I use a single Perfect Powder Measure for my long rifle cartridges. For my short cartridge rifles (Marlin 1894s and Rossi R92s), I use an Auto Disk with an Adjustable Charge Bar . For use when needed, I also have an Auto Disk Pro setup with a Double Disk. Once I get a long rifle cartridge set up with a load I like, I try to move it to the Auto Disk Pro with the Double Disk so that the powder dispensing is done right on the press. If possible, I try to adjust the load to something that fits two fixed cavities disks stacked together. If the double disk isn't a very near or an exact match, I stack a fixed cavity disk with the the Adjustable Charge Bar..Dirty-.Thirty wrote:R-D, do you have several different powder throwers and leave 'em set or adjust it each time to your needs? Load many handgun rounds? Thanks .DT
Edit: I also see R-D, looks like you have a Auto Disk measure setup on your Turret, I have the 4 hole Turret and am wondering your thoughts on this thrower and any advice on it?
As far as handguns go, I try to stick with using the Auto Disk with a single fixed cavity. I have one Auto Disk setup with the Micro Disk (no longer made), this disk has four very small cavities for cartridges like the 25 and 32 ACP. My three Load Masters use the Auto DIsk Pros with a single fixed cavity.
The difference between the Auto Disk and the Auto Disk Pro is that the Pro has a cut off that is actuated by rotating the powder hopper a quarter of a turn. Because of the Hopper shut off, the Hopper can be removed from the Auto Disk Body with powder in the Hopper. Despite this shut off feature, I actually prefer the standard Auto Disk as it is a bit more compact in size and seems to be a better fit on the rotating head of the turret press. On each Auto Disk, I have replaced the Actuator (AD2306) with a Swivel Adapter (90477). This allows the Hopper to be removed without removing the entire Auto Disk Body from the Powder Through Expander Die or the Rifle Charging Die (90194).
The Powder Through Expander Die is included with the Pistol Die Sets and straight wall cartridge sets like the 38-55 Win, 444 Marlin, and 45-70. Other rifle cartridges, like the 30-30 Win or bottleneck cartridges, need the separate Rifle Charge Die if the Auto Disk is going to be used.
So here is the total count of the Lee powder dispensers I own:
- 1 - Perfect Powder Measure
- 3 - Auto Disk (one each set up with the Micro Disk, standard Disk, and Adjustable Charge Bar)
- 4 - Auto Disk Pro (one on each Load Master and one set up with a Double Disk for use on the turret press)
The key to using the Lee Powder Handling tools is first determining the actual VDM of a specific powder along with the specific cubic centimeter used and the specific powder handling tool used. These steps will ensure a quick set up and accuracy at the drop without any fiddling.
The SAAMI spec for each powder allows the manufactured specific gravity to vary something like 16% between lots. This variation doesn't change the combustion characteristics of a given weight charge but it does change the volume. This is why individuals who use the VDMs on Lee's VDM list see weight differences at the drop. Lee's list is determined from the spec but the spec has a large allowable variation. Once a VDM has been determined, the use of cubic centimeters to determine a charge is extremely accurate.
To determine the VDM of a powder I simply take ten drops, metered through an appropriate sized device, and weigh it. The average charge weight would be the total weight divided by ten. Then I take cubic centimeters I used to drop the charge and divide it by average charge weight. The result is the powders actual VDM, I write it on the powder canister.
In selecting the device I use to drop the powder for determining the VDM, I use what is appropriate. For an example with H322, a rifle powder, I would use the Perfect Powder Measure set at 2.50 cc. Another example would be with a pistol powder like Universal, I would use the .30 fixed cavity on the Auto Disk. It would be also important to allow the turret to rotate through each station between each drop as that is what makes the Auto Disk consistent.
Speaking of consistent, I would never drop a charge with the Auto Disk without the turret cycling through each station and I would not use the Auto Disk with a single stack press. The Hopper is not going to be able to properly fill the cavity without the movement. On the Load Masters, the dies and Auto Disk does not move, but there is a consistent motion transmitted up through the press with each stroke of the ram and indexing of the shell plate to provide the vibration needed to fill the cubic centimeter cavity.
