I bought a lee auto drum and had no issues with it at all. For the price that they sell for you'd expect a lemon to come out occasionally. Well, I liked the first one so much that I bought a second one. Totally different experience. It leaked terribly. So I called lee and they gave me some suggestions to try to stop the leaking. Nothing helped so I sent it back to lee. I just got it back and ran 600 rounds through it yesterday and it worked perfectly. I was using titgroup. My point is if anyone experiences issues with their auto drum, send it back and lee will make it right.
My auto drum was all over the place when measuring HP-38/W231. It also leaked powder everywhere. Even with the knob cranked down. Sent it back to Lee. When it came back the drums looked they had been turned on a lathe. They went from very smooth when sent in to very rough when they came back. Lubed the drum with graphite powder, adjusted the throw charge and now it will throw charges at 3.5gn all day long and never leaks now. Thanks for the video.
g mc - Wow, rough drums was the fix - interesting... but please let me know if you get extra drums to see if they need to be rough also... Best to ya, FC
When I select a charge, I test the charge against 10 throws. Total charge over the 10 throws is consistently and highly accurate. The check of individual loads does vary about a .1 grain. Still highly accurate considering averages
I really like these. I have Lee Classic Turret with a turret for each caliber. I have a powder measure set up on each one so I don't have to mess with changing anything. I just sit down to load, put the turret that I am going to load on the press and go to town. I always check the throw o the first 3 and then at the 10 mark and it always comes out good. I have one with the hopper for 223 Rem, then one for each 9mm, 38 spl and 45acp. Same hopper for them as I use the same powder for all three. The only time I had an issue when when I forgot to twist the hopper open. LOL. BTW, I enjoy your videos. I like how you take the time to show what you are doing and explain it.
Just got my first Auto Drum powder measure this past Christmas as a gift with my Lee Classic Turret Kit. I couldn't believe how well it worked and easy too adjust. Just leaks with fine powders like Accurate #9. But I love the simple operation over my RCBS uniflow. I watched your videos on it and I'm also getting more spare drums!
I have 3 Auto Drum powder measures. Each one is setup on a Lee 4-hole turret, along with the rest of the Lee 4-die set for 9mm, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. All three drop consistent charges within .1 gr. I use Unique, CFE Pistol, BE-86 and HP38/Win 231. CFE and BE are fine powders and I got some leakage at first. Then I tightened up the drum and the leaking went away. I really like the convenience of swapping a turret to change caliber. And I find the Auto Drum accurate and consistent. I cleaned the drum area with alcohol and wiped everything with a dryer sheet to kill static electricity. Yup, I'm a really happy reloader. Thanks for all the great videos!
David Giannini - Thanks for posting your reviews on this powder measure. Your findings with the LADPM are akin to my own - and I have 3 of the rascals also - Next Midway order will be including repeat orders for more drums - set 'em for favorite loads and switch 'em out. Good reloadtin' to ya, FC
I got mine based on one of your reviews and a question that you answered, I use mine for loading .225/5.56 with BLC-2 with no leakage and very consistent throws on my Lee auto turret.
The impact that Lee has made in the shooting industry is immeasurable. Some of Lee’s Mega offerings include, but not limited to, 1) affordable carbide died 2) affordable 6 cavity bullet molds 3) the excellent Lee collet neck size rifle died 4) high value die sets for rifle and pistol 5) bringing reloaders into the world of shot shell reloading 6) integrated systems for cast bullets. 7) integrating powder handling with reloading dies. And it goes on and on. Best to ya John..!! Steve
After one year of dedicated use, I very impressed with it, compared to the auto disc. Thank you Sir. ( Lee LM, Winchester WST 4.9gn, 200gn X-tream RN, 45acp 850fts. ) As you said,, I did have to go through several drums before I found one that worked with the WST powder. And I had to remove the safety chain set up. That a lone was causing the biggest powder leaks with WST. I have checked it repeatedly with my Sartorius Lab scales and it stays with in 1/10 of the powder drop charge. Between 4.9 to 4.98 then it falls back down to 4.9 about every 6 to 7 cases. I have ran over 1/2 a pound of powder just to see how accurate it really is, and that's my findings. Put me on the very pleased list. Thanks again Cookie. {4 years Later} :)
I was reloading 223 cartridges. Since it was a Rifle I started using the Rifle Insert. I found out I HAD TO USE the PISTOL insert to be able to throw a 26.5 grain charge. After switching the inserts, I had no problems. The drums/inserts that leak, use a "valve grinding compound on the body and insert.
My Auto Drum works great. With Unique, No.5, No.2, No.7, H110, H335, W231/HP38, W748, and even 4831SC, no leaks and the weights vary no more than .05g! I had some issues with my Perfect Powder Measure, and trying different things, I discovered that tapping the measure when turning the crank is a No-no. Simply work the crank without shaking or tapping the mechanism, and it's far more consistent. However with the Auto Drum, I rarely use the Perfect measure. The Auto measure is fantastic!
Old, but I just fixed mine by removing the flaring insert and rounding and smoothing the flaring part with 200 grit abrasive cloth. It was making a pop when the insert entered the case. Now, it simply slides in and flares without a pop. The very end was the important part. It didn't take much at all.
Contrary to my 2017 comment, my auto drum measure is now working fine with Unique powder. Trail Boss on the Pro 1000 is messy. I set up a single stage and ran the auto drum on that along with the the flaring die, and Unique and had a ball...no leaks. Haven't used the Trail Boss like that but will test it later. I am just happy to be able to load something that doesn't leak, and is uniform so that accurate charges are the norm.
I haven't given up on it yet, but I haven't played with it much recently either. I really want it to work well; maybe I need to rub some bacon on it. Thank you for the constant stream of great videos and information!
It doesn't need to get any more complicated than the yellow plastic Lee powder measures for my reloading purposes. I've been using a Lee 3.7cc dipper of imr-3031 (~48.5 grains) under a 350 grain Hornady flat nose bullet for years and it's killed hogs, deer & 2 elk. I haven't seen the bottom of my freezer in years because it's always full of game. No electronics or mechanical gizmos to screw up with the dippers. I go with the simplest, cheapest way to get the job done.
bushed274 - Absolutely nothing wrong with the dippers. Lee gives us those in the dies sets for a good reason - they will work fine if we want to use them. Continued good shootin' and good huntin' to ya... FC Steve
From my experience, is that the clicks are caused by the shell casing not lining up with the expansion tube. This tube is hanging up on the edge of the brass. When enough pressure is applied it pushes past causing the click. I am using the Lee Turret Press and it seems like it doesn't line up exactly in the center of the die. I found that holding the brass and helping it line up fixes the problem.
Molded plastic has a greater variance than cast metals. Processes vary and therefore results vary. I will own one soon. Have schemes to improve the final finish to enhance accuracy to full Lee potential. Thanks to the Patriots of America.
I discovered that while you can use the adapter insert to drop pistol loads with the rifle size (large bore) drum, it is less consistent than using the pistol size drum. Likely because of the larger diameter bore size on the measuring 'cup?' For example, measuring Unique at 5.6gr, a converted rifle drum measures a .1g variance or so. Dropping the same load with actual pistol drum has about 1/2 as much and is very consistent. Also, it measures more consistently if I rotate the turret around between drops. Likely vibration 'settles' powder.. Since I use autoindex to load pistol as semi-progressive, I get very consistent drops. Someone I know with single stage press tapes an electric toothbrush to vibrate the whole measure to accomplish same results. .223 loads with ball powder are very consistent, even without rotating turret and using press as a single stage.
I did graphite and then a hopper of powder to break mine in. Mine is constant, repeatable & accurate. I verify my beam scale with check weights to give myself peace of mind because it does not drift. The beam scale is a Dillon... it has large lettering for easy reading. I also move mine from one toolhead to another. So it is being torn down for load changes and moved all the time. I don't do anything special. I just follow the directions. Maybe because it gets adjusted and tightened up every couple hundred throws that make it work so good. I have a LEE Classic Cast turret press so 200 per hour is a good hour. That gives me 4 trips to the range for that gun/loading. I take a few different guns each time and practice with each. So I only shoot 50 thru a gun typically. So I am changing calibers & loads each time I sit down to reload. My reloading bench is only 4+ feet long and supported on walls on 3 sides. So it is solid and does not move. I had read in many forums that a firmly mounted press makes most run better. So I wonder if rocking the measure causes issues ? The powder does have to drop from gravity so it could be effected I guess. The inserts are the real selling point to me. I can set up a caliber and a powder charge quickly and then start loading. The $2-3 dollar price makes this possible.
LIVIN CINCY - I sure agree, and whereas other inserts cost 6 to 10X the drums, those drums of ours are rather spectacular. The LADPM also works well on the Lee 4 Hole Turret Press so it is moving around also - works well in that. Your bench sounds like Fort Knox... Best to ya, FC
It is an old house with an area for storing canned (mason jar) food. That is what I suspect. It is in a niche by the stairs going up to the kitchen. I added an Ikea desk top along wth a an 'L' made from 2x4 under the press.... Umm yeah, Fort Knox might approve. I just read over and over to make it sturdy so I did. My LADPM does not move up and down for sure !
Cookie, It's an extra step in the process, However, I have discovered just the same as you have, expanding the case before it goes through the powder flare and charging for that smooth operation. My process is to size and de-prime my cases, Then into the wet tumbler, after cleaning and drying I set up the Dillon 550 however instead of the sizing de-priming I use an RCBS flaring die and prime using the Machine as usual in the first station. I have the Auto Drum set up in place of the Dillon powder Masure and that throws the charge without a hick up. chatter or Pop.. The rest of the Machine is set up as I would always use it for production ammo. If you have a five station press you can omit the sizing and cleaning as a separate operation. Dave.
Thorsaxe777 - Yep, Dave - and sometimes I wished that I had gone with the Dillon 650 for that extra station when I got my second press...But the 650 came later, of course, and I was already running my 550 well. You already did the intuitive thing with that ADPM...now we share that info with all the newer ADPM users coming on line... Best to ya, Steve
So I am a new to reloading and got all Lee stuff. I used the auto drum with IMR 3031 will my 5.56. So what I found is if you try to move too fast it will not be accurate but if you move slow and a short pause with the drop it is very accurate.
That's pour time. It's inherent to all powder measures for cases with either large volume or a skinny little neck to funnel all the grains through. i.e. 30-06 or .223 Rem and stick powders.
I had a popping in the powder measure when mouth belling/charging 44 special with Lee dies. I found it was the belling cone in the die traveling inconsistently during the stroke. It measured .428 on entry in the brass and suddenly goes to .433 on the belling cone. This jump was causing the click in the powder measure at about an eighth inch throw of the charging cycle. I believe, in this case my belling cone is too large. I pulled the insert and cone was coated with brass, this was long before it was belled enough to accept the base of the .430 bullet. To check this I got a 45 LC shell and ran it up through the 44 belling die and the results were smooth powder measure operation with no clicking or other problems eliminating the measure as the click source. My belling cone is sticking and jumping when in use, this sticking is so bad I have to really slam the press lever down to release the brass from the die. Maybe I just got a defective die from Lee. All of this is just my personal observations.
The problem with chatter may be the expanding die. The brass is chattering up the length of the expanding plug, on it's own may not be noticed. However, as it attempts to operate the drum measure the chatter is amplified to notice. Either polish the expander plug for smoother operation or as a test, maybe apply graphite to the inside mouth of the brass before expanding/ powder charging.
Just got this measure to run 300 bo. Set up with the small Powder Through die I noticed that the orifice is less than .22" ID. I noted that it would throw more inconsistent charges if I cycled too fast. If I left the ram at top and counted 2 seconds it would throw exactly 5.5 grains of Lil Gun every time. I think going too fast does not allow enough time for all the measured charge to pass through that .22" OD collar. Also had inconsistent charges when I first got my Autodisk. After it had a half pound of powder run through it started acting right. It's like the powder had to "smooth out" things. Still love my Autodisk, but it is not built for fine adjustments.
Great video! I have found that setup, setup setup is the key to this powder measure! Make sure dies are correct, and a little fiddling with the drum if you have leaks works wonders. I use Titegroup and Power pistol and get steady drops all day long. When I am not using the measure I keep a bounce sheet inside the powder holder, and coat the inside of the areas where powder drops with graphite.
Nice work FC, I think people look too hard at the accuracy of the powder throwers for general shooting. If you were going out to 1000 yards then that is a different ball game.
Rick fm - That's probably the reason switching out drums helps solve the leak also - we find the ones that fit well enough to avoid the fine grain powders from leaking...but your lapping would just make the drum fit better - would require disassembly of the measure though - if you could do a video on all that, it would be very helpful to see... Best to ya, FC
I've NEVER had any issues out of my Lee Auto Drum. Either Manually or Press Mounted. I load everything from 9mm, 40 S&W, and 10 MM all the way up to 243, 308, and 6.5 x 55 Swede. Also ... Flare separately if you are loading a case that requires it.
roostershooter76 - It is a very nice way to powder charge our cases. I do like my three, and you just reminded me that I want to get another set of 4 more drums... Have a great day, FC
I just spent several hours fighting with mine to get it to throw even. Finally I replaced the batteries in my scale and viola! My powder measure started being consistent. LOL. One problem I do have is the part right at the bottom of the aluminum casting tilts with each charge. There is a little black knob with a weird washer on it that is a bit bent but the real problem is that the two tabs on the casting don't seem to be in far enough to hold the assembly in place. I hope that made sense. It seems to work anyway.
Love my lee auto drum. I've notice it occasionally doesn't make a complete 4.2 grains of powder drop. Looking closer on the square black indicator. It doesn't completely cycle, going to the top when doing a powder drop. Though it does completely bottoms out going down & touching the pot metal housing frame. Added a shim (washer) between the neck extender & auto drum, so it would give me a hair more of a cycle. If they could only make that adjustable powder plastic piece clear. So you could see the powder dropping, that would be so nice!
This thing is great once it's dialed in correctly . I'm having issues with Hodgdon CFE powders and even called Lee customer service. They told me small flake powder will leak from these. Bad thing is I brought 4 lbs of it lol 233, pistol, and blck. The leak isn't extreme so I taped a sandwich baggy under the drum area to catch the powder.
Old video but I have to put ny 2 cents in,,,,I use 2 of the Auto drum measures and 2 of the auto disk measures as well I also have 2 of the Lee perfect powder measures, and they all do just fine as I see it,,,,,as far as the auto drum goes I use 1 of them on a left set up die holder block for my Lee pro 1000 press set up for loading 223 and one of them is left on my set up for the same press for loading 44 magnum,,,in the 223 I use H4895 and in 44 magnum I use Unique,,,,never had any problem with real good accuracy of the dumped charges they are never more than a tenth either side of perfect and that is plenty acceptable for informal target/practice loads,,,,,my 2 auto disk measures are used on the same left set up die blocks to use in the pro 1000 press and are 1 used to load 38 special using Unique powder and 1 for 9mm using Titegroup powder,,,and both of them work just perfectly fine,,,,the perfect powder measures are used randomly for many different powders as needed depending on what I'm loading at the moment and admitedly some powders work a bit better than others and yes you can get some powder leakage with certain fine grained powders, H110 and W296 are bad but even in my higher end Redding match grade 3BR measure as well as my RCBS little dandy that is supposed to be just for pistol measuring these powders can and do leak a bit at times,,,and using Alliant power pro 300 is really bad because that powder is soooooo freakin fine and effected by static but is great powder for performance so you learn to just live with that, anyhow in the nearly 30 years of using these and other powder measures I have learned so tricks that really help make any of them be at their best and the Lee's can be made to really do well even on the leak thing because of their taperd drum design,,,,one trick is to take them appart every time you change powders and throughly make them real clean then use some powdered graphite to "lube" ALL moving points especially where the drum and main body touch each other,,,this is ultra important because it lets you tighten the screw that holds the drum in a bit tighter before it binds therby controlling some or all of of the leakage (however this isn't a real major issue if you stay away from the finest grained powders), the other main important tip to get the best possible accuracy is to install a powder baffle into the hopper of the measure, I use them in all my measures because it keeps the heavy collum of powder from pushing down on the powder above the distribution hole, and influenceing how the powder fills the metering chamber as the level of the powder in the hopper changes as you use it, you can study some pictures of how these baffles are supposed to fit in the hoppers and what they look like and then instead of the little metal ones they sell you can simply make them out of stiff cardboard,,,that is exactly what I did and for many years now they have been working super and add a great deal of accuracy to my dumped charges,,,the other big tip is to develop a consistency to how you minpulate or use the measure,,,,the other tip is don't get to thinking that you can run right up to maximum type powder charges for your high powder top end type loads,,,this is very much NOT advisable,,,for top end right at maximum charges you need to weigh each and every one of them to insure no over charges,,,,powder dumps/measures are for loads that if a charge goes a few tenths heavy that the worst thing would be it doesn't fire accuratelly not that it could turn the gun into a pipe bomb or something like it,,,,anyhow that is my 2 cents do with it what you will and enjoy,,,take care all.
I suspect the chatter is due to the uneven grind of the powder. The kernels crunch more than the fine powders. Like you said, adjust the drum tension with different powders to get it somewhere between not leaking and not crunching (causing chattering)
jeremy67A - Not sure about that, Jeremy - as the semi-soft elastomer cut-off Lee uses in this powder measure prevents those kernel crunching problems that befall steel cut -- off measures. But one thing for sure, the second pass through the mouth flare / neck expand die causes no chatters or clicks... Have a great day, FC Steve
The expander plug in the die or dies is what is causing the jumping or chatter. It's not the powder measure. As the plug tries to enter the case it is super tight and as the spring pressure builds it jumps forward into the case. And also after it enters the case its super tight and builds spring pressure and jumps forward until it gets towards the bottom of the case. Some cases are not as tight. The expander plug seems to be the one that is too big. Plus when I measured it the expander plug is a little out of round concentric wise almost a thousandth.
GunFun ZS - It's an interesting phenomena...for whatever reason yet unexplained, switching out drums solves leakage problems. They all work the same otherwise... Best to the GunFun ZS - Have a great day, FC Steve
I get that "click" once in awhile in all three of my Auto-Drum measures. I've never had a throw more than .1 +/- (even with the click) in any of them except for 700x. even with stick powders. mine even throws 700x .2 +/- and for plinker .38 that's plenty good in my model 66.
Love mine. No issues. I would like a top fill hopper though. Mine came with a small bottle that you have to fill, put a lid on it, turn it upside down and put it on the charger. Pain in the ass.
I had a problem of chatting and inconsistent charges and I found the connecting arm going to the drum was flexing. I called Lee and they sent me a new arm .
It's good in a stationary press but useless on a Lee Turret press IMHO. So nice of Lee to stop production of their auto disc powder measure...........said no one in my reloading room. The chatter I believe is the case mouth, try to chamfer the mouth and see what happens.
Appreciate ll your videos, always entertaining and informative. I have been looking at purchasing this measure, and own both a lee turret press as well as the progressive pro. I like the idea of having a measure that would not only fit both, but be usable for both pistol and rifle without locking me in to only set charge weights like the auto disk does. I specifically was wondering how it would work with unique, and it looks like this will fit the bill very well. Thanks!
Faelwolf - Have tested it with Unique and works well with Unique. The measure can stand alone on either of your presses...a most impressive unit. Have a great day, FC Steve
FC - I'd like to get a couple of these but I'm curious about the claimed 'quick change' character of the drums. I suspect it ain't so quick. Lee brags on the ease of swapping cavities in the auto-disc, but when you close the hopper valve, there is a quantity of powder remaining between the hopper and the disc. I have been closing the valve, then using a spare case to run charges til that extra powder has been removed. I would suspect the only way to swap drums with powder in the hopper of the auto-drum would be about the same; cut it off, run the trapped portion of powder out with a spare case, then swap drums. Too bad they didn't include a drain channel.
I have one bad drum. I was loading W296 for the first time and it was raining W296 everywhere. I did everything I could think of, and eventually tried another drum and the leak stopped.
Based on this review I got a Lee Auto Drum instead of a dillon powder measure when setting up a calibre conversion for Dillon 650. I totally regret buying it. For the few dollars saved over buying a second Dillon powder measure, it really wasn't worth it.
Does your auto drum wiggle and shake when you throw a charge???? Just put a hose clamp around the bottom of the cast aluminum part and no more wiggle!!! Please share with your viewers, thanks.
I think I'm the first person to use the Lee auto drum in Australia. I'm loading rifle cartridges with stick powder and while the function is better than the perfect powder measure I cannot say that it's much more accurate with stick powder. I find that smaller rifle cases with finer powder are more accurate obviously. I don't think any powder measure can be accurate with course stick powder because you cannot control the way the powder falls. It's much better to use anyway a big leap in function still well worth the money.
Mine works well for most powders, but H110 gets in the taper between the measure and the drum, and acts like grit, creating uneven friction, and leaking through. The accuracy on h110 is abysmal. I was bad with that powder on the auto disk measure too. For now I'm just not using my H110.
Love your videos. But what size powder are you charging 20 some grains? I just attempted tite group with this auto drum on my Dillon at 4.3 and it leaked like crazy... accurate throws ya, but what a mess!
David Morgan - Eyeball the amount of metering stem threads showing to approximate the powder space you are looking at. Then throw a charge into a cartridge case, and dump the charge into a powder scale. Then adjust the metering stem accordingly until you get the charge you want. I've found that you need to dump about 10 - 15 charges go get the meter to drop consistent charges... Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
FortuneCookie45LC, I have the Lee LoadMaster what I have noticed that my Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure wobbles where it is connected to the Lee Riser. I have noticed this for some time. What I want to ask is there any way that I can make the powder measure stable where it won't move.. I have noticed that when I check my powder drops before I start dropping power that at times the powder drop is off by 0.2 grains. It's a good powder measure but I don't think it's built sturdy enough. What is your opinion about a Hornady Powder Measure.
@@oscarmeyer4338 I fixed that problem by purchasing a Hornady Powder. I got all the parts that went with it. It doesn't move or wobble. I think Lee could've put more thought in designing a better power measure. The Hornady powder is made of steel no plastic. I wouldn't buy another Lee Powder Measure.
Hi, What adapter do you use to have 2 riser powder connected? Saw your video were you say you like have 2 of them so you could hear the powder fall through. I can't find an male to female adapter to connect them both. Could you let me know we're you got yours? Thanks.
Yes it does. I use the drum with Titegroup to load .32ACP at 1.9 grains. I measure it to the hundredth with an electronic jewelers scale. After I tap the drum with the butt of a screwdriver a few times, and throw 8-10 test charges, it is accurate to +-.05 grain. I love it!
I don't get any leaks. The throws are good.. But the only problem I have is when I expand my 9mm brass. In order to get the full charge - I would have to screw in the die deeper which increases the mouth flare of my brass, which I want to avoid. If I back off to decrease the mouth flare, it will not fully change the powder. The lee instructions says to touch the shell holder and 1 back turn. But this is way too much for mouth flare. How can I adjust the drum for a full charge but not increasing the mouth flare?
Acey Castillo - Sounds like your actuator rod is a hair short. We don't have any practical ways of lengthening that rod. Since it is the 9mm, you will be doing a lot of reloading of that. Best to contact Lee on this problem and they might ship you out a replacement measure. Best to ya, FC Steve
FYI I've gone through three of these things, one of the old design and two of the 'new improved' design. The one thing they all have in common is they all suck. They throw accurate when everything is just right, but things never stay just right for long. They are OK on a single stage press, but put them on a lee progressive press and it starts a cascade of problems. Speaking of Lee progressive presses, they are junk too. If I had a dollar for every hour I've spent fucking around with this Lee crap over the last few years I'd have enough to buy a good Dillon 1050.
It's an "erosive" powder.The powder is described in older loading manuals and data books as being a double base powder containing about 15 1/2% nitro glycerine causing bore erosion in hi-velocity loads. Old powder for 30-06.
would 0,1 gr of difference in load show any problems with accuracy for pistol loads?? Or would it only be a difference in accuracy in for example +100 yards??
PE J - Yes, 1/10th grain variance would lead to a component of vertical stringing of groups...more pronounced at range as you indicate... Best to ya, FC
It's been my experience that repeatedly charging the same case during setup, will yield increasingly decreased weights. if charged the weighed. This of course is the neck being belled to the point it won't actuate the autodrum! I'm going nuts with my 10mm loading using the Blue Dot. Fluctuating as much as .45grain.
For me the lee stuff is hit and miss. I have the basic version of the lee powder drum. Extruded powder is fine in it. But fine ball powder I have to clean it after I use it. The ball powder gets caught up in it. The screw is a good tool. You can get a feel for it easily. Keep it tight enough that it moves freely but not to tight of course.
My powder measure is very accurate if i keep throwing charges without making any actual bullets. But once ive made 3 to 5 complete bullets (meaning ive ran the turret press through all 4 dies), the measure is completely off. From consistent 4.3 grains, it will move up to 4.9, or it will move down to 3.8. The screws are super tight. Anyone have any ideas on how i can fix this? Did i just get a lemon??
Better than apple pie? I dunno. Warm apple pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. All kidding aside-I'm going to replace my auto disc with this measure
Whyme123 - Of course, we are assuming that the measure is screwed all the way onto the Lee expander / powder through die. You might try another powder through die even in another caliber to see if the problem is across the board, if so the problem is in the measure. If not, might be your particular powder die... then a call to Lee is in order. This has been a very successful measure for Lee and they would want to provide tech support for it. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
bare with me brother I realize these questions may seem redundant to set the Bell or case Flare as it were the plastic piece pointed out just has to touch? Am I correct there?
Taurus/Hipoint Enthusiast - Yes, when the little black plastic part rises to the top of the housing at the stroke, the measure has gone to full stroke. But you do need to also check to see if the amount of bell is enough for a bullet to enter the case. Lee has done well to synchronize these two - the measure has enough leeway to allow for the correct mouth bell to be delivered to the case. However, we can overbell the case and that also over revs the powder measure - and neither of these is desired. Good reloadin' to ya, FC
Id love to be able to make more than 3 bullets without having to test and readjust. I can make bullets faster using the plastic dipper my dies came with.
I bought a lee auto drum and had no issues with it at all. For the price that they sell for you'd expect a lemon to come out occasionally. Well, I liked the first one so much that I bought a second one. Totally different experience. It leaked terribly. So I called lee and they gave me some suggestions to try to stop the leaking. Nothing helped so I sent it back to lee. I just got it back and ran 600 rounds through it yesterday and it worked perfectly. I was using titgroup. My point is if anyone experiences issues with their auto drum, send it back and lee will make it right.
My auto drum was all over the place when measuring HP-38/W231. It also leaked powder everywhere. Even with the knob cranked down. Sent it back to Lee. When it came back the drums looked they had been turned on a lathe. They went from very smooth when sent in to very rough when they came back. Lubed the drum with graphite powder, adjusted the throw charge and now it will throw charges at 3.5gn all day long and never leaks now. Thanks for the video.
g mc - Wow, rough drums was the fix - interesting... but please let me know if you get extra drums to see if they need to be rough also... Best to ya, FC
When I select a charge, I test the charge against 10 throws. Total charge over the 10 throws is consistently and highly accurate. The check of individual loads does vary about a .1 grain. Still highly accurate considering averages
I really like these. I have Lee Classic Turret with a turret for each caliber. I have a powder measure set up on each one so I don't have to mess with changing anything. I just sit down to load, put the turret that I am going to load on the press and go to town. I always check the throw o the first 3 and then at the 10 mark and it always comes out good. I have one with the hopper for 223 Rem, then one for each 9mm, 38 spl and 45acp. Same hopper for them as I use the same powder for all three.
The only time I had an issue when when I forgot to twist the hopper open. LOL.
BTW, I enjoy your videos. I like how you take the time to show what you are doing and explain it.
Watched all your videos with this Lee powder measure. You sold me on this powder measure. Thank you sir for all time you into your videos
Just got my first Auto Drum powder measure this past Christmas as a gift with my Lee Classic Turret Kit. I couldn't believe how well it worked and easy too adjust. Just leaks with fine powders like Accurate #9. But I love the simple operation over my RCBS uniflow. I watched your videos on it and I'm also getting more spare drums!
I have 3 Auto Drum powder measures. Each one is setup on a Lee 4-hole turret, along with the rest of the Lee 4-die set for 9mm, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. All three drop consistent charges within .1 gr. I use Unique, CFE Pistol, BE-86 and HP38/Win 231. CFE and BE are fine powders and I got some leakage at first. Then I tightened up the drum and the leaking went away. I really like the convenience of swapping a turret to change caliber. And I find the Auto Drum accurate and consistent. I cleaned the drum area with alcohol and wiped everything with a dryer sheet to kill static electricity. Yup, I'm a really happy reloader.
Thanks for all the great videos!
David Giannini - Thanks for posting your reviews on this powder measure. Your findings with the LADPM are akin to my own - and I have 3 of the rascals also - Next Midway order will be including repeat orders for more drums - set 'em for favorite loads and switch 'em out. Good reloadtin' to ya, FC
I have 4 of them and have been very impressed. Loaded 500 S&W 40 cals and was never able to get a charge more than 1/10 th off and most were dead on.
I got mine based on one of your reviews and a question that you answered, I use mine for loading .225/5.56 with BLC-2 with no leakage and very consistent throws on my Lee auto turret.
Lee is the underdog of reloading equipment, but it's really a great value and I love the product.
The impact that Lee has made in the shooting industry is immeasurable. Some of Lee’s Mega offerings include, but not limited to, 1) affordable carbide died 2) affordable 6 cavity bullet molds 3) the excellent Lee collet neck size rifle died 4) high value die sets for rifle and pistol 5) bringing reloaders into the world of shot shell reloading 6) integrated systems for cast bullets. 7) integrating powder handling with reloading dies. And it goes on and on. Best to ya John..!! Steve
After one year of dedicated use, I very impressed with it, compared to the auto disc. Thank you Sir. ( Lee LM, Winchester WST 4.9gn, 200gn X-tream RN, 45acp 850fts. ) As you said,, I did have to go through several drums before I found one that worked with the WST powder. And I had to remove the safety chain set up. That a lone was causing the biggest powder leaks with WST. I have checked it repeatedly with my Sartorius Lab scales and it stays with in 1/10 of the powder drop charge. Between 4.9 to 4.98 then it falls back down to 4.9 about every 6 to 7 cases. I have ran over 1/2 a pound of powder just to see how accurate it really is, and that's my findings. Put me on the very pleased list. Thanks again Cookie. {4 years Later} :)
I was reloading 223 cartridges. Since it was a Rifle I started using the Rifle Insert. I found out I HAD TO USE the PISTOL insert to be able to throw a 26.5 grain charge. After switching the inserts, I had no problems. The drums/inserts that leak, use a "valve grinding compound on the body and insert.
My Auto Drum works great. With Unique, No.5, No.2, No.7, H110, H335, W231/HP38, W748, and even 4831SC, no leaks and the weights vary no more than .05g! I had some issues with my Perfect Powder Measure, and trying different things, I discovered that tapping the measure when turning the crank is a No-no. Simply work the crank without shaking or tapping the mechanism, and it's far more consistent. However with the Auto Drum, I rarely use the Perfect measure. The Auto measure is fantastic!
Old, but I just fixed mine by removing the flaring insert and rounding and smoothing the flaring part with 200 grit abrasive cloth. It was making a pop when the insert entered the case. Now, it simply slides in and flares without a pop. The very end was the important part. It didn't take much at all.
Love that glass nautical magnifier on the bench . My sailor brother sent me one last year
A good video on my birthday.... Thanks mate
CT Bob - Happy Aussie Birthday to ya..!! Best returns on your special day... FC Steve
Contrary to my 2017 comment, my auto drum measure is now working fine with Unique powder. Trail Boss on the Pro 1000 is messy. I set up a single stage and ran the auto drum on that along with the the flaring die, and Unique and had a ball...no leaks. Haven't used the Trail Boss like that but will test it later. I am just happy to be able to load something that doesn't leak, and is uniform so that accurate charges are the norm.
I haven't given up on it yet, but I haven't played with it much recently either. I really want it to work well; maybe I need to rub some bacon on it. Thank you for the constant stream of great videos and information!
Good catch - I'll have to go look. Thanks!
It doesn't need to get any more complicated than the yellow plastic Lee powder measures for my reloading purposes. I've been using a Lee 3.7cc dipper of imr-3031 (~48.5 grains) under a 350 grain Hornady flat nose bullet for years and it's killed hogs, deer & 2 elk. I haven't seen the bottom of my freezer in years because it's always full of game. No electronics or mechanical gizmos to screw up with the dippers. I go with the simplest, cheapest way to get the job done.
bushed274 - Absolutely nothing wrong with the dippers. Lee gives us those in the dies sets for a good reason - they will work fine if we want to use them. Continued good shootin' and good huntin' to ya... FC Steve
From my experience, is that the clicks are caused by the shell casing not lining up with the expansion tube. This tube is hanging up on the edge of the brass. When enough pressure is applied it pushes past causing the click. I am using the Lee Turret Press and it seems like it doesn't line up exactly in the center of the die. I found that holding the brass and helping it line up fixes the problem.
I wish you were my neighbor FortuneCookie45.
I have the Lee too, I dismantle it and use a plastic automotive compound and polish all the internal parts. Works smoother,
...we've got the same old scale...bought mine 50 years ago while I was stationed in Germany with the army...
Molded plastic has a greater variance than cast metals. Processes vary and therefore results vary. I will own one soon. Have schemes to improve the final finish to enhance accuracy to full Lee potential. Thanks to the Patriots of America.
Your a very good teacher you are well appreciated thank you
The manual clearly states “note: slider drop tube should not make contact with top of slot ”! Right from the instructions!
I discovered that while you can use the adapter insert to drop pistol loads with the rifle size (large bore) drum, it is less consistent than using the pistol size drum. Likely because of the larger diameter bore size on the measuring 'cup?' For example, measuring Unique at 5.6gr, a converted rifle drum measures a .1g variance or so. Dropping the same load with actual pistol drum has about 1/2 as much and is very consistent.
Also, it measures more consistently if I rotate the turret around between drops. Likely vibration 'settles' powder.. Since I use autoindex to load pistol as semi-progressive, I get very consistent drops. Someone I know with single stage press tapes an electric toothbrush to vibrate the whole measure to accomplish same results.
.223 loads with ball powder are very consistent, even without rotating turret and using press as a single stage.
Didn't know Christopher Walkin was into reloading. Learn something new every day.
haveUSPwilltravel - You are about the 20th commenter to make that distinction...Thanks for your comments, and Have a great day... FC
I did graphite and then a hopper of powder to break mine in. Mine is constant, repeatable & accurate. I verify my beam scale with check weights to give myself peace of mind because it does not drift. The beam scale is a Dillon... it has large lettering for easy reading.
I also move mine from one toolhead to another. So it is being torn down for load changes and moved all the time. I don't do anything special. I just follow the directions.
Maybe because it gets adjusted and tightened up every couple hundred throws that make it work so good. I have a LEE Classic Cast turret press so 200 per hour is a good hour. That gives me 4 trips to the range for that gun/loading. I take a few different guns each time and practice with each. So I only shoot 50 thru a gun typically. So I am changing calibers & loads each time I sit down to reload.
My reloading bench is only 4+ feet long and supported on walls on 3 sides. So it is solid and does not move. I had read in many forums that a firmly mounted press makes most run better. So I wonder if rocking the measure causes issues ? The powder does have to drop from gravity so it could be effected I guess.
The inserts are the real selling point to me. I can set up a caliber and a powder charge quickly and then start loading. The $2-3 dollar price makes this possible.
LIVIN CINCY - I sure agree, and whereas other inserts cost 6 to 10X the drums, those drums of ours are rather spectacular. The LADPM also works well on the Lee 4 Hole Turret Press so it is moving around also - works well in that. Your bench sounds like Fort Knox... Best to ya, FC
It is an old house with an area for storing canned (mason jar) food. That is what I suspect. It is in a niche by the stairs going up to the kitchen. I added an Ikea desk top along wth a an 'L' made from 2x4 under the press.... Umm yeah, Fort Knox might approve. I just read over and over to make it sturdy so I did. My LADPM does not move up and down for sure !
LIVIN CINCY - Good reloadin' to ya with that setup..!! FC
...I've got that same scale...had it since I bought the Ammo Crafter Kit in Gernany 50byears ago!!!
Cookie, It's an extra step in the process, However, I have discovered just the same as you have, expanding the case before it goes through the powder flare and charging for that smooth operation. My process is to size and de-prime my cases, Then into the wet tumbler, after cleaning and drying I set up the Dillon 550 however instead of the sizing de-priming I use an RCBS flaring die and prime using the Machine as usual in the first station. I have the Auto Drum set up in place of the Dillon powder Masure and that throws the charge without a hick up. chatter or Pop.. The rest of the Machine is set up as I would always use it for production ammo. If you have a five station press you can omit the sizing and cleaning as a separate operation. Dave.
Thorsaxe777 - Yep, Dave - and sometimes I wished that I had gone with the Dillon 650 for that extra station when I got my second press...But the 650 came later, of course, and I was already running my 550 well. You already did the intuitive thing with that ADPM...now we share that info with all the newer ADPM users coming on line... Best to ya, Steve
So I am a new to reloading and got all Lee stuff. I used the auto drum with IMR 3031 will my 5.56. So what I found is if you try to move too fast it will not be accurate but if you move slow and a short pause with the drop it is very accurate.
That's pour time. It's inherent to all powder measures for cases with either large volume or a skinny little neck to funnel all the grains through. i.e. 30-06 or .223 Rem and stick powders.
I had a popping in the powder measure when mouth belling/charging 44 special with Lee dies. I found it was the belling cone in the die traveling inconsistently during the stroke. It measured .428 on entry in the brass and suddenly goes to .433 on the belling cone. This jump was causing the click in the powder measure at about an eighth inch throw of the charging cycle. I believe, in this case my belling cone is too large. I pulled the insert and cone was coated with brass, this was long before it was belled enough to accept the base of the .430 bullet. To check this I got a 45 LC shell and ran it up through the 44 belling die and the results were smooth powder measure operation with no clicking or other problems eliminating the measure as the click source. My belling cone is sticking and jumping when in use, this sticking is so bad I have to really slam the press lever down to release the brass from the die. Maybe I just got a defective die from Lee. All of this is just my personal observations.
Good info I will give it a try by running the cases through twice thanks Steve
Sending mine back tomorrow. Had it for a few weeks now, mine varies .5 to 1.0 gns up or down. My auto DISK works great.
enterprise59 - Wow, you got a bad one. That one is useless and deserves to be sent back... Have a great day, FC Steve
The problem with chatter may be the expanding die. The brass is chattering up the length of the expanding plug, on it's own may not be noticed.
However, as it attempts to operate the drum measure the chatter is amplified to notice.
Either polish the expander plug for smoother operation or as a test, maybe apply graphite to the inside mouth of the brass before expanding/ powder charging.
Just got this measure to run 300 bo. Set up with the small Powder Through die I noticed that the orifice is less than .22" ID. I noted that it would throw more inconsistent charges if I cycled too fast. If I left the ram at top and counted 2 seconds it would throw exactly 5.5 grains of Lil Gun every time. I think going too fast does not allow enough time for all the measured charge to pass through that .22" OD collar. Also had inconsistent charges when I first got my Autodisk. After it had a half pound of powder run through it started acting right. It's like the powder had to "smooth out" things. Still love my Autodisk, but it is not built for fine adjustments.
I love the auto drum,......very accurate for me!
johnwilliams40 - And continued good reloadin' to ya, johnwilliams40..!! FC Steve
Great video! I have found that setup, setup setup is the key to this powder measure! Make sure dies are correct, and a little fiddling with the drum if you have leaks works wonders. I use Titegroup and Power pistol and get steady drops all day long.
When I am not using the measure I keep a bounce sheet inside the powder holder, and coat the inside of the areas where powder drops with graphite.
Nice work FC, I think people look too hard at the accuracy of the powder throwers for general shooting. If you were going out to 1000 yards then that is a different ball game.
stop leaking by lapping with rubbing compound. works like a charm!
Rick fm - That's probably the reason switching out drums helps solve the leak also - we find the ones that fit well enough to avoid the fine grain powders from leaking...but your lapping would just make the drum fit better - would require disassembly of the measure though - if you could do a video on all that, it would be very helpful to see... Best to ya, FC
I've NEVER had any issues out of my Lee Auto Drum. Either Manually or Press Mounted. I load everything from 9mm, 40 S&W, and 10 MM all the way up to 243, 308, and 6.5 x 55 Swede. Also ... Flare separately if you are loading a case that requires it.
roostershooter76 - It is a very nice way to powder charge our cases. I do like my three, and you just reminded me that I want to get another set of 4 more drums... Have a great day, FC
I just spent several hours fighting with mine to get it to throw even. Finally I replaced the batteries in my scale and viola! My powder measure started being consistent. LOL.
One problem I do have is the part right at the bottom of the aluminum casting tilts with each charge. There is a little black knob with a weird washer on it that is a bit bent but the real problem is that the two tabs on the casting don't seem to be in far enough to hold the assembly in place. I hope that made sense. It seems to work anyway.
Ditto
Mine has been working fine. Not a large amount of usage and only with Trail Boss so far. :-)
Love my lee auto drum. I've notice it occasionally doesn't make a complete 4.2 grains of powder drop. Looking closer on the square black indicator. It doesn't completely cycle, going to the top when doing a powder drop. Though it does completely bottoms out going down & touching the pot metal housing frame. Added a shim (washer) between the neck extender & auto drum, so it would give me a hair more of a cycle. If they could only make that adjustable powder plastic piece clear. So you could see the powder dropping, that would be so nice!
Robert Fugate - That's a great idea..!! Lee should move on that one...Good reloadin' to ya with that LADPM... FC
...I bought one of those older, top loading hopper on E-bay...much better that the newer, bottom loading one...
This thing is great once it's dialed in correctly . I'm having issues with Hodgdon CFE powders and even called Lee customer service. They told me small flake powder will leak from these. Bad thing is I brought 4 lbs of it lol 233, pistol, and blck. The leak isn't extreme so I taped a sandwich baggy under the drum area to catch the powder.
get a new drum I use CFE in my 9MM with no leakage
Old video but I have to put ny 2 cents in,,,,I use 2 of the Auto drum measures and 2 of the auto disk measures as well I also have 2 of the Lee perfect powder measures, and they all do just fine as I see it,,,,,as far as the auto drum goes I use 1 of them on a left set up die holder block for my Lee pro 1000 press set up for loading 223 and one of them is left on my set up for the same press for loading 44 magnum,,,in the 223 I use H4895 and in 44 magnum I use Unique,,,,never had any problem with real good accuracy of the dumped charges they are never more than a tenth either side of perfect and that is plenty acceptable for informal target/practice loads,,,,,my 2 auto disk measures are used on the same left set up die blocks to use in the pro 1000 press and are 1 used to load 38 special using Unique powder and 1 for 9mm using Titegroup powder,,,and both of them work just perfectly fine,,,,the perfect powder measures are used randomly for many different powders as needed depending on what I'm loading at the moment and admitedly some powders work a bit better than others and yes you can get some powder leakage with certain fine grained powders, H110 and W296 are bad but even in my higher end Redding match grade 3BR measure as well as my RCBS little dandy that is supposed to be just for pistol measuring these powders can and do leak a bit at times,,,and using Alliant power pro 300 is really bad because that powder is soooooo freakin fine and effected by static but is great powder for performance so you learn to just live with that, anyhow in the nearly 30 years of using these and other powder measures I have learned so tricks that really help make any of them be at their best and the Lee's can be made to really do well even on the leak thing because of their taperd drum design,,,,one trick is to take them appart every time you change powders and throughly make them real clean then use some powdered graphite to "lube" ALL moving points especially where the drum and main body touch each other,,,this is ultra important because it lets you tighten the screw that holds the drum in a bit tighter before it binds therby controlling some or all of of the leakage (however this isn't a real major issue if you stay away from the finest grained powders), the other main important tip to get the best possible accuracy is to install a powder baffle into the hopper of the measure, I use them in all my measures because it keeps the heavy collum of powder from pushing down on the powder above the distribution hole, and influenceing how the powder fills the metering chamber as the level of the powder in the hopper changes as you use it, you can study some pictures of how these baffles are supposed to fit in the hoppers and what they look like and then instead of the little metal ones they sell you can simply make them out of stiff cardboard,,,that is exactly what I did and for many years now they have been working super and add a great deal of accuracy to my dumped charges,,,the other big tip is to develop a consistency to how you minpulate or use the measure,,,,the other tip is don't get to thinking that you can run right up to maximum type powder charges for your high powder top end type loads,,,this is very much NOT advisable,,,for top end right at maximum charges you need to weigh each and every one of them to insure no over charges,,,,powder dumps/measures are for loads that if a charge goes a few tenths heavy that the worst thing would be it doesn't fire accuratelly not that it could turn the gun into a pipe bomb or something like it,,,,anyhow that is my 2 cents do with it what you will and enjoy,,,take care all.
I suspect the chatter is due to the uneven grind of the powder. The kernels crunch more than the fine powders. Like you said, adjust the drum tension with different powders to get it somewhere between not leaking and not crunching (causing chattering)
jeremy67A - Not sure about that, Jeremy - as the semi-soft elastomer cut-off Lee uses in this powder measure prevents those kernel crunching problems that befall steel cut -- off measures. But one thing for sure, the second pass through the mouth flare / neck expand die causes no chatters or clicks... Have a great day, FC Steve
The expander plug in the die or dies is what is causing the jumping or chatter. It's not the powder measure. As the plug tries to enter the case it is super tight and as the spring pressure builds it jumps forward into the case. And also after it enters the case its super tight and builds spring pressure and jumps forward until it gets towards the bottom of the case. Some cases are not as tight. The expander plug seems to be the one that is too big. Plus when I measured it the expander plug is a little out of round concentric wise almost a thousandth.
Very nice job
treesablowin - Always great to get comments from treesablowin - Thanks for posting, much appreciated... FC
I get minor leaking with H110 and CFE BLK. it's good to know that I can get different results from different drums.
GunFun ZS - It's an interesting phenomena...for whatever reason yet unexplained, switching out drums solves leakage problems. They all work the same otherwise... Best to the GunFun ZS - Have a great day, FC Steve
I get that "click" once in awhile in all three of my Auto-Drum measures. I've never had a throw more than .1 +/- (even with the click) in any of them except for 700x. even with stick powders. mine even throws 700x .2 +/- and for plinker .38 that's plenty good in my model 66.
I use the 700X also and get about the same results.
Like always fortune cookie 45 you have good info to help reloaders to better them self’s with this hobbie thanks
Robert - Thanks to you for taking the time to post comment...much appreciated... Best to ya, FC Steve
Love mine. No issues. I would like a top fill hopper though. Mine came with a small bottle that you have to fill, put a lid on it, turn it upside down and put it on the charger. Pain in the ass.
the black arm between the drum oscillator and the bottom of the spring attachment toggles a bit .. check that for the end of the video
I have one of these and you can keep it. it is inacurate and leaks on all but the coarsest powders. I tried all the tricks and no luck.
I had a problem of chatting and inconsistent charges and I found the connecting arm going to the drum was flexing. I called Lee and they sent me a new arm .
It's good in a stationary press but useless on a Lee Turret press IMHO. So nice of Lee to stop production of their auto disc powder measure...........said no one in my reloading room. The chatter I believe is the case mouth, try to chamfer the mouth and see what happens.
Appreciate ll your videos, always entertaining and informative. I have been looking at purchasing this measure, and own both a lee turret press as well as the progressive pro. I like the idea of having a measure that would not only fit both, but be usable for both pistol and rifle without locking me in to only set charge weights like the auto disk does. I specifically was wondering how it would work with unique, and it looks like this will fit the bill very well. Thanks!
Faelwolf - Have tested it with Unique and works well with Unique. The measure can stand alone on either of your presses...a most impressive unit. Have a great day, FC Steve
Hey FC, can you show us how you store your powder drums and how you mark them with the different makes of powders and the powder charge ?
FC - I'd like to get a couple of these but I'm curious about the claimed 'quick change' character of the drums. I suspect it ain't so quick. Lee brags on the ease of swapping cavities in the auto-disc, but when you close the hopper valve, there is a quantity of powder remaining between the hopper and the disc. I have been closing the valve, then using a spare case to run charges til that extra powder has been removed. I would suspect the only way to swap drums with powder in the hopper of the auto-drum would be about the same; cut it off, run the trapped portion of powder out with a spare case, then swap drums. Too bad they didn't include a drain channel.
Damn thing dumps H335 all over my bench. Perhaps a step by step video showing how to get that smooth operation.
Thanks
I was under the impression that the "click" was intentional to make sure all the powder fell. ???
I have one bad drum. I was loading W296 for the first time and it was raining W296 everywhere. I did everything I could think of, and eventually tried another drum and the leak stopped.
Vincent Bozik - I've found that leaking drum to be very good for powders like Unique or Herco, though... Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
FortuneCookie45LC - that makes sense. I have 700x and blue dot that it might work fine with. Thanks for the suggestion.
How does it meter Titegroup? This will primarily be setup for 9mm on my turret.
Quick question, is the small primer feeder for small calibers such as 9mm and 223 and the large primer feeder for calibers such as 45acp and 7.62x39
Based on this review I got a Lee Auto Drum instead of a dillon powder measure when setting up a calibre conversion for Dillon 650. I totally regret buying it. For the few dollars saved over buying a second Dillon powder measure, it really wasn't worth it.
Does your auto drum wiggle and shake when you throw a charge???? Just put a hose clamp around the bottom of the cast aluminum part and no more wiggle!!! Please share with your viewers, thanks.
I think I'm the first person to use the Lee auto drum in Australia. I'm loading rifle cartridges with stick powder and while the function is better than the perfect powder measure I cannot say that it's much more accurate with stick powder. I find that smaller rifle cases with finer powder are more accurate obviously. I don't think any powder measure can be accurate with course stick powder because you cannot control the way the powder falls. It's much better to use anyway a big leap in function still well worth the money.
Mine works well for most powders, but H110 gets in the taper between the measure and the drum, and acts like grit, creating uneven friction, and leaking through. The accuracy on h110 is abysmal. I was bad with that powder on the auto disk measure too. For now I'm just not using my H110.
Still having problems with "FLAT BASE BULLETS" being inserted into FULL BODY RESIZING by RCBS die.
Love your videos. But what size powder are you charging 20 some grains? I just attempted tite group with this auto drum on my Dillon at 4.3 and it leaked like crazy... accurate throws ya, but what a mess!
NOT ONE VIDEI0 I HAVE WATHED SHOWED HOW TO SET THE POWDER GAUGE TO GET THE RIGHT CHARGE EVERY ONE SHOWS ABOUT THE SAME THING DESPERIT PLEASE HELP
David Morgan - Eyeball the amount of metering stem threads showing to approximate the powder space you are looking at. Then throw a charge into a cartridge case, and dump the charge into a powder scale. Then adjust the metering stem accordingly until you get the charge you want. I've found that you need to dump about 10 - 15 charges go get the meter to drop consistent charges... Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
So when loading my 9 mm with the lee auto drum . It very smooth. But when loading 223 it seem to hang up .
FortuneCookie45LC, I have the Lee LoadMaster what I have noticed that my Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure wobbles where it is connected to the Lee Riser. I have noticed this for some time. What I want to ask is there any way that I can make the powder measure stable where it won't move.. I have noticed that when I check my powder drops before I start dropping power that at times the powder drop is off by 0.2 grains. It's a good powder measure but I don't think it's built sturdy enough. What is your opinion about a Hornady Powder Measure.
I have the same problem, and my loader leaks.
I fixed the wobble by adding another spacer .050 thick. It took out the sloppy wobble, but it still leaks
@@oscarmeyer4338 I fixed that problem by purchasing a Hornady Powder. I got all the parts that went with it. It doesn't move or wobble. I think Lee could've put more thought in designing a better power measure. The Hornady powder is made of steel no plastic. I wouldn't buy another Lee Powder Measure.
how do you actually change the powder charge?
Hi,
What adapter do you use to have 2 riser powder connected? Saw your video were you say you like have 2 of them so you could hear the powder fall through. I can't find an male to female adapter to connect them both. Could you let me know we're you got yours? Thanks.
Hey FC, do you or anyone you know use the Auto Drum with the Dillon 550 progressive press?
I'd like to know if the drum can go as low as 2.9gr of titegroup consistently. Thank you so much.
Yes it does. I use the drum with Titegroup to load .32ACP at 1.9 grains. I measure it to the hundredth with an electronic jewelers scale. After I tap the drum with the butt of a screwdriver a few times, and throw 8-10 test charges, it is accurate to +-.05 grain. I love it!
i have no probs at 2gr chargers.bang on 2gr so far loaded 100 shells
My auto disk never leaks and is always very consistent. I never use my auto drum anymore.
How are you not resetting it between throws? I’ve not had your luck with it. Does using it on a turret affect it?
I don't get any leaks. The throws are good.. But the only problem I have is when I expand my 9mm brass. In order to get the full charge - I would have to screw in the die deeper which increases the mouth flare of my brass, which I want to avoid. If I back off to decrease the mouth flare, it will not fully change the powder. The lee instructions says to touch the shell holder and 1 back turn. But this is way too much for mouth flare. How can I adjust the drum for a full charge but not increasing the mouth flare?
Acey Castillo - Sounds like your actuator rod is a hair short. We don't have any practical ways of lengthening that rod. Since it is the 9mm, you will be doing a lot of reloading of that. Best to contact Lee on this problem and they might ship you out a replacement measure. Best to ya, FC Steve
FYI I've gone through three of these things, one of the old design and two of the 'new improved' design. The one thing they all have in common is they all suck. They throw accurate when everything is just right, but things never stay just right for long. They are OK on a single stage press, but put them on a lee progressive press and it starts a cascade of problems. Speaking of Lee progressive presses, they are junk too. If I had a dollar for every hour I've spent fucking around with this Lee crap over the last few years I'd have enough to buy a good Dillon 1050.
Dosent matter what power i use i will get a different number every time low 30.1 to 35.6
I don't mean to change the subject but I've got two cans of high vel number 2 powder and no loading data cuz I know it's Old Powder for like a 308
It's an "erosive" powder.The powder is described in older loading manuals and data books as being a double base powder containing about 15 1/2% nitro glycerine causing bore erosion in hi-velocity loads. Old powder for 30-06.
Thanks a bunch!!! I never thought about it and yes I get so much power wasted with H110!
Is it ok to leave powder in the hopper or the internals of the Auto drum? I have a lot to charge using either Unique and Win 231.
would 0,1 gr of difference in load show any problems with accuracy for pistol loads?? Or would it only be a difference in accuracy in for example +100 yards??
PE J - Yes, 1/10th grain variance would lead to a component of vertical stringing of groups...more pronounced at range as you indicate... Best to ya, FC
Cookie have you any experience using lilgun with the autodrum? I have one ive not used saving it for my 22 hornet????
It's been my experience that repeatedly charging the same case during setup, will yield increasingly decreased weights. if charged the weighed. This of course is the neck being belled to the point it won't actuate the autodrum! I'm going nuts with my 10mm loading using the Blue Dot. Fluctuating as much as .45grain.
Great video, I've had leaks with CFE pistol, I have coated the inside with graphite, any other solutions to prevent leaks? Thanks.
PhatJay yes you file on the two sides that rub on the opposite side of the nut to let the drum seat in further to seal better...
For me the lee stuff is hit and miss. I have the basic version of the lee powder drum. Extruded powder is fine in it. But fine ball powder I have to clean it after I use it. The ball powder gets caught up in it. The screw is a good tool. You can get a feel for it easily. Keep it tight enough that it moves freely but not to tight of course.
My powder measure is very accurate if i keep throwing charges without making any actual bullets. But once ive made 3 to 5 complete bullets (meaning ive ran the turret press through all 4 dies), the measure is completely off. From consistent 4.3 grains, it will move up to 4.9, or it will move down to 3.8. The screws are super tight. Anyone have any ideas on how i can fix this? Did i just get a lemon??
Trying coating all surfaces with graphite powder, helped me out with the same problem.
Better than apple pie? I dunno. Warm apple pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. All kidding aside-I'm going to replace my auto disc with this measure
i can not get full stroke as it will bell my 9mm cases too much when adjusted to do so. Any suggestions on how to fix this?
Whyme123 - Of course, we are assuming that the measure is screwed all the way onto the Lee expander / powder through die. You might try another powder through die even in another caliber to see if the problem is across the board, if so the problem is in the measure. If not, might be your particular powder die... then a call to Lee is in order. This has been a very successful measure for Lee and they would want to provide tech support for it. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
bare with me brother I realize these questions may seem redundant to set the Bell or case Flare as it were the plastic piece pointed out just has to touch? Am I correct there?
Taurus/Hipoint Enthusiast - Yes, when the little black plastic part rises to the top of the housing at the stroke, the measure has gone to full stroke. But you do need to also check to see if the amount of bell is enough for a bullet to enter the case. Lee has done well to synchronize these two - the measure has enough leeway to allow for the correct mouth bell to be delivered to the case. However, we can overbell the case and that also over revs the powder measure - and neither of these is desired. Good reloadin' to ya, FC
Pinion gear tooth is clearly bent.
Have Lee replace.
Id love to be able to make more than 3 bullets without having to test and readjust. I can make bullets faster using the plastic dipper my dies came with.