Beginner on 9mm and Lee Classic Turret

[Navistar]

I am loading once fired brass with Win231 and Berry's plated. I am loading with the Lee Classic Turret.

When I use the .43 auto disk it gives me a consistent 4.2-4.3 grains and when i go one size up it gives me 4.9-5.0 grains. I want 4.5-4.6 grains. Is there anyway to tweak the pro auto-disk?

[the led farmer]

The auto disks can be a bit finicky, consistency is the key, up and down in the same smooth motion while rotating the turret through all four stations EVERY time and keeping the powder hopper at a consistent level (I use a piece of printer paper rolled into a funnel as a baffle) will help throw consistent charges.

If you are already doing this then easiest solution is the adjustable charge bar:

http://leeprecision.com/adj-charge-bar.html

If you are into self modifications you can make your own

[Navistar]

I could probably do something up like that.

I just loaded up my first 35 rounds and they all fit in a 9mm barrel no problem. Seems there would be no reason to crimp range ammo?

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by Navistar

I could probably do something up like that

In all honesty the adjustable charge bar is the way to go, but the screw method works

Just enough crimp to remove the bell from flaring works for me. If you have to crimp to hold the bullet in place your doing it wrong

[serf 'rett]

Seems there would be no reason to crimp range ammo?

If you expanded the case mouth, you should remove the expansion (maybe minus 0.001 inch at the case mouth). Don't overdo the crimp or you could cut through the thin plating.

I generally seat and crimp in two separate steps due to my OCD.

[lee n. field]

When I use the .43 auto disk it gives me a consistent 4.2-4.3 grains and when i go one size up it gives me 4.9-5.0 grains. I want 4.5-4.6 grains. Is there anyway to tweak the pro auto-disk?

Lee makes an adjustable charge bar. Interwebz hearsay (YMMV) and personal experience tells me these can be hard to get to work right.

If you check ebay, you can find undrilled Auto Disk disks. You customize them, by drilling the size hole that meters out the charge you want.

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by lee n. field

... You customize them, by drilling the size hole that meters out the charge you want.

Another viable option, the only issue with this is if you ream the hole too large (giggity!) you are back to square one so go easy and test often

[Navistar]

my first 35 rounds did well. only one fte. thanks guys

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by Navistar

my first 35 rounds did well. only one fte. thanks guys

Was the fte due to undercharged or technique (limp wrist)?

If it was not technique I prefer to move up the powder charge, if there was one there will be others. Food for thought anyway.

BTW is this your first experience with the LCT press? How do you like it?

[lee n. field]

Another viable option, the only issue with this is if you ream the hole too large (giggity!) you are back to square one so go easy and test often

The ones I see, have all six positions available for customization. Screw one up, go to the next.

[Navistar]

The led farmer, I have never had a fte after 2000 rounds of factory ammo with this pistol. Unless my scale is wrong, that round had 4.5 to 4.6 grains of win231. Should I seat bullet a little tighter? Oal was 1.152

[Navistar]

I also did not crimp but had no ftf. I didn't need to flare much

[the led farmer]

whats your reference say for oal? i'd stick to that and adjust the powder charge, personally.

the only reason i pointed it out is it sucks to crank out a bunch of ammo only to find out it's on the lighter side of things and doesn't operate the gun properly, making ammo is , tearing it down is

[hartcreek]

Navistar.....You ask us questions but you only give us part of you load info.....no bullet weight..... Different gun maufacturers use different OALs those rounds that you loaded would not work in new Walthers as they require 1.12.

[ddc]

those rounds that you loaded would not work in new Walthers as they require 1.12

Off topic a bit: Interesting, I've heard similar wrt Walther OAL limitation. However I'm puzzled because I'm loading MG 124 CMJ to around 1.140-1.145 for my HK P30L and BHP and they work just fine in my wife's PPQ.

On topic: I also load using the LCT. I have not been happy with the adjustable charge bar. I've tried it on several occasions with terrible results. My solution for when I want a load in between what the standard LEE disk provides was to buy several extra disks and drill out a smaller hole until I got what I wanted.

As noted you have to go slow and I found that you after drilling you need to run a goodly number of charges through it before the reading stabilizes.

It is also necessary to run the LCT through it's full circular cycle every time you throw a charge. Otherwise your charges will be a little short of what they would otherwise be. (i.e. don't take out the index rod and just leave the powder measure in the loading index position drop after drop)

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by ddc

On topic: I also load using the LCT. I have not been happy with the adjustable charge bar. I've tried it on several occasions with terrible results.

Out of curiosity what charge and what powder did you use? I have found with the the charge bar the larger the charge (hence a bigger hole in the charge bar) the better it throws.

Also touchy with flake powders (but that seems to be a universal statement with volumetric powder handling)

[PA-Joe]

Are you going by the tables or did you actually weigh the charges? Don't rely on the tables. Each batch of power has a different density so the tables are only a guide and usually light.

[ddc]

Out of curiosity what charge and what powder did you use? I have found with the the charge bar the larger the charge (hence a bigger hole in the charge bar) the better it throws.

Also touchy with flake powders (but that seems to be a universal statement with volumetric powder handling)

Silhouette at approx. 5.5grains. Also True Blue at around the same. I think the True Blue problem was a pre-existing clump that bridged; but by that point I'd lost faith so didn't try again. Someday I'll give it another shot.

This is strange as both those powders are typically considered some of the better behaved powders through powder measures. And the roughly 5.5 grains should have been large enough to avoid the issue with smaller charges.

I was definitely puzzled... :-)

[Navistar]

Hartcreek, i am using 115gr round nose. I took the oal off a factory round that i have shot over 1000 rounds(federal) through a ruger sr9.

Oal shouldn't be a factor with ejection, only feeding and pressures?

[the led farmer]

OAL is tied to powder type and powder charge, and bullet weight, since the powder you are using is NOT the powder Federal is using (most if not all commercial companies use a powder not available to the general public)

Use a loading guide or data from the powder manufacturer for best results

[Navistar]

Makes sense. Thanks

[hartcreek]

From Speer #11 115gr 9mm 231 5.2-5.7 grains 1125-1191 fps

SAAMI OAL 1.169 BUt Speer states 1.080 for 100 grain bullets and 1.100 for 125 grain bullets.

[Navistar]

thanks hartcreek. I now see that berry's gives recommended oal on their website.

[Worc]

One of my reloads is the same as yours. 115gr Berry's plated RN with 4.6 grs of 231 and I use CCI #500 primers with mixed brass. My COL is 1.130 and this load gives a factory like (115 gr FMJ's) recoil and muzzle flash. Every one thus far has cycled all five of my different guns just fine.

I use a lee progressive with the same powder auto-disk at the .43 hole. Mine drops very consistent weights with the 231. I also use Bullseye with the .46 hole for 4.3 grs with the same results. I did modify my .46 hole/disk like the lead farmer did to his. I've not played with it yet other than to leave the pin/screw turned out to keep the hole the original size when loading with the Bullseye. When I get time I'll use it for the 231 with the pin/screw turned in.