Twoboxer

Good point, thanks. I lost sight of the target audience lol.

Lost Sheep

Am I THAT predictable, Tglazie?

The Lee Loading Manual comes with a chart showing the relationship between volume and weight of different powders. I think your powder measure has a similar table.

You enter the table, find the powder you are intending to use and the charge weight you want (or the cell closest to it) and note the volume associated with that weight.

Find that size cavity among your disks. Install it and start dropping powder charges. After several, start weighing the charges and when you have an average and a stable, consistent history of charge weights compare the actual dropped weight with your desired weight.

Don't try to weigh in the case. Pour the powder into the scale's weighing pan. It works better that way.

It they match, good. If they don't match, pick the next larger or smaller cavity and try again. The table usually sends you to a cavity too small.

If you have an extra disk, you can get a drill bit and ream the cavity out (carefully, a little at a time. Maybe don't use a drill, but use your hand.) to "adjust" a too-small cavity to the right size. THEN MARK THAT CAVITY as having been enlarged. Cut a notch on the rim of the disk or or use something indelible and unmistakeable.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

Beerman

Thanks for all the info fellas. What if the chart doesnt show the powder I am using? how would that work? I dont want to have 6 types of powders.

thndrchiken

Then call or email Lee customer service and they can help you out.

Maximumbob54

There was a time I said the same thing. Now I have more than six for hangun and another more than six for rifle. I use three different powders on a fair routine just for .45 Colt loads. I found it too limiting to keep trying to stick with just one powder. I found that most of my handgun loads could be done with Win 231 but as soon as I wanted a heavier magnum load I found 2400 to still be a classic that works like a champ. But then I loved how easy it was to make powder puff loads with my favorite powder to hate on, Trail Boss. That makes outstanding .45 Colt plinking loads that just feel great in the hand. But I don't find TB meters very well. Rifle had me using mostly Win 748 or 760 depending on the load until I tried IMR 3031. I liked the 3031 but it's little sticks that don't meter well through rotating drum measures. But that lead me to Varget which I still like since it doesn't have pressure change due to temps. I could keep going but you get the point. To start you may not use many different powders but after a while you will find that certain loads really wake up in certain guns and you can only make that happen with a variety of powders at hand.

Mr Sasquatch

After I first fill the hopper I always make at least 10 charges which are immediately returned to the hopper, just to let the powder settle well. After that, I make 10 drops into the scale's weighing pan. The resulting weight, divided by 10 gives you a better representation of the average powder charge you'll get from your selected disc.

It is important that you keep the turret rotating (by pulling the handle to activate the index bar) just like you would when actually loading ammo. These turret rotations with jerking and shaking of the hopper make the powder settle in the disc cavity the same way every time. Do not just pull the handle 10 times without making the turret rotate- that is the sure way of getting different powder weights from one drop to another.

Twoboxer

Choose any one of the slots. Throw a few shots of powder and weigh them. Compare the average weight to what you want, and choose your next hole accordingly.

EG, if the hole you chose happens to throw half the powder you need, your next hole choice should be twice as large.

GP100man

Always settle the powder & always check with the scales to verify !

The closer to a max load I get the closer I check the drops.

I keep a log book of powders & the disc #s .

The sheet with lee dies are a guide only .

mje

Before you put any powder in the measure, get some finely powdered graphite and rub it all over the plastic parts of the Lee measure- inside the hopper, and all over the disks. Run some thought the measure as if you were loading it. This will greatly reduce the problem of static buildup causing powder to hang up and give you inconsistent throws.

As for weighing the charges: Invest in a decent electronic scale, like the Hornady. It's so much faster and easier than using the Lee scale that you'll do more checking, and catch more errors!

ratznfragn

Another trick you can use with the disks if your load is "in-between" holes is to take the size hole that throws a little too large of a charge and drill and tap the disk on the side at that hole. Then you run an allen head setscrew into it.Now it's adjustable.

Yurko

That's how I do it.

Those discs & the destructions do NOT match reality.
The instructions are nothing more than a wild guess they pulled outta their behind.

I've found they are almost always too low.

ratznfragn - that's an idea I never thought of. - good one too.

Beerman

I did by the Hornady scale and it works great. I am checking about every 10 load to see if I am on track. So far so good.

ratznfragn

I will admit it's not original,I couldn't tell you where I got that tip from!
I have several "adjustable" charge holes in my set of disks right now.