You can clean the powder measure with about anything. Take the powder hopper off so you don't melt the plastic and hit it with some gun scrupper, brake cleaner or even bore cleaner, I prefer M-Pro 7 bore solvent. Watch the harsh stuff as it can effect the outside paint.
Make sure you coat the powder measure internals with some non-sticky corrosion preventative.
Chuck, by die set expander, what I mean is that your pistol dies bring an expander/flaring die.Maybe I don't understand. Nothing new there, of course.. There is a universal die set expander? It looks like they are listed by caliber to me.
Chuck, by die set expander, what I mean is that your pistol dies bring an expander/flaring die.
So, my set up for pistol calibers is this:
Station 1 - size/decap die
Station 2 - expand (whatever die the set brings)
Station 3 - powder measure (no ptx)
Station 4 - powder check or bullet feed (use the Hornady bullet feed die for some cartridges)
Station 5 - Seat/crimp (I seat and crimp in the same step)
FYIThanks for that. I have the old Lee die set with the powder through expander. It wouldn't work with the Hornaday powder measure, though. I stopped in the hardware store yesterday, and bought a 5/8-18 bolt to use as a stop in the Lee expander. That works well, but looks a little unprofessional. At any rate, I ran the first test batch this morning. No problemo, except for operator error. Bought a blue light for checking powder..
View attachment 8338392019-03-30_10-32-57 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
edit for typo
not as cheap or as close as that part in the drawer/on the shelf though...^^^^ but.. I was right by the hardware store, and a bolt was.. er.. inexpensive.
FYI
That little funnel thing that comes with Lee pistol die set screws into the Lee PTX die is a "stop" too.
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-...ing-dies/lee-pistol-powder-thru-expanding-die
Actually, there was method to my madness. My "old" Lee dies were too short for the Lee PTX to work, therefore the longer bolt. When I was researching presses, the Lee dies were supposed to work with the Hornaday press. Apparently, the "old" Lee dies are shorter. Just a heads up for those with antique (how could they be? I bought them new..) Lee dies.
I've since ran a few .357, 9mm, and 44mag on the red press. Changeover to the large primers is simple enough, and it has worked well. I need to get a handful of the quick change bushings, and I'll be golden.
Problems? There were a few user generated issues. I've sent a couple of live primers down to the bottle inadvertently. I spilled half a cartridge full of powder on the shell plate when setting up the powder drop. That necessitated pulling off the shell plate.
There *is* a learning curve for someone that has always done one at a time.
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-.../lee-powder-handling/lee-powder-measure-riser[/URL]
View attachment 834244
just sayin'
Edit: I have the RCBS version of the Hornady PM and all the clap-trap linkage that goes with it, stuck up on a shelf, and use the Lee PM.[/QU
I turned the nut upside down and removed the O ring. That gave me "just" enough thread to lock the dies in place. The Hornady measure works well, although I haven't figured out how to get *reliable* drops with Herco, yet. Herco is what started me on this quest when my auto drum would occasionally not drop a charge of it. (!) Somehow, a new powder measure morphed into a complete new press..
""Lee dies were supposed to work with the Hornaday press. Apparently, the "old" Lee dies are shorter.""
The extra thickness where the dies thread in is what makes the Lee PTX die too short, you can remove the nut from the die to allow it to thread in deeper, and put the die nut underneath.
That may not be enough adjustment to get the Lee PTX to work though, and you won't be able to remove the die via the bushing.
Stuff's kind of snow balling here
FYI
Lee sells PM risers and I have them on all my progressives so the measure is above all the other dies, even have some stacked-up:
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-.../lee-powder-handling/lee-powder-measure-riser
View attachment 834244
just sayin'
Edit: I have the RCBS version of the Hornady PM and all the clap-trap linkage that goes with it, stuck up on a shelf, and use the Lee PM.
Life's too short to fight with fiddly powder, throw it on your lawn for fert and move on.
^^^^ but.. I was right by the hardware store, and a bolt was.. er.. inexpensive.
If I remember correctly my Hornady bullet feed dies came with the PTX.(use the Hornady bullet feed die for some cartridges)
Chuck59
Neat, order online from??
Hope it works out for you. The Dillon primer feed system has been a source of aggravation for years so at least you don't have to deal with that.
I adjusted the primer feed gizmo (technical term) when I first set up the press. I haven't run a boat load, but it's been flawless on 9mm, .357 magnum, and 44 magnum so far.
I need to get some LNL bushings and some Hornaday lock rings to make changeover simpler. Hmmm, a case feeder would be handy..