I started with a the Lee Breech Lock Kit which came with the Safety Scale (junk, replaced and wish I had done it a long time ago) and the Perfect Powder Measure. The powder measure has always been stiff. I ran a pound of Unique through it to "lube" it up as suggested by Lee, but to bo avail. If I loosen the screw to make it less stiff, it leaks like a sieve. I put some graphite in it which helped consdierably, but no to my liking.

Today I took it apart to clean the H335 out so I could load some stuff up with W748 and it dawned on me... That kit came with a wax based sizing lube. I put a scant amount on the bearing surfaces, let it dry and then put it back together. Man is it ever a whole new machine!

It throws all the powders I use very well (or just well in the case of Unique) so now I see no reason to upgrade. Blue guys convince me otherwise!

Team Red here too

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15T,15-22,5946 & some not S&W

I started with the Lee Breach Lock and the PPM. I liked the PPM so much I bought other one so I could keep them both set at different charges. Mine never leaked and are dead nuts accurate. I tested them both with 100 throws. The heavy flake powders were a bit hard to pull the handle, but ball powder works fine.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I used a PPM for a lot of years and even though it looks and feels cheap it's a very accurate powder measure. I also have a Lyman #55 I like a lot but I do use both.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

The powder measure has little to do with it, to be honest. I am "blue" because of the functioning of the rest of the machine! The powder measure is just an added benefit as they are second to NONE too, and certainly not even to be compared to the PPM. Not even in the same league.

Does the PPM work, well, for some loads, yes, for some loads, no. For being able to "dial it in" for rifle loads that are over 15gr, it is almost impossible, unless, you own a drill and a bunch of bits, all sizes, so you can "adjust it" for your specific loads.

I know there is the "adjustable wonder bar" that can be added for small pistol charges but, what do you do after your "double disk" charge doesn't get the job done or close enough for precision work?

When I want to load small charges on my Dillon, I just turn a knob until I get the load I want. If I can't get it with the small bar in it, I just put the larger one in and I can adjust the load infinitely, in .1gr increments or less, depending on the scale I am using. And if for some reason I can't get low enough, which has never happened, they do sell a smaller bar, but, I see no need for it unless you are going to use your XL650 to mass produce 25ACP or something.

Well, I tried to convince you, I guess it is up to you if I succeeded.


p.s. The above statements do NOT mean that it doesn't have a place in the scheme of reloading or that they are worthless or anything like that. They do. If you find a cavity that loads well for you, great, and you can put a bunch of them out and get them downrange pretty well. Just not MY first choice.


As far as manual powder measures go, give me a Lyman #55.

DUDE, (since you like to call me that even though I hate it

We be talking about the Lee Perfect powder Measure not the Lee Pro Disc,The wonder bar goes with the disc system, what are you talking about??

Merry Christmas!

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Still Running Against the Wind

Skip, you may have wandered over behind enemy lines!

I will tell you what would convince me to go blue..... Mail me one to "test" for a while. I'm sure I'll get around to getting it back to you as soon as I'm done test driving it. (I say this as I look at the meat grinder I borrowed from my supervisor at work, three weeks ago! I finished processing that deer the day he lent it to me.)

Knowing what a nice guy old Skipper is, he probably would send one to you. He must have several.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I also started with the Lee kit. I still feel that it is an excellent package to get started in reloading.

That being said my PPM ran fine with a bunch of different rifle and pistol powders until I tried to run H110 through it. That stuff is like a fine sand and it leaked out everywhere and made the measure feel like it was full of gravel. Pretty much no accuracy in a charge throw.

I borrowed a friends RCBS measure and saw where the extra money went. When I had a chance I bought a used Hornady. Both of those measures are cast iron and flow H110 much better than the Lee.

Thanks, I'll give this tip a try. That said, IMHO, the PPM is one of Lee's less refined pieces of gear. While it seemed to dump accurate loads, mine also leaked powder continuously. It's the one piece of red gear I've replaced ( with some older "Green gear") in recent months as I do more rifle reloading. The PPM is still set up on the bench though.

p.s. Not to turn this into another Red vs Blue debate (which never seems to end), but I started Red for 10 years, went Blue for two ( because I was shamed into it) and then back to Red for the last eight. I now run a pair of Classic Turrets and see no need to ever "upgrade" again.

Thanks for sharing the tip!

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Dave

Powder measures seem to me to vary a lot with the powder used, and the accuracy needed. When I reload, I actually use FOUR different measuring systems, each the best for its application. For small amounts of Bullseye, I use a measure with fixed-capacity rotors made for that purpose. For long-stick powders where there is no need to measure each charge thrown, I use the Lee, because it is clearly the best charge-thrower for that purpose, although the old Belding & Mull wasn't bad either, but had to be mounted on a bench. For normal amounts of powders other than long sticks, my Harrells is clearly the quickest and easiest to use, and a slew of bench-resters use just such a measure. When I desire to weigh every charge, the Prometheus system does it faster and better than anything else, but it is certainly not as fast as a Harrells when that can be used, and takes a little longer to set up.

If I was to ever change (and I know I will eventually) I would like to give the RCBS quick change powder measure system so I could get a measure tube for each cartridge and not have to dial it in each time.

But for now, my PPM is working for all my powders. With the binof wax lube in it, nice and slick too.

I thought all of the Lee junk, oops, I mean powder measures, used the disk system. I stand, well, sit, corrected.....DUDE!
(No offense meant at all.)

I already have 2 out on loan! I cannot afford to have more than two out at any one time. As soon as one of the kids send one back, I will get it right out to you.

To be EXACT ( I know how OCD you are so....) I have 6 Dillons. 3 Square Deal Bs, one RL450B and two XL650s.

So, if I had an extra.........I might have sent one to YOU!

Krimminy,how many molds do you have??

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Still Running Against the Wind

A dozen or two. I don't know. Do you want me to go count them? I have two of them out on loan to son #1 though. If it makes you feel better, I am getting ready to order another one........I don't have but one for the 40 caliber stuff and, I have this M&P full size that told me the other day that it needed it's own mould. I always do what my guns tell me to do, don't you? I mean, we have to listen to our firearms, right? That is why I have so much stuff....They tell me they are lonely and need this or that, so, I get it for them.....

The stinkin' ornery .358WSSM is the absolute biggest whiner of them all! I need this set of dies, $180, then, I shoot best with these Nosler Accubond bullets, $50/50! Oh, and then I want a neck only sizing die, $75 from Sinclair. I told it the other day that I was going to start feeding it MILSURP Russian 4895 and you should have heard it belly ache! Oh, and I forgot about the cases......They don't even make store bought cases for the thing, YOU have to make them! Then, they have to be annealed and......It just never ends with this whiner!

(Of course, I don't tell it this but, it did put two deer in the freezer this year and is going back out in the cold on Wednesday to get two more. When it finds out, I am going to have to hear about how cold it is and if it rains, I will have to clean it and....but, don't tell it that it is going out again. I want it to be a surprise! )

My goodness, that's a lot of manufacturing capability my friend! I'm guessing your (grown) children are as needy as mine when it comes to quality ammo! (for free) LOL

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

A dozen or two bullet moulds? (sniff) I suppose you need to start somewhere. Keep plugging away....

The "junk" lee scale shows the truest weight according to my Ly check weights of any of the five scales I've owned. It might have some faults but it is highly accurate assuming one takes the time to read the directions.

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Front sight and squeeze

I find this all to be terribly funny as I've always had a more difficult time with my Uniflow than anything else. The PPM I used worked from the start.