Lee Pro Auto Disk: Powder Choices?

azredhawk44 · October 27, 2009, 11:55 AM

I ordered a Pro Auto Disk. I got the Double Disk kit for it also.

I had bad experiences with a Lee Perfect Powder Measure when I first started reloading... I had it start throwing some crazy-inaccurate loads of Reloder15 for my .30-30, exceeding max loads. The elastomer wiper had torn inside of it.

It also had a tendency to allow very fine ball powder (H110, for example) to slip right past the measure chamber and trickle down the spout without measuring properly.

I've been using a Uniflow or similar Lyman all-metal measure since then, turned off to Lee's powder measures. But I want to use the powder-through expander die of my die sets in my turret press now, so that requires trying out the auto-disk.

So:

What powders work best with Lee elastomer powder measure systems? This is getting hooked up to a turret press to load "high volume" (well, for me anyways: I've been a single stage loader so far) pistol. Probably .38 special predominantly, but I suppose I'll also do 9mm/45acp/44sp as well.

I might also be tempted to do .223 on the turret, though my other rifle cartridges will stay on the single stage.

Citywaterman · October 27, 2009, 08:35 PM

I have had good accuracy and consistency with Hodgdon's Titegroup and Clays powders with the Lee Auto disk measure. Bullseye and Red Dot are not as consistent drops with the auto disk. I'm loading for .38 spl, .357 and just started 9mm. All small charges. Lee seems conservative, so I have to experiment with the auto disks to get the right powder charge. I also use the adjustable charge bar when I need a charge that’s in between the available disks. For the most part, I like the auto disk measure system. Someday I may try another system to see if I get better results. Citywaterman

Stumper · October 27, 2009, 08:54 PM

The auto disk doesn't have the same elastomer wiper system as the 'Perfect" Powder Measure. I use the auto disk measures for almost all of my handgun loading. Small grained powders such as Bullseye, PB, 4756, 2400, Power Pistol etc, meter a bit more consistently than Red Dot ,Unique and other bulky flake powders....... but consistent operation of the press generally lets the bulky flake powders drop within one tenth of a grain.....which is adequate consistency for those types of powder.

gearheadpyro · October 27, 2009, 09:15 PM

I've had very good experience with extruded powders in mine. H4895, IMR 4320, IMR 4064, etc... Usually within .1 gr. I currently use it primarily for IMR 4756 (not sure, not in the man cave now). It's a flake powder for my .40 S&W. It will typically through within .2 grains which is good enough for my plinking ammo. I don't use it for my rifle but I load that for max accuracy. This powder measure would do very well to drop an intitial charge to be trickled up. IMHO
You may want to pick up some longer screws to use with the double disk kit, the ones they give you are way too short. You only get like 2 threads holding the little nut on.

bedlamite · October 27, 2009, 09:21 PM

Stumper, the Auto Disk and Pro Auto Disk are different. The Pro uses an elastomer ring.

I've got both. The standard tends to work better with ball powders, but leaks. My Pro delivers more consistent loads with flake powders. In the 10 years since I bought the Pro kit, I've never destroyed an elastomer, and I've reduced the powders used to Clays, Universal, Longshot, and 2400. When I use 2400, I usually use my Hornady LNL powder measure with the micrometer insert.

gearheadpyro is right, the double disk kit is worth it, but you need longer screws.

RickV · October 28, 2009, 09:07 AM

I have used W231, Titegroup, Power Pistol, AA#7 and 2400 with mine and all meter very well. Most times though the disk conversion chart will leave you a little on the low side that is why the Double Disk Kit is needed, to get you to closer to the load you want. When I ordered my kit it came with the spacers and the longer screws

HJ857 · October 28, 2009, 11:15 AM

I use the PAD for both 9mm and .223. I use the micro adjust bar by itself for 9mm with WSF and it's dead on all the time. I use a micro adjust stacked on top of a fixed cavity for .223.

H335 meters pretty well and R15 is miserable all the time. I decided to go ahead and weigh each charge no matter what for rifle, but 9mm has proven that I don't need to weigh each charge.

A few years ago I loaded IMR4895 for 7.62x39 using stacked micro and fixed cavity and it worked really well. 4895 and R15 being similar grain size and shape.

I've decided that it just doesn't make sense and it's just the luck of the draw for what's going to drop consistently.

Stumper · October 28, 2009, 11:44 AM

Bedlamite, Yes -the Pro AD has elastomer.....but it isn't the same arrangement as the PPM that the OP had problems with.

aerod1 · October 28, 2009, 11:20 PM

I have used the pro Auto Disk system for Bullseye, 231, 2400, and H335. All have dropped very consistant loads. I am happy with it.

CrustyFN · October 29, 2009, 09:55 PM

With the pro auto disk for pistol I have used Titegroup, Bullseye, HS-6 and for rifle I have used BLC-2, W748 and H335. All of those powders measured very consistent.

Rusty

TriumphGuy · October 29, 2009, 10:15 PM

I don't like it for powders that typically take a smaller charge, such as TiteGroup, because it's a pain to measure small amounts, even with the micro auto disk. AA #7 and HP38 seem to work very well. Haven't tried it with much else as I load my magnums single stage and mostly use my Loadmaster for autos.

October 27, 2009, 11:55 AM	#1
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	Lee Pro Auto Disk: Powder Choices? I ordered a Pro Auto Disk. I got the Double Disk kit for it also. I had bad experiences with a Lee Perfect Powder Measure when I first started reloading... I had it start throwing some crazy-inaccurate loads of Reloder15 for my .30-30, exceeding max loads. The elastomer wiper had torn inside of it. It also had a tendency to allow very fine ball powder (H110, for example) to slip right past the measure chamber and trickle down the spout without measuring properly. I've been using a Uniflow or similar Lyman all-metal measure since then, turned off to Lee's powder measures. But I want to use the powder-through expander die of my die sets in my turret press now, so that requires trying out the auto-disk. So: What powders work best with Lee elastomer powder measure systems? This is getting hooked up to a turret press to load "high volume" (well, for me anyways: I've been a single stage loader so far) pistol. Probably .38 special predominantly, but I suppose I'll also do 9mm/45acp/44sp as well. I might also be tempted to do .223 on the turret, though my other rifle cartridges will stay on the single stage.

October 27, 2009, 08:35 PM	#2
Citywaterman Member Join Date: March 30, 2009 Posts: 99	Hodgdon's Titegroup and Clays I have had good accuracy and consistency with Hodgdon's Titegroup and Clays powders with the Lee Auto disk measure. Bullseye and Red Dot are not as consistent drops with the auto disk. I'm loading for .38 spl, .357 and just started 9mm. All small charges. Lee seems conservative, so I have to experiment with the auto disks to get the right powder charge. I also use the adjustable charge bar when I need a charge that’s in between the available disks. For the most part, I like the auto disk measure system. Someday I may try another system to see if I get better results. Citywaterman

October 27, 2009, 09:21 PM	#5
bedlamite Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2000 Location: WI Posts: 1,395	Stumper, the Auto Disk and Pro Auto Disk are different. The Pro uses an elastomer ring. I've got both. The standard tends to work better with ball powders, but leaks. My Pro delivers more consistent loads with flake powders. In the 10 years since I bought the Pro kit, I've never destroyed an elastomer, and I've reduced the powders used to Clays, Universal, Longshot, and 2400. When I use 2400, I usually use my Hornady LNL powder measure with the micrometer insert. gearheadpyro is right, the double disk kit is worth it, but you need longer screws. __________________ A plan is just a list of things that doesn't happen.

October 27, 2009, 08:54 PM	#3
Stumper Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 438	The auto disk doesn't have the same elastomer wiper system as the 'Perfect" Powder Measure. I use the auto disk measures for almost all of my handgun loading. Small grained powders such as Bullseye, PB, 4756, 2400, Power Pistol etc, meter a bit more consistently than Red Dot ,Unique and other bulky flake powders....... but consistent operation of the press generally lets the bulky flake powders drop within one tenth of a grain.....which is adequate consistency for those types of powder.

October 27, 2009, 09:15 PM	#4
gearheadpyro Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 169	I've had very good experience with extruded powders in mine. H4895, IMR 4320, IMR 4064, etc... Usually within .1 gr. I currently use it primarily for IMR 4756 (not sure, not in the man cave now). It's a flake powder for my .40 S&W. It will typically through within .2 grains which is good enough for my plinking ammo. I don't use it for my rifle but I load that for max accuracy. This powder measure would do very well to drop an intitial charge to be trickled up. IMHO You may want to pick up some longer screws to use with the double disk kit, the ones they give you are way too short. You only get like 2 threads holding the little nut on.

October 28, 2009, 09:07 AM	#6
RickV Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 172	I have used W231, Titegroup, Power Pistol, AA#7 and 2400 with mine and all meter very well. Most times though the disk conversion chart will leave you a little on the low side that is why the Double Disk Kit is needed, to get you to closer to the load you want. When I ordered my kit it came with the spacers and the longer screws

October 28, 2009, 11:15 AM	#7
HJ857 Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 448	I use the PAD for both 9mm and .223. I use the micro adjust bar by itself for 9mm with WSF and it's dead on all the time. I use a micro adjust stacked on top of a fixed cavity for .223. H335 meters pretty well and R15 is miserable all the time. I decided to go ahead and weigh each charge no matter what for rifle, but 9mm has proven that I don't need to weigh each charge. A few years ago I loaded IMR4895 for 7.62x39 using stacked micro and fixed cavity and it worked really well. 4895 and R15 being similar grain size and shape. I've decided that it just doesn't make sense and it's just the luck of the draw for what's going to drop consistently.

October 28, 2009, 11:44 AM	#8
Stumper Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 438	Bedlamite, Yes -the Pro AD has elastomer.....but it isn't the same arrangement as the PPM that the OP had problems with.

October 28, 2009, 11:20 PM	#9
aerod1 Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Garland Texas U.S.A. Posts: 734	I have used the pro Auto Disk system for Bullseye, 231, 2400, and H335. All have dropped very consistant loads. I am happy with it.

October 29, 2009, 09:55 PM	#10
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	With the pro auto disk for pistol I have used Titegroup, Bullseye, HS-6 and for rifle I have used BLC-2, W748 and H335. All of those powders measured very consistent. Rusty

October 29, 2009, 10:15 PM	#11
TriumphGuy Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2009 Posts: 559	I don't like it for powders that typically take a smaller charge, such as TiteGroup, because it's a pain to measure small amounts, even with the micro auto disk. AA #7 and HP38 seem to work very well. Haven't tried it with much else as I load my magnums single stage and mostly use my Loadmaster for autos.