what powder measure doesn't leak?

[c1skout]

When loading on my single stage press I use my trusty Lee Perfect measure, it has served me well for years, but I've started using Accurate powders (#9, #2, & #7) and they all leak through and make the handle stiff to turn. I've gone so far as to build a chute to direct the falling powder into a small plastic bowl so I can clean up more easily.

I'm ready to upgrade to a better measure. I don't want to have to switch when loading pistol or rifle. Which one will be adjustable enough to go from small cases like a 380 up to rifles in the 30-06 class, and not leak powder onto my white bench top?

[r1kk1]

I haven't own a measure that leaks.

Someone will post on here a fix.

What at I own you may or may not want:

RCBS ChargeMaster
Dillon's
JDS QuickMeasure

take care

r1kk1

[koehlerrk]

I have an old RCBS measure that was actually built by Redding. Cast Iron body, drum that fits so tight dust can't get out through the gap. I think it was called the Duo-Matic. Later RCBS decided to start building them, changed the design a touch and called it the Uni-Flow. They're good, but not as nice as the old Redding unit.

[DougGuy]

Dillon RL550 is a good one with an adjustable charge bar. The best one I have used for magnum pistol powders is a Lee that I modified by using a CNC machined billet aluminum charge bar. After lapping the base of the hopper, and the place where the charge bar slides, I have ZERO leakage, and no static, I get 7 out of 10 charges within less than a tenth of a grain.

If I had a cnc mill I would make these but I don't have the equipment to churn them out with.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/be617874-cdcf-4d70-a4b3-e31a73abd212_zps8c0ad552.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/be617874-cdcf-4d70-a4b3-e31a73abd212_zps8c0ad552.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/DSC01657_zps9a3cfd3b.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/DSC01657_zps9a3cfd3b.jpg.html)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/Reloading/DSC01654_zps147a0edc.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/Reloading/DSC01654_zps147a0edc.jpg.html)

[Garyshome]

My Dillon doesn't leak.

[dragonrider]

I have two RCBS UNI FLOW's that don't leak, my Dillons don't leak. My Lee perfect powder measure does not leak. I have a couple of Lee disk measures that do leak but that is fixable, not that I will fix them I don't use them any more.

Doug Guy do you remember from where you got that charge bar? I have one just like it but can't recall.

[fast ronnie]

nice machine work!

[wallenba]

I found an old Lyman #55 some years back. Took it apart cleaned it up. It throws very accurate. Also, has a three stage adjustable cavity for a wide range. It has never leaked. Sometimes I if forget to use the knocker, it will have 'Klingons' in the drop tube that may fall out.
The Lee PPM's that I have leak with fine grain powders, but are surprisingly accurate. They need to be taken apart when new, cleaned with alcohol and pre-seasoned with powdered graphite to work best.
Mostly I use my Uniflow now. Rotor can be changed from small to large orifice for going from pistol to rifle.

[country gent]

I have a redding benchrest that is good, a rcbs I rebuilt by jig grinding the housing tuely round and making a new drum with side plates to limit end play. added the michrometer adjustment and a baffle it throws very consistant charges. My dillons are good. I also ahe 2 harrels that are very very good, click adjustable and repeatable. None of these leak or bind up. The rcbs with it custom housing and drum are so close nothing gets between them and if not completely clean when assembling binds up. Look around and see whats in your budget, what looks good to you. If possible stop at shops that carry them and feel them, a good measure is smooth and even feeling thru its stroke. The harrels are silky smooth and almost frictionless feeling. One thin that makes the dillons so accurate id the consistancy of operation being controlled by the press stroke. Consistency of operation is the key to operating a powder measure. next is a solid mounting. The rcbs measures may come with 2 drums large and small cavities to aid diffrent charges also. A used belding and Mull is also a very accurate measure.

[UNIQUEDOT]

Rcbs uniflow does not leak any powder regardless of how fine the granulation. I used to. Own two of them and neither one ever leaked. I'm now using Lyman 55's and haven't had any leakage with either of those.

[retread]

I have two RCBS UNI FLOW's that don't leak, my Dillons don't leak. My Lee perfect powder measure does not leak. I have a couple of Lee disk measures that do leak but that is fixable, not that I will fix them I don't use them any more.



Have 2 RCBS Uniflows and five Dillons. No leaks for me either.

[GoodOlBoy]

My Lee dippers don't leak.....121190

GoodOlBoy

[NavyVet1959]

My Saeco doesn't seem to leak.

http://images.spambob.net/navy-vet-1959/saeco-powder-measure.gif

I've never noticed my Dillon leaking either.

[kungfustyle]

The Lee Powder measure is great for Bullseye and Unique, AKA flake powders. Either stay away from Tightgroup, Accurate 2, 5, 7 and 9, AKA ball powders and you will be fine. You can tighten the screw on the handle that snugs up the rotor, but this will slow the rotation almost not worth it. Or you can get a paper plate and cut out a notch for the stand and keep using it. Just dump the spilled powder back into the hopper.
Most of the other named brands Hornady, RCBS, Lyman etc wont leak. If you want one on the cheap go to E-Bay or gunbroker and be patient you can pick one up for about $30 to $50. Just remember you will probably need to get a pistol rotor for it. That's another $30....

[kbstenberg]

Kungfustyle you are correct about the Lee powder dispenser, as they come from the factory. But if you spend 5 minutes smoothing the rotor with valve lapping compound The Lee Will NOT LEAK any powder.

[Petrol & Powder]

nice machine work!

Ditto

[UNIQUEDOT]

Kbstenberg, are you saying it's actually possible to stop the Lee from leaking with extremely fine ball powders?

[c1skout]

Thanks for all the input! I see the Lyman will adjust from small to large charges without having to buy another drum so I'm leaning that way so far, but I'll watch for a deal on the RCBS too.

I didn't mean to sound like my measure makes a big mess. If I didn't have a bright white bench I might never notice it. If I load 100 38 supers with accurate #7 I end up with less than a grain of leakage (I've measured it). As others have said the Lee measure seems made for Bullseye, and I've had no issues with rifle powder.

I'll try cleaning, lapping, and re-graphiting my rotor just for kicks.

[UNIQUEDOT]

One of the things that drew me to the Lyman's was the fact it could be adjusted to throw very light charges of smokeless powder and huge doses of black powder.

[NavyVet1959]

Thanks for all the input! I see the Lyman will adjust from small to large charges without having to buy another drum so I'm leaning that way so far, but I'll watch for a deal on the RCBS too.

I didn't mean to sound like my measure makes a big mess. If I didn't have a bright white bench I might never notice it. If I load 100 38 supers with accurate #7 I end up with less than a grain of leakage (I've measured it). As others have said the Lee measure seems made for Bullseye, and I've had no issues with rifle powder.

I'll try cleaning, lapping, and re-graphiting my rotor just for kicks.

I suspect that the easiest solution to this is changing the color of your reloading bench to a sort of charcoal grey color with specks of darker and lighter color. :)

[pworley1]

I have Herters, Saeco, Lyman, Pacific, CH, RCBS, and Hornady. None of them have ever leaked.

[big bore 99]

After having a couple different brands of measures that bound up or leaked, I went to the Lee dippers and haven't regretted it. I verify on a scale once in awhile to make sure and haven't found one to be bad yet.

[leadhead]

DougGuy... Where did you get the clear powder hopper for the Lee measure?
I bought 3 of the Lee adjustable charge bars years ago. Two for rifle and one
for pistol. E Arthur Brown sold them but haven't been available for years..
Wish I would have bought a dozen of them...
Denny

[texassako]

I have quite a few different measures these days and only 2 have leaked, the Lee Perfect and my Redding bank dial with fine powders. The Redding is probably from the 50+ year old rubber seal in it, and the Lee has not leaked since working it over. There is a thread somewhere around here I used for the process of working over the Lee measure. I encounter cutting grains more often than leaking.

[Kevin Rohrer]

*Hollywood
*Quick-Measure
*Belding & Mull
*Dillon

None of them leak

[texaswoodworker]

My Lee perfect powder measure does not leak.

I have one too. Mine does leak somewhat. Mostly with the finer powders like H110. Powders like Unique also leak, but not near as bad. It's still a really good measure though.

[c1skout]

One more thing, do any of the other measures mentioned have a removable powder hopper? I use that feature all the time.

[wrench man]

Never had issue with my Dillon or Redding #3?

[country gent]

Harrels have screw on bottles and sinclairs make an adapter to use most powder bottles on them

[badbob454]

lil dandy pistol powder measure dosent leak but cuts powder kernels sometimes. works great

[John Boy]

Which one will be adjustable enough to go from small cases like a 380 up to rifles in the 30-06 class, and not leak powder onto my white bench top? Lyman #5 and B&M but then again my Lee PP Measure doesn't leak either. It is used exclusively load BPCR reloads up to 90grs of black powder - about 1500 per year
BTW, I can drop accurately 5gr of smokeless in both the Lee & Lyman

[westen]

Rcbs and Lyman here with zero leaking with #9 and #7.

[orbitalair]

Lee PPM Secret.

Get some valve lap compound (or i use turtlewax heavy scratch remover paste), disassemble the PPM.
Use the paste to 'lap' the 2 cones together. Work this a few minutes, add more paste, work a few more. You should start to see the high spots being dulled. My 2 units took only about 15 minutes each.

Reassemble, use powdered graphite to lube. Do not overtighten, you want smooth but not too tight.

Mine never leak, even on the LoadMaster autoactuation, and using AA#2

[dragonrider]

The Lee has a removable powder hopper.

[c1skout]

Lee PPM Secret.

Get some valve lap compound (or i use turtlewax heavy scratch remover paste), disassemble the PPM.
Use the paste to 'lap' the 2 cones together. Work this a few minutes, add more paste, work a few more. You should start to see the high spots being dulled. My 2 units took only about 15 minutes each.

Reassemble, use powdered graphite to lube. Do not overtighten, you want smooth but not too tight.

Mine never leak, even on the LoadMaster autoactuation, and using AA#2


I spent over an hour on my measure. First I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol to remove all the graphite and trace powder. Then I started lapping it. The first time I recleaned it to inspect I could see where I had 2 low spots in the cone of the measure body, and one large low spot in the rotor cone, directly above and in line with the volume adjuster's hole. After a couple more lap and clean cycles I've eliminated the low spots in the measure body, but the one in the rotor is just too deep, I would be out of wear material on the cones before this dip is gone. I put it back together and it's no better, but it's no worse either.

[NavyVet1959]

I have a Lee "Perfect Powder Measure" that has been sitting on my shelf in its original box for a couple of years. With my Dillon and Saeco, I never bothered to set it up. Well, after this thread, I decided to set it up on a scrap piece of 2x6 to see how it worked and whether it leaked. I was reloading some .45 SUPER +P+ loads that needed 11.0 gr of Longshot and I didn't want to have to modify the settings on my othe powder measures. I did not notice any leaking and every load that I weighed dropped at exactly 11.0 gr. it's not as well-built as the Saeco or the Dillon, but it does work and is accurate. That kind of makes up for the cheesy plastic construction, I guess.

[jrmartin1964]

I have Hollywood, RCBS, Redding, and Lyman. None of them leak.

[str8wal]

I have 5 Lyman 55's and none of them leak.

[NavyVet1959]

One more thing, do any of the other measures mentioned have a removable powder hopper? I use that feature all the time.

The Lee PPM that I setup yesterday looks like it might have this feature, but I'm not sure all the powder wouldn't leak out once you removed the hopper from the body of the powder measure.

[UNIQUEDOT]

You turn the hopper on the Lee to shut off powder flow before removing it.

[r1kk1]

Uniquetek makes a very nice powder draining tool for Dillons measures. It will also make changing charge bars a snap. If this was out over two decades ago, I would have bought one measure not four, each with its own powder bar ranging from xsmall, small, large and xlarge. Bought one today at the shoot in Arizona. They were there, plus Dillon, Redding, and Starline as well as Berrys bullets help sponsored the event. The RCBS ChargeMaster has a drain on the right side that easily empties the powder hopper back into the can. JDS is very easy to empty also.

kudos to UniqueTek!

take care

r1kk1

[JeffG]

I use a Hornady LNL case activated powder measure on my Lee Loadmaster and have been loading Accurate #7 of late and haven't noticed any leakage with it.

[NavyVet1959]

You turn the hopper on the Lee to shut off powder flow before removing it.

Thanks for the info. I hadn't realized that. It probably was in the manual, right? I probably should consider reading the manual on things that I buy, but I figure if I did, I would have to give up my "guy card". :)

[257]

I have reddings,lymans, rcbs, harrells and a lee none of them have ever leaked with even really fine grain powders

[dudel]

Kungfustyle you are correct about the Lee powder dispenser, as they come from the factory. But if you spend 5 minutes smoothing the rotor with valve lapping compound The Lee Will NOT LEAK any powder.


Lee actually recommends you run a pound of powder through the Perfect Measure. That gets some of the graphite from the powder on the measures working parts.

Still prefer my leak free Dillon powder measure.

[NavyVet1959]

Lee actually recommends you run a pound of powder through the Perfect Measure. That gets some of the graphite from the powder on the measures working parts.

The only leak that I have with my Lee powder measure is when I forget to put the brass up to the Powder Through Expander Die and then dump the powder into the funnel on top of the die. :)

[bbogue1]

The only answer is to lap the surfaces inside the barrel. This morning when I dropped about 50 charges I had powder coming out below the measuring cylinder. It was a real mess. I took the powder measure apart and put some jewelers rouge mixed with a tiny bit of olive oil onto the two surfaces that mesh inside. I found a #6 machine screw and cut the head off. Added a nut and washer to the screw and screwed the threaded rod into the powder measure. I secured the threaded rod into my drill motor and turned it while I held it in my hand for about 3 minutes. I applied as much pressure by pulling the outside into the inside, as I could during this lapping process. AFTer three minutes I took the whole thing apart and looked to see if the abrasive lapping compound was evenly distributed. If it was I was done, if not and there were patches of compound I reassembled the mechanism and spun it some more. The photos show the set up and the end product after it was cleaned with alcohol, Q tips and cotton balls.187302187303187303187304

187301The best part is after two sessions It no longer leaks..Lapping compound is available at your auto parts store, at Harbor Freight, Home Depot and many places.

[Eddie Southgate]

The only answer is to lap the surfaces inside the barrel. This morning when I dropped about 50 charges I had powder coming out below the measuring cylinder. It was a real mess. I took the powder measure apart and put some jewelers rouge mixed with a tiny bit of olive oil onto the two surfaces that mesh inside. I found a #6 machine screw and cut the head off. Added a nut and washer to the screw and screwed the threaded rod into the powder measure. I secured the threaded rod into my drill motor and turned it while I held it in my hand for about 3 minutes. I applied as much pressure by pulling the outside into the inside, as I could during this lapping process. AFTer three minutes I took the whole thing apart and looked to see if the abrasive lapping compound was evenly distributed. If it was I was done, if not and there were patches of compound I reassembled the mechanism and spun it some more. The photos show the set up and the end product after it was cleaned with alcohol, Q tips and cotton balls.187302187303187303187304

187301The best part is after two sessions It no longer leaks..Lapping compound is available at your auto parts store, at Harbor Freight, Home Depot and many places.


Good job.

[skeettx]

I really like my SAECO measures

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xsaeco+measur e.TRS0&_nkw=saeco+measure&_sacat=0

Mike

[Drew P]

No leaks on my Hornady or franklin rotary measures. Except when I forget that I left the drain tube in the Hornady and fill it with a new powder. That's a HUGE leak!

[308Jeff]

Never had any of my Hornady measures leak, even with AA#9.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

The best* one available is the Neil Jones. CPS. Then, the Harrell.

Rich

* that based on attending over 200 bench rest matches since 1989. Including the Super Shoot.

Get the Jones, learn how to make an Idaho Spreadsheet (ISS)**, and go happy; at the range or at home.

** ball powders, especially, measure very consistently. Get a sheet of graph paper, and sit down at your bench with the measure and powder in hand. Zero the measure, drop three charges to settle the measure, then drop five more and average. I just drop the five charges in the scale pan, and divide the total by five. Crank the measure up ten units, drop three to settle it, then repeat the five charges test. Start your graph points at the bottom left, and watch them climb higher and to the right as you make your ISS. The left to right curve is measure settings. Bottom to top is powder charge in grains. Connect the dots you made at each setting, and you can then utilize your ISS to set the measure for any powder charge/weight down to 1/10th of a grain.

I learned this at my second J-bullet Bench Rest match back in 1988. Guys shooting the 6PPC cannot usually tell you their exact powder charge. They don't care. My first Super Shoot I heard shooters asking each other if they had "A good number" for a new lot of powder.

Rich

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have nine measures from different makers that don't leak. None of them are Lee.

[Budzilla 19]

RCBS,Pacific,Dillon powder measures. Never had a leak.Just my .02.

[ioon44]

My Dillon's are at least 25 years old and have never leaked.

[w5pv]

I have a Lee that doesn't Leak and never has throws the same with any powder that I use from TiteGroup to 800x.It may be an exception but I would not trade it for any other.

[ukrifleman]

I have a Lee that doesn't Leak and never has throws the same with any powder that I use from TiteGroup to 800x.It may be an exception but I would not trade it for any other.

+1 for the Lee PPM!
My measure doesn't leak with any powder and it throws consistent charges.

If you set it up as per the instructions there should be no issues.

ukrifleman

[EDG]

2 RCBS Uniflows don't leak.

I once had an old Bair and an old Herter's and they did not leak either.

The Lee Auto disk leaks all over the place.

[Lloyd Smale]

easier answer would be which does leak. LEE

[jmort]

"(SIC) easier answer would be which does leak(SIC). LEE

Lee makes a couple few measures and they don't all leak. Right now I have been using the Auto Drum primarily and it can be set up not to leak, but you have to get it dialed in just right. Really liking the Auto Drum. My Redding 3 has not leaked. People who are ignorant and have never used all of the Lee measures would likely just say something reflexive and stupid, typical of someone forming an opinion without any basis. The very definition of ignorant.

[dragon813gt]

easier answer would be which does leak. LEE

Every measure I have leaks w/ one powder or another. The biggest culprit is usually H110. It leaks the least out of the PAD. Barely leaks out of the PPM. Haven't tried it in my second AutoDrum but it leaked badly out of the first one. It leaks out of the three Dillon's I have. It leaks out of the RCBS I have. So basically it leaks out of every single measure. I don't think I've tried it in the Classic Cast PM. Maybe that's the one :)

I've had a bunch of others in the past and got rid of them because they weren't consistent. I have no need for an inconsistent measure even if it doesn't leak.

[Lloyd Smale]

never had 110 leak out of my Dillon or hornady measures. Never used it in my rcbs because its bench mounted and used with only rifle powders. It was an absolute mess to use back in my younger dumber days of loading on a pro1000 and promaster.

[cutter_spc]

I spent over an hour on my measure. First I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol to remove all the graphite and trace powder. Then I started lapping it. The first time I recleaned it to inspect I could see where I had 2 low spots in the cone of the measure body, and one large low spot in the rotor cone, directly above and in line with the volume adjuster's hole. After a couple more lap and clean cycles I've eliminated the low spots in the measure body, but the one in the rotor is just too deep, I would be out of wear material on the cones before this dip is gone. I put it back together and it's no better, but it's no worse either.


I had the exact same results, but it scary accurate!

[Andy]

I had a lee autodrum that leaked a little bit and I was pretty unimpressed by that. A grain of powder, even tiny ball powder is pretty large compared to machine tolerances and I feel a company should be able to make a drum/cylinder to tolerance as to avoid a grain of powder working it's way out. The lee powder measure did work and throw accurate charges, but the leak was fairly annoying to me even though it was probably only cents worth of powder over a few hundred rounds.

To answer your question: I moved on to nicer things and have used an ohaus duo-measure, redding master and hornady (current think that comes with the lnl ap) and none of them leaked a single grain of powder, it all went out the drop tube. So, I think this is specific to lee's manufacturing methods. Their stuff usually works adequately, but will annoy you in one way or the other soon enough.

If you're wanting to move to another measure I would say that the ohaus (ebay) or the hornady current model have worked great for me. I hear great things about the redding BR3 but it is pricey of course.

[WJP]

Only leakers I've had were Lee and shotshell bars. All others like rcbs, lyman, dillon, redding, belding have been good.

[troyboy]

After trimming the risers and lapping, my Lee Pro auto disk doesnt leak even with AA5. Neither of my uniflows leak at the drum. The Lyman 55 didnt leak. Drum type measures are not as prone to leakage as the disk type measures are.