I just bought the Lee Classic cast 4 hole turret in Jan in 2024. I'm so glad it has not become unavailable. I have a Hornady Lock an Load and a Dillon 550C for doing large batches of 9 and 45 etc. However I love the Lee 4 hole for doing small batch loads when working up new loads. Turrets are only 15 bucks and can remain set up on a homemade rack and can be dropped in easily. I love that I can take out the rod and index it myself manually as well as running it automatic. I don't think the Lee 4 hole turret is going away anytime soon, Thank goodness. Lee's new 6 pack pro press looks nice for folks wanting a faster more automated setup like a Hornady Lock and load or Dillon 750. Nice video as always from FC45LC Thanks for all U do Fortune Cookie.
Fortunecookie . I bought one of these powder measures on your recommendation about a year ago. I disconnected the plastic arm and it works great. You are a inspiration to us all . Some people just leave there brains parked in neutral,put there mouth just keeps talking. Thanks for all that you do for us.
Thanks for all of your great videos! I used the auto drum several years ago but could not get it to stop leaking the fine ball powders and stopped using it. Recently I purchased the Lee deluxe perfect powder measure (the brass model) to load extruded powders for my larger rifles. I use it to drop .2 grain low, then trickle up on the beam scale. I found the accuracy of that measure to be very good, and when I later used it for loading .223, I noticed it did not leak the ball powder I was using (BLC (2)). With a few modifications, I was able to get the brass drum working in my auto drum on the Lee classic turret press. It takes a total of three auto disc risers to clear the safety prime system, but now works great. I found approximately 10 specks of W-231 on the turret after loading 100 rounds of .45 acp. After settling in, I weighed every 10 charges and saw no deviations on the beam scale. It seems that brass drum makes all the difference. It would be nice if Lee made brass replacements for those nylon quick change drums, but stacking the auto disc risers posed no problems in operation, and I did not notice any excessive case flair doing this. I did coat the auto riser internals with graphite, and polished the auto drum with Mothers (as seen in other leak fix video's, but my nylon drums still leaked). The micrometer on the brass drum is marked and indented for each adjustment, so swapping charge measures is no issue.
The Lee autodrum is very accurate for me. But, I have tried every trick in the book, even yours, to stop it from spilling powder all over my press. Specifically H110. I use it in several calibers. Thanks for all you do FC.
I have same problem with h110 can't stop it from leaking. It measures accurately. I finally rigged an old sour cream container underneath Lee Auto drum to catch the leaking powder. I lose about 10 grams of powder for every hundred rounds I load. Other larger grain powders don't leak - unique, h335, titegroup, etc
Love the $3.25 price tag wish it was that cheap now. I would like to thank you for the information I am just getting back into reloading after 15 years you have help me to decide on the lee load-master press to go with my old lee challenger and turret press.
Nick M. - I kept that old powder can (to refill with new H110) exactly for that reason - back in that day, a box of 22LR was around $ .79 for the good stuff. Merry Christmas to ya, Steve
I used to use a universal de-capping die before wet tumbling also. After about a year of doing that, I went back to sizing and decapping, you save a lot of time when doing 1000s of cases. I also made dippers, a bit slower than a powder feed, but it works for me.
Hi Fortune Cookie, you produce fine videos. I spoke to Lee recently because I purchased their new Lee 6000 6 Pack Progressive press. Its beautiful and has all the goodness from the newest 1000 Pro, Loadmaster and updates. I will be producing a video of mine. The Loadmaster is being sunsetted, which surprised me. She also said the Lee Classic Turret is going nowhere. sunsets, still a solid seller. I own one and love it. Its very solid and pumps out a lot of quality rounds in little time. I love how easy it is to caliber swap, drop in your pre-configured turret n dies, and the shell holder and you are done.
I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE AFTER WATCHING ONE OF YOUR REVIEWS . JUST LOADED 40 ROUNDS OF .308 WIN. THIS UNIT HANDLED VARGET LIKE A CHAMP ! BOUT .2 GRAIN VARIANT... THANX FOR THE GREAT INFO !
Hello Mr. FC I’m really glad you are ok haven’t seen from you in a bit you made another great video I don’t know how you make every video as good as you do your the granddaddy of RUclips please keep up the very informative videos
Willie Bulletman - Thanks, Willie - yes, I'm fine and OK - just some stuff happened like family, etc. Like yesterday, I was going to the range, but had a Costco run with the wife, and then it started raining. Have a Modesto great day, FC Steve
I have the Lee Safety Prime attachment on my Lee Classic Cast Turret Press and couldn't be happier. Works like a champ and saves possibly contaminating the primer with oil from the skin. Also saves dropped primers which inevitably happens. Thanks for sharing.
The lee carbide die kit comes with the powder through die that had the belling feature included. If you take out the bell stem and polish the face the bell stem to remove the tooling marks you will eliminate the popping of the auto drum powder charge.
I love your videos FC, even the ones like this that don't really affect me, as I don't use this type of set up. You remind me that that are still some really nice people out there, even in California. LOL God bless you and yours. Keep up the great work.
Hey FC, that was really interesting. Still working out ways of cleaning brass. I always decap before wet tumbling, but like this sizing idea a lot. My Lee progressive primes and sizes on the same station ! I'll will have to work something out :-)
I received my Lee Auto Drum without the Chain, the issue everyone was having has been resolved. Lee added a screw to keep the arm from. popping out of place. Mine has worked flawlessly. The Turret press is a workhorse and rock solid reliable. I have the Pro 6000 and look forward to using it, but I love my Turret Press. Presses 2x to 3x the cost do not auto index.
I agree. and look, the Classic Turret press is still here and they retired the Loadmaster. In comes the Pro 6000. Lee told me the Classic Turret is going nowhere.
@@davespin9034 good. That’s their best press. Can’t beat the simplicity and speed. I’ll head down to the basement and crank out 15 rounds in 5 min here and there and that adds up fast. It just works.
That's what I like. Boring repeated accuracy in my powder throws. The Sizing-depriming is an extra step, However, I'm going to do that anyway as I choose to wet tumble my brass to a restored condition. Good Video cookie, Hope all is going well with You and the Family. Dave.
i use for decapping and sizing a 38special and 357 m a hornady titanium sizer(before wet tumble) and then priming when cases are clean ,and that is really fast with a lee auto bench tool ,the hornady die is a little bit wider than the rcbs crb sizer in the progressive press, and that takes a lot of force needed away , and 9mm the same method, by a progressive its important that the force needed is the same from round to round
Love watching your channel and you're wealth of knowledge is awesome. I just bought my Lee Loadmater and look forward to seeing what it will do. I've been hearing a lot about "water tumbling" can you do a demonstration / comparison on tumblers
I ordered one of these based in large part on your videos, and it arrived today. I haven't had a chance to put it to use yet, but I thought I'd pass along something that may be of interest to someone looking to buy one of these. The one that I received did not have the disconnect installed. The disconnect parts are included in the bag with the bead chain, and the instruction manual has a section on how to install it (if you wish to use it). Apparently Lee has listened to their customers (and/or watched a lot of these RUclips videos) and now makes the disconnect an option, and not the default. Saved me the trouble of removing it. :) I also found that the fit of the powder hopper to the base is firm with no slop at all, though I have read complaints on some message boards that it was loose. Possibly another product improvement, but I am not familiar with this measure enough to know if it is, or was, a common issue. I am surprised to hear that the 4 hole turret press is going away. I have both a Lee progressive, as well as the turret, and both have their uses, the turret especially IMO for loading black powder cartridges, plus the ability to use it set-up as a single stage press for some things, like running a universal decapping die. I am glad I already have one before they become hard to find and pricey! Anyway, thanks again for another informative video!
Faelwolf - The new progressive Lee press at practically the same price as the 4 Hole Turret signals the new progressive to be supplanting the Turret. The Turret is still a good press with a lot of nice features, and I suspect it is not going away immediately. If the new progressive is as good as we are expecting, it will indeed be taking over eventually. However, the reviews haven't come in yet, so we will be waiting in the wings. Thanks for sharing about the powder measure...that disconnect on the PM is really a crock for anti-legality issues, and for Lee to now make it a non-default is very welcome. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
Thank you for your reply, and kind words. I've seen a couple videos on the new press, and while I think it will do a good job of bridging the gap between the 4 hole turret press and a full-on progressive, I just can't see it as a good replacement for the turret. I also see no reason to give up my pro 1000 for it, though for someone just getting into reloading, it might very well be a great way to get started. I think that in that situation, it could easily be *the* go-to starter press, if it continues to get good reviews, of course. I think that may be the niche they are aiming for with this press, as IMO it is more of a simplified progressive than anything else. With beginners in mind, I particularly like the lock pin insuring a good full indexing, however, that same lock pin gets in the way of using it for full size rifle cartridges, as it looks to make for a bit of fussiness when trying to manually index for longer case lengths. But this press looks to want to be a do-everything kind of machine, which will have it's drawbacks, for sure. It's price point is certainly a plus, especially for new reloaders, and it looks like it might be a great press for the money, despite any minor issues like that. I look forward to seeing your video on it, and hearing your thoughts. I have come to value your opinions rather highly, and you are always entertaining! :)
From my experience, is that the clicks are caused by the shell casing not lining up with the expansion tube. This tube is hanging up on the edge of the brass. When enough pressure is applied it pushes past causing the click. I am using the Lee Turret Press and it seems like it doesn't line up exactly in the center of the die. I found that holding the brass and helping it line up fixes the problem.
I find the Lee auto drum powder measure works best on a single stage press or on the turret with auto advance disabled. For what I’ve found the powder tends to pack down and the powder measure will throw heavy the more the press rotates. I do like the powder measure just on single stage presses
Great videos, do you have any videos of your lee press with loads for a semi auto, I would like to learn how to adjust the crimp dies for a taper pistol round. Thanks
Great stuff as always!! I’m wondering if you have heard about the lee breech lock pro that’s coming out in the spring? If so what do you think about it? Thanks again for sharing.
If you pre lube your case mouths with powdered mica or graphite, that may prevent the chatter. Thanks for sharing. Not a thing wrong with a good beam scale. No power required.
Polishing the expander plug cured the sticky drum problem on my Lee auto drum . It now runs smooth and only takes a few minutes to polish with some fine sand paper .
similar... However I have found that with 300BO, the brass can be off center, and the piece in the die will munch the mouth then pop in to center with a snap.
GunFun ZS Mine was with a brand new set of 38 special dies . It had machine marks on the expander plug . A light polish with 600 grit sandpaper cured the problem .
@@jamespollard3066 i done the same thing with all my Lee expander dies they were kinda rough textured from the factory, they actually started galding at one point, this was before i got the auto drum measure, now at over 20k powder throws mine has never chattered like fc45lc is saying. I used some 2000 grit finishing paper and put a fine polish on all of them now they slip right in and expand smoothly, i think thats the source of the problem. Load and shoot safe!
I kinda like the turret better than a progressive. I feel like I can go at a little slower speed and more closely watch each operation since each pull is only doing 1 thing. I am sure as I get more seasoned as a loader my opinion on this will change and I'll want the progressive output and will have to check out the Lee you talk about.
Very interesting. I've never had any pops or clicks, but if I do, I'll have a solution. I used to have the problem with my previous Lee powder measure with 45 ACP. but that was also related to a bad die. One thing I learned (almost the hard way), ALWAYS make sure you have MORE THAN ENOUGH powder in the reservoir for your batch (see you do that :-) ), once you get in to a steady click, it's easy to forget to check your powder level, then you have to un-do a bunch of cases to see what ones got low charges.
Paul Fischer - I have grown to trust my Lee Auto Drums enough to load near maximum loads with it...verified by every 10 throws on the scale, of course. For maximum loads, I would still hand weigh each charge, but even if I'm 2/10ths low of maximum, the Lee Auto Drum can be used with confidence as long as there are no pops or click. Good reloadin' to ya, Paul FC Steve
Do you worry about the dirt and debris wearing your dies or brass when resizing before cleaning? I use carbide pistol dies and decap using a 4570 die to aid in cleaning primer pockets. However I'm still dry tumbling. I hope to be able to purchase a wet tumbler at some point as I do agree it's a better cleaning option.
I really like my Lee 4 hole turret press. It has its quirks but it has served me well. I just make sure to have extra plastic squares from Lee on hand. I think in about 10 years I have had to replace 2 of them.
Great video! May I please ask, I may throwing 8.5gn. what amount above or below my target weight is material. Using the AutoDrum I'm getting a few 1/10ths of a grain variation. I'm using a a flake BlueDot and two digital scales to compare.
...I used to have two Lee 1000s both with case collators one was set up in .45 ACP and the other in 9mm...I would get up in the AM and run 10 rounds through it before I hit the john...
My brass gets a a simple soak over night and a rinse to clean away primer gunk. So it is not sterile clean like steel pins make brass. It has some tarnish color not a golden shine. Is brass to clean the problem ? It has been noted as a problem with other brands of case activated powder measures.
I realize this is an older video. What Im wondering is, if using wet tumbled pristine brass isn’t causing of the problem? Its too clean! Wonder if tumbling in corncob or walnut media and the resulting dust left in the case would provide some lubricant to help with this sticking issue?
I had the Lee Perfect Powder Measure and the Lee Load All for shot shells. Both leak fine grain powders with every throw :/ I love other Lee products but gave up on their powder measures. How do you keep the Lee powder measures from leaking fine powder?
FC45LC: I noticed at around 14:16 you ran the loaded case through the Lee Factory Crimp Die and then turned the case about a 1/2 turn and ran it through that die again. Is this something you are doing all the time to ensure a good crimp or did that particular case feel off a bit? Thanks for the great video, too!
...is that an Ohaus micrometer adjustable scale??? I got one in my Ammo Crafters kit that I bought at the post Rod & Gun Club in Germany 50 years ago in 1972..I still have it along with the Rock Chucker press
You mentioned a new progressive press that Lee is coming out with. What is this reloader? Will it be like a Pro 1000 with 4 stations instead of 3? I could really go for that!!!
Good video. Independently from this video, I have also found that expanding in a seperate process gives smoother operation not only with the lee autodrum measure but also with my hornady case activated measure on the hornady AP press. But I am running out of stations on the press so I have started loading progressively in two stages. On the first stage I resize, prime and expand/mouthflare the cases. Then I switch the dies and run all the cases through again.This time with expanding/powder through in station one, powder cop in station two, bullet feeder in station three, seating in station four and crimping in last station. Would be nice if Lee would come out with a seven station progressive press. I might be wrong but I think that the four station turret press still have a place and value. I feel it gives more control and consistancy on every station than a progressive press where the simultanious operations going on in the other stations could affect seating and crimp consistency.
Take off the extinction off and rotate the tab to the closest to the deprimer sizer . it wont chatter and it will not hit the primer holder it does a better job putting the primer in ( ps. pull primer loader a part and smooth the mold marks and reassemble and it will work smooth !
The turret press will make any powder measure more accurate. As it bounces around the 4 stages, it fills that cavity perfectly everytime. I have adjustable charge bars in all my autodisc measures. The one time I tried one on the Loadmaster, my charges were as far as +/- .6 grains off on little 4.6gr 9mm load. Lee also came out with a value turret press that uses the same frame as the new progressive. It's not as nice as the classic turret, which will still handle all of my rifle loading.
I find the same thing is true for pistol loads, esp. dropping Unique. Using the auto indexing and moving the turret around between drops makes for more consistent drops. Ballpowder like H335 and Titegroup does't seem to matter as much.
Try loading 30-06 I'm have a heck of a time g etting accurate loads in my Lee drum measure. Only way is to use my is to use my beam scale and trickle the powder in..
Bruce Walker - Could be the powder type...I find myself using my Hornady Automatic Powder Dispenser when I reload for my bolt guns.... Best to ya, Steve
After the warnings in the lee reloading manual and dangers with priming and priming tubes ,i now decap and size ,clean and prime outside the progressive presses i got, using the new lee bench autoprime its not much extra time needed, and the rest of thework on the progressive press is much faster and precise,and no more holdups , jamming because of dirt and checking of the priming of loaded rounds
peteralexben - I know what you are saying. That section in the Lee Manual makes no sense to a lot of reloaders who use the progressives from Dillon, Hornady, RCBS = non Lee equipment. Yes there have been rare cases of primer tubes going off, but the blast does go to the ceiling with the reinforced outter tubes. I think Lee had that warning in there going back many years and have not updated that. The newest design of the Lee hand primer is even safer as you know. But I've loaded far too many rounds with my Dillons to have any reservations about primer safety in the tubes - and I handle those tubes with extra care - we don't want to drop any of those. The only time I'm holding my breath is when I put the primer tube onto the press tube and pull the pin...the primers do drop a vertical distance, but none have detonated in over 40 years of use. Likewise, my RCBS Bench Prime does rock and roll the primer tube a bit, but no problems there either. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing the priming outside of the press. When I single feed my primers by hand, primer detonation is not even on the radar screen. Best to ya, FC Steve
the primer`s according the lee 2017 print and updated second edition are because af the new primer material (,no heavy metals) ,much more sensitive.primers are in much bigger boxes delivered. now there are acoustic sights if it goes wrong you can stil shooting indoors :-)
peteralexben - I do have a video about primers and those heavy metals you reference are part of the "primer fuel". When primers detonate, they need something that will be carried into the powder charge that will burn with the violent force and heat of the primer exploding. It is that burn along with the heat, flash and force of the primer explosion that does the work of igniting the powder charge. But more of that on the video - this video may not be posted, however. Best to ya, FC Steve
Eugene Johnson - Redding was always on the pricey side and it bothered my Scotch blood as RCBS and Lee were always higher value. The new Lyman seems like a fine press, I really should get one of those to see if it is as good as it looks. Have a great day, FC Steve
Dale Hahn Sr - If you get no clicks or pops from your LADPM with your universal flaring die, that's a go system as well. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
What is a good pistol powder to use with the lee drum that will not leak? I am brand new to reloading, I just received my Lee Classic Turret kit from Amazon yesterday. I will be reloading .45 ACP and 9mm.
hockison33 - The new Lee progressive press is coming out next month that will be selling for $10-20 more than the Turret. But your Turret will still be useful. Great powders for your 45 acp and 9 would be Red Dot, TiteGroup, Bullseye...these should not leak in your LADPM. Best to ya, FC Steve
FC, what are your thoughts on the auto Disc ? Have you seen a difference in accuracy between the auto drum and auto disc ? I currently use the disc and suspect this is the reason for the high SD.
NOE makes caliber specific plug for the LEE Universal Expander die. It works like an Lyman M Die and makes Cast Lead Bullets easier to seat. This is the link to Pistol plugs: noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=89&osCsid=164jboi8cqkaq52r33ol9634s1 They have a separate link for the rifle plugs. I move my (1) LEE Autodrum from caliber specific turret to turret. I remove the riser each time as well. I drop the LEE expander plug out and clean out the die. I lube the outside of the plug with Hornady One Shot Dry Lube. I am not sure if this keeps mine moving and not chattering or not. I have never had an issue.
It depends on the powder you use. Magnum type ball powders such asH110 and 296 use magnum primers usually, Unique and similar powders don’t require magnum primers
FortunCookie45LC - I know it is slower, but how much slower is the Lee turret compared to a Dillon? Do you feel like you get better, more accurate loads with the Lee than the Dillon? Do you use your Lee turret loader more than your Dillon? Do you like the Lee better than the Dillon (the reloading "experience")? Would you recommend a Lee to a person who already has a Dillon? I ask because I am not completely satisfied with my 550c - very difficult to adjust - don't trust the powder measure - lots of ruined cases, etc. Thanks
Ted Clutter - I'm glad you are asking this as Lee is coming out with a new press that is the upgraded progressive version - it really looks good and only $10-20 more than the Lee 4 hole turret press you are referencing. If this new press is as good as it looks, the Lee 4 Hole turret press is not needed any longer. Have a great day, FC Steve
As I've gotten more into this stuff, I'm looking at picking this measure, but I also looked at the Lee Disk. Is the slightly higher cost of the drum, justify it over the disk? Thanks again!
@@FortuneCookie45LC Thanks for the reply and help. I've already took the leap and went with the drum. I don't know any better, so my happiness with the drum is a bit innocent (or ignorant). But I can say It throws consistent charges for me, using Varget, H335, Reloader 10x, and IMR4320 to name a few, loading for .223/5.56 with 19-25 grains depending on load data. My scale has measured multiple loads, all staying with in +/- .05 grains of tolerance. I also make sure the "man-handle" the press between drops to ensure I have good settling of powder, and I tend to only fill about the bottom 3rd of the container to keep a relatively consistent and low "head pressure".
AC - I don't know of an adapter that will allow the RCBS or Redding PMs to mount on a Lee die. But the Lee ADPM works very well for a $38 PM...and it will mount on all Lee powder through dies. Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
Ok FC gta question for ya. I’ve always been cautious about running dirty brass thru my dies I was just curious if you’ve had any issues or reduced die life resizing before you clean your casing
Actually in my experience, dirty cases make the dies dirty, which can damage subsequent brass quicker than damaging the dies. Dies need to be cleaned to keep them from accumulating moisture from the ambient air and then rust, however it's the damaged brass that tells me I need to clean my dies. Since I started to tumble the brass before sizing I can go longer between cleaning dies before I damage brass...
Interestingly, from what I recall, the Lee instruction book says if the cases are cleaned then you must lube the cases even with the carbide dies. It makes me wonder if the are recommending that cases be slightly dirty.
I have the Lee auto drum and I have no confidence in the charges it drops. I see grain variations across my loads in the hundredth grains as weighed on a digital scale. I don’t believe that having to run through 2 separate sizing dies is an answer and Lee should address why these powder drops have variation to them. I weigh every single load I do because I have no confidence in this powder drop to accurately load the proper charges. I have had some loads where it was set to load a specific drop and after loading a number of bullets all of a sudden it doesn’t drop any powder or a minute amount into the case then it will go back to a normal set load with no clear reason why it does that. So needless to say I weigh every load and will continue to that because I don’t want any hot loads or squib loads with my ammo. Thank you just wanted to let you know what I have seen. I have loaded about 1,000!rounds so far and it has improved but occasionally it drops weird loads so it can’t be trusted.
Shootyour iout - Some have noticed that I used a neck expand / mouth flare / powder thru die in the first station that is shorter than the one with the powder measure. That's because it is from a Lee 38 Short Colt die set...the mouth flare die works just fine for the 357 mag. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
I just purchased a new auto drum and set it up for .223 w/CFE223 set up on the 4-hole turret press. Do you have any tips for consistent charges for the .223? My throws are + - .4g. I just can't get it to stabilize. I loaded 9mm last week and it threw fine, maybe its not good for rifle? I'm at a loss and will load my .223 with my Hornady electronic charge. Thanks
Jim S - + - .4grains is not good. Only thing I can suggest is to check the polymer powder cut off to make sure it's OK. My own testing of using the Lee ADPM on the 4-hole turret has not reached a conclusion if it's a good idea or not. Some say the jiggling of the 4 hole turret advancing to the next die helps to even out the powder packing in the measure. But that's only if the jiggling is consistent, and it is not - some powders may very well not work as well with that jiggling. You'll only be able to tell if you run some throws with the advance rod taken out and compare with that + - .4 grain. I've found my 3 Lee ADPMs being within .1 grain, but I reject any throws that chatter - smooth throws have been accurate. Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
FortuneCookie45LC Thanks, that was a concern. I notice it stutters at times if I advance it too fast, it sure doesn’t have the lowest center of gravity. I really like the old auto-disc with the micrometer adjustment add-on, I have eight set our for handgun loads and love them. The Lee has to discontinue them...... makes so darn mad. Someone is making a stand for the Lee drum to hover over the turret and do a straight powder through. Okay, thanks for he tip and I’ll keep you posted on what I find. Thanks
@@FortuneCookie45LC Leaving the AD alone and just measure powder without rotating it works great, right on the money. I tried rotating the turret by hand but that's not consistent either, not bad but not where I like it. I found that one small tap from the handle of a small screwdriver can send the charge well over 1.0g extra, and I mean small tap, it's crazy. Guess I'll just leave it alone and charge my cases separately then load and crimp the bullets. Maybe I'll just load my .223 on the Dillon and call it a day. I'll leave the ADPM to my larger straight wall caliber handgun loading, still a shame they got rid of the Auto Disc.....with the "charge bar" accessory it's great and low to the turret. Keep up the great vids!
AngileK9TopDog - Like 1974 or thereabouts. I just keep refilling that can from 8 pound jugs of H110 though. It's an interesting keepsake...if I ever got another 1 pound can, I'd retire that old can to collectible status. Have a great day, FC Steve
boomer dog, it depends on what you're doing. I use the turret during load development, progressive for production, and single stage for specialty work (forming brass, pulling bullets, etc).
S M - Sounds like you have a problem with your drums. I just loaded up these H110 in 357 Mag caliber with Hornady 125 grain XTPs - no leaking whatsoever. But then again, I've got about 20 drums so I have a larger sample to get the no H110 leakers. Best to ya, FC Steve
You might be trying to use a large drum and down load it below where it works smoothly. Hence you are backing off in the drum tension to get that buttery throw.
I've been using the Lee auto drum on my loadmaster for about a year with sometimes good success, sometimes frustration. The throw for my 9mm is sometimes way off -- this is once in a blue moon. I'm talking about a whole 2 grains under and you can visibly see the issue. I think part of the problem is that the disk does not always reset to the same position -- this depends on how tight you tighten the mechanism. Of course if you make it too loose you run into the problem of leaks, especially with finer powder. And unfortunately no matter how tight I make it on powders like h110, there's ALWAYS leaking. I do find that I get better results with rifle rounds than pistol. This might be because I have to use a charging riser die rather than the pistol's expanding die. It might be that expanding + rising brings more inconsistencies than just one operation. It's gotten to the point where I am just throwing my hands up and considering getting a Hornady case activated system. Too bad, as I spent a good deal on all these spare drums, charging dies for my rifle calibers, blah blah. Maybe the loadmaster also was a mistake, but that's a discussion for another time
Just floating this out there... The Lee Auto Drum has a anti-double charge feature. If you left it on, bell the mouth, short stroke (in auto-index mode) and reset the measure to throw the charge. That would effectively do the same as running two sizing dies right?
CL - Don't know as the first thing I did was remove the disconnectors from my three Lee ADPMs and throw the infernal things into the nearest trash can... Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
OCFarmer - My lead levels are around 14. I'm very happy with that...and my MD stops thinking about recommending any binding treatments.... Best to ya, Steve
Fallofmind - The new Lee Breech Lock Pro progressive isn't a bad machine...for pistol ammo, it is quite serviceable. It's all about the price we are wanting to spend as well as the amount of ammo we really need....Happy Thanksgiving, Steve
I just bought the Lee Classic cast 4 hole turret in Jan in 2024. I'm so glad it has not become unavailable. I have a Hornady Lock an Load and a Dillon 550C for doing large batches of 9 and 45 etc. However I love the Lee 4 hole for doing small batch loads when working up new loads. Turrets are only 15 bucks and can remain set up on a homemade rack and can be dropped in easily. I love that I can take out the rod and index it myself manually as well as running it automatic. I don't think the Lee 4 hole turret is going away anytime soon, Thank goodness. Lee's new 6 pack pro press looks nice for folks wanting a faster more automated setup like a Hornady Lock and load or Dillon 750. Nice video as always from FC45LC Thanks for all U do Fortune Cookie.
Fortunecookie . I bought one of these powder measures on your recommendation about a year ago. I disconnected the plastic arm and it works great. You are a inspiration to us all . Some people just leave there brains parked in neutral,put there mouth just keeps talking. Thanks for all that you do for us.
Thanks for all of your great videos! I used the auto drum several years ago but could not get it to stop leaking the fine ball powders and stopped using it. Recently I purchased the Lee deluxe perfect powder measure (the brass model) to load extruded powders for my larger rifles. I use it to drop .2 grain low, then trickle up on the beam scale. I found the accuracy of that measure to be very good, and when I later used it for loading .223, I noticed it did not leak the ball powder I was using (BLC (2)). With a few modifications, I was able to get the brass drum working in my auto drum on the Lee classic turret press. It takes a total of three auto disc risers to clear the safety prime system, but now works great. I found approximately 10 specks of W-231 on the turret after loading 100 rounds of .45 acp. After settling in, I weighed every 10 charges and saw no deviations on the beam scale. It seems that brass drum makes all the difference. It would be nice if Lee made brass replacements for those nylon quick change drums, but stacking the auto disc risers posed no problems in operation, and I did not notice any excessive case flair doing this. I did coat the auto riser internals with graphite, and polished the auto drum with Mothers (as seen in other leak fix video's, but my nylon drums still leaked). The micrometer on the brass drum is marked and indented for each adjustment, so swapping charge measures is no issue.
Thanks, Cookie for another outstanding, in depth product review. The best on the Net!
Great video again FC thanks for sharing your find with the powder measure. Two thumbs up
The Lee autodrum is very accurate for me. But, I have tried every trick in the book, even yours, to stop it from spilling powder all over my press. Specifically H110. I use it in several calibers.
Thanks for all you do FC.
I have same problem with h110 can't stop it from leaking. It measures accurately. I finally rigged an old sour cream container underneath Lee Auto drum to catch the leaking powder. I lose about 10 grams of powder for every hundred rounds I load.
Other larger grain powders don't leak - unique, h335, titegroup, etc
Love the $3.25 price tag wish it was that cheap now. I would like to thank you for the information
I am just getting back into reloading after 15 years you have help me to decide on the lee load-master press to go with my old lee challenger and turret press.
Nick M. - I kept that old powder can (to refill with new H110) exactly for that reason - back in that day, a box of 22LR was around $ .79 for the good stuff. Merry Christmas to ya, Steve
I used to use a universal de-capping die before wet tumbling also. After about a year of doing that, I went back to sizing and decapping, you save a lot of time when doing 1000s of cases. I also made dippers, a bit slower than a powder feed, but it works for me.
Hi Fortune Cookie, you produce fine videos. I spoke to Lee recently because I purchased their new Lee 6000 6 Pack Progressive press. Its beautiful and has all the goodness from the newest 1000 Pro, Loadmaster and updates. I will be producing a video of mine.
The Loadmaster is being sunsetted, which surprised me. She also said the Lee Classic Turret is going nowhere. sunsets, still a solid seller. I own one and love it. Its very solid and pumps out a lot of quality rounds in little time. I love how easy it is to caliber swap, drop in your pre-configured turret n dies, and the shell holder and you are done.
I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE AFTER WATCHING ONE OF YOUR REVIEWS . JUST LOADED 40 ROUNDS OF .308 WIN. THIS UNIT HANDLED VARGET LIKE A CHAMP ! BOUT .2 GRAIN VARIANT... THANX FOR THE GREAT INFO !
I'm a new sub to your channel, and I really enjoyed this video. it looks so easy. 👍
Hello Mr. FC I’m really glad you are ok haven’t seen from you in a bit you made another great video I don’t know how you make every video as good as you do your the granddaddy of RUclips please keep up the very informative videos
Willie Bulletman - Thanks, Willie - yes, I'm fine and OK - just some stuff happened like family, etc. Like yesterday, I was going to the range, but had a Costco run with the wife, and then it started raining. Have a Modesto great day, FC Steve
I have the Lee Safety Prime attachment on my Lee Classic Cast Turret Press and couldn't be happier. Works like a champ and saves possibly contaminating the primer with oil from the skin. Also saves dropped primers which inevitably happens. Thanks for sharing.
SW Norcraft - I have that, but don't use it...just prefer to do it by hand - no misfires to report. Have a great day, Steve
I just got a autodisc last week, i love it, i cant believe how consistent it is
yes that works wel ,and with the lee adjustable disc its even better
A very informative video LC.Thank you.
Thank you for getting to the point. Some of these guys go on 25mins before they start showing it in action
The lee carbide die kit comes with the powder through die that had the belling feature included. If you take out the bell stem and polish the face the bell stem to remove the tooling marks you will eliminate the popping of the auto drum powder charge.
Thanks for the information on the new lee press!!
I love your videos FC, even the ones like this that don't really affect me, as I don't use this type of set up. You remind me that that are still some really nice people out there, even in California. LOL God bless you and yours. Keep up the great work.
I really like this doser. I have tried several models, this one is very good.
I also use a universal deprimer before wet tumbler
Hey FC, that was really interesting. Still working out ways of cleaning brass. I always decap before wet tumbling, but like this sizing idea a lot. My Lee progressive primes and sizes on the same station ! I'll will have to work something out :-)
I received my Lee Auto Drum without the Chain, the issue everyone was having has been resolved. Lee added a screw to keep the arm from. popping out of place. Mine has worked flawlessly.
The Turret press is a workhorse and rock solid reliable. I have the Pro 6000 and look forward to using it, but I love my Turret Press. Presses 2x to 3x the cost do not auto index.
I hope they never stop making this press. Classic turret is their best one. Simple, fairly fast, easy to maintain and makes consistent ammo.
I agree. and look, the Classic Turret press is still here and they retired the Loadmaster. In comes the Pro 6000. Lee told me the Classic Turret is going nowhere.
@@davespin9034 good. That’s their best press. Can’t beat the simplicity and speed. I’ll head down to the basement and crank out 15 rounds in 5 min here and there and that adds up fast. It just works.
I couldn't agree more! This press is solid and dependable and is actually fun to use. Someone high up at Lee says the Classic Turret is going nowhere.
That's what I like. Boring repeated accuracy in my powder throws. The Sizing-depriming is an extra step, However, I'm going to do that anyway as I choose to wet tumble my brass to a restored condition. Good Video cookie, Hope all is going well with You and the Family. Dave.
i use for decapping and sizing a 38special and 357 m a hornady titanium sizer(before wet tumble) and then priming when cases are clean ,and that is really fast with a lee auto bench tool ,the hornady die is a little bit wider than the rcbs crb sizer in the progressive press, and that takes a lot of force needed away ,
and 9mm the same method, by a progressive its important that the force needed is the same from round to round
That is excellent info. 😁👍👍
Love watching your channel and you're wealth of knowledge is awesome. I just bought my Lee Loadmater and look forward to seeing what it will do. I've been hearing a lot about "water tumbling" can you do a demonstration / comparison on tumblers
SM - Already have those videos posted...Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
I ordered one of these based in large part on your videos, and it arrived today. I haven't had a chance to put it to use yet, but I thought I'd pass along something that may be of interest to someone looking to buy one of these. The one that I received did not have the disconnect installed. The disconnect parts are included in the bag with the bead chain, and the instruction manual has a section on how to install it (if you wish to use it). Apparently Lee has listened to their customers (and/or watched a lot of these RUclips videos) and now makes the disconnect an option, and not the default. Saved me the trouble of removing it. :)
I also found that the fit of the powder hopper to the base is firm with no slop at all, though I have read complaints on some message boards that it was loose. Possibly another product improvement, but I am not familiar with this measure enough to know if it is, or was, a common issue.
I am surprised to hear that the 4 hole turret press is going away. I have both a Lee progressive, as well as the turret, and both have their uses, the turret especially IMO for loading black powder cartridges, plus the ability to use it set-up as a single stage press for some things, like running a universal decapping die. I am glad I already have one before they become hard to find and pricey!
Anyway, thanks again for another informative video!
Faelwolf - The new progressive Lee press at practically the same price as the 4 Hole Turret signals the new progressive to be supplanting the Turret. The Turret is still a good press with a lot of nice features, and I suspect it is not going away immediately. If the new progressive is as good as we are expecting, it will indeed be taking over eventually. However, the reviews haven't come in yet, so we will be waiting in the wings. Thanks for sharing about the powder measure...that disconnect on the PM is really a crock for anti-legality issues, and for Lee to now make it a non-default is very welcome. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
Thank you for your reply, and kind words.
I've seen a couple videos on the new press, and while I think it will do a good job of bridging the gap between the 4 hole turret press and a full-on progressive, I just can't see it as a good replacement for the turret. I also see no reason to give up my pro 1000 for it, though for someone just getting into reloading, it might very well be a great way to get started. I think that in that situation, it could easily be *the* go-to starter press, if it continues to get good reviews, of course. I think that may be the niche they are aiming for with this press, as IMO it is more of a simplified progressive than anything else.
With beginners in mind, I particularly like the lock pin insuring a good full indexing, however, that same lock pin gets in the way of using it for full size rifle cartridges, as it looks to make for a bit of fussiness when trying to manually index for longer case lengths. But this press looks to want to be a do-everything kind of machine, which will have it's drawbacks, for sure. It's price point is certainly a plus, especially for new reloaders, and it looks like it might be a great press for the money, despite any minor issues like that.
I look forward to seeing your video on it, and hearing your thoughts. I have come to value your opinions rather highly, and you are always entertaining! :)
From my experience, is that the clicks are caused by the shell casing not lining up with the expansion tube. This tube is hanging up on the edge of the brass. When enough pressure is applied it pushes past causing the click. I am using the Lee Turret Press and it seems like it doesn't line up exactly in the center of the die. I found that holding the brass and helping it line up fixes the problem.
Great video thanks
Great video, i like the lee classic turret, Lee auto drum, H110 and .357 mag. Haha. Thats a nice old can of H110!!
I find the Lee auto drum powder measure works best on a single stage press or on the turret with auto advance disabled. For what I’ve found the powder tends to pack down and the powder measure will throw heavy the more the press rotates. I do like the powder measure just on single stage presses
thanks, kermit!
For Revolver cartridges with soft lead I like the Lyman M Die and use two Seat & Crimp dies in separate operations.
Great videos, do you have any videos of your lee press with loads for a semi auto, I would like to learn how to adjust the crimp dies for a taper pistol round. Thanks
Great stuff as always!! I’m wondering if you have heard about the lee breech lock pro that’s coming out in the spring? If so what do you think about it? Thanks again for sharing.
If you pre lube your case mouths with powdered mica or graphite, that may prevent the chatter. Thanks for sharing. Not a thing wrong with a good beam scale. No power required.
This powder measure works very well with H110, the turret press is next on my want list or the new press.
will a Lee Universal Expanding die work in station 1 or 2, or do I need another expanding die in the cartridge that I am loading
...that scale is my gold standard...
Polishing the expander plug cured the sticky drum problem on my Lee auto drum . It now runs smooth and only takes a few minutes to polish with some fine sand paper .
similar... However I have found that with 300BO, the brass can be off center, and the piece in the die will munch the mouth then pop in to center with a snap.
GunFun ZS Mine was with a brand new set of 38 special dies . It had machine marks on the expander plug . A light polish with 600 grit sandpaper cured the problem .
@@jamespollard3066 i done the same thing with all my Lee expander dies they were kinda rough textured from the factory, they actually started galding at one point, this was before i got the auto drum measure, now at over 20k powder throws mine has never chattered like fc45lc is saying. I used some 2000 grit finishing paper and put a fine polish on all of them now they slip right in and expand smoothly, i think thats the source of the problem. Load and shoot safe!
I kinda like the turret better than a progressive. I feel like I can go at a little slower speed and more closely watch each operation since each pull is only doing 1 thing.
I am sure as I get more seasoned as a loader my opinion on this will change and I'll want the progressive output and will have to check out the Lee you talk about.
Nice tip 👍
Very interesting. I've never had any pops or clicks, but if I do, I'll have a solution. I used to have the problem with my previous Lee powder measure with 45 ACP. but that was also related to a bad die.
One thing I learned (almost the hard way), ALWAYS make sure you have MORE THAN ENOUGH powder in the reservoir for your batch (see you do that :-) ), once you get in to a steady click, it's easy to forget to check your powder level, then you have to un-do a bunch of cases to see what ones got low charges.
Paul Fischer - I have grown to trust my Lee Auto Drums enough to load near maximum loads with it...verified by every 10 throws on the scale, of course. For maximum loads, I would still hand weigh each charge, but even if I'm 2/10ths low of maximum, the Lee Auto Drum can be used with confidence as long as there are no pops or click. Good reloadin' to ya, Paul FC Steve
Could you do a video on the signs of over pressure. It would be very helpful.
Do you worry about the dirt and debris wearing your dies or brass when resizing before cleaning? I use carbide pistol dies and decap using a 4570 die to aid in cleaning primer pockets. However I'm still dry tumbling. I hope to be able to purchase a wet tumbler at some point as I do agree it's a better cleaning option.
I had been wondering how long you'd had that h110 can lying around 😀. I hadn't seen a can line that since the early 80's...
i use a lee decapping die as i dont like running dirty brass through my sizing dies.
I really like my Lee 4 hole turret press. It has its quirks but it has served me well. I just make sure to have extra plastic squares from Lee on hand. I think in about 10 years I have had to replace 2 of them.
MrThomass281 I do just about everything on mine. I can load .380 all the way up to .300 BLK. It’s like a progressive but far cheaper.
5Rounds Rapid I load
32 s&w up to 50-70 on mine. It has been a good press.
Great video! May I please ask, I may throwing 8.5gn. what amount above or below my target weight is material. Using the AutoDrum I'm getting a few 1/10ths of a grain variation. I'm using a a flake BlueDot and two digital scales to compare.
...I used to have two Lee 1000s both with case collators one was set up in .45 ACP and the other in 9mm...I would get up in the AM and run 10 rounds through it before I hit the john...
My brass gets a a simple soak over night and a rinse to clean away primer gunk. So it is not sterile clean like steel pins make brass. It has some tarnish color not a golden shine.
Is brass to clean the problem ? It has been noted as a problem with other brands of case activated powder measures.
I realize this is an older video. What Im wondering is, if using wet tumbled pristine brass isn’t causing of the problem? Its too clean! Wonder if tumbling in corncob or walnut media and the resulting dust left in the case would provide some lubricant to help with this sticking issue?
I had the Lee Perfect Powder Measure and the Lee Load All for shot shells. Both leak fine grain powders with every throw :/ I love other Lee products but gave up on their powder measures. How do you keep the Lee powder measures from leaking fine powder?
FC45LC: I noticed at around 14:16 you ran the loaded case through the Lee Factory Crimp Die and then turned the case about a 1/2 turn and ran it through that die again. Is this something you are doing all the time to ensure a good crimp or did that particular case feel off a bit? Thanks for the great video, too!
...is that an Ohaus micrometer adjustable scale??? I got one in my Ammo Crafters kit that I bought at the post Rod & Gun Club in Germany 50 years ago in 1972..I still have it along with the Rock Chucker press
You mentioned a new progressive press that Lee is coming out with. What is this reloader? Will it be like a Pro 1000 with 4 stations instead of 3? I could really go for that!!!
Good video. Independently from this video, I have also found that expanding in a seperate process gives smoother operation not only with the lee autodrum measure but also with my hornady case activated measure on the hornady AP press. But I am running out of stations on the press so I have started loading progressively in two stages. On the first stage I resize, prime and expand/mouthflare the cases. Then I switch the dies and run all the cases through again.This time with expanding/powder through in station one, powder cop in station two, bullet feeder in station three, seating in station four and crimping in last station. Would be nice if Lee would come out with a seven station progressive press. I might be wrong but I think that the four station turret press still have a place and value. I feel it gives more control and consistancy on every station than a progressive press where the simultanious operations going on in the other stations could affect seating and crimp consistency.
Have you ever tried using this powder measure on a Fillon press. I have never been really happy with the dillon powder measure.
Take off the extinction off and rotate the tab to the closest to the deprimer sizer . it wont chatter and it will not hit the primer holder it does a better job putting the primer in ( ps. pull primer loader a part and smooth the mold marks and reassemble and it will work smooth !
I’ve never noticed the chatter with mine? I will keep a eye out for it. But so far mine works perfectly.
do you have a link or and info on lees new progressive press
The turret press will make any powder measure more accurate. As it bounces around the 4 stages, it fills that cavity perfectly everytime. I have adjustable charge bars in all my autodisc measures. The one time I tried one on the Loadmaster, my charges were as far as +/- .6 grains off on little 4.6gr 9mm load.
Lee also came out with a value turret press that uses the same frame as the new progressive. It's not as nice as the classic turret, which will still handle all of my rifle loading.
gee556 - Thanks for sharing your experience on this...continued good reloadin' to ya, Steve
I find the same thing is true for pistol loads, esp. dropping Unique. Using the auto indexing and moving the turret around between drops makes for more consistent drops. Ballpowder like H335 and Titegroup does't seem to matter as much.
Try loading 30-06 I'm have a heck of a time g etting accurate loads in my Lee drum measure. Only way is to use my is to use my beam scale and trickle the powder in..
Bruce Walker - Could be the powder type...I find myself using my Hornady Automatic Powder Dispenser when I reload for my bolt guns.... Best to ya, Steve
After the warnings in the lee reloading manual and dangers with priming and priming tubes ,i now decap and size ,clean and prime outside the progressive presses i got, using the new lee bench autoprime its not much extra time needed, and the rest of thework on the progressive press is much faster and precise,and no more holdups , jamming because of dirt and checking of the priming of loaded rounds
peteralexben - I know what you are saying. That section in the Lee Manual makes no sense to a lot of reloaders who use the progressives from Dillon, Hornady, RCBS = non Lee equipment. Yes there have been rare cases of primer tubes going off, but the blast does go to the ceiling with the reinforced outter tubes. I think Lee had that warning in there going back many years and have not updated that. The newest design of the Lee hand primer is even safer as you know. But I've loaded far too many rounds with my Dillons to have any reservations about primer safety in the tubes - and I handle those tubes with extra care - we don't want to drop any of those. The only time I'm holding my breath is when I put the primer tube onto the press tube and pull the pin...the primers do drop a vertical distance, but none have detonated in over 40 years of use. Likewise, my RCBS Bench Prime does rock and roll the primer tube a bit, but no problems there either. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing the priming outside of the press. When I single feed my primers by hand, primer detonation is not even on the radar screen. Best to ya, FC Steve
the primer`s according the lee 2017 print and updated second edition are because af the new primer material (,no heavy metals) ,much more sensitive.primers are in much bigger boxes delivered.
now there are acoustic sights if it goes wrong you can stil shooting indoors :-)
peteralexben - I do have a video about primers and those heavy metals you reference are part of the "primer fuel". When primers detonate, they need something that will be carried into the powder charge that will burn with the violent force and heat of the primer exploding. It is that burn along with the heat, flash and force of the primer explosion that does the work of igniting the powder charge. But more of that on the video - this video may not be posted, however. Best to ya, FC Steve
Cookie did you buy the Lee Breech Lock Pro yet? I have. Would be glad to collaborate with you on a review.
Would you show the viewers how to properly disconnect the connecting rod so you do not have to manually depress it each time. ...???
My Dillon charge is all over the place +/- 0.6 grains, very nice
Are you going to buy the Lyman America-8 turret press I think about it don’t know yet I like redding to god bless
Eugene Johnson - Redding was always on the pricey side and it bothered my Scotch blood as RCBS and Lee were always higher value. The new Lyman seems like a fine press, I really should get one of those to see if it is as good as it looks. Have a great day, FC Steve
Just had to show that 1970s H110 can cost, didn't ya. Made me cringe at what we pay now. Thanks for the flair tip.
I do the same with my loading, only I use the Lee universal flaring die.
Dale Hahn Sr - If you get no clicks or pops from your LADPM with your universal flaring die, that's a go system as well. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
What is a good pistol powder to use with the lee drum that will not leak? I am brand new to reloading, I just received my Lee Classic Turret kit from Amazon yesterday. I will be reloading .45 ACP and 9mm.
hockison33 - The new Lee progressive press is coming out next month that will be selling for $10-20 more than the Turret. But your Turret will still be useful. Great powders for your 45 acp and 9 would be Red Dot, TiteGroup, Bullseye...these should not leak in your LADPM. Best to ya, FC Steve
FC, what are your thoughts on the auto Disc ? Have you seen a difference in accuracy between the auto drum and auto disc ? I currently use the disc and suspect this is the reason for the high SD.
I use the auto disc with adjustable charge bar for pistol and shorter rifle rounds. It can be fine tuned unlike the discs.
Turning the center knob on that die is adjusting the seating depth, NOT the crimp
NOE makes caliber specific plug for the LEE Universal Expander die. It works like an Lyman M Die and makes Cast Lead Bullets easier to seat.
This is the link to Pistol plugs:
noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=89&osCsid=164jboi8cqkaq52r33ol9634s1
They have a separate link for the rifle plugs.
I move my (1) LEE Autodrum from caliber specific turret to turret. I remove the riser each time as well. I drop the LEE expander plug out and clean out the die. I lube the outside of the plug with Hornady One Shot Dry Lube. I am not sure if this keeps mine moving and not chattering or not. I have never had an issue.
Do you need to use small pistol magnum primers for 357 mag or can just the small pistol primers be used ?
It depends on the powder you use. Magnum type ball powders such asH110 and 296 use magnum primers usually, Unique and similar powders don’t require magnum primers
...I should have waited to watch the entire video before I asked that question...how long have you had that scale???
FortunCookie45LC - I know it is slower, but how much slower is the Lee turret compared to a Dillon? Do you feel like you get better, more accurate loads with the Lee than the Dillon? Do you use your Lee turret loader more than your Dillon? Do you like the Lee better than the Dillon (the reloading "experience")? Would you recommend a Lee to a person who already has a Dillon? I ask because I am not completely satisfied with my 550c - very difficult to adjust - don't trust the powder measure - lots of ruined cases, etc. Thanks
Ted Clutter - I'm glad you are asking this as Lee is coming out with a new press that is the upgraded progressive version - it really looks good and only $10-20 more than the Lee 4 hole turret press you are referencing. If this new press is as good as it looks, the Lee 4 Hole turret press is not needed any longer. Have a great day, FC Steve
As I've gotten more into this stuff, I'm looking at picking this measure, but I also looked at the Lee Disk. Is the slightly higher cost of the drum, justify it over the disk? Thanks again!
J Laf - It's all a preference. I have the Lee Disk as well - but the drum has more adjustment and ease of switching out the drums... Best to ya, Steve
@@FortuneCookie45LC Thanks for the reply and help. I've already took the leap and went with the drum. I don't know any better, so my happiness with the drum is a bit innocent (or ignorant).
But I can say It throws consistent charges for me, using Varget, H335, Reloader 10x, and IMR4320 to name a few, loading for .223/5.56 with 19-25 grains depending on load data. My scale has measured multiple loads, all staying with in +/- .05 grains of tolerance.
I also make sure the "man-handle" the press between drops to ensure I have good settling of powder, and I tend to only fill about the bottom 3rd of the container to keep a relatively consistent and low "head pressure".
Hey buddy can you use a ribs or Redding powder mesure on the lee turret press thanks
AC - I don't know of an adapter that will allow the RCBS or Redding PMs to mount on a Lee die. But the Lee ADPM works very well for a $38 PM...and it will mount on all Lee powder through dies. Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
Ok FC gta question for ya. I’ve always been cautious about running dirty brass thru my dies I was just curious if you’ve had any issues or reduced die life resizing before you clean your casing
Actually in my experience, dirty cases make the dies dirty, which can damage subsequent brass quicker than damaging the dies. Dies need to be cleaned to keep them from accumulating moisture from the ambient air and then rust, however it's the damaged brass that tells me I need to clean my dies. Since I started to tumble the brass before sizing I can go longer between cleaning dies before I damage brass...
Interestingly, from what I recall, the Lee instruction book says if the cases are cleaned then you must lube the cases even with the carbide dies. It makes me wonder if the are recommending that cases be slightly dirty.
I have the Lee auto drum and I have no confidence in the charges it drops. I see grain variations across my loads in the hundredth grains as weighed on a digital scale. I don’t believe that having to run through 2 separate sizing dies is an answer and Lee should address why these powder drops have variation to them. I weigh every single load I do because I have no confidence in this powder drop to accurately load the proper charges. I have had some loads where it was set to load a specific drop and after loading a number of bullets all of a sudden it doesn’t drop any powder or a minute amount into the case then it will go back to a normal set load with no clear reason why it does that. So needless to say I weigh every load and will continue to that because I don’t want any hot loads or squib loads with my ammo. Thank you just wanted to let you know what I have seen. I have loaded about 1,000!rounds so far and it has improved but occasionally it drops weird loads so it can’t be trusted.
Great buddy but how many have an extra mouth flairing die laying around. Or are you talking a die from a different size die set?
Shootyour iout he's using a second powder-through expander die.You can get those extra or just get a second set of dies
Shootyour iout - Some have noticed that I used a neck expand / mouth flare / powder thru die in the first station that is shorter than the one with the powder measure. That's because it is from a Lee 38 Short Colt die set...the mouth flare die works just fine for the 357 mag. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
Hey FC do you adjust the second die with the auto drum to flare also
hauldrdx - Yes, just enough for the bullet to enter the case mouth. Good reloadin' to ya, FC Steve
I just purchased a new auto drum and set it up for .223 w/CFE223 set up on the 4-hole turret press. Do you have any tips for consistent charges for the .223? My throws are + - .4g. I just can't get it to stabilize. I loaded 9mm last week and it threw fine, maybe its not good for rifle? I'm at a loss and will load my .223 with my Hornady electronic charge. Thanks
Jim S - + - .4grains is not good. Only thing I can suggest is to check the polymer powder cut off to make sure it's OK. My own testing of using the Lee ADPM on the 4-hole turret has not reached a conclusion if it's a good idea or not. Some say the jiggling of the 4 hole turret advancing to the next die helps to even out the powder packing in the measure. But that's only if the jiggling is consistent, and it is not - some powders may very well not work as well with that jiggling. You'll only be able to tell if you run some throws with the advance rod taken out and compare with that + - .4 grain. I've found my 3 Lee ADPMs being within .1 grain, but I reject any throws that chatter - smooth throws have been accurate. Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
FortuneCookie45LC Thanks, that was a concern. I notice it stutters at times if I advance it too fast, it sure doesn’t have the lowest center of gravity. I really like the old auto-disc with the micrometer adjustment add-on, I have eight set our for handgun loads and love them. The Lee has to discontinue them...... makes so darn mad. Someone is making a stand for the Lee drum to hover over the turret and do a straight powder through. Okay, thanks for he tip and I’ll keep you posted on what I find. Thanks
@@FortuneCookie45LC Leaving the AD alone and just measure powder without rotating it works great, right on the money. I tried rotating the turret by hand but that's not consistent either, not bad but not where I like it. I found that one small tap from the handle of a small screwdriver can send the charge well over 1.0g extra, and I mean small tap, it's crazy. Guess I'll just leave it alone and charge my cases separately then load and crimp the bullets. Maybe I'll just load my .223 on the Dillon and call it a day. I'll leave the ADPM to my larger straight wall caliber handgun loading, still a shame they got rid of the Auto Disc.....with the "charge bar" accessory it's great and low to the turret. Keep up the great vids!
What about the C.O.L.????
LOL! $3.25 for a pound of H110. How old is that canister?
AngileK9TopDog - Like 1974 or thereabouts. I just keep refilling that can from 8 pound jugs of H110 though. It's an interesting keepsake...if I ever got another 1 pound can, I'd retire that old can to collectible status. Have a great day, FC Steve
👍👍
wouldn't it be easier to use the dillon next to the lee?
boomer dog, it depends on what you're doing. I use the turret during load development, progressive for production, and single stage for specialty work (forming brass, pulling bullets, etc).
Mine leaks h110 and h380 like a sieve no matter what drum I use with it.
S M - Sounds like you have a problem with your drums. I just loaded up these H110 in 357 Mag caliber with Hornady 125 grain XTPs - no leaking whatsoever. But then again, I've got about 20 drums so I have a larger sample to get the no H110 leakers. Best to ya, FC Steve
You might be trying to use a large drum and down load it below where it works smoothly. Hence you are backing off in the drum tension to get that buttery throw.
Lee come out with a new turret press that is just $89.00. Has more press height.
I've been using the Lee auto drum on my loadmaster for about a year with sometimes good success, sometimes frustration. The throw for my 9mm is sometimes way off -- this is once in a blue moon. I'm talking about a whole 2 grains under and you can visibly see the issue. I think part of the problem is that the disk does not always reset to the same position -- this depends on how tight you tighten the mechanism. Of course if you make it too loose you run into the problem of leaks, especially with finer powder. And unfortunately no matter how tight I make it on powders like h110, there's ALWAYS leaking.
I do find that I get better results with rifle rounds than pistol. This might be because I have to use a charging riser die rather than the pistol's expanding die. It might be that expanding + rising brings more inconsistencies than just one operation.
It's gotten to the point where I am just throwing my hands up and considering getting a Hornady case activated system.
Too bad, as I spent a good deal on all these spare drums, charging dies for my rifle calibers, blah blah.
Maybe the loadmaster also was a mistake, but that's a discussion for another time
I find pistol size loads are more consistent if I use an actual pistol size drum rather than a converted rifle drum to drop pistol size loads.
Just floating this out there... The Lee Auto Drum has a anti-double charge feature. If you left it on, bell the mouth, short stroke (in auto-index mode) and reset the measure to throw the charge. That would effectively do the same as running two sizing dies right?
CL - Don't know as the first thing I did was remove the disconnectors from my three Lee ADPMs and throw the infernal things into the nearest trash can... Good reloadin' to ya, Steve
Did your lead levels go down?
OCFarmer - My lead levels are around 14. I'm very happy with that...and my MD stops thinking about recommending any binding treatments.... Best to ya, Steve
Almost 2 years later and we still have the 4 hole and the progressive sucks. Lol
Fallofmind - The new Lee Breech Lock Pro progressive isn't a bad machine...for pistol ammo, it is quite serviceable. It's all about the price we are wanting to spend as well as the amount of ammo we really need....Happy Thanksgiving, Steve
$3.25 a pound for the H110 :)
Boy, that's some old powder at $3.25. Antique can.
Has anyone noticed how much you sound like James Cromwell?
Steve Engelhorn Joe Mantegna from gun stories
That powder can is 40 years old! Sorry, I jumped the gun. He just fussed up. I remember those cans
:-)
$3.25 a pound H110? Sign me up