Questions Re: Lee Auto Disk on Turret Press

[Sam Adams]

I got my Lee Classic Turret Press a couple months ago and have successfully loaded both 9mm (about 500) and .45 (50 last night, no problems), both using Hogden Titegroup. I've been using the Lee autodisk. However, I also tried to load .38s using Unique, and while some of the loads came out with the correct amount of powder, many were coming out very light. I looked to see if the disk was caked up with powder, but it wasn't and I simply couldn't find out what the problem was. Question: Has anyone else had problems with Unique and the Auto Disk? If so, how did you solve them? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Flake powders tend to "bridge" in this dispenser. If you tap it a couple of times before charging a case it will help. Not many powder measures handle flake powders all that well. A few do, but....

 

[Eagle103]

Small charges of Unique are tough. I'd try a different powder such as Bullseye or 231 for the .38.

 

[gandog56]

I completely gave up on getting any type of flake powder to meter good out of a Lee Auto-disk. I now use a Pact Hi-speed dispensor and only use the auto-disk for ball type propellants.:banghead:

 

[BobCat]

Sam,

Maybe try watching the disc as you run through the loading cycle, to see if there is any obvious "glitch" in the action?

I load 5.5 grains of Unique in 9 mm, 4.5 grains of Green Dot in .45 ACP, with a Lee Auto Disc measure. Both are flake powders (you obviously know that about Unique) and both meter very well. I get consistent charge weights, +/- 0.1 grain or so.

So - looking to see if the disc is moving to the end of it's travel, and returning all the way, seems like the first step in diagnosing the problem.

I hope this helps.

 

[Sam Adams]

Thanks, all, for your input.

 

[Bula]

w231 is great in .38 spl loads. Meters perfect every time. IME Unique meters better with the larger discs.

 

[benedict1]

I would bet that you aren't flaring the case enough with the expander die; if so, then the disk 'short travels' It needs to go far enough over the drop hole so the charge will, in fact, drop. Remember, the case actuates the disk.

I can load 4 gr Unique and up with no problems. One other thing--buy an RCBS powder baffle and put it into the hopper. This keeps the weight consistent on the cavity as the powder fills. If there is too much force on that powder column of a flake powder, and you might have a tad of static to deal with too, bridging and clumping can occur.

Finally, I just tap the powder measure when I'm dropping 4 gr of any flake powder--it helps.

BTW, this is not just a Lee problem--I had a Dillon powder measure that was even worse with light charges of Unique and Clays. About 5 squibs per 100 until I dumped the blue press and moved to red. Just my 2¢ worth.

 

[RustyFN]

I have never used Unique but have been reading that most brands of powder measures have trouble with it. I have use Bullseye, HS-6 and Titegroup in my Pro Auto Disk and had good results with all three.
Rusty

 

[Lennyjoe]

Have used Unique with .44mag loads out of my Autodisc and they dropped pretty consistent. Not a power house load but a nice range round. I am middle of the road on charge weight so .1 +/- doesn't hurt too much.

800X will not drop consistant enough for my 10MM rounds so I use an RCBS chargemaster set up for that.

Some flakes work, others don't.

 

[Luis Leon]

I load 5.5 grains of Unique in 9mm brass using the autodisk on a Lee Classic Cast Turret press and haven't had any problems with metering. I use to batch load with a RCBS Lil Dandy, but like the autodisk much more. I also loaded 5.2 grains of Unique into .38 special cases under .158 lead SWC, and have had no problems with the metering as you have described. I can see the powder in every case after the expander die/powder drop, if it looks off for some reason, I dump the powder back in the hopper and try again.

regards,

Luis Leon

 

[Sam Adams]

I'm going to load up so .38s and .357 mags with Titegroup, and see if they're as accurate as with Unique. If so, I'll use up the Unique and use Titegroup for all of my handgun loading. That'll not only simplify things a bunch, but allow me to save money by buying in bulk.

 

[wally]

I've used pretty much nothing but Unique in the original Lee Auto Disk Powder measure for 25+ years and as long as I stay above .4cc volume I've never had a problem. The "new improved" Deluxe model may have introduced a further possible restriction in the "cut-off" valve arrangement, but mine has worked fine for 4.3 gr Unique in .38 Special -- going lower for .380 caused problems so I went back to the old model for the turret press and put the "new" model dedicated to 6.0 Gr Unique for .45ACP on the Hornady.

Other people here have reported you need to just run some powder thru it to coat all the surfaces with the graphite anti-static that is part of the powder, then it will be fine.

Readings will be different if you just work the ram up to fill a case, weigh, and repeat compared to four handle pulls, fill a case, weigh, four handle pulls fill a case, weigh; as the vibrations from rotating the turret help settle the powder.

I definitely got lighter charges from the same Auto Disk on my Hornady Projector fixed head progressive press compared to it mounted on the rotating head Lee turret, but both were consistent when used, just a bit different in the charges thrown.

Definitely as benedict1 said, make sure the die is adjusted right so the disk takes a full stroke. I go as low as ~3.4gr Unique with the "old" model without problems in .380 loads, the "new" model was not consistent at this low volume.

--wally.