test!
LiveLife
Member
Looks like a good "myth busting" topic.
Some you guys talking "theory" on a Lee Power measure, The trim length of the brass doe not change the powder drop. If you do not have one, you know not what you speak,
I have loaded thousands of rounds of 380, 40. 45 and revolvers and never trimmed a piece of brass. I have about every headstamp known and do not sort them.
For the OP, sorry I can not fix it without seeing it just like guns. Is suggest to take it off, clean it and set it up again along with the powder through die. That die flares the case as well. Are you using just the die or have that ridiculous chain thing??
A picture of the side of the powder measure with the press lever (with a piece of brass in)all the way down and up will help. Show the little black part on the side of the powder measure. It indicates if you have it set correctly.
Also do you have the auto disconnector removed??
https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/AM3866disconnectorinstall.pdf
Show this part
I have loaded thousands of rounds of 380, 40. 45 and revolvers and never trimmed a piece of brass. I have about every headstamp known and do not sort them.
For the OP, sorry I can not fix it without seeing it just like guns. Is suggest to take it off, clean it and set it up again along with the powder through die. That die flares the case as well. Are you using just the die or have that ridiculous chain thing??
A picture of the side of the powder measure with the press lever (with a piece of brass in)all the way down and up will help. Show the little black part on the side of the powder measure. It indicates if you have it set correctly.
Also do you have the auto disconnector removed??
https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/AM3866disconnectorinstall.pdf
Show this part
CQB45ACP
Member
Okay I couldn’t stand it…I dragged my stuff out and here’s a prelim test bed (using 9mm) on a single stage. Bad memories come rushing back…OP I’m here for you!
Already I restate…you must make sure the drum resets fully or the next charge will be incomplete at best.
Already I restate…you must make sure the drum resets fully or the next charge will be incomplete at best.
Looks like a good "myth busting" topic.
No not really, trim length has nothing to do with this.
AJC1
Member
Sounds like a defective product.... the opening discussion always assumes that you have a properly set up functional product. I'm not into bashing products but provide all the proof we need of a bad product. I stand corrected. The product is garbage.
CQB45ACP
Member
CQB45ACP
Member
I don’t think it’s garbage just quirky, too quirky for me so I quit using it.
I went to a Uniflow now dippers. Nothing quirky about the dippers and my wife says the user is very handsome.
From your previous thread. You need to adjust it so it is NOT bumping into anything!
Shivahasagun
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I'll have to check that.
I can say I try to bell only just enough and I do get a tiny sliver of lead shaved on many of the finished cartridges I just rub off with a finger before putting them in my "finished" tray.
CQB45ACP
Member
Don’t know about the sliver but if you’re using the auto drum it must rotate fully and reset or your powder drop will be wrong if at all. Me thinks we have a misadjustment issue.
jmorris
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If you fix the shaved bullet problem, on the short brass, you will likely rectify the no charge issue as well.
lordpaxman
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Negative. You certainly can have your opinion, but it doesn’t match how my progressive presses work. I recently loaded 700 rounds of .45 on an RL1100, not one issue with a powder drop. That was WST BTW. PMC, Aguila, WIN, FED, S&B and a few other oddball HSs, no sorting by length and I can assure you I do not trim semi-auto pistol cases.
On a PTX (Powder Through Expander) it will vary to some degree the amount of bell or flare, absolutely, so you need to be mindful of that. My LNL does not have any issue with powder drops either.
I do not have or have loaded with a Lee drum, but if that has an issue with case lengths such that slight variations will affect powder drops, it would not be a consideration for my reloading bench.
Jim Watson
Member
OK, sort some brass by headstamp and try known brands together.
You say SB is ok, RP is bad, so confirm it. How about others?
RP .45 ACP used to be known for thin brass; I struggled with some to get it to hold a bullet.
Mark drum rotation with good and bad cases.
Look at case mouths vs the drop tube/expander. I can see thin soft brass sliding up the plug without generating enough push to cycle the measure.
You say SB is ok, RP is bad, so confirm it. How about others?
RP .45 ACP used to be known for thin brass; I struggled with some to get it to hold a bullet.
Mark drum rotation with good and bad cases.
Look at case mouths vs the drop tube/expander. I can see thin soft brass sliding up the plug without generating enough push to cycle the measure.
CQB45ACP
Member
On your last point I disagree for this reason—I just expanded/flared several cases, ran them through again, and each fully cycled the drum.
Jim Watson
Member
OK, that is one theory disproven.
All RP or an assortment?
All RP or an assortment?
CQB45ACP
Member
One each R-P, Aguila, Speer, and F.C. chosen totally at random, but 9mm, not 45ACP.
I’ve solved the problem but the rest of you can go ahead
it’s the drum not fully rotating and/or resetting for one or more of the reasons already described. Lee put a little aluminum button on the lever for a reason—tap it each time to ensure reset. (Of course the chain linkage if used is supposed to take care of resetting.) Have to watch the rotation though. Not a case length issue.
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Shivahasagun
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I'll check that tonight, thanks!
Shivahasagun
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It's a batch of about 8 different brands of brass. I did notice the RP a few times, but it's been others, too.
Oh, sorry. Your question wasn't for me.
CQB45ACP
Member
That would take some current waay out of adjustment but could be correct.
Shivahasagun
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One each R-P, Aguila, Speer, and F.C. chosen totally at random, but 9mm, not 45ACP.
I’ve solved the problem but the rest of you can go ahead
I'm not sure what this "chain" device a few of you have mentioned is. I guess I don't have that.
And I'm not familiar with this alluminum "button", either.
CQB45ACP
Member
Don’t force it. When it’s right, it’s easy to turn.
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