New to reloading , throwing unique , bad idea ???

[Glock_17]

On the autodrum, keep the hopper decently filled and it will throw very consistent (usealy within 0.1 grain for me)
One other tip, get rid of the disconnector straight away. with that thing installed you are more likely to create a squib then you are in danger of double charging.

Originally Posted by mikld

My real life experiences; I have looked into many of the reported "shortcomings" of Lee Products. Several of the "junk reports" I have not been able to replicate. Most of the "wonk work" reports I have only to read the directions to eliminate any problems. One newer tool, the Lee Bench Prime, had two or three "junk tool" posts on a couple forums. I bought one and started trying to prime some brass. I had 3 failures out of 60 cases. I read the directions and followed them, no more trouble and now, 2,000 primed cases later I can dump a sleeve of primers into the tray and prime 100 cases non-stop. But, perhaps because I'm a lifelong machinist/mechanic and am able to read technical kinda stuff and I know how to use simple machines and hand tools, I have very few problems.

As for the cheap materials, most are newer, modern materials and modern, up to date machining techniques are used. Kinda like Bill Ruger started using investment casting for his revolvers, real junk, right?

But, everyone has the right to their own opinion...

Most forums would have you believe one could only hope to assemble a complete cartridge if you adhere to the blue church

Lee just makes affordable, well designed equipment, without frills. And their dies function just as good and in some cases better then alot of the competition. With out the need of taking out a bank loan

[Hammerhead]

I attend the pale green church, it's the only true path.

I kept trying Universal for the longest time, it's so clean shooting and meters like water, but Unique is just better, a least in my 357s. Just more accurate and seems to have less felt recoil.

HP-38 was the big surprise in 357. Even with a Speer 125 TMJ (lots of empty case with that bullet), HP-38 is every bit as accurate as Unique, even with less than 50% load density. Hated HP-38 in .44 spl and .45 Colt, almost gave up on it, but it's a real star in .357 with 125 grain jacketed and plated bullets.

N340 is another excellent alternative to Unique. Bulkier than HP-38 and meters well. I use it as a grain for grain substitute for Unique in target loads.

[FrankenMauser]

Lee just makes affordable, well designed equipment, without frills. And their dies function just as good and in some cases better then alot of the competition. With out the need of taking out a bank loan

My father bought a Lee 7.62x39mm die set.
The sizing die was so rough that it was physically impossible to push a case into it. It looked like a corrugated sewer pipe. It was very obvious that the reamer used for the die had broken during the process.
We sent it back to Lee. (At OUR cost, of course, due to Lee's stupid warranty - even though it should have NEVER left the factory.)
They returned it with a note indicating that it was within their quality standards.

I really want to know how the innovative "sewer pipe" design qualifies: Is that part of the, "well-designed"? Or does that get filed under, "without frills"? Or is that part of the, "better [than a lot] of the competition"?

I have a Bair Cub die set here. They're considered to be 'bargain basement' dies from years gone by. Yet, it is lightyears ahead of modern Lee dies, including being hardened, tempered, and then chrome-plated (for wear resistance!)...

[rodfac]

With my Dillon 550B's & with the Dillon powder measure with small bar installed, I get +- 0.1 gr charges. I limit Unique's use to loads that need at least 5.0 gr of Unique as minimum. In 9mm, .38 Spl, .357 Mag., .41, .44 Spl and mag., I can see no difference in accuracy out to 50 yds from those with charges that I've meticulously weighed.

While some may refer to Unique as, "Flaming Dirt", I find it useful...(and I'll agree it's pretty sooty), but then I clean up my guns each time I use them, and don't shoot 200+ rounds at a single range session. For my use, it's one of the very best choices for any medium handgun cartridge where light to moderate velocities are desired.

Best Regards, Rod

[Metal god]

I met with him on Sunday . Circumstances did not permit me to be there as long as I had planned . I helped him set up the press with the dies . I then attempted to get the Lee priming system that hooks on the press . All I was able to do with that was drop primers on the floor or not drop the primer in the priming thing . I could not fix it because I have no idea how it works so I really had no idea what was going wrong .

I had brought my RCBS universal priming tool with me and I showed him how easy it works . He decided to buy one and uninstall the Lee priming system .

So that's how far we got on Sunday . I stopped by his house today and he had cleaned a few hundred cases and primed them . He is going to use my method which is universally deprime and remove the decaping pin from the sizing die so he can size the cases with the new primer already installed .

[kmw1954]

Metal god you could send him to youtube for videos on the Safety Prime, there are many to chose from. If he is comfortable doing it your way with the off bench prime then that is fine too but I still think he should be given the option to try for himself.

Mentor him and get him up to speed on setting the dies, adjusting the dies and then just establish a repeatable routine so when something gets out of whack the routine wont feel normal and that something is wrong. If at this point he needs to progress just one step at a time then again so be it. Both of you just need to be patient with each other. He'll get it!

[Marco Califo]

He is going to use my method which is universally deprime and remove the decaping pin from the sizing die so he can size the cases with the new primer already installed

I decap, size, and then prime. SIZE BEFORE PRIMING. I do not need to take the sizing die apart.
I do those steps in batches. I have primed ready to load brass, that only need powder and bullet seating.

[Roland Thunder]

The best measuring powder I have ever used is AA#2. In fact all the Accurate Arms powders measure very well. If I wasn't using AA#2 for 9mm, I would be using 231 or Bullseye

[Nick_C_S]

The best measuring (metering) powder I have ever used is AA#2.

Me too. Hands down.

[Stats Shooter]

My first pistol I loaded for was the "scary" 40 s&w. I had loaded rifle for many years be for that.

But the powder I started with was HS-6. It meters pretty well in a uniflow, so it would likely meter well in a Lee too. HS-6 is a very forgiving powder. It doesn't have the quick pressure spikes some other powders do as things tend to progress linearly.

HS-6 is a bit dirty at lower pressures, and I testedit well over max for safety (slowly working up).

[Metal god]

It's been awhile I know . I've had some major unexpected things going on for the last few months but think they're starting to work them selves out or at least I've leaned to deal with them better .

Anyways because of all that I've not been able to help him as much as was anticipated . I did get over to his house a month ago and we got everything up and running . He then loaded up some 115gr Rainer platted RN starting at 4.6gr , 4.8gr , 5gr 5.1gr , 5.2gr .

Couple observations I had .

1) Unique metered just fine through the Lee auto drum . Very happy to see that .

2) Because of #1 I'm glad that's what he's using because that stuff fills the case really good . NO WAY you can double charge that stuff with out it spilling all over the place . If I had to guess I'd say 5gr is lightly compressed , in not very close .

We went shooting about a week ago and all his reloads shot fine including cycling his Hi-Power just fine . He settled on 5.0gr as the charge he plans to use . It shot well and is a nice round number so that's a plus . As well as him having a 5.0gr check weight to confirm the scale before he starters and while he loads . I did not get to check for scorched cases or how dirty 5gr shot , maybe next time out when he has many more of all the same charge we'll check that out . I had my chrono with me but he shot them all before we set it up so that's another thing I want to do next time out just to check and see where his loads are compared to published data .

All in all it seems to be going well . The only concern right now or at least the biggest one to me . Is that he rushes through things as a whole in his daily life and reloading was no different . I had to tell him a few times "slow down" . He'd grab the tray off the scale quickly bumping the arm causing it to jump left to right real quick . I'd then explain "We now you need to zero the scale again because you just through it out of whack" . I would tell him you don't have to go at a snails pace but you need to be careful and deliberate with all your movements .

He seemed to listen well and did take his time while I was there but I know him . I can see him just blasting through 500+ rounds with out checking things after the first 10 or 20 . I'll just give him friendly reminders from time to time to keep him honest

Thanks guys for your help .

[locknloader]

Speed comes with practice, as with anything else. I find that i am very slow and methodical when i first start loading, then after a few minutes of the same repetitive motions you get into a rhythm and can make some good progress. You will naturally speed up without realizing it.

I feel this is one hobby you should never be in a race to complete. I am always checking and double checking stuff.

[jamaica]

Yep it ain't a race. I hope you can enjoy the reloading as well as the shooting. If not perhaps you should buy your ammo?

[jamaica]

About Unique. This powder has been around a long time and I have used it for many different rounds. Some say it doesn't meter well, but I have no complaints about it. You will just have to try it and see how it does for your application.

[Metal god]

Yep it ain't a race. I hope you can enjoy the reloading as well as the shooting. If not perhaps you should buy your ammo?

FWIW , this thread is about me helping a friend and new reloader . I've been loading for awhile now . I'm trying to slow him down

[GeauxTide]

I've been using Unique exclusively for my .45acp loads for.......well, a lot of years. I recently started using it for some milder loads in .44 Magnum.

I have the RCBS Uniflow powder dispenser and the key to using it with Unique is;

1) Get the baffle for the hopper,

2) Develop a good rhythm when dispensing the powder.

I have no issues with using Unique.

Unique throws fine, especially since I upgraded my Uniflow to Lyman DPS 1200