[WeeWilly]

Anyone here using the Lee auto disk powder measure?

I have one that i was reviewing the data on and have a question.

Loading 9mm with Unique and the chart that comes with it shouws that the .57 disk should be approximated 5.2 grains, but upon measuring the throw, the scale (lee scale) indicated 4.4 grains.

When i use the .61, should be around 5.6 but scale shows the throw at 4.8.

ive zered the scale many times so i'm confident in its accuracy, and realize the data fr the disk Lee provides are approximates, but does everyone else experience such a great variance?

The Lee data is very off with Unique, your scale is fine (at least with regard to what you are seeing). Many powders are just slightly under what the Lee chart shows for the cavity, some dead on (like W231/HP38) and one or two I loaded in the past, heavier than the chart said it would be for that cavity.

I used the auto disk with success for a lot of rounds, I preferred the round hopper over the square one (I think they call it the pro model). If you have this model (round hopper), make sure you screw down the Phillips screw that keeps it from closing on its own. I bumped my hopper once when it wasn't tightened and made a bunch of rounds that were under charged, stuck a bullet in the barrel, (very bad outcome, lots of pounding to get the jacketed bullet out of the barrel, then lots of pounding to pull the remaining bullets).

For a scale, I prefer a beam scale. Dillon sells a good one. I have an RCBS 1010, not sure they even make it any more, great scale. If you don't already have some, get a cheap set of RCBS check weights, always a good check.

Have fun.

 

[WeeWilly]

Really appreciate everyone's input on this.

I am kind of on a budget so my thinking is rather than investing in drum and a new scale, i'm going to put into nice scale now with check weights, and then do as schrag4 mentions, weigh and create my own table for the auto disks.

Then, maybe next year get a drum or something nicer like that Redding 3 Powder Measure.

Need to get new gun belt and holster for my new G19, gotta spread funds

I think your plan is sound.

I will say, other than being fussy to use, the Lee scale works perfectly well from an accuracy standpoint for handgun loading. If you buy the check weights first and spend a little time checking and rechecking (which you will be doing if you build your own table of cavity/weights), you may find the Lee scale works well enough, at least for the first few years.

On the other hand, a reliable and easy to use scale (they call them balances when you are spending crockett kind of money) makes everything seem, well, so easy.

 

[WeeWilly]

Willy, really struggling with this Lee scale. Having hard time same weight of one charge, just taking it off and putting it back on. Also the little lines to line up vernier style are killing my 53 year old eyes.

I understand. I played with it for quite a while and I will say, I did get to where I had confidence in the thing, but it was always a fussy arm wrestle. For $75, the Dillon Eliminator is really money well spent.

sciolist would say, "bah, its a bar tab!", I suspect a small one at that, even in Nampa...

I don't even want to post what crockett would say. It would only come out asterisks anyway.

 

[WeeWilly]

I'm trying to be moderate and keep my big mouth shut for a change. Doesn't come natural.

Bothers from a different mother..

 

[WeeWilly]

Just "won" a new RCBS 505 on Ebay for 54.91.

Anyone want to buy a Lee scale

Superb scale, it will do everything you need for as long as you reload.

 

[WeeWilly]

I just reloaded 100 rounds of 380 ammo with 3 grains of AA2 on the ProAutoDisk and each charge was 3 with an occasional +.1

Very funny. I loaded 500 380's this afternoon. I only measured the first and last rounds, all were loaded on my 550B.

It was 3.7gr of AA #2 under a PD 95 gr FMJ/FP, CCI SP primers. I love #2 for normal pressure 380 practice loads. These were for reliability testing (and break in) of my newish Kahr CT380 (and practice draw from the holster for a 3 shot Mozambique), and maybe also practice racking that tiny slide with a recoil spring worthy of a bank vault.

PS - to make this rambling post relevant to the thread, I have never seen an appreciable difference in consistency of drops between powder drops of various brands, unless they leak, etc. Drop consistency is all about the powder, powders like #2 meter like water, powders like 800X don't meter well in any drop.

If you come on and tell me your $250 xyz brand drop meters 800X within .1 gr drop to drop, I will tell you to spend a little more on a scale, because the one you have is on the fritz.

 

[WeeWilly]

one thing one thing I don't like about the auto disk, is for me it leaks out the sides a little bit where you're supposed to tighten down the screws. So far I like the auto drum

On all my Autodisk (both square hopper or round "Pro"), I had to sand down the support to close the gap between the disk and the drop to stop leakage. It is pretty simple to do and makes them pretty bullet proof. I guess the mold maker wanted too much to make tolerances a little tighter. Not a big deal though, for a tinkerer at heart.

 

[WeeWilly]

I did the same and it works great even with my AA #9 loads.

AA #9 being one of the acid tests.

 

[WeeWilly]

Guess I've been lucky - have had one for decades and the most recent one about a year. Neither leak but I tend to use more Unique and Green Dot than anything fine. The eleastomer wiper takes up a few thousandths so figured that was the primary reason.

Yes, the coarser powders always did fine. It was the dust fine stuff that could leak if I didn't adjust the tolerance.

I certainly don't want to make it out as a big deal or technical deal. Typically took about 2-3 minutes with a piece of fine sand paper laid flat on the bench. Back and forth, check, back and forth, done for good.