can someone tell me whats wrong with my new Lee auto-disc powder measure

[oldfarts]

I recently purchased a Lee pro1000 for the 45 acp. Everything seems to work except the powder measure. Here is whats going on. When I install the proper disc, making sure I put the slot on the tab of the lever. Fill the hopper and turn it on, start the loading process. The powder doesnt fall in the case so I started investigating and discovered that the hole in the disc doesnt travel under the hole in the hopper to catch a powder charge. It stops just short and when I look into the hopper, I can just barely see the edge of the hole. They claim you can install the hopper anyway and it will work but the hole in the hopper is offset so when I turn it around it is even farther from the powder drop hole. I have taken it apart and made sure the expander die is set the proper distance from the shell plate. One turn out after contac with shell plate in up position. I have worked it by hand also but it seems to be the wrong lever or something is causing it not to travel under the hopper hole. Has anyone ever had a problem like this. I have been trying to call Lee customer support but their phone must be off the hook.

 

[john16443]

I've found that not having the die inserted deep enough will result in the situation you describe. I use it on top of my powder through expanding die, and if I don't expand enough, the hole on the disk falls short of the drop.

Are you getting proper case expansion with the die as currently installed? If not, turn it in until you get your desired expansion. That should move the hole in the disk over the drop.

 

[KodiakBeer]

You're just putting it in the wrong place. It will snap into both the correct place, or snap into place a where what you describe happens.

 

[kingmt]

Pull the rubber out that seals the hopper to the disk. If the seems to work like that make sure it is clean trimed from the molding. Take a pencil & graphite the surface. Then after it is all back together with the ram down adjust the chain tight & the spring under load(you will have to raise the ram just a bit to adjust).

 

[oldfarts]

oldfarts

Thanks for the input. Here is what I found out. I took the powder measure off again and checked everything, graphite where the seal to the hopper slides and as I was putting it all back on my press again, I noticed as I was turning the thumb ring to tighten the powder system onto my expander die, that as I tightened, the hole would move out of alinement with the hopper, by the time it was hand tight, the hole would be out of range so I loosened it until the hole lined up with the hopper and bingo, it works loose. Thats the only way the hole would line up. I loaded 50 rounds and checked each charge of powder and it looks like it will work this way. I guess I could put a couple washers on so it would tighten down. Thanks again for the input. This forum is much faster than Lee's cust. service line.

 

[zhd]

My buddy had the same thing happen on his he just bought. He ended up having to grind on the lever to get to release to proper alignment. All works good since he did this. It looks like the latest batch of the Pro 1000 has some spec issues. Lee presses are very finicky but with some enginerring aptitude will work.

 

[kingmt]

There is nothing finicky about my press.

Your powder measure still isn't set up right. Maybe post a picture so we can see how you have it.

 

[RustyFN]

I wouldn't use it loose I would figure out what is wrong. You want the flat part of the hopper to be in front.



Also make sure you have the right lever installed. The one that comes on the pro auto disk is for the chain, you have to change it to use the spring.

 

[oldfarts]

oldfarts

I will take a picture of it tomorrow. I have a workshop out in the back and its cold out there right now. Tomorrow I will go out to load my box and take some pictures of the way its set up. It has the chain, but that broke right off when it wasnt working right. The last 50 rounds, I loaded it one round at a time and pulled the lever down by hand, then weighed each charge to make sure it was throwing what it was supposed to throw. This is my first attempt at a progressive press so Im still doing it single and watching everything. Lee claimes that its ready to load right out of the box. Mine wasnt. Had to adjust all the dies and the instructions for that were not included so think God for youtube.

 

[kingmt]

I didn't know they claimed that. It has been a while since I got mine so I don't remember if it was or not but I do remember I had to learn how to use the measure. I don't remember my exact problem but yours sounds familiar. I didn't break my chain tho. One of my kids or wife lost the spring & the bell looking thing so I replaced it with a spring from a ink pen & a link for one of those chains.

Steal your repair parts from your light or fan switch.

 

[1SOW]

Make sure the disc is mounted on the drive pin. It should have very little front to rear play when mounted correctly.

Rusty fn +1. Get the linkage working properly.

If you don't know what's wrong email or call LEE. They will help you.

 

[dickttx]

As said, screwing your die in or out will adjust where the disk hole lines up with the drop hole. When the holes are lined up the front of the disk should be just about even with the front of the base when the drop lever is fully activated. The Pro Auto Disk is the easiest to use and most consistent powder measure I have ever used.

 

[RandyP]

+1 on the reliability of the Pro Disk dispener. Mine has been dead-nutz accurate and consistent. As was posted earlier in this thread, there IS a way to put the disks in wrong and while they will go back and forth, the holes will not properly line up with the drop.

I run mine on a Classic Turret so the installation is slightly different than on the 1000, but it is the same dispenser.

 

[Notoast]

You are probably doing this, but make sure you are putting the number on the disk over the tab. The correct slot is directly beneath the number.

 

[1KPerDay]

Lee claimes that its ready to load right out of the box. Mine wasnt. Had to adjust all the dies and the instructions for that were not included so think God for youtube.

You thought "ready to load out of the box" meant that the dies would be ajusted for you? I can't think of a reloading company that would do that.


I think KodiakBeer's theory is correct. When the ram is all the way up, the rounded portion of the disc should be at the edge of the housing. If it isn't, you have the disc in the wrong place. The disc can be placed incorrectly so that the lever will feel like it's riding in the right place and the disc will move, but it won't be working properly. I've done that.

Don't run it loose. It's not supposed to be like that. Something is either adjusted incorrectly, assembled incorrectly, or manufactured incorrectly. Likely one of the first two.

 

[oldfarts]

Its not exactly loose, Its screwed into the expaner die about halfway, I can move it back and firth but it wont come out. The disc are correctly installed. If I turn the seratted ring on the powder unit on the part that goes into the die to tighted it all the way, then the hole gets way out of line with the hole in the bottom of the hopper. What I need to get is another threaded ring that will fit and then I could tighten the unit down where it is set at now and would create an adjustment for the disc hole if needed. Maybe it is supposed to have that second tighten down ring and that part may be missing.

 

[dickttx]

I'm not familiar with the Pro 1000, but why not just adjust your die so that the holes line up, then screw the ring down tight?

 

[RandyP]

IF you have not already, and it sounds like you may not have, check out the Lee self-help videos on the correct way to install your dies and run your press.

http://leeprecision.com/help-videos.html

A video is worth an encyclopedia of words.

 

[kingmt]

I just found out I have my hopper on backwards but it lines up best for me this way. Any how take your expander out & make sure your it slids over the shaft of the measure.

It doesn't have a second nut & isn't supposed to be loose.

 

[hvychev77]

i would make sure the hopper is on the correct way. i did this once before, it goes on both ways. make sure it's on the right way, then make sure you've got the expanding die/powder drop set up properly. sounds to me like it's something simple with the set up. one thing i can certainly tell you is, don't load any ammo with anything being "loose". it's all designed to be a snug fit, nothing should be loose............check out youtube. i'm sure there are tons of videos on there on how to set up the disc kit.... keep us posted on what you find.

 

[Tilos]

oldfarts:
I bought my 2nd Pro Auto-Disc TODAY and found something I think you should look for.

I took it all apart to remove the mold flash and found the drop tube was NOT completely pressed into the measure body.

I pressed it completely into the measure body.
This would affect the operation and may be what your problem is.

Edit: info I posted in the pro1000 thread
I bought a new Pro Auto-Disc today and took it apart to remove the plastic and pot metal mold flash and check the internals for burrs, etc.

I found a potentional problem in that the drop tube was NOT completely seated into the body of the measure.

I was able to press the body over the drop tube until it seated against the shoulder in the measure body.

Had I used it as it was, I think powder would have piled up in the gap and or the timing of the powder drop/flaring operation would have been affected.