Craig N Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 What is a good powder measurer to replace the Lee Auto Disk on a turret press? I want something that works a little more consistently for 9mm. As of right now I get either barely over 125 pf with one cavity and 140 pf with the next. Looking for a little in between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinZA Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Try to get the Lee variable charge bar. It's the best $15 I ever spent on reloading stuff. It lets you dial in any load you want Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Phil Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 The auto discs are in about .3 gr increments. Seems like a big jump in velocity for .3 gr? Are you using ball, flake or canister powder? Maybe it's bridging, alothough none of my auto discs seem to do that. Just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 The auto discs are in about .3 gr increments. Seems like a big jump in velocity for .3 gr? Are you using ball, flake or canister powder? Maybe it's bridging, alothough none of my auto discs seem to do that. Just a thought... Depends on the powder. Look at these results for WST, Zip and Power Pistol for the differences between 0.1 and 0.2 grains....A difference of 15PF with 0.2 grains with Power Pistol. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=195134&p=2162123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave33 Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 There are 3 options I can think of. The first is the adjustable charge bar, unfortunately it doesnt work at all with smaller charges. The design is so bad the powder hopper hole doesnt line up with the opening for the charge bar until it is opened up a fair amount. I have only been able to use it with fine ball powders starting around 5 grains before it gets consistent. If you are handy there are a number of ways to modify it, effectively moving the cavity back so it lines up with the powder hopper hole better. If you are loading large charge weights it does work well for fine tuning those. You could get another set of auto disks and modify them in a couple of ways. Some folks have taken the smaller cavities and drilled them out slightly to increase volume. Another way is to tap the holes with fine threaded screws, effectively making each cavity adjustable by turning the screw in to lower volume. Lastly, and most expen$ively you could get a RCBS or Hornady powder thrower. I believe they are basically the same design, and they have the reputation of being one of if not the best case activated powder measures available. However, once you buy the powder hopper, case activated linkage, and various bits and pieces for case belling and powder drums for pistol/rifle etc. you will have spent more than you did on your entire turret press. I know of a guy running the Hornady on a Lee press and he couldnt be happier with the result, but he spent around $150+ for all the parts. Cost is the only thing holding me back from putting one of these on my lee pro1000. So far I have been pretty fortunate with the disks getting my loads where I like them enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowenbuilt Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Dillon measures work great on the Lee presses also. You have to do a little modification but they work great on flake powders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Doesn't the PPM have a case-activated feature on Lee presses? Mine, as a bench-mounted unit, is very consistent with flake powders. I have never seen these reported huge jumps in velocity of a few tenths of a grain change, but, if I did, I would rather buy a new set of disks and modify one cavity to produce the charge I wanted than to have a bolt in the cavity (seems that it would effect charge variation simply by being there and even keeping some kernels of powder on it). The Hornady is the most consistent powder measure I have found. The Dillon (and the "powder funnels") is a little easier to use (it is, after all, simply the auto-disk on steroids with an adjustable charge bar that actually works). Then, of course, there is the option to go to another powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter567 Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Funny you should bring this up Craig. I have been trying to figure out how to get my RCBS powder charger to work on my Lee 1000 for a couple of weeks now. I was in a chat with a Brownells reloading specialist for about half an hour today trying to find the parts to make it work. He was fairly certain that he had seen a kit for this before. Man was he helpful! He never did find the kit, but he told me to send an email to tech@brownells.com so I did. We will see what they can find. He was able to get me one step closer to a solution. check out www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1370. It is the adapter for the top of the Lee press. Now to figure out the linkage! A real nice guy at my local GC showed me his setup the other day. He had taken a picture on his cell phone. The pic was really small but he has it working like a charm. He told me he thought he got the parts at Brownells, which is why I went there too. His even has the linkage all worked out We will see what happens. Hopefully someone will get back to me tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoganbillJ Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Get a Dillon powder measure. They work great and will work on you turret press. I have both a 650 and a Turret, powder measures will swap between the two presses. As stated above you will need to do a slight modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter567 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ok. Research continues. On page 41 of the RCBS online catalogue there is a powder dispenser link kit. It appears to have everything to attach a RCBS or Hornady and other similar powder chargers right to the Lee progressive presses.. I've ordered mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZackJones Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ok. Research continues. On page 41 of the RCBS online catalogue there is a powder dispenser link kit. It appears to have everything to attach a RCBS or Hornady and other similar powder chargers right to the Lee progressive presses.. I've ordered mine. Let us know how it works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I found the adjustable charge bar to be rubbish so I wouldn't use that. I use AP50N which is similar to N320. using a load of 3.6gn it was hopeless. sometimes I got basically no powder at all. I went back to the disks and for loads that were between 2 disks I took the smaller hole and using a small round file filed it out a little. works just perfectly. very consistent in powder drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowenbuilt Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) The Dillon is by far the easiest if you don't want to use the Lee. No linkages to deal with at all just a heavy spring and an 8/32 nut and bolt. Works like a charm. Edited June 6, 2014 by bowenbuilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldgoat03 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) I use the Lee Pro Auto DIsc powder measure and the Lee Adjustable charge bar on my 4 hole classic turret and they work great. This combi throws very consistent chanrges using HP38/W231, WST, Bullseye and HS6. As mentioned the adujustable charge bar does not throw consistent small charges below 3.8 grains. IN my experience 4.0gr and up it works very well +/- .1 gr always. Lee Pro Auto disc powder meausre http://www.midwayusa.com/product/348753/lee-pro-auto-disk-powder-measure Lee Adjustable charge bar http://www.midwayusa.com/product/150005/lee-auto-disk-adjustable-powder-charge-bar?cm_vc=sugv1150005 Edited June 6, 2014 by Oldgoat03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppa Bear Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I used to load everything on a Lee turret. I had 4 heads set up for different calibers so I have 4 PPM's complete with disks. I used a taper reamer to adjust the cavities size. All four loads used different cavities so I had plenty of disks to play with. If I went a little big I inserted a screw through the side to adjust it back a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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