I contacted Lee after this thread went on and John Lee sent me the attached response and said if I chose to post it that it would be fine. I've used the auto drum since it was announced and have never had one issue...I figured if there was a potential problem I'd ask Lee and see if there was anthing in the works. It seems that Lee was watching the thread here and on another forum concerning this issue (same o/p in both forums) and here is a cut and paste from his e mail to me...it appears that the "problem" that was discussed is, in fact not a problem if the operation is "standard" and uses standard dies and so forth for the caliber involved...I am often amused at how fast folks try and "pile on" if there is a "problem" and blame the equipment manufacturer...in this case it appears Lee is making a very minor change to overcome issues that can arise if there is any mis use of the equipment...Piling on Lee about this is like blaming a powder company for a double charge..I'm a fan of Lee equipment for the most part and have used it for a long time...I also have a couple of items that are not Lee as their "ergonomics" fit my personal way of doing things better...In this case I feel comfortable that the Auto Drum is one heck of a nice measure for around $40 and is head and shoulders above some of the other measures on the market..Here is his e mail to me:
I was made aware of the thread on cast boolits and I am concerned that
users are thinking that the square lug on the sliding drop tube must
rise to contact the top of the slot in the die cast body. Some
responders are actually making spacers to drive the drop tube higher
than it is supposed too. This modification will cause an excessive
amount of pressure to be applied to the retaining ears in question. The
pressure in fact will be limited only by the column strength of the
brass case! The powder measure is designed so that the expander plug is
to stop its upward travel against the threaded end of knurled adapter
bolt. The square on the sliding drop tube SHOULD NOT CONTACT THE TOP OF
THE CASTING SLOT. I believe they are making this modification with the
thinking that the drum needs to rotate further than it was designed to.
Or they are trying to use an expanding die/plug that was not designed
for the case they are reloading . Example using a 357 mag expanding die
on a 38 special case, a Hornady 45/70 leverloution case with a standard
45/70 expander die, a 44 mag die on a 44 special case. In these
examples one would need a spacer and if you left the spacer in place and
switched to a proper combination of plug and die the measure would now
over stroke and the expanding pressure would now be against the subject
ears.
So to make the powder measure a little more tolerant to the "modifiers"
we will increase the knurled adapter bolts flange diameter to engage the
"ears" with a little less overhang.
Using standard Lee expander plugs and dies there is never more pressure
on the ears than the load that the glass filled nylon connecting link
can exert. So if you are using the measure with standard accessories you
won't have any problems.
Sincerely,
John Lee, President