Lee auto breech lock pro progressive press

Recently upgraded from a Lee single stage (and using it for 6 years) and just produced my first 50 handloads on it

Used all four dies including the final crimp/post size die 

Weighed the powder throws about every 5 rounds (checked all visually)

It did take forever to clean, adjust and tinker with the Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure to stop the leaking and get consistent throws

Patience and time I happened to have today... 

200gr cast LSWC from Batman Bullets over 5.2 gr of Titegroup, CCI large pistol primers and misc (non-Blazer) brass.  COL = 1.23" 

(Bullet is seated so just a smidge of the cylinder portion of the bullet is showing above the brass... Which my non-ramped Ed Brown barrel in my Para 1911 will chamber reliably) 

I prepare cases using Lyman corncob green media in a vibrating case cleaner

Off to the range tomorrow to give these a go.  I hope they chamber and cycle well... I have a match on Jan 10 and hope to use this load

5.2 seems pretty hot for a 200 LSWC. (Assuming this is for Precision Pistol)

Here is one from the sticky at the top of this forum as an example.

Terry Labbe High Master, Sprinfield Pistol Team
4.3 Tightgroup with a Magnus 802 200 gr. LSWC for 50 yards
4.0 Tightgroup with a Magnus 801 185 gr. LSWC for 25 yards

Yeah That is way to hot! I shot tightgroup and I found 4.4 was good at 50 yards and 4.0 at 25 with 200 grain SWC’s

I have one of those presses and they work really well. Something you will want to do is order 2 ( they give 1 free) plastic parts kit. The ramp the case slides on will dent and the cases with start to tip over. Do not use anything oily to clean the ramp either

Agreed... 5.2 is too hot (tried them today)

Not comfy to shoot at all

The min in reloading guide was 4.8, the max was 5.4

I may back WAY down to somewhere between 4.0 and 4.4 as mentioned above

Added the case feeder today and an inexpensive aftermarket powder catcher (coffee filter) to catch the powder leaking from the Lee auto drum powder measure 

I've been unable to stop the leaks... But I can live with some small leaks since I can catch it nicely. 

IowaShooter wrote:Added the case feeder today and an inexpensive aftermarket powder catcher (coffee filter) to catch the powder leaking from the Lee auto drum powder measure 

I've been unable to stop the leaks... But I can live with some small leaks since I can catch it nicely. 

If the leaks continue, maybe look at the Hornady powder measure. I believe it should swap? Assuming the Lee one is just a standard 7/8-14 thread.

Dave

Tighten the knob alittle. My auto drum doesn’t leak at all

James Hensler wrote:Tighten the knob alittle. My auto drum doesn’t leak at all

 Yep.. I keep working on leakage solutions.  The right tension on the nut is one important aspect.

Hoping some repeated use, also, will smooth out surfaces and leave a more polished surface on the drum and inside cavities

I recently started experimenting with the lee autodrum as well. I have a few pages of weighed charge data in real small handwriting down in the workshop

I have only used it with VV N310 thus far. Maybe 20 hours of testing. Here is my setup:
setup:
-Lee Autodrum (came with the new clear hopper)
-DramWorx pyrex hopper for Lee
-2x Lee powder-through extenders (to clear my adjacent comp seating die)

I wouldn't have bought it but for taking a reloading class at a ballistics shop. I was told generally all of the common (RCBS, Lee, Hornady, Dillon) volumetric powder measures have significant issues. But that with the Lee, putting a baffle in the old style red hopper, running a pound of powder through it, and always using the same stroke is the easiest way to get one to around +/- 0.1gn. (I noticed BTW that his automated Dillons running in the back had a mixture of Dillon and the discontinued Redding).

I was very concerned using it at first. The powder was coming out with static charge, sticking to the case mouths when I dumped them. The charges were closer to +/- 1gn. The thing made strange chattering noises ...

I put the pyrex hopper on (another $50 on top of the $50 for the autodrum) and took the time to run 1/2 lb of N310 through it and gradually the static mostly went away. If you have the red hopper, prairie dog baffles are what I was recommended. If yours came with the new hopper (new and improved with extra static) you can buy the original red hopper direct from Lee on their website. I believe it was $11. And then I believe I took the bottom off of that to fit the DramWorx hopper (includes baffle).

I'm still working with its consistency. The latest results are much better than where I started. I write all my charges down and put 50 at a time into the computer for frequency tables. Of my last 50 dispensed, 48 of 50 were between 4.32 and 4.40gn (the others 4.42 and 4.44). That makes me happy as it's At This Moment behaving about as accurate as my RCBS Chargemaster.

To get it to perform, I first got benefit by making sure the unit got full travel. On my press that means the lee powder through die had to be all the way down to the shell holder (redding #1 on a T7). I'm not pleased that it bells the case more (I expand first with a redding TiN expander) - I don't need or want the powder measure die to modify the case. But the data showed a significant increase in consistency vs where I had it, which was only working the action 3/4 of the way.

The stroke has a significant effect in consistency for me. I haven't been able to produce repeatable over-charging but working the unit too fast it will reliably drop as much as half of a grain light. What is working for me is to focus on the rotating disc in the body of the measure while I run the ram and not let it spin faster than I can see. It doesnt seem there is a repeatable different between the speeds of as slow as I can throw it to just slow enough not to throw a light load.

Intermittently my action would seem to start-stop momentarily during it's throw. I loosened the nut on the body 1/4 turn and it seemed to interrupt less afterward.

I haven't experienced mine leaking. But I've also never switched powders or even disassembled it. Is it leaking below the die, out of the center housing?

I would like to find a die that would case activate the autodrum (or an insert for the lee die) that wouldn't perform any case expansion. The extra belling crimps fine but it's unnecessary stress on the case mouths with no benefit. Does anyone have an off the shelf solution?

I'm still cautious to believe it won't wildly change charges like when I first got it. So I'm loading ammo with it now but stopping after each charge to weigh. That isn't faster than me using the RCBS chargemaster and funneling into cases but if it can disprove my doubts with a few more hours of data (still throwing under +/- 0.05gn of N310) I'll be delighted to start using it as-intended.

I have N320 and titegroup and am curious to see how those perform vs the N310.

I also use mostly N310 but I have used 231, and Titegroup and it threw the exact same way! Damn near perfect. I quit using my charge master light because both of my auto drums are so reliable


One mod I did do was this. Look at the black plastic rod that moves up and down when you turn the drum by hand back then forth. I used gorilla glue and now the drum turns a lot closer to up and down

James Hensler wrote:
One mod I did do was this. Look at the black plastic rod that moves up and down when you turn the drum by hand back then forth. I used gorilla glue and now the drum turns a lot closer to up and down

Where did you put the glue? Picture to illustrate? Thanks

Went to the range today... Wow... The 4.0 - 4.2gr of Titegroup with the 200gr cast LSWC worked great at 50 ft

Pleasant to shoot and cycled well

Thx all for the insights