Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure

[Sid]

I have just started using this powder measure and have a question. When I remove the hopper to change to another disk, I always find powder piled up on the first disk and around it. It is a nuisance trying to clean this up every time. I would like to know how other people deal with this. TIA

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[Kirk]

What powder are you using?

I experienced something like you describe with Acurate Arms No 9 pistol powder. The spheres are so small, it "leaked" through the gaps between the disk & the frame. It was a major inconvenience to me as I did not like loose powder accumulating on the bench. Solution: I switched back to 2400.

I also gave up the individual disks & got the Lee adjustable chamber. I use only three powders with the A-D: Bullseye, Unique & 2400. With the disks, I never could quite get the exact amount I wanted; with the adjustable chamber, I can dial it rght in. I don't have to remove the hopper to change loads and to change powders, I remove the entire measure & dump everything in the hopper. I get almost no leakage of powder out of the adjustable chamber; what does appear is a minor nuisance.

[Major Tom]

With the last case loaded, I dump the powder charge into a weigh scale pan for later loading. Then I rotate the hopper to 'off' and continue to run the case into the die until all the powder is dispensed. Then load the powder from the scale pan.

[Sid]

I followed your suggestions and it solved my problem. I am using Accurate # 5 which is a very fine powder and manages to get stuck in all the tiny cracks. I also gave up on the disks and switched to the adjustable meter. I calculated the first load and it came out perfectly when I weighed it on my scale. Since I mainly shoot pistol I will just leave this in place all the time.

[Kirk]

AA No 9 is so small that when I usedi it in a progressive press with the Lee AD, powder would wind up all over the bench. As I pumped the handle, boxes of loaded ammo would slide around a bit like they were on ball bearings!

[concretus]

I've had one for years. The only time it did that was when the screw got stripped out in the hopper so it would be loose. I just ordered a new hopper and it's been going great...

[MK111]

The sercet to not stripping the screws out on the Lee Auto Disk powder measure is "do not remove the hopper" when changing disk. For liabilty reasons I am not going to explain it to you. Years ago Lee had the directions in their manual for the disk measure. Just look at the measure and you will figure it out. I have never taken the hopper off. The other answer is to buy the update kit that changes over to the quick change hopper and you get a adjustable charge bar to replace the disk.