Lee Deluxe perfect powder measure, newer model.

Any comments on the Lee Deluxe perfect powder measure? I picked up one of these while ago haven't used it yet also have a set of extra drums that I picked up for it and they say also fit Auto disc, and auto drum! I've been measuring each load on the scale so far and would like to speed things up a little bit. Your thoughts for those for those who have used the deluxe perfect powder measure please. Thank you! George PS will be using Unique Powder a variety of Alliance powders number two number five number 7 number 9! Wondering about metering and overall operation of this power measure like I said I've always measured by hand load by load on the scale be a beam or digital with good results but would like to speed up the process with caution of course! Again thank you George

Well, the extra drums will not work with the auto disc. Two completely different animals.

Maybe the lee Deluxe perfect powder measure serial number 90699 is too new for most people. Also I have the Quick Change drum set it says it's for the classic powder measure and auto drum powder powder measure number 90453. Looks like the extra drums will fit right in to the Deluxe perfect powder measure. As I said at this point I've been measuring loads by hand on a Beam scale or a digital scale. Would like to get this set up and start using it. Was wondering if people liked or disliked bit and their comments. Powders I use unique I use a lot of this, I also use Western powders number 2, number 5, number 7 a lot, and some number 9 I was wondering how do your powders measured in this particular powder measure. Or should I just continue to measure by hand for now. Thank you George

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If the old Lee 'Perfect Powder Measure' was so perfect, why did they make a deluxe one?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lee-Precision-DELUXE-PERFECT-POWDER-MEASURE-90699-New-/221438857743

btw I use an old one and have no problems with it as long as I don't try to put fine powder through it. I use an RCBS for the fine powder like H-110 and HP-38.

I believe marketing as the main reason for the "new and improved" Lee PPM. There are many reloaders that can't accept modern manufacturing techniques and modern materials so Lee made the body of their PPM out of metal, possibly to appease those "old school" reloaders. Or perhaps Lee found a better way to manufacture metal body powder measures?

My first powder measure was a Lee PPM in about '70 or so and I had very few problems with it. I sold all my reloading equipment during a messy divorce and when I started up about 5 years later, my first powder measure was a Lee. A few years later I figgered I needed a powder measure more "sophisticated" and got a C-H 502. It is a very good measure (I read a report on powder measure accuracy/repeatability on the LASC site and the C-H ranked very high), but for some powders the Lee is more consistent. I'd say about half the powders I use meter better in my Lee than in my C-H. Nutin' wrong with a Lee powder measure (my C-H leaks fine ball powder, WC 820, just as much as the Lee)...

I've used the LEE rotary powder measure to load thousands of rounds of .223/.300 BO/44 mag. It has it's foibles/quirks. Snugged up to handle fine ball powder, it's stiff and jerky. Loosened up to work smoothly, the tiny powder grains work their way between drum and frame and finally bind it completely. Takes some fiddling to get it right. I found some problems with the measures that use a sliding insert holder, also. The smaller inserts don't always fill evenly with some powders and the larger diameter inserts may not empty completely due to a short stroke.
These quirks may the reason there are "improved" models.

I bought their latest powder drop and stand a few months ago and couldn't be happier. It doesn't seep powder like the old one did. I just use the formula in the directions for a given powder and it's usually pretty close. A little tweaking and it's spot on. I weigh every 25th charge on a RCBS scale I got from a member here and check it against a small digital scale- very consistent.

Thank you for all your replies! Me never having a powder drop before and reading a little bit about problems and stuff beforehand made me want to try this new version from Lee. I think one of the biggest reasons I picked it out I liked the brass Body of the drop rather than aluminum on their old ones. I figured it should be a lot smoother stay polished from use and work better. And it was a great buy when they first came out under 40 bucks! I'm going to give it a try soon. Not sure if I'll get some graphite and run that through it first or just put a few pounds of powder in it and keep dropping some powder to get it lubed up and run in! George

Not sure if I'll get some graphite and run that through it first or just put a few pounds of powder in it and keep dropping some powder to get it lubed up and run in! George

I wouldn't use powder to smooth up the measure unless you happen to have some that has gone bad.

That is what the instruction suggest to do graphite or gunpowder and I think they suggested 5 lb. I'd have to read the instructions again.. Is there another way to get a new power run in. I admit I know nothing about powder drops. Thanks George

The reason I suggested not using regular gun powder is that powder has a "coating" which does several things so rubbing off that "coating" by excessive handling it/running it through the measure is not something I would do.
Being a farmer, I usually have a container of powdered graphite just sitting around so that's what I'd use vs $15-20/pound powder. Most farm stores sell the graphite in 1/2#( enough to last you a lifetime) to 8#(we use 2-3 of those per year) containers.

Mobuck, thank you for your info! Make sense to me! Also I didn't know where I could get powdered graphite so that helps a lot! George

I mixed some graphite with powder and I keep that in a little tupperware container for breaking in a powder measure. Don't know when I will need it again but I have it. Little tubes of powdered graphite are sold in auto parts and home depot type stores.

George, I bought one when they first became available. I mounted it on one of Lee's stands and started loading CFE Black for my 7.62x39 handloads. If one looks up the density of the powder and does the math correctly, one can set it the first time, and maybe adjust once, and you are there. I've been loading for 52 years and used everything else including RCBS, Lyman, Dillon, and the earlier Lee models and it works as well as the rest. Of course, I did not trash my others, either. Bob!! :mrgreen:

Hello Bob, thank you for taking the time and telling me about the powder drop! Sounds like it's going to work wonderfully! Can't wait to give it a try. Thanks again! George

George, one more thing. It or any other powder measure needs to be securely mounted. Mine is on the Lee stand, but the RCBS stand would work just as well, and both mounted to the loading bench or other solid location. If not, spilled powder is going to happen. Bob!

Bob, thank you very much for the tip! I probably wouldn't have put much thought to mounting it that solidly! That tip will sure save me a lot of aggravation. Again thank you! George

Jimbo357mag said:

I mixed some graphite with powder and I keep that in a little tupperware container for breaking in a powder measure. Don't know when I will need it again but I have it. Little tubes of powdered graphite are sold in auto parts and home depot type stores.

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Jim, thank you! I will make sure to do that. And keep it stored away just in case I need it in the future. Great tip also! Thanks again! George