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Posted: 8/4/2009 10:05:23 AM EDT
| I cant get the lee auto disk to act right. I have been loading powder by hand to work up my charges and using my lee turret press as a single stage and leaving the dies set. But once i tried using the auto disk its very random. If i treat it like a single stage i get about 24.7gr charge, i want 25gr. If i spin it in between charges ill get about 25gr on average but its still not always that close. But if i tap it i get anywhere from 24.5-26.2gr Thats not accurate enough for me what if i bump the handle to hard or something happens to throw the charge off. I cant check every charge or i might as well just do it the way i have been doing it. I do have a dillon powder measure with the charge bar i just lack the powder funnel. to make it work properly. Any advice to get my lee more accurate or should i just swap to the dillon unit. Im only loading for .223 right now and im using h335 powder also. thanks for any help |
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If you are getting large swings (more than .15 grains) in charge weights, verify that when you cycle the powder measure, the entire disk cavity is being exposed to the exit hole in the powder measure. Also make sure the disk cavity is properly aligned with the powder hopper. I’m using the double disk kit on a lee turret and somehow the powder measure got out of adjustment. When I cycled the press, it was only moving the disk about ½-3/4 the distance it was supposed to, which resulted in huge swings in powder weights. It took me a couple of days to figure that out.
Don’t try to bang the handle or measure when loading. All movement should be nice and easy and consistant. Try to use the same motion and force for each drop. |
| With that charge I am guessing you are using the double disk kit. MAKE SURE you use the smaller size disk opening on TOP. If you use the smaller one on bottom a lip forms that powder can rest and get stuck on. This can cause a large variation. I put the small one on top and its very steady for me. |
| the small disk in on top, i checked for what 64impala was talking about but but everything is good. I guess im just going to have to be careful and try not to bounce or tap the machine. I may buy the $11 funnel and try the dillon one out and use the lee for pistol. |
| What are you using to activate the the measure? Just cycling the leverby hand, or do you have the rifle charging die? I found on my set-up for 38/357 to get the case mouth bell that i wanted the stroke of the auto disc was not enough to fully drop the powder every time. I used a dremel to dish out the hole in the botom of the measure (not the discs) and the drop cycle would start sooner and funnel the powder completely. Some times taping the measure is what is needed with bulkier powers or stick powders, I have heard of people mounting vibratrers or fish tank pumps to their measures to get consistant throws. I will have to look at my 335 to see how bulky it is. |
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Lee's powder measuring equipment is set up by powder density; from Lee's directions for the powder measure: "Powder densities can vary more than 16% and and still be considered within tolerance by the manufacturer."
I wouldn't worry about the variances you are seeing. I get similar results with the Lee turret press I use in Alaska, but the velocities I get are consistent within a standard deviation of 3%. My Dillon measure I use in Florida can have variations of .3 grains- which is well within the tolerance range of most digital scales- so they're not perfect either. |
| really? if it was to possible throw 1gr off , that could be in tolerance? Im just starting in reloading so i trying to be pretty anal about everything, id rather not have any crazy screw ups. I actually thought about dropping the charge to about 24.5-25gr and hoping it throws good in between those limits. But actually i got the static off tonight cleaned the dies free of any oils again and hooked up the turret part that makes it spin and got it were it was dropping anywhere between 24.8-25.2 and thats a quick reading from a cheap frankford digital scale. I think i can live with that. |
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Quoted:
really? if it was to possible throw 1gr off , that could be in tolerance? Im just starting in reloading so i trying to be pretty anal about everything, id rather not have any crazy screw ups. I actually thought about dropping the charge to about 24.5-25gr and hoping it throws good in between those limits. But actually i got the static off tonight cleaned the dies free of any oils again and hooked up the turret part that makes it spin and got it were it was dropping anywhere between 24.8-25.2 and thats a quick reading from a cheap frankford digital scale. I think i can live with that. I'd say you're good. I've used the old Lee dippers in the past and one time decided to weigh the charges. The variances were so great, I decided to quit weighing them to keep my sanity! I have NEVER had a problem with a powder charge thrown by Lee's volumetric systems, but I do prefer hand-weighed charges in my precision rifles. |
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