Just set up new Lee Classic Turret, few questions

[edrex]

Brand new to reloading. Been reading and researching here for a while and put together a Lee Classic Turret setup with 223 Lee Pacesetter dies. Getting my dies dialed in and running into a couple issues. Here we go:

1) I *think* I have the sizing/depriming die set up correctly, but how can I tell?
2) Priming: is there an adjustment for the priming arm height? I have only seated one live primer so far and it didn't blow up on me, so am I gtg?
3) Powder charging: Lee Autodisk installed above a riser and powder through die. Major issue is that the neck of the case I was using was eventually crushed. I was testing the consistency of the throw so I charged the same case probably 10-12 times before it started collapsing inward. Is that because of the multiple charges or should it never happen and I did something wrong?
4) Still on the powder: is it normal for some powder to end up leaking out of the auto disk? Some ended up on top of the disks, some on the press and workbench. Not a lot, but a noticeable amount. Powder is H335.
5) Bullet seating seemed to go ok. Will get that more dialed in once everything else is in place.
6) Factory crimp die: How can you tell how much crimp its giving? I don't notice a difference from no crimp at all to full crimp. Am I just not looking close enough? I know the full crimp worked because I couldn't pull the bullet from that round, wouldn't even budge. But I need to make sure I'm not crimping so much that it creates too much pressure while still giving the rounds some crimp.

Thats about it for now. Advice on any or all of those questions would be helpful.
Thanks,
ed.

[short circuit]

You need to back off the powder drop die so it does not crush the brass. with the press ram at full extension and a casing in the shell holder, the powder despenser should still have a millimeter or so free play (additional movement with the double disks past the drop hole.)

The sizer die should be set tight to the fulley extended ram with shell holder installed and then tighten another 1/2 to 3/4 turn after droping the ram.

The bullet seater/crimp die settings vary on how much crimp (if any is requred). Ususally place a trimmed brass in the shell holder, raise the ram to the top and tighten the die so it stops (by hand only), this will not crimp yet, tighten in small amounts with the ram down to increase crimp if needed.

Adjust the bullet seater by first backing off the bullet depth knob and adjust down in small steps using a caliper to get the correct bullet setting depth and over all cartridge length.

The instructions with you dies should has stated some thing about setting the dies. I use the LCT and Lee dies to do .223 rem.


QUOTE=edrex;9718057]Brand new to reloading. Been reading and researching here for a while and put together a Lee Classic Turret setup with 223 Lee Pacesetter dies. Getting my dies dialed in and running into a couple issues. Here we go:

1) I *think* I have the sizing/depriming die set up correctly, but how can I tell?
2) Priming: is there an adjustment for the priming arm height? I have only seated one live primer so far and it didn't blow up on me, so am I gtg?
3) Powder charging: Lee Autodisk installed above a riser and powder through die. Major issue is that the neck of the case I was using was eventually crushed. I was testing the consistency of the throw so I charged the same case probably 10-12 times before it started collapsing inward. Is that because of the multiple charges or should it never happen and I did something wrong?
4) Still on the powder: is it normal for some powder to end up leaking out of the auto disk? Some ended up on top of the disks, some on the press and workbench. Not a lot, but a noticeable amount. Powder is H335.
5) Bullet seating seemed to go ok. Will get that more dialed in once everything else is in place.
6) Factory crimp die: How can you tell how much crimp its giving? I don't notice a difference from no crimp at all to full crimp. Am I just not looking close enough? I know the full crimp worked because I couldn't pull the bullet from that round, wouldn't even budge. But I need to make sure I'm not crimping so much that it creates too much pressure while still giving the rounds some crimp.

Thats about it for now. Advice on any or all of those questions would be helpful.
Thanks,
ed.[/QUOTE]

[357shooter]

I also use H335 with the Lee autodisk and it does leak a little but not much.

And no adjustment on the primer arm. It should be good to go.

When you run a bullet into the crimp die look down into it you'll see it working
you can see how much crimp it well have.

Also the instructions should tell you how to set the dies up, just do as it tells you.

Also I use one of these to help me out.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadin...prod33287.aspx

[Bill Steele]

You don't need to crimp the .223 rounds.

Seems like everyone kind of covered all the other obvious stuff.

If you have the regular Autodisk (rectangular powder hopper). Consider an upgrade to the Auto Disk Pro kit (round powder hopper with an "off" position). The AD Pro has an elastomer seal where the disk and hopper come together eliminating leakage. Another benefit of the AD Pro upgrade kit is it comes with the adjustable charge bar, likely not something you will need for rifle, but nice when loading pistol. The AD Pro upgrade kit costs like $18 from fsreloading.com.

If you want to cut down leakage with the regular AD, you can lay a piece of fine sand paper on a flat surface and rub the outer edges of the AD hopper on it. Take off small amounts and hold the hopper onto the mount with a disk in it frequently and you will see the gap diminish. You want to make the gap between the disks and the hopper as small as posssible without causing the disks to drag.

Good luck, have fun

[insik]

I used the lee perfect powder measure and have an accurate load.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...productId/7550

[edrex]

Thanks for the answers. Big thanks to Short Circuit who took some time out of his evening to give me a call and walk me through setting up each die correctly, plus some extra help on components and powders.
Cheers,
ed.

[Arcaporale]

Useless post by me, didn't realize your had all your questions answered till I read your last post. Happy reloading.


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