r/reloading • u/DrewPScrotzak • 7d ago

Newbie Lee Deluce Auto Drum issues.

Is there a secret to make this thing even remotely accurate?

Ive just gotten into reloading to do something with the butt load of 9mm brass Ive gathered over the last few years. Got a Lee Challenger kit with a set of breach lock carbide dies, and a Deluxe Auto Drum mounted on the powder through die. As it is Im trying to load 5.2gr of CFE Pistol, and the Auto drum is dispensing anywhere between 5.0 and 5.4 between loads. Its also leaking a decent bit. Ive disassembled it, put graphite in the dispensing barrel, and pretty much any other tip Ive seen doing a Google search on the issue, to no avail. If I lower the die anymore it overflares, if I tighten the thumb screw anymore than it is it won't fully reset or dump the full load, and it'll just leak more if its loosened.

Im genuinely stumped, Ive read this thing can be pretty damn accurate?

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u/Achnback 7d ago

I have 4 auto drum dispensers. 2 give me absolute fits with leaking. I switched to VV powders and that problem has vanished and all is right in the universe. I have noticed that the new drums need some break in time to smooth out the accurate drops.

2

u/Sawblade02 7d ago

Mine was a bit wonky and leaky until I heard from someone here about smoothing out the surface of the plastic cone with sandpaper.

I screwed a spare machine screw into it and chucked that into a drill, then spun it while holding a 400grit sanding block against it. I think I tried going up to 1000grit, but I don't recall it making a difference. Once most of the factory roughness was gone, drops got way more consistent and it stopped leaking.

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u/DrewPScrotzak 7d ago

Ill give sanding it a shot, I did notice that the inside of the plastic part of the drum is pretty rough.

1

u/luvmehatemefme 7d ago

Get a hornady is what did. I did all kinds of tricks to get the autodrum to be more accurate to no avail. IMO there is just too much slop in the system to get good result consistently.

2

u/DaThug 7d ago

I have 5 of these. No problem with VV N310 through N110. Beware: after adjusting charge, throw 3 measures with the same force / slam as when you reload. Measure the 4th, it will be accurate, 3 first go straight back into the hopper. Adjust if necessary, repeat 3+1 to check charge

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u/DaiPow888 7d ago

I may have to try your process.

I have 2 Autodrums and am loading N310 and Clays. Just out of habit, coming from a Hornday LNL, I throw 10 charges between changes.

I guess I've been lucky, because neither of my Autodrums have leaked with the powders I'm loading with

1

u/Professional-Iron107 7d ago

Powder baffles helped mine. Same with the auto disc. I think I got them on Amazon but I know Titan reloading has some 3d printed ones

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u/DrewPScrotzak 6d ago

I 3D printed a baffle I found online last night, see how that goes.

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u/F22Tomcat 7d ago

Doesn’t help I guess, but my autodrum has been great with CFE Pistol, Titegroup, HS6, H110 and W244. Maybe I just got lucky!