Powder measure glitch

[Roland Thunder]

Is there any kind of accessory for a Lee turret press that will warn you if no powder is dispensed by the powder measure. I was loading some 9mm last night when I suddenly noticed that the powder measure was intermittently not dispensing powder. I had to break the rounds I had loaded and re-worked them.

I believe Dillon offers an accessory like this or, at least, someone I know claims to have one for his Dillon. I have heard of people attaching a mirror to the press so they can see the powder in the case. I have also found that standing up while loading enables me to see the powder in each round.

[dickttx]

Yep--It is called EYES. I look at ever charge my Pro Auto Disk throws for 9mm and .45 ACP. All you have to do is position yourself so that you can barely see the powder when it is dropped. Then if it is not seen it is possibly light. If you see too much of it it is possibly long.
EVERY time I have weighed one that was an outlier, it was actually right on the money.
You may not have your system set up correctly, as there is really no way for the PAD to not throw a charge if the die is set correctly and you do a full stroke of the lever.

[The Lovemaster]

Check out the Hornady Powder Cop die, if you have an open station, that is.

[chris in va]

What powder are you using? Unique has really huge flakes that can jam up a measure.

I won't use a measure, much as I'd love to. Dippers and triple checking are my safeguard.

[mumbo719]

Remove factory crimp die, move seat/crimp die to station 4, install RCBS Lockout Die in station 3.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/14061

[hk33ka1]

What calibre are you loading, and what type of powder are you using. Some powders do no flow well through some or all measures.


The turret doesnt move that quick so I recommend using a light and looking into every case before you put a bullet in it. You might find a small LED flex light you can tape to the press, a hand held light or the overhead light in your room.

1. Sized/deprime/Prime
2. Flare/charge powder
3. CHECK POWDER VISUALLY/Seat bullet
4. Crimp

[Jim243]

I use one for 223 but for 9mm I do visual check on each case.

Jim

[Don P]

Not bad only 2 of 8 posts bashing the equipment so far. Couldn't be powder or operator error.

[excelerater]

What powder?


I use a LEE AutoDisc and IMO its the best thing they mfg
nothing could be easier ,slap in a disc and by the second pull its ready to load all day long...I use it in place of my Dillon hopper even

But it can be picky and most of the accys or add on gadgets for me a failure
(double disc kit,charge bar)so I leave it alone...No issues for me with
Bullseye,PowerPistol,LongShot,Universal,Unique and a few more

[dickttx]

This is a comment and my reply on another forum:

"I've used Lee powder measures and scales and find them to be junk."

Yep, pretty bad.
Went down to reload some 9mm this afternoon. Seldom do it, but had left HP38 in the powder measure yesterday evening because I had just refilled my 1# jar from an 8# jug and couldn't get what was in my measure into the jar.
I checked the level on my scale and set it to 4.5gn. Sized, primed, and dropped a powder charge from the hopper that had been sitting overnight. Exactly 4.5gn. Also weighed #2, #3, #10, #20, #40, #60, #80, and #100.
All were exactly 4.5gn, from the #43 disk.
Unscrewed the powder measure from the 9mm turret, screwed it in the .45 ACP turret, changed to disk #49 (original powder from yesterday still in the hopper), sized and primed a .45 case, dropped the powder charge and it weighed 5.0gn. Exactly what it always does with disk #49.
Can't figure out why that cheap piece of junk won't not work!

Couldn't get it to not work again today. Loaded 100 45 ACP. #1, #2, #3, #10, #20, #40, #60, #80, #100 were all spot on 5.0gn from the #49 disk.
Changed to different PAD (the one I use Unique in) installed in .41 Mag. with #102 disk. 8.0gn Unique 50 out of 50.

[Roland Thunder]

Not bad only 2 of 8 posts bashing the equipment so far. Couldn't be powder or operator error.

I actually think it is the equipment. It turns out this is caused by the lever that slides the disc over the opening that the powder drops through sticking on occasion and does not move the disc. I actually saw it doing (or rather not doing) this once I started watching it closely. I have never had this happen until a few days ago. I'm wondering if the spring that pulls the lever that slides the disc needs a little lubrication, it looks really dry.

I am using 231

[dickttx]

Every time I take the reservoir off I puff powdered graphite on the base and on the top of the disk. This keeps the disk sliding freely.

[excelerater]

LOL dickttx........

I would much rather drop a disc and and RELOAD than turn knobs and do weight pulls for 20 mins till it lands on my load weight.......something many
folks cant get past is the disc plain works...and is repeatable...I have a 550B
and the dillon hopper is in the carton used once......I wish all hoppers were
repeatable like a LEE ...My time is important to me and dropping in a disc
and getting the load ON in 2 pulls is always appreciated .......

Now I can say im in love with other LEE products but we all have to start somewhere

[dickttx]

Actually, I started about 1968, with $10 Lee loader, then Lyman All American turret, then C-H Champion (which I still have.) Had an Ohaus Duo-Measure powder dispenser (very good then), RCBS and Lyman dies. All very good equipment. Also had some of the Lee tools like camfering tool and hand primer (one at a time.) Then life intervened for about 40 years.
Got all the old equipment out about a year and a half ago and started loading just handgun. It was very slow, particularly for 9mm and 45 ACP. Started looking for something else. I had to ask, on a forum, how the Lee Classic Turret worked. Completely foreign to me, but finally decided to try it. I have ended up with the LCT, 5 turrets with die sets, the safety prime, and two Pro Auto Disks (one for HP38 and one for Unique.)
I am not mechanically inclined at all, but, having been a self-employed CPA for nearly 50 years, I am used to reading and following instructions.
Didn't really take long, starting from zero, to start turning out very good, accurate loads.
I shoot at a membership range about four days a week. I can easily keep up with what I shoot. I try to maintain about 800 rounds of 9mm, 600 rounds of 45 ACB, 200 rounds of 45 Colt, and lesser amounts of 357 mag and 41 mag. I try to reload what I shoot as I go along, but, I can shoot for quite a while from my stock. Summer time is pretty hot where I load.
I am amazed at the Dillon and Hornady progressives, but I would soon be swamped with loaded ammo if I had one of those!
I can't really say that I have ever gotten a bad piece of equipment from any company. If it didn't work it has always because I had the wrong expectations or insufficient knowledge.

[noylj]

If you don't look in the charged case, you aren't going to look at the powder cop die.
You need an RCBS Lock-Out die, but you may not have an extra station for it.
You can even mount an Internet camera and a light to shine in the case and use a computer and monitor to view the charged case.

[Don P]

"I've used Lee powder measures and scales and find them to be junk."

Yep, pretty bad.
Went down to reload some 9mm this afternoon. Seldom do it, but had left HP38 in the powder measure yesterday evening because I had just refilled my 1# jar from an 8# jug and couldn't get what was in my measure into the jar.
I checked the level on my scale and set it to 4.5gn. Sized, primed, and dropped a powder charge from the hopper that had been sitting overnight. Exactly 4.5gn. Also weighed #2, #3, #10, #20, #40, #60, #80, and #100.
All were exactly 4.5gn, from the #43 disk.
Unscrewed the powder measure from the 9mm turret, screwed it in the .45 ACP turret, changed to disk #49 (original powder from yesterday still in the hopper), sized and primed a .45 case, dropped the powder charge and it weighed 5.0gn. Exactly what it always does with disk #49.
Can't figure out why that cheap piece of junk won't not work!

Its been my point all along, Name on the product and it doesn't cost as much as the competitors does so therefore its JUNK

[wingman]

Many folks rate products and there own personal value on how much they spend for a product.


I have a goose neck led light clamped to my turret press watch each powder drop, I've learned over a 40 year period that quality reloads are the responsibility of the operator not equipment, concentration makes good reloads.

[OkieGentleman]

I saw this on E-Bay the other day. Worth a look I think.
Right clip the address, the click Open in New Tab, if you are using Windows Internet Explorer you will open an new tab without losing your place in the forum.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-RELOADIN...item20bfabb9dd

[1SOW]

I actually think it is the equipment. It turns out this is caused by the lever that slides the disc over the opening that the powder drops through sticking on occasion and does not move the disc. I actually saw it doing (or rather not doing) this once I started watching it closely. I have never had this happen until a few days ago. I'm wondering if the spring that pulls the lever that slides the disc needs a little lubrication, it looks really dry.

"until a few days ago": Did you change the disk? Sounds like you didn't get the disk drive pin 'in the disk slot'. Recheck that the disk is on correctly. With the hopper off, you shouldn't be able to move the disk by hand if the drive pin is in the disk slot on the left side of the disk.

Get a small LED light and mount it on the turret post to shine into the empty case when the ram is down. EVERY round loaded, check for powder in the case before inserting the bullet for seating.

One option---there are many:
http://www.brightguy.com/products/St...Flashlight.php

Hope this helps.

[dickttx]

Or this one (2)

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece...ght-95414.html

[1SOW]

diskttx: They didn't have that back when I got mine. That really looks like a good deal. I modified my present light to work off of a small computer power supply 5vdc terminal. Just plug it in--NO BATTERIES.

[lockinload]

Or this one

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466073

[OkieGentleman]

Lockinload I think that is what is now on E-Bay for sale. Could be wrong but it looks like it.

Also doesn't RCBS make a powder charge checker die that you put into the first station after the powder charge is dropped. It is supposed to "jam" if the charge is incorrect and that stops you from advancing the case if the charge is not correct? I did not see anyone mention that item in this thread. Or did I miss it?

Also I bought a flexible strip of 6 LEDs for a total of less than $4 including shipping off of E-Bay last night to make my own light strip out of. I will use one of the plug in power supplies I have laying around. NEVER throw anything away that is less than 5 years old, after that out she goes, then I can buy a new one when I need it.