The Lee Perfect powder measure

Acenes · March 7, 2009, 06:09 AM

So I am going to use my Lee Perfect powder measure. The instructions say that I have to run a full hopper through before use, to get rid of static, or I will get "increasingly heavier charges". What it does not say is what I am supposed to do with that first hopper. Do I throw it away, use it later, or some other strange otherwise esoteric combination?
I really hate to think I have to throw away a whole hopper worth of powder.
But if that's what needs be.....Any advice?

VaFisher · March 7, 2009, 06:15 AM

No you do not throw away the powder but rather put in back in hopper. I have never had a problem with static but others say use a dryer sheet in the powder help to reduce this issue and sure someone here with experience with this problem will chime in to help.

MAXELM · March 7, 2009, 07:00 AM

I have that powder measure and it does pretty good. I check my charge every 10 rounds when I'm satisfied while weighing the charge while setting up. I weigh maybe a half dozen charges before I even start to put in cases. The only problem I have with the lee powder measure is it leaks out powder from the side. The company says this is normal and is to be expected, I took the measurer apart and cleaned and used powdered graphite on inside like they recomend and this helped. It went back to leaking powder after a few rounds and I use it as is for now. The powder I use is W296 and it is pretty fine

rwilson452 · March 7, 2009, 08:07 AM

Spraying graphite into the measure ( be generous) will help with static and leaks. I found after a period of time I tightened the screw that holds it together. don't over tighten it. Over time the measure will tend to seat itself and minimize leaks.

45Marlin carbine · March 7, 2009, 08:55 AM

mine seems to do better with stick and ball powder (unless it's really fine ball), fine flake powder does not do well.

dwhite · March 7, 2009, 11:07 AM

I love mine. It's gotten better with use. Running a pound of powder through it did help it initially but it still has gotten better with repeated use.

I primarily use if for Hodgdon Universal. This powder measures very consistently (easily within +/- 0.1 grain) and smoothly. I've had no leakage issues with mine though I've run no ball type powders through it yet. I've used it for 700X and BlueDot with good results.BlueDot did better than the 700X though I expect this was a matter of a larger volume of BlueDot. Smaller volumes seem to be an issue in most measures.

All the Best,
D. White

mikld · March 7, 2009, 04:34 PM

I "broke in" my first Lee powder measure with a no. 2 pencil. I had no graphite so I rubbed the pencil on the measure drum to get a bit of graphite lube on it. It smoothed up a bit but got better with use. Maybe that's what is meant by suggesting a hopper full of powder being cycled through the measure; the carbon/graphite in the powder acting as a lube.

recoil freak · March 9, 2009, 04:45 PM

I like mine but I can't get it to throw H110 with any accuracy

Doby45 · March 9, 2009, 05:42 PM

Mine throws HS-6 with crazy accuracy.

barryhud · March 9, 2009, 07:15 PM

I just received mine last and was amazed with the value, $20. I have put Trail Boss and Unique through it and it worked great.

markr · March 9, 2009, 07:46 PM

I ran a batch of IMR4064 in mine prior to my first loads, and it was still not consistant. I didn't have problems with powder "Creeping" up the side of the hopper, it just wouldn't throw a consistent charge. Sooooo....here is what I did.

I ran a bunch of powdered graphite through it. It was a pain because, it doesn't come out easy, you have to do some tapping. After that I just kept the hopper full of the IMR4064, threw charges and dumped them them back into the hopper, and repeated a bunch of times. THEN, the measure started to settle down into some consistant charges. If your new, let me tell you, a powder trickler will save some sanity if your are repeatedly throwing and weighing charges.

And yes, you can reuse the gun powder, as it has graphite in it. Just try to minimize how much graphite powder is left in the measure before you switch back to gun powder as to not skew consistancy in future loads. Take it apart and tap it out if you have to. Do what you want, but it worked for me.

Don P · March 10, 2009, 12:32 PM

You can put the powder right back in the keg. I have found that flake powder like Unique will NOT meter well and not have any sort of consistancy. Ball powders like Hodgdons Titegroup will meter just about flawlessly. Thats why I gave up on the Unique plus it burns real dirty. I find the Titegroup burns almost as clean as factory ammo. All a matter of personal choice. I use the Titgroup for 38spl./357mag, 9mm, 40S&W, and 45acp.

March 7, 2009, 06:09 AM	#1
Acenes Member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Posts: 20	The Lee Perfect powder measure So I am going to use my Lee Perfect powder measure. The instructions say that I have to run a full hopper through before use, to get rid of static, or I will get "increasingly heavier charges". What it does not say is what I am supposed to do with that first hopper. Do I throw it away, use it later, or some other strange otherwise esoteric combination? I really hate to think I have to throw away a whole hopper worth of powder. But if that's what needs be.....Any advice?

March 7, 2009, 08:07 AM	#4
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	Spraying graphite into the measure ( be generous) will help with static and leaks. I found after a period of time I tightened the screw that holds it together. don't over tighten it. Over time the measure will tend to seat itself and minimize leaks. __________________ USNRET '61-'81

March 10, 2009, 12:32 PM	#12
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,213	You can put the powder right back in the keg. I have found that flake powder like Unique will NOT meter well and not have any sort of consistancy. Ball powders like Hodgdons Titegroup will meter just about flawlessly. Thats why I gave up on the Unique plus it burns real dirty. I find the Titegroup burns almost as clean as factory ammo. All a matter of personal choice. I use the Titgroup for 38spl./357mag, 9mm, 40S&W, and 45acp. __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

March 7, 2009, 06:15 AM	#2
VaFisher Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2006 Posts: 596	No you do not throw away the powder but rather put in back in hopper. I have never had a problem with static but others say use a dryer sheet in the powder help to reduce this issue and sure someone here with experience with this problem will chime in to help.

March 7, 2009, 07:00 AM	#3
MAXELM Junior Member Join Date: January 27, 2009 Location: Kokomo, Indiana Posts: 6	I have that powder measure and it does pretty good. I check my charge every 10 rounds when I'm satisfied while weighing the charge while setting up. I weigh maybe a half dozen charges before I even start to put in cases. The only problem I have with the lee powder measure is it leaks out powder from the side. The company says this is normal and is to be expected, I took the measurer apart and cleaned and used powdered graphite on inside like they recomend and this helped. It went back to leaking powder after a few rounds and I use it as is for now. The powder I use is W296 and it is pretty fine

March 7, 2009, 08:55 AM	#5
45Marlin carbine Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2007 Location: South-Western North Carolina Posts: 1,124	mine seems to do better with stick and ball powder (unless it's really fine ball), fine flake powder does not do well.

March 7, 2009, 11:07 AM	#6
dwhite Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2007 Location: Wake County, N. Carolina Posts: 379	I love mine. It's gotten better with use. Running a pound of powder through it did help it initially but it still has gotten better with repeated use. I primarily use if for Hodgdon Universal. This powder measures very consistently (easily within +/- 0.1 grain) and smoothly. I've had no leakage issues with mine though I've run no ball type powders through it yet. I've used it for 700X and BlueDot with good results.BlueDot did better than the 700X though I expect this was a matter of a larger volume of BlueDot. Smaller volumes seem to be an issue in most measures. All the Best, D. White

March 7, 2009, 04:34 PM	#7
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I "broke in" my first Lee powder measure with a no. 2 pencil. I had no graphite so I rubbed the pencil on the measure drum to get a bit of graphite lube on it. It smoothed up a bit but got better with use. Maybe that's what is meant by suggesting a hopper full of powder being cycled through the measure; the carbon/graphite in the powder acting as a lube.

March 9, 2009, 04:45 PM	#8
recoil freak Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 16	I like mine but I can't get it to throw H110 with any accuracy

March 9, 2009, 05:42 PM	#9
Doby45 Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: Powder Springs, GA Posts: 213	Mine throws HS-6 with crazy accuracy.

March 9, 2009, 07:15 PM	#10
barryhud Member Join Date: September 7, 2007 Location: Southeast Oklahoma Posts: 85	I just received mine last and was amazed with the value, $20. I have put Trail Boss and Unique through it and it worked great.

March 9, 2009, 07:46 PM	#11
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	I ran a batch of IMR4064 in mine prior to my first loads, and it was still not consistant. I didn't have problems with powder "Creeping" up the side of the hopper, it just wouldn't throw a consistent charge. Sooooo....here is what I did. I ran a bunch of powdered graphite through it. It was a pain because, it doesn't come out easy, you have to do some tapping. After that I just kept the hopper full of the IMR4064, threw charges and dumped them them back into the hopper, and repeated a bunch of times. THEN, the measure started to settle down into some consistant charges. If your new, let me tell you, a powder trickler will save some sanity if your are repeatedly throwing and weighing charges. And yes, you can reuse the gun powder, as it has graphite in it. Just try to minimize how much graphite powder is left in the measure before you switch back to gun powder as to not skew consistancy in future loads. Take it apart and tap it out if you have to. Do what you want, but it worked for me.