Lee Loader

I have set up my loadmaster after several months using the lyman single stage. I am doing 45acp. I have previously loaded .223 with the AD on the lyman with absolutely no problems, very consistent throws .01 gn on either side of target weight and no leakage at all. I have not used it again (3 months) since the .223. Now I have set it up on the LM and used CFE Pistol and can't get the charges to settle down. Most are .02 - .03 gn off on either side of target. I was starting with the lightest charge of 4.0 gn (230 gn jacketed bullets) with max at 4.9 gn. so not a lot of room for error. My question is CFE Pistol really hard to meter or is the AD to blame?

Another couple of questions about the AD. In set up videos I have seen on youtube for the AD I have heard several people say that the plastic square that rides up and down in a slot (near where the thumb wheel is that tightens the AD into the powder through die) of the AD should not touch the top of the slot (mine is) when the ram is at the top of its travel and a charge is going into the case (case activated throws). Is that really important? If it is how do I adjust the AD to get the plastic part to not hit the top of the slot. Hope that makes sense. If not I will take a picture of the area on the AD I am talking about.
Thanks

You have a zero in there that I don't take into consideration. Are you actually concerned about 0.03 grains?

GasGuzzler wrote:You have a zero in there that I don't take into consideration. Are you actually concerned about 0.03 grains?

Sorry about that I was in a hurry and added a zero 4.2, 4.3 or 3.8 grains when I was trying to get 4.0 gn. That seems to be a lot of variation in dumps.

Check out some of the threads on lapping and adjusting the tension. Get a 3d printed wrench from Titan for the drum screw.

GasGuzzler wrote:Check out some of the threads on lapping and adjusting the tension. Get a 3d printed wrench from Titan for the drum screw.

Here's another source for the 3d printed wrench:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2750188

I use the Auto drum with CFE on my 9mm loads and find it is very consistent once set to weight(+-.05gr.). Make sure it has full rotation. I did have a problem with it not getting full rotation and had to machine a spacer for it to dump properly. It should be at about the 5 o'clock posistion when it is at the top of the stroke of the press.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FHX3K3JyLZuXxfZF9

How far the "tab" goes up the slot is determined by the powder thru die adjustment depth. I'm also loading 45acp, the way I adjust that die is I screw the die down until it lightly contacts the shell plate, actually that's just where it ended up after much trial and error so that's where I start now. Install the AD then using a fresh sized case (each time) I check to see that the tab comes to a stop just BEFORE the ram is all the way up (handle almost all the way down) and make any small adjustment to do just that. MY THEORY is, that the tab comes to a stop (in the slot) as the case hits the beginning of the flare portion and the last small amount of ram ( or handle) travel is moving the case onto the flare portion. This gives me (on my AD) full travel of the drum and the flare is good. On MY AD the tab never "touches" the metal housing, stops just short, and the last small movement of the ram upwards to what I think is the case belling, the "tab" doesn't move any farther. Hope this makes sense to you. Easy way to say is I adjust the measure and flare by the tab's action while moving the ram up slowly and watching for the stop of the tab a bit before the ram reaches top dead center. Using a fresh sized case each time (that's important). Right or wrong, works for me.

SWBuckeye wrote:I use the Auto drum with CFE on my 9mm loads and find it is very consistent once set to weight(+-.05gr.). Make sure it has full rotation. I did have a problem with it not getting full rotation and had to machine a spacer for it to dump properly. It should be at about the 5 o'clock posistion when it is at the top of the stroke of the press.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FHX3K3JyLZuXxfZF9

Your picture is showing the drum further toward the lower cast part of the measure. Mine is not going that far. So maybe that is part of my problem. I will take it back off the LM and reinstall it to see if I can get it set up to rotate that far. Thanks pictures really help.

GasGuzzler wrote:Check out some of the threads on lapping and adjusting the tension. Get a 3d printed wrench from Titan for the drum screw.

I ordered the wrench from Titan. That is a first rate company. I looked at the lapping threads and will try that next. Just bought some valve lapping compound to try what Ranch Dog did on the black thumb wheel that tightens the measure to the powder thru die. So that ought to work for the inside lapping also. Thanks for your help.

I use the Auto drum with CFE on my 9mm loads and find it is very consistent once set to weight(+-.05gr.). Make sure it has full rotation. I did have a problem with it not getting full rotation and had to machine a spacer for it to dump properly. It should be at about the 5 o'clock posistion when it is at the top of the stroke of the press.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FHX3K3JyLZuXxfZF9[/quote]

This is what my AD looks like at rest and in the dump position
[quote="SWBuckeye"
How would you adjust the AD to fix this because it looks to me that the dump position is well short of what yours looks like.