Pro-Auto Disk issue

[SSN Vet]

has any body out there observed their pro-auto disk throwing slightly heavy charges when the hopper gets low?

Twice now, when I let the hopper get down to <1/2" of powder, I've noticed a pronounced "whirlpool" in the powder and am getting charges that are ~.2 to .3 grains heavy.

Easy fix is to keep the hopper filled up, but it's disconcerting to me none the less.

Otherwise, I've been very happy with this powder measure and have typically had ~<.1 grain variance.

But I think I better weigh every charge when I'm pushing into max. load territory.....just in case

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Otherwise, I've been very happy with this powder measure and have typically had ~<.1 grain variance.

What kind of scale do you have that measures to less than 0.1grain???

The Pro Auto Disk is good, but mine is about +/- 0.2g. I really don't see how you are even able to measure anything less than 0.1 grain.

 

[benedict1]

has any body out there observed their pro-auto disk throwing slightly heavy charges when the hopper gets low?

Not here, but I always refill at about that point and I also bought a couple RCBS powder baffles for my Pro Auto Disk units. If you bend them slightly they fit just right.

The only time I get a charge variation is if I let the powder sit in the hopper a couple of days and start loading again--the first charge will sometimes be ~.2 gr heavy. I just pour that one back in the hopper and move on.

What powder are you using? A flake powder? You might be getting some weird static charge effects. The 'swirl' or 'funnel' effect might also be caused because your hopper is not vibrating/shaking enough when you work the press. What kind of press is it?

 

[SSN Vet]

powder....W748 & W296. variation is noted with W748

press....Lee Classic Turret....so it should be shook up well enough.

scale....Lee, which others on this forum say measures to 1/10 grain.

When I say the charges throw to ~ (by which I mean "approximately") <.1 grain, what I mean is that, once the charge weight is determined, and I periodically measure a charge....if the "needle" doesn't come right back to the mark, I'll attempt to see how much the charge varied by moving the sliding poise up/down....and it usually takes .1 grain of motion or less to get the needle back to the mark.

It may be that I was paying closer attention when I was loading the W 748 for a max, load....but there seems to be a pattern when the hopper gets low.

I should look into the baffle idea.

 

[RustyFN]

No I have not had that problem but I usually don't fill my powder measure more than half way to start anyway.
Rusty