Time to clean the powder measure today!

[hc18flyer]

I haven't reloaded in several months and got to it today. When setting up and checking my Lee disc measure I noticed some inconsistency I hadn't seen before. I was trying to 'throw' close to 3 grains of 'Clays' for a .38 Special load. Emptied the hopper and wiped it down with a drier sheet. It is working a lot better now. I will try in keep that in my memory banks for future reference? hc18flyer

[GregLaROCHE]

I take my Lyman 55 apart sometimes when it’s not working smoothly enough for me. When I put it back together, I use graphite on moving parts. It usually works a lot smoother after that. I don’t leave powder in it when I’m done using it either.

[243winxb]

Almost KABOOM 44 magnum
Short story-Don't use oil on a powder measure. Screw was hard to put back in last reloading session. Oiled 1 drop of BF CLP. 2 days later, went to load 44 with 296. Powder drops under weight. Found the problem. Use Isopropyl Alcohol 91% to clean. It will remove graphite deposits

[Winger Ed.]

I've got the hopper & rotating drum kind.
When I'm done with a session, I dump the powder back out so the clear plastic tube doesn't turn hard and split.
And I pull the drum out and go over the rotating surfaces with auto paste wax, then wipe 'em off.
So far, that's worked well.

[fatnhappy]

I use the same lubricant the powder manufacturers use. Graphite.

I sprayed the drums and rotors of my measures with a very thin coat of CRC spray graphite. I put them back together when bone dry.
I also save silica bags from machine installs. I seal a couple table spoons in my measures when not in use. The silica beads are small enough to meter out.

Works for me in a high humid area.


YMMV

[BigAlofPa.]

My auto drum. I use a nylon bore brush to clean the drop tube part. As well as the adjustment tube. The rest i wipe down with a dryer sheet.

[georgerkahn]

I was loading some .32acp's, and -- using my Dillon 550 powder measure with the small slide -- I was not getting the performance I wanted. In .32acp loading, there is very little wiggle room between a light load and an overload! I took it all apart, cleaned it with alcohol, and used a dryer sheet on plastic. I also ran a 12-gauge copper wire dropped straight down in powder, hooked to a metal screw on measure, jumped to press frame, and then plugged into the ground hole of a 110V plug outlet. Somewhere -- I do not recall source -- someone suggested to use the LARGE slide. Huh? While it made zero sense to me, it improved metering so much I have pretty much retired the small slides... I use a tad of a dry Teflon spray as lub for slide bottom, and albeit I'm both OCD enough and too frightened of a fatal overcharge in my Beretta Tomcat, I still do an overall weight check on each case.
I will confirm the cleaning + dryer sheet helped.
geo

[1903.colt]

I cleaned my Hollyweird Gun Shop over the weekend.

[David2011]

Looks a lot like a Saeco measure which is the most accurate that I own.