i just set up my auto disk on my lee turret press. it will not throw a consistent charge no matter what i seem to do. im useing unique.
its varying up to .6 of a gr. and thats just not acceptible for me.
is this the powder, or the measure, or am i just missing something?
Flake powders are not always the easiest to dispense. Try a jiggle of the measure before each drop,it helps to settle.Usually a light load is harder to get reliable.
I don't use a Lee anymore. Ball powders usually measure well but can work it's way into the mechanism and cause stickiness. Anyway .6 is alot and a jiggle may help. Trick is to use the same technique with each drop.
thank you all for your extremly quick responses. i did find that if i jiggle the measure before and during dispensing the charges are alot more uniform. thanks again for your help.
I cycle mine once around and then measure a charge,then repeat and measure the second charge. Each full cycle settles a little more powder in the disk. Mine is usually with in .1gr. But I usually have to use a bigger disk than the chart recommends.
I'm reasonably new to this forum, but would like to take part in this discussion, if I may.
I'm Chairman of the Reloading Association of South Africa. Here we use 99% American equipment: From Lee and Lyman to Forster and Dillon and of course everything in between, pricewise.
Concerning the question about the accuracy of powder hoppers, we've learned from our fundis that a certain volume of powder does not necessarily have the same mass if dispensed time and again, because of the irregularities in powder composition. Therefore we do not really have to worry about the small differences our scales indicate. Initial results in my .303 and 6.5x57 seem to indicate that this may be true, after all. Hopper throws up to .5 grains of medium burning extruded powder either way, but groupings are still excellent. Velocity was not measured yet, but if accuracy is good, standard deviation from average velocity must also be good then.
I used to have problems with consistent charges using an RCBS Uniflow I got in my kit. I replaced to pieces on it and it holds .10 grains now easily. I got a powder baffle, its a metal piece that keeps consistent pressure on the powder being metered out as long as the uniflow is fill above the baffle top.
I also got a small rotor, instead of the large, it changes volume much more slowly its max throw is like 25 grains but it is perfect for pistol work.
Anyhow two ideas for you, not sure of the autodisk would benifit from either of those concepts.
__________________ We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. -Aesop
AndreF:As to .5 deviation,I would say it depends on what you call "accuracy".If you are wanting "hunting"accuracy between (in your meisurement) 25mm and 100mm,or 1'to say 4",that deviation might be ok.But I have doubts it would be acceptable when trying to drop below MOA in target shooting.And welcome.Hope to hear more from you. ,,,sam.
I think that much variance would drive most American reloaders nuts. Most likely it would not matter in rifle loads for hunting. Pistol loads near max might be another issue. I personally never load to max, feel it just abuses gun for no good reason.
I neglected to say that my Ohaus is now fitted with a plastic baffle, but the sleeve and rotor's cutting edges are quite blunt. What do you think: will it help if those cutting edges are sharpened again?
Also, the hopper is screwed to a wall-mounted 1 1/4" pressedwood rack, but on the longish metal plate it came with, to attach it to the top of the press by means of a die's lock ring. I will try and mount it a bit stiffer, if needed. There is some springiness in the metal plate, causing some jump of the hopper.
. thanks again for your help.
