Lee AutoDisk vs. Unique

[ItZaLLgooD]

My Lee autodisk refuses to drop Unique. Most of the time I only get a few flakes. If I tap on the hopper several times I can get a little bit to come out but it's never close to what it should be. 2400 and AutoComp are no problem. Any suggestions??

[BlueSmoke]

Don't use the auto disk.

If you are loading large revolver cartridges use the lee dippers with a much less than max carge of Unique.

I load many of my "Cowboy" loads that way.

Regards,

BlueSmoke

[mooman76]

I never have a problem with Lees Perfect powder measure.

[Firebricker]

This is just a guess but you might try washing it in dish soap and air drying good. If you can't make it work consistantly change tools you don't want a surprise squib load.
Good luck FB

[bkbville]

I have the Lee PPM, and it does OK with most powders, but it measures Unique irratically - I weigh each charge - which is a pain for pistol

[deerslayer]

OK not to go back to basics but it sounds like the hopper may be turned off. I would say a twist of the hopper may fix this. If I am wrong I apologize in advance. Nate

[RobS]

I assume you are charging with a small volumn cavity (low grains). Unique is a larger flake powder as you know and it will bridge up as it hits the disk cavity. With larger cavities this is not such an issue. I load 10 grains of unique in my 454 casull cases for plinkers and it is always within +or- tenth of a grain and usually right on. I've also loaded 45 acp at 5.5 grains.......can't remember what volumn disk it was, but it too was very consistent.

Larger flake powder can be a PITA on those small charges with the Lee Auto Disk powder measure.

[ItZaLLgooD]

I tried from the suggested volume of .61cc up to .81cc trying to get around 5.5 grains to fall. As far as I know there is now way to turn the hopper off. I have to empty it out every time I change the disk. I will try the dish soap method. It is fairly new. I've only used it to load about 100 rounds. Could I have put the hopper on backwards?? I'll have to check that too.

[Ekalb2000]

I tried from the suggested volume of .61cc up to .81cc trying to get around 5.5 grains to fall. As far as I know there is now way to turn the hopper off. I have to empty it out every time I change the disk. I will try the dish soap method. It is fairly new. I've only used it to load about 100 rounds. Could I have put the hopper on backwards?? I'll have to check that too.

Bingo.
Take a few momements to re-read the insturctions. You hopper will rotate while it is installed, that is one of the features. It allows you to change a disc without having to empty the hopper.
And that would lead me to believe that you have it just barely open while you are trying to throw your unique powder charge.
Hope you figure it out.

[deerslayer]

Yes, if you have an a pro auto disk the one with the round cylinder for powder you can turn it off. If it is a round one you might want to check that!!

[thenaaks]

i tried using hodgdon clays in my pro auto disk...it did not drop consistently...the flakes were too big i guess...switched to titegroup and it works like a charm...no more than .1 gr variance.

if you're dead set on unique, then the perfect powder measure may be the way to go...a bit slow for pistol though

[ItZaLLgooD]

Sorry guys but this one doesn't turn off. I know because I dumped a bunch of powder on my bench when ttrying to change the disk. It has a square hopper the seems symetric. I tried it fowards and backwards. Same result. I tried the dishsoap remedy and will try again tonight.

[DLCTEX]

If you have the auto disc with the square hopper and chrome body there is no cut off. Is the measure adjusted so that the disc slides all the way over the drop hole? It may be the small cavity is bridging, I'll have to try some unique in mine. Another way to eliminate the static cling is to wipe it with a dryer sheet, a used one will do fine.

[RobS]

Your hopper has a small square insert or baffle that is molded into the inside near the bottom right? If it is like the one I have a quick fix is to use a drimmel and cut out that baffle that is over the hopper hole. I also enlarged the hole and dedicated this one to large flake powders such as Alliant Steel; my variance was only about 2 tenths with the modification on Steel where as the pro auto disk measure hopper will not even think about working correctly.

[357shooter]

What do you mean "close to what it should be"? It may be off from the guide they provide but that's normal. I checked my records and the 61 gave me 5.1 grains, FYI. It was erratic though so I moved on to other powders. Clays, 700X, HP38, 4227 and a few others have all worked well with the basic auto-disk (sounds like what you have). I tried the pro with these same powders and had no success at all.

It became very consistent with this setup, you may want to give it a try (Unique still didn't work well, maybe it will for you):

1) If you bought a swivel actuator (sp?) don't use it, stick with the original
2) Don't back the powder through die out more than 1/4 turn once it contacts the raised ram. 1/8 is best though.
3) Snug the auto-disk down 1/4-1/2 turn after it makes contact. This is a bit of an estimate, it needs to be snug and sometimes requires pliers to hold the die to unscrew
4) If you have the tube that raises the unit higher it'll work just fine
5) This works even when the powder gets low in the hopper

It's been a while since trying Unique, maybe I gave up on it before using this setup. Flake powders are no problem down to 2 grains, the micro-disk works really well also.

Trying to debug exactly why it's happening to you is tough to do, but you asked for any suggestions and this has been working very well for me on a Lee Turret (auto-index) and now on a 1000 progressive. The pro-auto-disk that came with the 1000 has been disassembled and converted to a basic auto-disk, just teflon coated.

[deerslayer]

My auto disk and pro auto disk works great for 4-7 grains of unique dispensing very accurately and consistent. If you are just getting a few flakes it leads me to believe that the disk may not move the entire distance under the hopper. Take the powder out and look down in the hopper is the full diameter hole all the way down into the disk cavity? If so when you insert a cartridge and move up causing the powder meaure to move and discharge is it going up far enough to be centered over the discharge with the disk. You can clearly see this on this type. Also this is a baffled measure and unlike the pro auto disk you must keep quite a bit of powder in these to help prevent bridging. I hope that helps.

[RobS]

If you are just getting a few flakes it leads me to believe that the disk may not move the entire distance under the hopper. Take the powder out and look down in the hopper is the full diameter hole all the way down into the disk cavity? If so when you insert a cartridge and move up causing the powder meaure to move and discharge is it going up far enough to be centered over the discharge with the disk. You can clearly see this on this type. Also this is a baffled measure and unlike the pro auto disk you must keep quite a bit of powder in these to help prevent bridging. I hope that helps.

This could definately be an issue as well and can happen if one doesn't have the powder measure and/or the auto disk riser screwed fully together and into the powder charging/case flaring die.

As deerslayer mentioned take the powder out and run a case into the station to see if it slides the disk into alignment with the hopper hole.

[35remington]

Even with the Pro Auto Disk, do NOT go below 3.5 grains Unique; lesser amounts often bridge in the small cavities and cause squibs.

This is a consequence of the small diameter of the cavities and the large size of the flakes; other measures that have similar opening sizes may have the same problem. Should you need a powder of Unique speed in small charges, try Universal.

All flake powders like Red Dot, 700X, etc of large granulation have these issues in the the Auto Disk and Pro.

[deerslayer]

Even with the Pro Auto Disk, do NOT go below 3.5 grains Unique; lesser amounts often bridge in the small cavities and cause squibs.

This is a consequence of the small diameter of the cavities and the large size of the flakes; other measures that have similar opening sizes may have the same problem. Should you need a powder of Unique speed in small charges, try Universal.

All flake powders like Red Dot, 700X, etc of large granulation have these issues in the the Auto Disk and Pro.

That is good to know 3.5 is the lower limit with unique.

[ItZaLLgooD]

I figured it out. It's my 357 die. When I scew it all the way together it advances the disk only leaving a little bit of the hole showing. It looks like the expander part of the 357 die is to long and starts actuating to soon.

If I unscew it until there is no spring tension it works fine. It also works fine with my 40 die screwed all the way down. There is no spring tension on the disk with the 40 die and the hole lines up.

So the autodisk is fine, it's the die.

Thanks for all the help

[deerslayer]

You don't have the two inserts mixed up by chance do you. I am not even sure if they will interchange or if the diameters are different? I don't see how the die would be defective?

[DLCTEX]

Sounds as if something isn't assembled correctly.

[ItZaLLgooD]

I will look at the die and expander a little closer today. I got the 357 die set at a gun show and it is the older style round container that was just taped shut with 357 writtten on top with a sharpie. It origins are a little suspect.

[deerslayer]

The dies themselves should be marked right at the top of the thread. They may be .38 special dies that someone was using for .357. I use a .38 special die for .357 and you have to back it out 2 additional turns for it to work properly. If the dies seem to be correct and set up properly I would double check the expander portion. You can mic the expander dimensions and send those dimensions to Lee I am sure they can tell you if it is right and if not give you a part # to order.

[saskgunowner101]

I've had problems with Unique and trying to meter small charges with the auto disc set up. I believe it bridges at low charge weights.

[deerslayer]

Even with the Pro Auto Disk, do NOT go below 3.5 grains Unique; lesser amounts often bridge in the small cavities and cause squibs.

This is a consequence of the small diameter of the cavities and the large size of the flakes; other measures that have similar opening sizes may have the same problem. Should you need a powder of Unique speed in small charges, try Universal.

All flake powders like Red Dot, 700X, etc of large granulation have these issues in the the Auto Disk and Pro.

3.5 grns???

[ItZaLLgooD]

It's marked 357. Maybe it's the expander from a 38 die?? Either the tube on the autodisk is to long or the expander is to long. I don't think it is an assembly error. It's pretty staight foward.

My 40 dies work fine with the measure so I'll assume its the 357 expander. I'll make a little spacer on a lathe at work and everything will be fine. thanks, guys.

[saskgunowner101]

3.5 grns???

Maybe he was loading for a powerhouse cartridge such as the 38 S&W.:razz: That's where I found out about it going goofy with small charges(2.5-3 grains).