Lee "Perfect" Powder Thrower

[Lazarus]

I just bought one of these, and I'm buggered if I can get a consistent measure.

I ran three full bottles through just to coat things, the instructions said one bottle but after one, I set it to 2cc and started weighing what came out, and there was a .8gn spread over 40 cycles, so I refilled the bottle and ran throught it and tried again, twice, same result.

I wanted to work out the volume of 1gn of 2208, but I can't do that if the unit isn't throwing a consistent weight.
0.1 or .2gn I wouldn't stress on, but .8 is ludicrous.
I'd spend as much time fiddling and trickling as I would with a dipper.
I'm hoping I'm just a little 'tarded, and missing something obvious.

Do we have anybody using this dispenser?

[Oldbloke]

Hi Laz,
Got one. But don't use it often. 0.8gr is a lot of variation. I get closer to say,,,, 0.3gr IIRC

There should be a set of instructions that tell you what it will throw with each powder. IIRC A calculation. (Varget = ar2208) gets a mention. IIRC it's fairly close, throws a tad less than what the instructions say. e.g. calculation works out to 20g for a certain setting, but actually throws 19.5gr

In real life I just set it roughly then adjust it as required.

I didn't run any powder through it, just started to use it.


Some tips.
1. Be very consistant in how you work the handle.
2. Keep the hopper at least half full. So top up often.
3. First 5- 6 loads always vary a fair bit then should settle down. I just put them back in the "hopper"
4. I rubbed some graphite inside the "hopper" mainly for static but this may help too?
5. Set a tad low and trickle up. And dont worry about one or two 0.1 - 0.2 over.
6. Some powders throw better than others but buggerall experience with that. I only use it for AR2208 and AS50N

[Oldbloke]

https://youtu.be/Qx51uRRU0E0?si=4s1VRuuxYI2cUOiW

Below link is how I operate. Once I have the setting right I write it down and leave it in the hopper till next time.

https://youtu.be/WVyLVYjm0ZA?si=dNv_0bXTOY1nyyBc

[Larry]

Not sure what is going on there to cause you the issue However when running the powder through the hopper I would wind the measuring tube all the way out so that it gets coated with the graphite and lubes the tube as well as the hopper.

Ps dont leave powder in the hopper for any length of time I dont know what the issue is but I have been told that by heaps of old rifle shooters that know their stuff.

[Oldbloke]

Pdf instructions here:

https://leeprecision.com/perfect-powder-measure

[wanneroo]

Yes I eventually moved onto a RCBS for the single stage and have a glass Hornady one for the progressive.

I had issues with inconsistent powder charges. Using dry graphite lube helped.

[Oldbloke]

Laz,
I just run 14 through of 2208.
Hopper about 70% full
First 4, didn't weight.
This is next 10.

IMG_20240212_151604.jpg (82.16 KiB) Viewed 3223 times

[Lazarus]

Thank you gentlemen.
So Varget is 2208?
Well, I'll be a gumboot, did not know that, that will help too.

Those numbers are sort of what I'd expected OB, but, I just went back over the 40 I weighed and the spread set at 2cc was from 26.2 to 27.1, so actually 0.9 variation.

I will try as you suggest Larry, I'll actually run another full bottle at max cc.

Thanks wanneroo, I have dry graphite,how did you apply it?
Pull it down and do it bit by piece, or just a squeeze down the feed hole?

[Oldbloke]

These are t he rebadged ADI powders.

ADI = Hodgdon.pdf

(117.01 KiB) Downloaded 319 times

I just rubbed some dry graphite around the inside of the hopper with a brush or my fingers. IIRC

Be gentle, treat it like a woman. Just like in the youtube video I linked

[Lazarus]

I didn't see any women in that video, I'll have to have a better look

[wanneroo]

Thank you gentlemen.
So Varget is 2208?
Well, I'll be a gumboot, did not know that, that will help too.

Those numbers are sort of what I'd expected OB, but, I just went back over the 40 I weighed and the spread set at 2cc was from 26.2 to 27.1, so actually 0.9 variation.

I will try as you suggest Larry, I'll actually run another full bottle at max cc.

Thanks wanneroo, I have dry graphite,how did you apply it?
Pull it down and do it bit by piece, or just a squeeze down the feed hole?

As I recall what I used was a dry graphite spray and I only remember coating the cylinder.

If that doesn't work then you may want to pull it down and clean it all good. A lot of times these reloading companies coat everything with some sort of preservative which needs removed before you can use it. I have run into this with various pieces of reloading equipment.

[Lazarus]

It seems the Lee may be perfect after all.
After coating the relevant bits, and myself, liberally with graphite, I tried again and the same 0.8 spread.
Then I started to suspect my scales, so I weighed the lid of the 2208 bottle, 112.1gn.
I weighed it 20 times, 112.1 every time, then with the lid sitting on the scales, the reading started jumping around, several tenths either way.
The batteries are old but had been recharged before starting, so, I'll try some new batteries, failing that, new scales

Thanks again gents

[Oldbloke]

good stuff. Hope it works out

[Oldbloke]

Laz, get it working OK?
New scales?

[Lazarus]

Not yet OB, I've been flat out making knives.
I've got 2 retailers selling for me now, and keeping up is keeping me up, so to speak.

[Oldbloke]

Not yet OB, I've been flat out making knives.
I've got 2 retailers selling for me now, and keeping up is keeping me up, so to speak.

Got any pics?

[Larry]

Not yet OB, I've been flat out making knives.
I've got 2 retailers selling for me now, and keeping up is keeping me up, so to speak.

Youve been keeping that a secret. As Oldbloke said post us some pics you know its the next best thing to guns and girls.

[Oldbloke]

Perhaps start a new thread

[Lazarus]

Don't get too excited, I'm not one of the guys that make artwork pieces.
I make no fuss tools that do the job without pretensions.
Mind you, if you want pretentious I can etch designs on them, but it's a fiddly fukkery.

This is a sticker for a crazy pig stabber, he wanted big, he got big.

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My first attempt at a guthook

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Two cleavers made from a large "harvester" saw bar

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The most popular has been what I dubbed the Sweeney Todd razor, slices like nothing I've ever used

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I just added this small drop point hunter

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[wanneroo]

Nice work there Lazarus.

[gunderson]

I have a lee thrower, a RCB thrower, the RCB thrower is definitely more accurate, the Lee one is no good on powder with larger pelleted stuff... 2208 etc... its fine for smaller powder... but yeah can even be fussy with some of those... needs a dribbler to get it spot on.

[Lazarus]

#Wanneroo
Thank you sir.

I've decided to put chainsaw bar behind me.
Being already hardened and tempered, they're tough as hell on grinder belts, as you can imagine.
The upside is that with careful handling you can make a really tough blade that you don't need to treat, the downside is more work than necessary to achieve a decent finish.

Since I'm showing off, this is a small "Sharp Finger" I do, also from saw bar.
The owner is among other things a contract butcher, when I saw him several months later, he said he'd processed 250 sheep and 60 cattle and hasn't needed to touch the edge yet.

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I'm using 1075 now, what a nice change, before it's hardened, the big grinder eats it like cheese.

[Lazarus]

I have a lee thrower, a RCB thrower, the RCB thrower is definitely more accurate, the Lee one is no good on powder with larger pelleted stuff... 2208 etc... its fine for smaller powder... but yeah can even be fussy with some of those... needs a dribbler to get it spot on.

Oh, beauty, 2208 is all I have at the moment.

I checked my scales, the new batteries solved their neurotic behaviour, so I'll just use the Lee to dump onto the scales and piss about as usual

[Oldbloke]

Well, my Lee thrower is doing OK. I think techniques has a lot to do with it. And of course your expectations ans budget.

Hey, Laz, knives look pretty dam good to me.

IMHO the drop point shape is a bitter too pointy. Should be more like the puma pal.

Horses for courses tho.

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[Lazarus]

Thanks OB

[Lazarus]

True OB, the point can be vulnerable, but I make them from 4.2mm stock, to make them as sturdy as possible.
Boy does it disarticulate a critter in quick time, though.

[wanneroo]

I have a lee thrower, a RCB thrower, the RCB thrower is definitely more accurate, the Lee one is no good on powder with larger pelleted stuff... 2208 etc... its fine for smaller powder... but yeah can even be fussy with some of those... needs a dribbler to get it spot on.

I have an RCBS thrower and once I got it run through a couple of times, once I have it set, it's set and I really don't see variations in powder charges, except one thing. If I leave the powder in the measure for a day or more, the first charge settles, so to fire it up again, I dump a few loads out and check the charge and I am good to go.