I am generally the last guy in the world to figure something out.

D

Doc Hoy

New member
I have always liked Lee presses and have had this turret job for about fifteen years.

About five years ago I bought the Hornady powder measure.

I had them mounted separately so I had to do a lot of fiddling with the cases to charge them.

So I moved the powder measure and made a stand that allows the measure to swing away from the press to a stow position or back to the press to line up with the die.

I am not well experienced in hand loading. I think I am once again the last person in the world to do this.

First photo is close-up of measure lined up with the die

Second photo is the measure swung back. In this photo you can see the adjustment for alignment with the funnel of the die

Third view is from the front and showing the top swivel
 

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...Or, you drop $40 on a Lee Auto-drum and the riser for it. I believe you would then only need to unscrew the hex funnel from your dispensing die and screw the riser in and the measure into the riser. This measure is case-activated like a Dillon, so you wouldn't have to remember to manually operate the powder measure.
 
I took a quick look at your contraption...and concur with Unclenick.
My lee autodrums are inexpensive, simple to set up, and accurate.
 
Agree with all

My point in doing these things has more to do with the enjoyment I get from doing them.

I am working on a mechanism that will advance the turret on the Lee press. I know I can go buy one, but the point is making it.

Some years ago, I made a device to press the roundballs into a revolver cylinder. It was so big, I had to trade in my Colorado for a Sierra so I could haul it to the range. (Well, maybe not that big.)

But it was still fun doing it.
 
Fun is fun. You could install Hornady powder die in press and drop in proper Hornady expande/flare insert, install measure, and have case activated powder measure. No big deal.
 
Yes, I could.

That would remove the concern of powder charge inconsistency from the breeze, a fan or my breath blowing powder out of the falling stream.
 
Not sure what company it was all those years ago, but I purchased adapters that allowed me to attach both my Lee Perfect Powder measure and my Lyman 55 powder measure directly to the Lee powder drop die. Perhaps they make one for the Hornady too, although your solution is a good one given the size and weight of this powder measure it’s probably better not having it mounted directly to the turret.
 
Yes. Agree.

The stand and the mounting of the base to the bench are quite robust because of the weight of the measure.
 
Glad it works for you! I gave up "on the press" powder charging years ago, and returned to my old method of hand charging and using a loading block. It just works better, for me.
 
To pick up on MG's point, if it were to make the vertical post taller, you could adjust the height to insert the drop tube of your choice to help compact a powder for compressed loads.
 
UNcle Nick and MG...

Actually that is the way it works. I can move the powder measure up and down but about three to four inches by either adjusting the measure in the plate or adjusting the shaft in the clamp. When I get it going (I have not used it yet), I will have a better understanding of adjustments and powder flow.
 
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