Lee Auto disk or auto drum?

[Dieselhorses]

So, I've used a Lee Loadmaster over the last several years (still use turret also), but never got around to setting it up for 223/5.56. I bought the universal charging dies (short/long) for rifle. Have the powder disk hopper but realized I need a "double-disk kit". I'm wondering if I should just invest in an "auto drum" powder charger maybe? I know the charge I'm looking for (24.3 H335) but can't see "rigging up" more parts and pieces to my old measure.

I know many of you swear by "Dillon" and when I win the lottery I'll buy 20 XL-750's for every caliber I own. But for now, it's Lee!

[nhyrum]

I loved the auto drum. I had about 4 of them when I had my 4 hole turret. I liked the availability to fine tune the drop to be what I want and not be limited by whatever hole size I had. I loaded shotshell for a little bit and absolutely hated being stuck to bushings, the bushings never threw what they were supposed to. I even got pretty consistent throws with the auto drum. It doesn't like h110, it leaks like a sieve or binds up.

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[hporter]

I run Dillons, but they are all topped with Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measures. The Dillon measures are sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

I have both the Auto Drum and Auto Disk measures, but use the Auto Disk measures nearly 95% of the time. The Drum works better with some longer rifle powders and smaller charges of Unique. I don't trust the Auto Disk with any charges of Unique below 5 grains. It seems to bridge up and throw erratic charges.

I have never used H335 powder, so I am not sure what type of powder it is. But the Pro Auto Disk drops ball powders for rifle cartridges very well. I load .308 and .223 on my Dillon 650s with them. I even have one set up permanently with a double disk measure to drop 16 grains of 2400 for a starting point for my rifle cast bullet needs. The Double Disk and Micro Disks are both used frequently at my home.

I love the consistency of the fixed volume charge holes in the disks. I always record the disk I use for each of my loads so that it is very easy in the future to replicate it.

I bought a bunch of the drums with my Auto Drum thinking I would do something similar with that (having them permanently set up for a specific charge for a specific powder). But I never have, as I normally buy and use powders to use on my Dillon's that are compatible with the Auto Disk measures. If I load with any difficult to measure stick powders, I usually load them on the RCBS Summit Single Stage, one at a time and with the powder charge measured on a scale for every load.

[Dieselhorses]

H335 is more like a "spherical" powder. I did randomly try a disk and using short (2.26" max) universal powder die and it made somewhat of a mess. Also, will get the powder throw riser. Thanks for any other ideas.

[Multra]

Auto drum is the best powder drop I have used, always within .1gr, and 95% of the time it's right on the money. If yours leaks take some 0000 steel wool and polish the inside of the body and the outside of the drum; mine used to leak br-2 which is very fine, after a couple minutes of polishing it doesn't leak at all. My Dillon powder measure is also sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

[jetinteriorguy]

I’ve used the Auto Drum for .223 with H335 and it works great. I’ve loaded plenty of ammo on the Lee Classic Cast turret with this setup and it shoots consistently between 1-1.5 MOA.

[bustermchooter]

I put the Hornady powder measure on my 1000 and would not go back to Lee unless I absolutely had to.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/precision-measuring/powder-measures-and-accessories/lock-n-load-powder-measure


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[gpidaho]

I tried the auto drum measures. My first one seemed to work well so, I bought three more for dedicated set ups on the Classic Turret. Pretty hit and miss on the drums and what powders they dispense correctly and they leak with finer grain powder. I sold all with extra drums and risers for about a third of what I had in them. I'm not a Lee powder measure fan although I use and like a lot of their other products. Gp

[Dieselhorses]

Thanks for all the info! Looks like I'll have to make note of which powders prefer what powder charger. I feel so much better using a crank charger as opposed to one for progressive press but want to speed things up a little without sacrificing consistency.

[farmerjim]

The auto drum works fine for me. Better than the auto disk.

[Big Tom]

I use the RCBS Powder Measure with the Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop on my Loadmaster after having mixed results with the LEE disc measures. A little bit more expensive, but consistent throws and easy to adjust.

[Multra]

Thanks for all the info! Looks like I'll have to make note of which powders prefer what powder charger. I feel so much better using a crank charger as opposed to one for progressive press but want to speed things up a little without sacrificing consistency.

The auto drum has an off press model that uses the same drums. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018673389?pid=762907

[Dieselhorses]

The auto drum has an off press model that uses the same drums. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018673389?pid=762907

Looks good and I’ll probably buy one when my RCBS Uni-Flow dies but still going strong!


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[Dieselhorses]

I use the RCBS Powder Measure with the Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop on my Loadmaster after having mixed results with the LEE disc measures. A little bit more expensive, but consistent throws and easy to adjust.

Can you send me links to what you are describing? Thx


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[onelight]

Get the auto drum it's nice to have both :)
They both have a place on my presses .

[poppy42]

I don’t have an auto drum ( wouldn’t mind getting one ) but I have an autodisk and a safety disk (basically an older bench mounted autodisk) that I use for all my pistol rounds. I’m not crazy about using the autodisk for rifle rounds. I tried it for 5.56 and as you said you need the double disk. You also need the charge die and riser. I spent a couple hours on the phone with a Lee technician trying to get the charge die set up properly for my classic cast 4 station turret press. Either I’m a complete idiot or the charge die is to short! To even get it to work at all you can only screw it in and catch 1 or 2 threads! I gave up and use either a Lyman 55 or my RCBS uniflow. I get it close and use a power trickler to get an exact charge! Like I said I would not mind picking up an autodrum if I could find a used one for the right price. Don’t know how well it would work, but I would certainly give it a try. I love the autodisk for pistols but it does limit the charges you can drop. I have both the adjustable micro disk and the older non adjustable one. The adjustable micro disk doesn’t do really light charges very well. This was confirmed by a Lee technician. On a side note. Out of all my powder measures, the autodisk and the safety disk are the only ones that I get consistent charges of Unique! As long as the charge you want is what is dropped from any of the available holes in a given disk. Someone use to make blank disks that you could drill your own holes. I don’t know if they are still available. I never bothered to get one because I don’t have a drill press and I am a little leary of drilling the holes with a cordless drill.