Unique + Pro Auto Disk giving me fits

Status
Not open for further replies.

kludge

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
2,634
Location
Indiana
Any pointers? ("try xxx powder with .45 Colt lead loads" is an acceptable reply too)

I'm making the switch to progressive and so I have a Pro AutoDisk and I started with .45 Colt and Unique.

I can't get a consistent drop. I'm not talking +/- 0.1, rather +/- 0.5 grains!!

I ended up loading 50 and needless to say velocties were all over the map.
 
kludge have you done the dryer sheet and powdered graphite prep on your unit ? I get +/- .2 on mine and can live with that as I load light
 
I don't load 45Colt but, I use 2400, W231, AA#7, Titegroup and Power Pistol with my Pro Auto-Disk for other Cals. and it is very accurate. I have a bud that loads 45Colt and uses the Perfect powder measure with W231 and Power Pistol and he is happy with both of those powders.
 
The charge should be at least 7 grains, according to Alliant web site. This concludes that you use cavities of .66 cc or above in the measure. These big cavities should not result in any bridging even on shotgun powders, like Unique.

Make sure that your hopper is at least half full. Check that cave in your measuring disk is coming over centers of the proper tubes in "charge" and "drop" positions. Slightly hit the hopper when disk is on each ends and drop position - if it helps, considering the big disks that you use, there should be some imperfection on a way that powder comes to the hopper. I used graphite lube to prevent static electricity to stick the powder. I did not measure how did it improve the consistency though.

If nothing helps, try to check consistency of the measure with something that has smaller grains and is heavier. Salt and sugar are heavier - i.e. not affected by static, and have small grains. Corncob usually has smaller grains, but is light, and is affected by static electricity. It may help to identify where the problem is.

My measure with .66 disks and above drops any type of powder (ball, flake and stick) within less than 1.5% of standard deviation at worst, and usually well within 1%. Max spread, according to statistic formulas, is about triple of the standard deviation when you measure over 300 samples.
 
Your auto disk rubber is binding up on the slide. Rub some powdered graphite on the rubber feed seal and work it a few times. You only need to do this once and the powder will lube it the rest of the time.
 
Yes, Unique does have that problem in many powder measures. Not just yours.

Do the things listed by our friends above. Even though Unique doesn't always measure so perfectly and the velocities can vary, I still get pretty decent accuracy from my best Unique handloads. In 9mm, I get a lot of tumbling from truncated cone lead bullets unless I use a good charge of Unique, then they fly straight. Slightly slower powders often help stabilize a recalcitrant bullet.

Do the graphite thing and try loading again. This time, shoot off a sandbag on a solid bench and see if the accuracy is good.
 
I've also found that once that measure "breaks in" Unique drops a WHOLE LOT better. When I fill the measure, i give it a few sharp raps with a screwdriver handle, to help settle it. Then I throw at least 10 charges, while letting the turret make its rounds, I thinks that helps settle the powder. After 10 or so charges (each gets dumped right back into the hopper) I'll weigh a few and if its still varying, i'll throw a few more then try again. Whole thing takes 3 or 4 minutes, but my drops vary by no more than 1 or 2 tenths of a gr. Another thing, those disc measurements provided by Lee are NEVER right on. Pick a disc, run thru my above process and adjust disc size accordingly, then measure again. Example, my 1.09 disc drops 8.2-8.3 grains of Unique, the 1.18 disc drops Uni at 9.3 to 9.4g. YMMV, stick with it.
 
Bula, you've pretty much described my procedure as well.

I will try the graphite suggestion too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top