Lee turret press problem

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I'm hoping some knowledgeable Gun-Nut here will be able to help me solve what's going on with my 4-hole Lee turret press.
Tonight while re-loading .45 ACP the powder drop arm suddenly seemed to not be extending all the way as very little powder was going in the case. I took it apart to see if I could see anything amiss but it all looks ok but the powder disk just isn't getting pulled far enough to enable a full charge of powder to drop.
I'm baffled so any ideas of what to look for would be appreciated.
Thanks - Rod
:bangHead:
 
Check the way the disk is placed, you can actually place it in the wrong spot. I can't remember if it is too far forward or too far back but the disk does go in 2 positions and only one is right.
 
Beegwally said:
Check the way the disk is placed, you can actually place it in the wrong spot. I can't remember if it is too far forward or too far back but the disk does go in 2 positions and only one is right.
Click to expand...

I was in the middle of a run and had done about 15 cartridges successfully when something didn't feel right. I always check that there is powder in the cartridge before putting the bullet on and there just wasn't any or very much in the next one. The lever pulls the disk forward ( and yes it's in the correct position) but only as far as allowing half the powder disk hole to be over the drop hole so it isn't dispensing the full charge.
 
Try screwing the charging die down further. With the press ram fully extended, the disk hole should line up with the drop tube. How is the bell on the case mouth looking?

Also make sure nothing is binding up. Before actually making any adjustments, try removing the powder measure and cycling it by hand a few times.

Edit: Just a thought, I wonder if 45 GAP cases would do this in a 45 ACP setup..
 
The disk fills with powder when you let off the lever. It moves into the powder fill position by way of spring power only, on my Lee turret. That means that if something is binding, the reset and fill doesn't occur fully. Some powders cause binding as they get caught between the disk and powder dump. I find having the 2 screws slightly loose helps prevent this. Loosen the 2 screws you remove to change powder disks.
 
bgcameron said:
Try screwing the charging die down further. With the press ram fully extended, the disk hole should line up with the drop tube. How is the bell on the case mouth looking?

Also make sure nothing is binding up. Before actually making any adjustments, try removing the powder measure and cycling it by hand a few times.

Edit: Just a thought, I wonder if 45 GAP cases would do this in a 45 ACP setup..
Click to expand...

+1

The disk is moved forward by the case inserting into the 'powder thru expanding' die pressing up against the powder measure mechanizsm. There is a piece inside the die which is the correct length for making the disk move forward when the case is fully insertedinto the die. This piece can be inserted backwards (but then nothing would work and I doubt you would even be able to screw on the powder drop).

Ensure that the die is seated correctly (screw in until it touches the shell plate when the ram is at the top of the stroke, then back the die out 1 turn...adjust clockwise to increase case bell.

Ensure the powder drop is screwed completely to the die...It tends to come loose during long reloading sessions...just check that it is screwed on finger tight ocassionally while loading.

If your disks are seated correctly and the dies are seated correctly and the case enterers the die 100% then I'd start looking for a mechanical failure with the powder drop system.

If there is a problem with the powder drop system and it is out of warrantyif it is out of warranty, Lee will re- condition or replace it for only 50% of its cost.

I'm not claiming to be an expert...the previous comments are only my opinion!
 
bgcameron said:
Try screwing the charging die down further. With the press ram fully extended, the disk hole should line up with the drop tube. How is the bell on the case mouth looking?

Also make sure nothing is binding up. Before actually making any adjustments, try removing the powder measure and cycling it by hand a few times.

Edit: Just a thought, I wonder if 45 GAP cases would do this in a 45 ACP setup..
Click to expand...

With the lever arm in the fully extended (down) position the powder disk hole doesn't line up with the drop disk. It doesn't matter whether the powder holder thing is screwed on or completely removed. I can manually push the disk teh rest of the way and it doesn't feel like it's binding or catching on anything so it's puzzling.
I'll take the turret part to my friend Bob who I bought it from and see what he thinks.
 
I can't say that I own the exact press that you have, but on my lee pro 1000 the chain would sometimes slip which would cause it to be a little too long. When it was too long it wouldn't pull the arm all the way down leading to the problem that you're describing. after snapping a few chains I just switched it to a spring of the correct length and tension, curing all of my problems.

I hope this helps, good luck
 
I had (what I think is) the same problem. The disk would not return to it's fully retracted position, which causes under-charging. I found that a stronger spring combined with regularly cleaning the track that the disk rides in solved my issue. A lot of the time, excess powder would get trapped in the track and the disk would bind. I got a slightly stronger spring from Home Depot for $5 (i don't remember the spring specs off-hand).
 
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The path of the measuring disk has two extremes. The resting position is where it fills with powder, and it moves to this extreme via the return spring. The dumping position is the other extreme, and that movement is a result of the shell casing pressing fully into the die and operating the mechanism. Make sure you haven't lost any parts, such as the plunger in the die, and make sure the die is adjusted properly so that it is fully depressed by the shell casing.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
The path of the measuring disk has two extremes. The resting position is where it fills with powder, and it moves to this extreme via the return spring. The dumping position is the other extreme, and that movement is a result of the shell casing pressing fully into the die and operating the mechanism. Make sure you haven't lost any parts, such as the plunger in the die, and make sure the die is adjusted properly so that it is fully depressed by the shell casing.
Click to expand...

SOLUTION FOUND:
K, so I visited my friend Bob this afternoon and in the process of dismantling it he found that there were TWO O-rings on the shaft instead of one so what apparently happened is that when I switched from reloading 9mm to .45 the o-ring was left. After removing that and checking it, the powder measure was able to travel the full distance which *should* mean the problem has been solved. I'll check it later tonight but I'm pretty sure this it it. I never woulda thunk it!

Thank-you all for your input. Something to check should the same thing happen to someone else.

Cheers - Rod
 
Hope you have it resolved,while on the subject of Lee powder dispensers I am concerned about how flimsy the plastic is on the hopper where the screws that hold it on go in. I haven't stripped the threads yet but I can see it happening. Now I only loosen one side and remove the other one and rotate the hopper out of the way to change disk's.
 
Skinny 1950 said:
Hope you have it resolved,while on the subject of Lee powder dispensers I am concerned about how flimsy the plastic is on the hopper where the screws that hold it on go in. I haven't stripped the threads yet but I can see it happening. Now I only loosen one side and remove the other one and rotate the hopper out of the way to change disk's.
Click to expand...

It does look amazingly flimsy there. Some how, in 20 or more years, the screws haven't stripped the plastic yet on mine. For some powders, like 231, I run the screws slightly loose. It spills a little powder on the bench, but the plate never gets stuck.
 
Skinny 1950 said:
Hope you have it resolved,while on the subject of Lee powder dispensers I am concerned about how flimsy the plastic is on the hopper where the screws that hold it on go in. I haven't stripped the threads yet but I can see it happening. Now I only loosen one side and remove the other one and rotate the hopper out of the way to change disk's.
Click to expand...

As there isn't a lot of stress on them I don't foresee that being a challenge. All the tension is sideways when the powder disk is being moved so I'd be really surprised if you ended up stripping those nuts. My concern would be that by only loosening one side you could do more damage than by removing both nuts and taking the powder hopper off to change disks.

That'll be 2 cents please. :)
 
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