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Old January 18, 2007, 10:34 AM   #1
ECLIPSE45ACP
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autodisc powder measure by Lee

Couple questions guys.

1) Is the disc system reilable, and accurate for lower charges like 9mm
with a flake powder like Bullseye?
2) secondly, Has anyone had any issues with blank charges being dropped or static problems, and what was done to correct it?
3) Would a ball powder work better with this set up, or using a charge bar instead of the discs?

I am reloading 9mm, 45. ACP and 357 magnum on this setup.My concern is the 9mm being a lower charge, 45. not so much because it will be around 5.0 grains. Any advice would be appreciated.

Dan
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Old January 18, 2007, 10:42 AM   #2
Mike Irwin
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Most powder measures have some problems with disk powders -- the larger the flake, the worse the problem.

Unique was VERY spotty in both my Uniflow and my Lee measure. It's just something you'll have to experiment with.

I've found that Lee's charge bar doesn't measure as accurately with smaller powder charges as when using the disk, even with a ball powder like 231.

Mine is spotty with charges under about 4.5 to 5 grains of 231 -- below that I use the disk. Above 5 grains the charge bar is generally as accurate as the disks.
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Old January 18, 2007, 10:47 AM   #3
ECLIPSE45ACP
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thanks mike that helps. sounds like the discs will do the trick.
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Old January 18, 2007, 10:47 AM   #4
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I use an autodisk on my Dillon 550B for both .45 and 9mm. I use Unique, Clays, and WW231. The Lee measure works well for all of these powders but I can't address Bullseye since I've never used it. With the 231 the autodisk drops within a 0.1-0.2 grain variance which seems good enough. I like it better than the Dillon measure.
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Old January 18, 2007, 10:52 AM   #5
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my auto-disc hates fine powders. gets between the disc and hopper and jams the sliding action. ball-shaped powders work good. Hodgdon Li'lGun pistol/shotgun powder works great. so does BLC2 rifle powder
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:09 AM   #6
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seems 231 is pretty popular. that a good choice for 9mm, 45, 357 mag?
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:13 AM   #7
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231 is kinda fast burning so works better for 4" barrels or less. start with light loads and work up slow.
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:25 AM   #8
ECLIPSE45ACP
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what aliant powder besides bullseye would work good?

I have a kimber eclipse custom II .45
glock 17 9mm
colt 357 python

thanks
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:35 AM   #9
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unique works
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:39 AM   #10
hodaka
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I'll second a vote for Unique. It works well for all of the ones you have listed. I also additionally use it for .45LC, 9x18, .38's and some cast rifle loads.
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Old January 18, 2007, 11:49 AM   #11
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I use Bullseye, HS-6 and Titegroup for 9mm. All seem to meter well in my pro auto disk. Titegroup is my favorite so far for shooting.
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Old January 18, 2007, 12:14 PM   #12
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AA #5 is unreliable in the AutoDisk for weights under 8 grains or so. The flakes are just too big. Unique works well.
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Old January 18, 2007, 12:24 PM   #13
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I like lilgun for my .357 because it burns slow (for a pistol/shotgun powder) which works well in my 18" levergun
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Old January 18, 2007, 01:10 PM   #14
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45.
I bought the Pro Powder Disk. Works great.
I was having problems with Unique. In the old Auto disk. Erratic.
I also switched to Titegroup. Less smoke. Very happy. 4.4gn. Dead on every time. 9mm. 115 to 125gn. bullets.
Also .40 and .357.
Power Pistol is good also. Big white flash, though.
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Old January 18, 2007, 10:03 PM   #15
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Some time ago, I was having trouble with Unique and my Auto-Disk measure. Someone pointed out that the autodisk should not be used for small charges with large flake granules like Unique. The Lee literature says that charges of 4.0 grains or less will be erratic with such powders.
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Old January 19, 2007, 07:35 AM   #16
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ECLIPSE45ACP,
Let me start by saying that Bullseye is not a flake powder, it's a ball powder and with the Lee setup you shouldn't be having a problem metering it. If you think it could be a static problem, you could try wiping the inside of the hopper with a dryer sheet then a dry paper towel. If it is indeed static, that will eliminate it. I too use a Lee setup and reload the same calibers as you 9, 357, 45acp, and I also load .40S&W and 30/30. If you have trouble metering flake powder like Unique and 231 you may have a bridging problem. Tons of other reloaders including myself have had that problem using Lee powder measures both auto disk and charge bar and a lot of us fixed it by installing an RCBS baffle in the hopper. You can get it from www.Midwayusa.com for about 7 bucks. Just bend it a little ( to open it up ) and she will fit like a glove. Doing this completely solved my problem metering flake powder. Hope this helps.
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Old January 19, 2007, 07:50 AM   #17
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I used unique with my lee auto disc loading .357 but had to assist the sliding action with my hand due to flakes jamming the disc. use ball shaped powders, or short extruded rods for rifle loads
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Old January 19, 2007, 05:47 PM   #18
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This thread was done before.There is a lot of good info in it.I hope this helps




http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...powder+measure
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Old January 19, 2007, 06:51 PM   #19
hodaka
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Unique

You guys got me wondering so I just did a little experiment. I ran a case under a Unique charged Lee Prodisk. 20 times total with 4.4grs 19 times and one at 4.5.
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Old January 19, 2007, 11:53 PM   #20
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I've heard that the new Unique, since Alliant took over and reformulated many of the powders, measures far more accurately.

Back in the early 1990s when I was with American Rifleman I decided to load up a bunch of .32 S&W Long using Unique.

I quit after three things became apparent...

1. Charge weights were varying by as much as 50% through my RCBS Uniflow.

2. The loading data was old (Speer No. 2, IIRC), and the velocities I was getting were FAR higher than what was shown in the book for that powder charge.

3. The powder was absolutely filthy.

That pretty much sealed Unique's fate for me as far as I was concerned.

The only reason I had snagged the Unique out of the loading locker was because it was useful for .32 Long. I was already wedded to Red Dot for my shotgun field loads and 231 for my general handgun loads, so no need to change there, and 231 was a LOT cleaner.
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Old January 20, 2007, 07:02 AM   #21
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Quote:
If you think it could be a static problem, you could try wiping the inside of the hopper with a dryer sheet
Ditto - it works 100%. Wipe it around all the plastic pieces and your static powder cling problem will be a thing of the past...
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Old January 20, 2007, 10:30 AM   #22
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Quote:
AA #5 is unreliable in the AutoDisk for weights under 8 grains or so. The flakes are just too big. Unique works well.
AA#5 doesn't have flakes; it's a fine ball powder. Works great for me.
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