I use win 231 and also use the lee turret, 3.7 grains seems pretty light. Manual I use calls for at least 4.3 grains and the auto disk is labled .40 for loading 4.3 grains, this is for 115gr fmj. Hope this helps.
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Confused on using Powder disc on Lee Classic turret?
- Thread starter Beerman
- Start date
Well you are comparing apples to oranges here!
the powder measure ( really any powder measrue) drops in capacity or volume, the manuals are listed in weight (grains) so you need a conversion, that conversion is the VMD mentioned previously.
Understand that any powder will vary from lot number to lot number and none are exactly the same as the previous, but they are very, very close!
additionally different powders have different shapes and density, so you must be able to convert from capacity to weight.
I have never dropped a charge in a Lee disk that was on the money, they are always light.
likely a built in safety feature!
What i generally do is go right to the next up size disk cavity, drop about 5 loads and weigh each one, as long as they are at or slighly below the manuals reccomended weight then I make a note in my reloading journal and then i know what size disk to use for that load in the future.
When beginning to laod a new batch i always weigh the first 2-3 drops to make sure its still the same, then i weigh about every 20th after that.
I NEVER load maximum loads with a powder measure of any brand, i always individually weigh them.
one should never assume that they can just randomly increase disk size without first weighing the charges on a reliable scale.
Thats my way, not te only way, again just MY way of doing things!
the powder measure ( really any powder measrue) drops in capacity or volume, the manuals are listed in weight (grains) so you need a conversion, that conversion is the VMD mentioned previously.
Understand that any powder will vary from lot number to lot number and none are exactly the same as the previous, but they are very, very close!
additionally different powders have different shapes and density, so you must be able to convert from capacity to weight.
I have never dropped a charge in a Lee disk that was on the money, they are always light.
likely a built in safety feature!
What i generally do is go right to the next up size disk cavity, drop about 5 loads and weigh each one, as long as they are at or slighly below the manuals reccomended weight then I make a note in my reloading journal and then i know what size disk to use for that load in the future.
When beginning to laod a new batch i always weigh the first 2-3 drops to make sure its still the same, then i weigh about every 20th after that.
I NEVER load maximum loads with a powder measure of any brand, i always individually weigh them.
one should never assume that they can just randomly increase disk size without first weighing the charges on a reliable scale.
Thats my way, not te only way, again just MY way of doing things!
Last edited:
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That's my way as well ...and it has always worked 100% for me (as I'm sure it does for you!)
I have done some customizing of my Lee Auto-Disks: when they are a little "heavy" I coat the inside with a couple of layers of Red Nail Polish,
let it thoroughly dry, rub it down with graphite, then swab it with a piece of Clothes Dryer Sheet (this prevents "cling" of powder residue)
The coats of nail polish usually bring the measurements to "dead on" or "slightly under" rather than where they started as being "over".
In loading .308's with H380, I couldn't come up with a load of 46 Grains even with the double disk and its largest holes.
So, I got out my box of drill bits and determined which one would give me "a little more hole" without compromising the disk, placed it on my
drill press and reamed the disk out ... OOPS, the hole did compromise the disk a tiny bit! However, no problem: I cut a small paper shim the size of the
"new hole", coated the inside of the "new hole" with nail polish, placed the "shim" in it ... After drying, I did a second coat.
The next day did the graphite / dryer sheet treatment ... I am now able to dispense 46 Grains of H380 into any .308 case with 100% repeatability.
Replacement disks for the Lee Auto-Prime are inexpensive ... So, don't be afraid of customizing them.
That said, like you, I always, always check every charge on maximum loads (NO EXCEPTIONS)
However, I only spot check light and mid-range loads on my Auto-Disk; it is normally "dead on" or no more than +/- one-tenth of a grain for the
powders that I use (I favor only those powders that "flow-like-water" and avoid those that don't)
Remember: Safety First, Last and Always!
Paranoid reloaders tend to have fewer accidents!
Put those disc in your kitchen trash!!! Get the adjustable one. You don't have to take the hopper off and you can adjust charge weight by hand
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Actually, I have both and use them both ...Insomuch that I have a number of loadings within caliber (bullet weights / lead) as well as
across calibers I use them all ... I guess I could buy an adjustable one for each, but why?
I can usually find a disk cavity that'll do just what I want. I don't have to tweak, or worry that it may have been tweaked.
The adjustable charge bar is fine if you feel the need to fine tune a load. I have one or two of them myself, but the disk cavity still works great for most all handgun rounds at the distances I generally shoot.
The Pro Auto Disk is by far my favorite handgun measure. Combine it with the Lee case mouth expansion die, and it's a genuine time saving, accurate measure.
The adjustable charge bar is fine if you feel the need to fine tune a load. I have one or two of them myself, but the disk cavity still works great for most all handgun rounds at the distances I generally shoot.
The Pro Auto Disk is by far my favorite handgun measure. Combine it with the Lee case mouth expansion die, and it's a genuine time saving, accurate measure.
