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Old April 17, 2001, 01:41 PM   #1
Steve Smith
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I'v gotten a friend interested in reloading, but he doesn't want to spend much...how's that Perfect Powder measure?
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Old April 17, 2001, 02:14 PM   #2
JNewhouse
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Perfect measure

My opinion is that it is a very good measure. It throws about as consistently as you can pull the handle.
Two things that you need to keep in mind: Small grainy powders like to leak out past the seal in the handle. And, you will really have to wrench on it to break it. You can adjust the tension for the pull. (I was worried the first time I pulled the handle and the whole measure bent over)
There have been some posts previously on how to deal with the leaking problem.
I have thrown a couple of thousand charges with mine. Once I get in that groove when I am all set up and loading, I pull the handle down pretty firmly and have no problems.
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Old April 17, 2001, 04:43 PM   #3
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The Lee Perfect Measure is basically an excellent design made from the wrong materials. I had especially liked the adjustable and graduated in CC's stem on the rotor/drum.

Alas, got tired of fiddling with the rotor drum tightness and leaking powder. Sent it back.

Now if they made the housing/drum out of aluminum, they would have something there.

FWIW

Regards
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Old April 17, 2001, 05:15 PM   #4
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I own a Harrell Premium measure, an RCBS Uniflow with bottle adapter, micrometer and drop tube (for sale or trade in the classifieds), and two Lee perfects. I use the Lees (one likes to leak ball powder, one doesn't) when I'm loading monster charges, or when I'm loading long stick powder. The Lee measures the long sticks better than any other measure I've tried.

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Old April 17, 2001, 10:47 PM   #5
Steve Smith
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Sounds like typical Lee quality to me. I'll not recommend that measure to him...thanks.
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Old April 17, 2001, 11:22 PM   #6
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You might consider the Lee Auto Disk Powder measure. It is very accurate with W231 and TiteGroup. I use mine attached to the expander die and charge my cases when I expand. I use the Lee Auto Index Turret press.

My friend had the perfect powder measure and uses it for shot gun reloads and had good success
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Old April 18, 2001, 10:24 AM   #7
Mike Irwin
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Steve,

I HIGHLY recommend the Lee Autodisk.

I've been using one for the past 7 years, and I am EXTREMELY pleased with it.
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Old April 18, 2001, 11:17 AM   #8
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I have used the auto disk system since it came out. It is a very good system to charge pistol shells with. If you need more capacity they make a double disk adaptor. I also use RCBS and lee powder measures for Rifles. If you are just getting into reloading it is hard to beat the lee. The lee also comes with the stand to mount it. Every product has its limitations, my RCBS sucks for dropping powder into .243 cases. The funnel jams.
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Old April 18, 2001, 02:12 PM   #9
ahenry
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I am still a pretty new reloader, but I have the perfect powder measure and I have to say it is great. I also have a scale (to .001 of a grain) and I have yet to have a load that I drop from the powder measure that weighs out more or less than .001 of what I set it at. I would certainly recomend it.
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Old April 18, 2001, 07:35 PM   #10
Steve Smith
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No, the Auto Disk is right out...even with the "Pro" upgrade, it bites major buttock.
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Old April 18, 2001, 08:18 PM   #11
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Steve,

Please explain. A nebulous comment like that really doensn't further the decision making process.

Here's why I do like the Lee Auto Disk:

1. The price is right.

2. EXTREME repeatability with ball powders. I once threw and weighed several dozen charges of 231 in a row. I got bored after the first 40 or so had absolutely NO variation that would show up on my RCBS scale.

3. Very easy and quick disk changes.

4. Ability to watch the top of the disk and see that the powder is dumping into the case.

5. Shut off the powder flow by twisting the hopper. That makes it very easy to make a disk change without having to empty the hopper and without spilling powder all over the place.

6. The price is right (needs to be said again, one of Lee's best values, IMHO).

7. Can easily be converted for use on top of the die or for use on a stand.

8. The "elastomeric wiper" prevents grain cutting when using extruded powders.

9. The disk can be replaced with an adjustable charge bar for when you want an "in between" measure.


Ok, those are the good things that come to mind immediately.

The drawbacks?

1. It doesn't handle flake powders all that well, but few measures really do.

2. Operation can be kind of rough with extruded powders, but that's true of just about any scale.

3. Doesn't easily handle larger charges required for some rifle rounds.

Those are really the big drawbacks that I can think of off of the top of my head.

I like my Lee Auto Disk so much that my RCBS Uniflow hasn't been out of its box in over 3 years.
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Old April 18, 2001, 08:26 PM   #12
WalterGAII
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I'll let you guys in on a little secret about the Pro Auto Disk. I telephoned Lee and asked whoever answered the phone why you couldn't double-stack adjustable charge bars. They didn't have a real good answer, except that they wouldn't fit. I spent about five minutes, filing the backs of the legs off of one of the adjustable bars, and it fits atop an unmodified adjustable charge bar, using the double disk kit. Just be sure and use a larger setting on the lower charge bar, and you'll have no problems and will be able to drop some pretty large loads.
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Old April 23, 2001, 02:02 PM   #13
stuckatwork
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WalterGAII,

I am confused....which adjustable charge bars are you refering to? I have a Auto Disk Pro and am not sure what you are talking about. Also, if you are refering to the charge bars like the ones used ina Dillon, how do you get it to actuate?

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Old April 23, 2001, 07:55 PM   #14
Troy
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http://www.leeprecision.com/catalog/...8=powhan1.html

You can see it in the bottom right-hand corner of the pic (it's the rectangular black thing). It replaces the disc in the Auto-Disk measure.

-Troy

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Old April 24, 2001, 12:06 AM   #15
Mike Irwin
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I've got one of the adjustable charge bars, but I don't like it very much. I find that the charges it throws aren't nearly as consistent in weight as charges thrown using the disks.
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Old April 24, 2001, 11:16 AM   #16
Steve Smith
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Mike, sorry I haven't gotten back...I didn't realize this thread was still going. I really hated my Pro- auto disk. It would not thouw an accurate charge (+ or - .4 grains wa TYPICAL) and just plain felt cheap. The "pro" upgrade is certainly better than the "You have two charges to choose from" method, but the system itself is cheap, and IMHO, an accident waiting to happen. The measure is a far cry from a Lyman or RCBS powder measure. My friend can find one of those used for a decent price. To be fair, I'll show him the Lee setup, and tell him that others have been very pleased...however, I'll also tell him that I was not.
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Old April 24, 2001, 05:08 PM   #17
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Part of it also depends on what kind of powder you're using - Unique doesn't measure anywhere near as well as bullseye, and neither of 'em do anywhere near winchester ball powders...

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Old April 24, 2001, 07:44 PM   #18
Mike Irwin
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Steve,

I'd say you were probably trying to use a large flake-type powder. No, the Lees don't do a very good job with those types of powders, but quite frankly my Uniflo doesn't do all that good a job with them, either.

With Winchester ball powders, though, my Lee is actually MORE accurate than my Uniflo.

After loading probably close to 15,000 rounds with my Lee, I'll agree that it looks and feels cheap, but that in this that is truly not indicative of performance.

I'm not certain why you say that it's an accident waiting to happen; I'd say the Lee is no more or less an accident waiting to happen than any other measure in the hands of an unexperience or inattentive user.

Another good example of looks cheap, feels cheap, but in reality is an EXCEPTIONAL value is the Lee Auto Prime.

Ok, so we've discussed Lee's looking cheap, but actually working well.

Now let's flip it around...

The Lee "Safety" Scale.

The first time I tried using one of these I was absolutely HORRIFIED at how easily it could be nudged off of its intended settings.

There is NO WAY IN HELL that I would ever depend on a Lee Safety Scale for reloading.
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Old April 25, 2001, 12:16 AM   #19
Steve Smith
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Mike, I was using it with W231, which ought to meter fine, IMHO. Accident waiting to happen--a short load. It just did not seem reliable enough to trust.

You an I get along on a lot of other issues, I don't want to start an argument. I personally didn't like it, but as I said, I'll let the guy know that others REALLY like it.

Lee safety scale, huh? Well, my "scary scale" was the RCBS RC-130. Talk about scary! That thing will change zero if you look at it cross-eyed! It didn't take me long to locate an Ohaus M5 (30 year old predecessor to the RCBS 1010) that I'm in love with. The darn thing is accurate and reliable.
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Old April 25, 2001, 05:19 AM   #20
Hal
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My Lee Perfect is perfect for Unique and 2400, which happen to be my mainstays. It sucks using Bullseye, 231, AA#5 and Universal Clays.(see above about leaking).
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Old April 25, 2001, 09:51 AM   #21
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Steve,

No arguments at all. Just trying to get to the basis of your experience and compare it with my experience.

You were using 231? I'm shocked, actually.

I've run nearly 8 pounds of 231 and 296 through my Auto Disk, and it is unbelievably BORING as to how regular the charges are.

Whenever I put more powder in the hopper, I cycle the press (I have the measure mounted on a Lee indexing turret press, no great shakes, but it's what I've got, and it works) about a dozen times, thumping it good, to get the powder column packed to a uniform density.

After that, I'll normally weigh 5 charges.

I've never had more than a .1 variation in charge weight, and it's normally a LOT less than that (as evidenced by the position of the pointer in reference to the zero line).

Then I start loading. I'll weigh every 5th charge, and if I don't see any variation (which I never have), I'll kick that back to every 10th charge.

I've gone hundreds of rounds in a single extended loading session in which I've had virtually no variation in powder charge weight as thrown by my Auto Disk.

Maybe I got one of the really good ones that was made on a Wednesday, but I think the thing kicks superior butt.
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Old April 25, 2001, 12:44 PM   #22
Steve Smith
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Maybe I jsut got one that sucks. Always possible. Of couse, my Pro (slow) 1000 was the Lee norm...it really sucked, as do most that I hear about.
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Old April 25, 2001, 04:15 PM   #23
Mike Irwin
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I won't disagree with you about the Lee Pro. I've not heard of a single person who has been really happy with one.

I'm only moderately happy with my Lee Turret Press.

I'm going to replace it with a Dillon or Hornady one of these days, I just haven't gotten around to spending the money yet.
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Old April 25, 2001, 11:41 PM   #24
Steve Smith
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Mike, do it as soon as you can. When I started on a Lee, I thought, "Man, reloading shouldn't be this hard!" Then I bought the Dillon. Now I can't wait to load mroe ammo!
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