Lee Pro Auto disk problems

[zfields]

Easiest and cheapest thing is going to be to try a different powder that meters better. Ive had great luck with bullseye in my pro auto disk. Also I dont know that id try the adjustable charge bar with Unique. Ive heard really bad things about small loads of flake powder with the adjustable charge bar.

I sold mine, didnt really seem to work that great.

[NotEnufGarage]

I sold mine, didnt really seem to work that great.

Once broken in and set up, I get within 0.1 grain consitency with mine in rifle and pistol loads, with the right powders. Bullseye and TAC seem to be my most consistent.

[rd2play]

I will definitely try all the different suggestions. Green Dot table, dryer sheet, Bullseye powder. I should be able to figure it out eventually.

What will remain a mystery is how that powder bunches up over the hole without falling into it. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it several times. Very strange...

[GSwain]

A note on the adjustable charge bar, it does not work well at lighter charges because the cavity is not centered. I found anything under 7 grains to be inconsistent.

[stand125]

Just go with the cavity that throws the amount of powder you want. LEE says that cavity .43 will cover a charge range of 3.4 to 3.8 gr of powder A. If you look at the LEE load chart that comes with the dies you will often see that 2 similar charge weights will have the same AD recomendation. It's really not a big deal so don't loose sleep over it.

[Bill Steele]

I will definitely try all the different suggestions. Green Dot table, dryer sheet, Bullseye powder. I should be able to figure it out eventually.

What will remain a mystery is how that powder bunches up over the hole without falling into it. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it several times. Very strange...

Most pistol powders will meter better than Unique, but even Unique will work fine for your application. The bunching up over the hole is called bridging, some powders do it more than others (long extruded rifle powders do it so bad, I drop and trickle up when using these). With Unique, make sure you keep the hopper half full or more while loading. With powders that meter better, like W231, Bullseye, Titegroup, VV's, etc. you can take it almost all the way down before refilling.

The Lee chart that lead to your misunderstanding on how much should be thrown for a given cavity size is just a spreadsheet created by Richard Lee (or his assistant) that takes the VMD number and multiplies it by the cavity volume size (fraction of a cc). In the case of Unique, either the wrong VMD number was inputed or the VMD number changed when Unique was reformulated.

As I said in a previous post. Not all powders drop on the conservative side of the Lee table, a few I tried dropped more than the Lee chart called out, so you need to weigh to get what the bottle of powder you are using is in reality.

My Lee AD Pro was so consistent and reliable, after I got the loads I liked with a given powder in a given cavity size, I only needed to check the weight once at the end of the loading session, just for peace of mind. The only glitch I ever had was one time I let the cylinder turn to the off position and had a bin of squibs I had to pull that I caught only after loading the batch. If you tighten the screw that controls the on/off function you can avoid ever having this happen.

My Lee AD Pro dropped all the powders I use every bit as accuartely as my Dillon drops do now, maybe a little better even.

[Fishslayer]

The spread sheet that comes with the Auto Disc is just a guideline to get you in the ballpark. You still need to weigh your charges. Keep notes on which cavity throws what weight of each powder.

You'll also probably need to get the adjustable charge bar. Why it doesn't come with the kit ( at $10) is beyond me.

[ns3v3n]

The spread sheet that comes with the Auto Disc is just a guideline to get you in the ballpark. You still need to weigh your charges. Keep notes on which cavity throws what weight of each powder.

You'll also probably need to get the adjustable charge bar. Why it doesn't come with the kit ( at $10) is beyond me.

I read that the adjustable charge bar doesnt work too well with small charges.

Mine is pretty consistent with W231, after weight my first two charges, I dont even bother with the rest because it'll give me the same charge everytime. But like othe said, your powder is a flake powder and W231 is ball so there might cause it to be dispensing differently everytime.

[Fishslayer]

I read that the adjustable charge bar doesnt work too well with small charges.

It doesn't. The reason is the position of the tube in relation to the adjustable thingamabobber. There's a workaround but I really don't see a need unless reloading .380 or something like that. Even then I think the micro charge disc would be a better option.

I got the ACB when I started loading Big Dog .357 Magnums with 2400. At those volumes the disc cavities are (IIRC) more than a grain difference from one to another.

[van2]

It doesn't. The reason is the position of the tube in relation to the adjustable thingamabobber. There's a workaround but I really don't see a need unless reloading .380 or something like that. Even then I think the micro charge disc would be a better option.

I got the ACB when I started loading Big Dog .357 Magnums with 2400. At those volumes the disc cavities are (IIRC) more than a grain difference from one to another.

Thanks for the clear up, I might have to get one once i start to load .357 mag.

[Cowboy T]

Lee's volumetric chart really only gets you into the ballpark. Usually it drops a little low and I have to go up a cavity size, on occasion two. However, once you set it up, it drops to within 0.1gr, in my experience. This is with Bullseye, Titegroup, 2400, and H-322.

It can also vary with powder lots, so be sure to re-check it when you start dipping into that next jug o' powder.