Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure Users - What is your experience?

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  • Bill2905

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    I have been using a Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure my Lee turret press for a long, long time and it has served me well. It has a few shortcomings and I have been looking at the Lee Auto Drum measure as a possible upgrade. For those of you who use one, what are your thoughts, pros and cons?
     
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    t-squared

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    I started reloading for handguns a few years ago and that's what I started with. I've now got 5 of them and they've all been trouble free so far.
    I use the red powder hopper that came with the earlier ones since I use a powder baffle in it.
    I "seasoned" mine by coating the body and the drum with powdered graphite before running any powder through them...seems to help it get consistent drops from the beginning.
    I'm able to drop everything from 2.7gr of Bullseye to 22gr of 2400 using the small drum.
    BTW, you don't have to use their riser on a turret press. Simply remove the outer part of the slider/drop part at the notch with a dremel cut-off wheel. It will them fit in between the upper parts of the dies.
     

    Jeepster48439

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    I recently got into reloading for 9mm. I have the Auto Drum. I weighed every 10th drop and visually inspected every case before seating the bullet. Visually the loads appeared consistent and upon weighing they were within 1/10th of a grain. Measuring 4.7gr of HP38.
     

    Chewie

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    I use the auto drum for unique, blue dot, cfe pistol without issue and pretty consistent (old red hopper with baffle).Accurate #7 leaks out if the drum a lot more than I am comfortable with so I have quit using that. I reload 9, 40, 45 on my lee load master.
     

    DadSmith

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    I have been using a Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure my Lee turret press for a long, long time and it has served me well. It has a few shortcomings and I have been looking at the Lee Auto Drum measure as a possible upgrade. For those of you who use one, what are your thoughts, pros and cons?
    I started with the auto disk years ago and switched to the auto drum. It's much more versatile. Think of the perfect powder measure adjustment on top of your turret that automatically drops your powder. It throws most powder pretty close to the charge you are aiming for. I've found it to throw right on most of the time. Now if you are using 800x just set it lower and trickle in the rest. 800x is a pain to use but has outstanding performance.

    I have a habit of testing my powder charge every 10rds just to be sure its within the charge range I want. If not it gets another adjustment.
     

    2in1evtime

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    If you ever have trouble with it no dropping or returning correctly, check where the body connects to the threaded part that screws into the die body, i had couple issues where i had to squeeze mine back in tighter to make it operate properly, you tube has videos on this supposedly lee fixed this issue on later models i got both of mine when they first came out.
     

    DadSmith

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    If you ever have trouble with it no dropping or returning correctly, check where the body connects to the threaded part that screws into the die body, i had couple issues where i had to squeeze mine back in tighter to make it operate properly, you tube has videos on this supposedly lee fixed this issue on later models i got both of mine when they first came out.
    Can you link to the video? It could be very helpful to many other people.

    My auto drum is about 4 yo now. Is that the newer model?
     

    2in1evtime

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    this is where the issue is and yes i think you may have the earlier versions was told lee did something to fix this but i don't have a new one to compare as i use my dillons for all pistol now
     

    Chewie

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    I have the older version (I believe) and used a worm gear hose clamp to lock it back in place. I noticed that when charging a case with powder the whole dispenser would tilt. Happened on 1 of 3 dispensers, need to get 2 more hose clamps for the other 2 (call it a design improvement). An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (or preventing a squib).
     

    2in1evtime

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    I may have a newer model. I just tighten it down to adjust until the plastic block runs all the way up for a full stroke.
    I have actually had to use channel locks to squeeze the pot metal back in to lock on the knurled thread part, after doing so it worked fine my 2 were from when they first came out, they work fine after i did what i said i did. i very seldom use them any more but did do 300 rounds of 45lc couple weeks ago
     

    DadSmith

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    I have actually had to use channel locks to squeeze the pot metal back in to lock on the knurled thread part, after doing so it worked fine my 2 were from when they first came out, they work fine after i did what i said i did. i very seldom use them any more but did do 300 rounds of 45lc couple weeks ago
    No I don't just read the new model came out in 2020.
     

    42253

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    I use auto disk on all of my pistol calibers. I have 3 and all work fine. I just bought 3 new auto drums for my rifle calibers still need to set them up
     

    sugarcreekbrass

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    I use the auto drum with TiteGroup and LilGun. The only thing that I had to get figured out was tightening the plastic powder drop. If you go too tight it won't return completely. If you go too loose, you lose some powder. I still do lose a little bit of TiteGroup, but like others said, it meters very consistently with the powders I use in it.
     

    Bill2905

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    As the OP, the responses to my original post were overwhelmingly positive so I dropped a hint to my wife. Predictably, a new Lee Auto Drum measure showed up under the Christmas tree Saturday morning. After an easy set up, I tinkered with it a little and then loaded 100 rounds of 9mm with it yesterday. My initial impression is that it is a nice improvement over the Auto Disk. I have a few extra drums on order so I can set them up for my favorite charges. Appreciate all of the responses to my inquiry.
     

    Bill2905

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    Been using one for about three years. It handles flake and stick powder well but a fine ball like win296 leaks everywhere.
    I tested my new Auto Drum with W296 the other night and it leaked all over the place. I couldn't get the finger nut any tighter with hand tightening so I gently gripped it with a pair of pliers and tightened it up a little more, a quarter turn or less. Problem solved, at least in my limited testing of it.
     

    Fixer

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    I have a couple that I have been using for a year or so. I have minimal leakage from the fine ball powders. It has thrown really consistent charges on my turret press. I just finished up the last of my 5.7x28 that I needed to load. Checking on the beam scale about every 10th round, I didn't see hardly any deviation from start to finish. I didn't get an exact measure on some that were just under or over the line after the first couple. Most were within +-.1 grain. I usually don't load to max with any auto powder drop so a small deviation like that is acceptable.
     
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