Knocking out some .357 with the Lee Hand Press

[Tokarev]

F.U.N.!!

I’ve sat on the deck doing the same exact thing with .44 specials. I’m still at a quandary of how to successfully get 7.5gr of Unique in a case without dragging a scale out OR using dippers. (My anal retentiveness doesn’t allow dippers.)

I have two of the RCBS Little Dandy powder measures with an almost complete set of rotors. I habitually check dropped weight on a scale before starting a tray of cartridges and then again after I drop the last powder charge. I’m rarely surprised at what I’m getting based on my loading notes and it never changes as long as I leave sufficient powder in the hopper. But I’m anal that way.

If you vetted the rotor that yields closest to 7.5gr of Unique and only kept that powder with your portable setup AND only stored that rotor with said reloading set up I’d feel satisfied that you’d get good, safe ammo without weighing. There might be environmental or powder lot variables but as long as you’re loading a bit under max and not at 110% you would be good. If you get a rotor that is short of your goal they can be drilled or reamed out. The main concern would be multiple powders and rotors floating around in the mix.

I have often used the Lee Auto Disk and Auto Drum with the Hand Press. It works the same as it would on any other press. Only down side is how to set the apparatus down when taking a break, etc.

What might be kind of an interesting tool would be a pistol grip and trigger that accepts the powder measure. As I envision this thing it would have a nozzle in front of the trigger. Cases would be set in a loading tray and the dispenser deal would be used to squirt the appropriate charge into each case.

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[Rick R]

I have often used the Lee Auto Disk and Auto Drum with the Hand Press. It works the same as it would on any other press. Only down side is how to set the apparatus down when taking a break, etc.

What might be kind of an interesting tool would be a pistol grip and trigger that accepts the powder measure. As I envision this thing it would have a nozzle in front of the trigger. Cases would be set in a loading tray and the dispenser deal would be used to squirt the appropriate charge into each case.

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The Little Dandy will work in an RCBS powder measure stand and the bottom section is the same thread as a reloading die. I made my own stand by cutting a 4” length of cedar 4”x4”, boring a 1” hole about 3” into the end, sanded and applied boiled linseed oil in several coats. It ain’t high tech but it keeps the measure upright and stable and fits the “style” of my reloading bench.

[entropy]

My concern would be stability/repeatability in the tossing of the charge. Both my AutoDisk and AutoDrum seem to be finicky when it comes to vibration, or not being mounted stable. Normally, it takes me a good 15min of use before I’ll trust either one (or myself) to be tossing really tight charges.

Maybe I need to switch to decaf?

[Tokarev]

The Little Dandy will work in an RCBS powder measure stand and the bottom section is the same thread as a reloading die. I made my own stand by cutting a 4” length of cedar 4”x4”, boring a 1” hole about 3” into the end, sanded and applied boiled linseed oil in several coats. It ain’t high tech but it keeps the measure upright and stable and fits the “style” of my reloading bench.

Making some kind of rest or stand for the Lee Hand Press would probably be a pretty simple deal. As it is now I usually just set the press in a cardboard box that keeps it upright.

My concern would be stability/repeatability in the tossing of the charge. Both my AutoDisk and AutoDrum seem to be finicky when it comes to vibration, or not being mounted stable. Normally, it takes me a good 15min of use before I’ll trust either one (or myself) to be tossing really tight charges.

Maybe I need to switch to decaf?

I've found that usually five or six cycles/throws will get my powder measure settled after setting it down.

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[entropy]

I've found that usually five or six cycles/throws will get my powder measure settled after setting it down.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

It’s more of a “me” issue.

This is how I install electrical work. Yeah I know. It’s a mental problem. Lol. 🤷

[Rick R]

My concern would be stability/repeatability in the tossing of the charge. Both my AutoDisk and AutoDrum seem to be finicky when it comes to vibration, or not being mounted stable. Normally, it takes me a good 15min of use before I’ll trust either one (or myself) to be tossing really tight charges.

Maybe I need to switch to decaf?

Making some kind of rest or stand for the Lee Hand Press would probably be a pretty simple deal. As it is now I usually just set the press in a cardboard box that keeps it upright.

I've found that usually five or six cycles/throws will get my powder measure settled after setting it down.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

I’ll fill the hopper on the Little Dandy and then drop 6 to 8 charges back into the powder can to settle the powder column. Then I orient the rotor with the chamber down and tap the funnel/spout down on the first case mouth in a loading block. I rotate the rotor up till it hits the stop then back down to the stop to drop the powder and move to the next case. It takes about a minute to charge 50 cases. I’ll then go back with a flashlight and look down in the charged cases for any anomaly. I try to choose powder charges that would be obvious if they were double charged and occasionally I’ll intentionally double charge a fired case with a dead primer to see what a double charge looks like.

When I’ve checked, this method is within 0.1 grain either way using Unique and I can’t detect any variation with BE-86 or 2400.

If I add powder or lay the dispenser on it’s side I go thru the settling process again.

[358156hp]

It’s more of a “me” issue.

This is how I install electrical work. Yeah I know. It’s a mental problem. Lol. 🤷

Whew! Worst case of CDO I've seen in a long time!

[willie]

Thanks!

Honestly, I never knew this thing existed. MidwayUSA here I come!

I have used this measure with good results but only if I used a ball powder like Win 230 or Bullseye which measures nicely. Of course, any suitable ball powder would work. I love Unique but the stuff measures poorly giving wide variations in charges. My experience is that powder measures work best when firmly anchored. This measure will perform well only if certain powders are used like the above examples. Unique, Green Dot, Red Dot, and Blue Dot are examples that measure with wide shot to shot variations unless the operator employs a few tricks. Because this press is hand held, the tricks don't apply to it. Before dropping charges for real, I suggest running a hopper full of powder through the measure to get it lubed with graphite that's part of the mixture.

I read that you are not comfortable using dippers. With practice you could duplicate this measure's precision level.

[Rick R]

I have used this measure with good results but only if I used a ball powder like Win 230 or Bullseye which measures nicely. Of course, any suitable ball powder would work. I love Unique but the stuff measures poorly giving wide variations in charges. My experience is that powder measures work best when firmly anchored. This measure will perform well only if certain powders are used like the above examples. Unique, Green Dot, Red Dot, and Blue Dot are examples that measure with wide shot to shot variations unless the operator employs a few tricks. Because this press is hand held, the tricks don't apply to it. Before dropping charges for real, I suggest running a hopper full of powder through the measure to get it lubed with graphite that's part of the mixture.

After contributing to this thread I broke out the Little Dandy yesterday and loaded 50 rounds of mid-range .44 Mag using Unique. After finishing I weighed a few charges and they were within 0.1-0.2gr of the 9.8gr the rotor normally drops (the Alliant “Max” charge is 11.0gr). At the range these shot into a sub 2” group at 50 yards from my Marlin carbine with Midwest Industries peep sights off the bench. I also shot them thru my 4” 629 Mountain Gun chewing up the A zone of an IDPA target shooting off hand at 10 yards.

Unique is like shoveling coal compared to more modern powders, if memory serves Unique dates back to the late 1800’s.
I’d agree that getting some graphite coating in the charge cavity helps. I’m mainly using 2400, BE-86 or W296 these days which all flow much better.

But occasionally you feel the need to load up some Unique loads on the porch and go blast them thru a lever gun or revolver.

[358156hp]

For larger flake powders like Unique, I use my elderly Hornady "pre-L&L" powder measure. In the past I "broke" most, but not all, of the sharp internal edges and gave everything a light polish inside. That measure became the best thing ever for flake and long extruded powders. It is manually operated, but it's worth a little extra effort. I also run it with the hopper as full as practical.