Lee auto drum measure

[deadeye dick]

Have a problem with the Lee auto drum. When cycling the unit there is slack after dumping the powder which does not line up the drum hole with the drop tube. this also happens on the return stroke so the hole does not line up on top. Doesn't seem to have a adjustment for this. Do i have a bad one?

 

[splattergun]

turn the LAD so it aligns with the powder through die then lock it down.

 

[deadeye dick]

turn the LAD so it aligns with the powder through die then lock it down.

This is for 223 Rem. rifle Tried that, no good

 

[MakBaba]

I threw mine away. Too much hassle. Constant short stroking and binding. Life’s too short. Auto Disk for pistol and Perfect Powder for rifle works for me

 

[Spare Parts]

Have a problem with the Lee auto drum. When cycling the unit there is slack after dumping the powder which does not line up the drum hole with the drop tube. this also happens on the return stroke so the hole does not line up on top. Doesn't seem to have a adjustment for this. Do i have a bad one?

The Lee disk has issues with fine flattened spherical powders like CFE-pistol.

The adjustment is the hand-tightened nut in the back. Loosen it until it leaks an "acceptable" amount of powder in exchange for a "full enough" stroke. To catch the leaked powder, I carved up the top of a Cool Whip lid and painter-taped it under the measure. I also added an extra O-ring and lubed it with graphite.

Yeah, it's a PITA, but there is an optimum tightness on that nut.

After about 10 cycles, the auto drum throws very repeatable charges - every time.

 

[kmw1954]

Hummmm, have one and use it for all pistol calibers and for my 223. Powders are everything from AA#2 to Hodgdon Varget. I honestly spill more powder than I ever leak with this. Powders like AA#2, Silhouette and TAC have all held .1gr, not +/- .1gr

Have dropped HP-38 @ 2.3gr for a 380 pistol to 25gr Benchmark for my 223. Auto Disk won't do that.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I have the auto drum and it works fine for me except on large grain extruded powders like 4831.
It sounds like you dont have the drum assembly tightened properly into the die.
The black "button" I'm pointing to below should go all the way up but not touch the end of the slot during the stroke.

 

[Bill M.]

I used the Lee Auto Disc. I liked it. I moved to the Lee Auto Drum. I liked it. I bought a M type expander and moved to a RCBS hand powder measure. I like that system better. My ammo is straighter and looks better. My flare is how I want it and not how it has to be to run the powder measure. I do not know if my powder drops are more consistent or not but I know there is no systematic fault in the system now. I know I move the handle for the full stroke each time now.

 

[deadeye dick]

It makes a full stroke but there is slack (free movement) on the up stroke and down stroke. This does'nt allow the holes to align fully in the fill and dump positions.

 

[kcofohio]

Could your nut be too tight on the drum, not allowing free movement?

One thing I found with mine, is that I must bring the ram down smartly. If I lower the ram to slow, the drum doesn't rotate enough, as what you are finding. As long as I stay consistent with my rythm, especially on the turret press, I get steady weights.

I should clarify, when I say smartly, I don't jerk the handle. But I don't creep it either.

 

[**Brian19**]

Could your nut be too tight on the drum, not allowing free movement?

One thing I found with mine, is that I must bring the ram down smartly. If I lower the ram to slow, the drum doesn't rotate enough, as what you are finding. As long as I stay consistent with my rythm, especially on the turret press, I get steady weights.

I should clarify, when I say smartly, I don't jerk the handle. But I don't creep it either.

I was also thinking maybe the nut was too tight. Of course, too loose gives problems too, including leaking powder. I found that a quick shot of graphite spray on the inner surface of the drum will allow you to tighten the nut a bit more while still allowing it to rotate freely to the load/dump positions.

 

[WeekendReloader]

Have a problem with the Lee auto drum. When cycling the unit there is slack after dumping the powder which does not line up the drum hole with the drop tube. this also happens on the return stroke so the hole does not line up on top. Doesn't seem to have a adjustment for this. Do i have a bad one?

Same problem I had. Slack (backlash) in the gears/linkage and it would not fully open or close. I sent it back.

 

[deadeye dick]

Same problem I had. Slack (backlash) in the gears/linkage and it would not fully open or close. I sent it back.

You hit the nail right on the head, that's exactly my problem. When you sent it back did you get a replacement and if so did the new one work?

 

[Iwsbull]

I have had good luck with the 3 I have so far. I will agree that you might have to mess with them a bit to get them to function right but after that they have been great.

 

[WeekendReloader]

You hit the nail right on the head, that's exactly my problem. When you sent it back did you get a replacement and if so did the new one work?

Got my money back. I've read a number of threads where people were having the same problems and I didn't want another lemon. This was back in October 2020. Apparently they had a bad run of them.

I then mounted my LEE PPM on top of my powder die with an adapter I got from evil-Bay and manually flip the lever. It works every time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1624923682...049lP0lt41e2g%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMiuL9jaVf