Lee Loader

I started using the PPM a short time back to deliver powder for my 45 Super loads as I batch load them on a single stage press trying to be uber precise. I weigh each charge. . I've lapped the drum and it throws consistent charge weights, however I'm getting minor leaking issues using finer powders as in AA#7. It's not an excessive amount by any means but after doing 50 rounds of powder drops there is a small amount of "dusting" on my bench under the measure. The powder is coming from the drop tube as it doesn't seem to fit the flared case mouth of the 45acp brass well at all. I can feel the powder hitting my hand holding the case as I rotate the handle. My issue is coming up with a "better" drop tube for this thing. Any ideas?

I could just use a funnel in the case mouth and drop into that but would like to figure a better way.

????? How about opening the drop tube mouth up just s bit go accept the flared case or, slip a piece
of some sort of tubing over the drop tube??
Believe I would just open up the flair on the inside of the tube just a bit to better accept the flared case
then it would still accept other cases ?????

larryw wrote:????? How about opening the drop tube mouth up just s bit go accept the flared case or, slip a piece
of some sort of tubing over the drop tube??
Believe I would just open up the flair on the inside of the tube just a bit to better accept the flared case
then it would still accept other cases ?????

Thought about that. I know most that read this post are thinking, dummy, why not just drop the charge into the pan if you're weighing each one anyway. Did that at first but had a bit of powder "migration" (as in some times my hands don't seem to want to do what I want them to) so went to dropping into the case. I'm over thinking this. I'll just go to the Load Master and just run as singles. Problem solved.... But some times a guy just likes to use his single stage presses.

horseman wrote:[quote=" But some times a guy just likes to use his single stage presses.

You wouldn't happen to be talking about that Classic Cast are you ??
Yup!!! You are!!!! Jerk

I paid $5 for a part, Lee sent the rest for free after the SUPER HIGH shipping of $16 to fix my Cast Lee O-press, and the broken stuff I sent Lee for evaluation on 11-25 is still "in transit, arriving late" for a location. At least my single is running again the LCT can't use the RCBS swager.

Although I don't load routine handgun loads on the single stage I use it for all rifle loading and for handgun load development. I drop from the PPM into a 30-06 case, pour into the scale pan on the scale, trickle up and then use the powder funnel to drop the charge into the case. I have no leaks either on the turret Autodisk or using the method described for the single stage. I have had a very few instances of bridging on the PPM especially with longer extruded powders like IMR 7828. Never the less, I am a happy PPM owner

I think horseman's leak is around the drum/frame fit. I have lapped my PPM drum but even still some fine powders (WC 820!) still leak out around the drum. I guess I'm easy going and after I played with the drum/frame fit and tightened the drum screw, the "leak" ain't no big deal to me (IIRC my C-H 502 also dribbles a bit of WC820). I just place a sheet of notebook paper under the PPM and catch the "leakage". Even with the leakage of the very fine powders, my PPM functions, is as consistent as my $$$ green powder measure

mikld wrote:. Even with the leakage of the very fine powders, my PPM functions, is as consistent as my $$$ green powder measure