Lee Loader

A friend of mine has a magnetspeed V2 and V3, and is very pleased with both of them. He likes the V3 even more than the V2. It even works with a shotgun, and the only downside is to attache the device to handguns. He does use unjacketed lead bullets too (but doesn't cast himself), and did not tell me anything about inconsistency. I'll ask him again and post his reply here.

I received an answer, and will translate a short version for you:

The MagnetoSpeed V2 and V3 also work consistently with pure lead bullets, even .22 and .17 caliber after sensitivity is adjusted. They do not work well with airgun pellets. Shotguns can be measured, too, from slugs to bird shot, no problem and no damage on the "bajonet". The only problem is mounting the device on handguns: revolvers and pistols with open barrels are OK, but most autoloader pistols with the slide covering the barrel can not be equipped with the device. You could make your own adaptor for pistols with underbarrel picatinny rails, though.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for asking for me.

The opinion on cast seems to be a bout 50/50 on the reports I've had back.

As your colleague says adjusting the sensitivity seem to be the key and that is what seems to be hit and miss with cast.

I have contacted Magnetospeed on this issue and they have said that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, if I get one and it doesn't work then they will refund me but that means buying from the US along with incurring carriage back if it doesn't work which will work out expensive. The UK distributor won't offer the same.

No, he said he needed to adjust sensitivity for .22 and .17 caliber bullets. With larger bullets that was not necessary.

Seems even more of a hit and miss then.

The ones I have used owned by friends for condom bullets have picked up some lead bullets fired over them after adjustment but did not do so consistently.

I suspect that the nature of the alloy used may have some effect on it working.

Well, for that price I'd be carefull, too. I'm happy with my Alpha Master Chrony in a Box. Sometimes it doesn't register a bullet corretly, too, but then I'll just fire another one. On the other hand I don't do too much statistics anyway.

dromia,
As stated above I have the v2 magneto speed.
I only shoot cast boolits.
It has only failed to read 1 shot out of the several hundred I have shot over it.
It gives any reading any other chrony will.
As stated it will not work on automatic pistols as it cannot be mounted.
Other than that I have found no flaws with it and cast boolits.
Just set it up according to the instructions and it is good to go..

I still think its greatest asset is being able to set it up with out having to go down range.
I can shoot several and then take a sampling of the next several shots.
Take it off the weapon and resume shooting without having to do any gymnastics to do it.


beekeeper

Thanks beekeeper, that is heartening.

Being attached to the firearm and convenience that gives is what attracts me to it and I would dearly like to get one but I don't want to spring for something that won't work for me.

As I've said some people get it to work with lead others don't, that inconsistency could be down to operator error on set up.

The thing that is making me leery is Magneto speeds response which is that they aren't convinced about its total suitability for lead.

What alloys, velocities and where they gas checked, plain base or a mix?

Did you have to adjust the sensitivity for lead?

dromia
I use the (for me) standard 15-16BHN cast ,home made gas checked, lubed with Bens lube ( that I found the recipe for over on CB.)
Have found that once set up for cast bullets it works on all cast .
As stated above I have only had one shot that it failed to read.
Being as I play around with a lot of surplus powders (right now WC860) I sometimes get a squirelly reading ( higher /lower than expected) and often the ES isn't what I want but the bullet hits the target and doesn't know the difference
It has helped me immensely to hone in on better loads.
Right now I am working on loads for a Yugo 24/47 using WC860 powder and the NOE 323471 fat bullet.
FPS is in the 2000FPS range with 56 grains of WC860 .
Is very accurate and really thumps the target at 465 yards.
Not too bad with open sights and old eyes.

Forgot to mention the only down side I have found using cast bullets with it is getting smoke and lube spatter on the horn and once using the wrong bullet a small amount of lead spray on same.
The lube and smoke come off easily using Alcohol (warning do not use MEK or LACQUER THINNER to clean).
Made that mistake and thought I had ruined the unit.