Just ordered a Lee Classic Turret Press.  I've searched on here and found that some people have metering problems with Varget.  I will be using a Lee powder charging die for both .223 and 9mm.  

Before thinking about metering issues, I was thinking of Ramshot Tac or 2230 for .223.  For 9mm I was thinking Bullseye or Power Pistol.  

What is the best metering powder with this setup for .223 and 9mm?

Any ball.  Either TAC or 2230 will work fine.  You may need to use the double disk kit though to throw heavy enough charges.  My data shows some volumes up around 1.7cc, and that's larger than the largest single cavity.

IMHO..........stick with ball powders (or flake powders) when using the LEE disk measures.

IF you plan on using it for .223 Rem./5.56mm, you'll need the double stacked disk measure.

Aloha, Mark

Quoted: IMHO..........stick with ball powders (or flake powders) when using the LEE disk measures. IF you plan on using it for .223 Rem./5.56mm, you'll need the double stacked disk measure. Aloha, Mark

Wish I would have had this info before I put my order in.  I didn't realize that I needed the Double Disk kit to load .223 with this press.  Oh well.  Thanks

WW 231 pistol
WW 748 for 223


- Dan

you can get up to about 23 grains in the largest single disk. It is fine for mid power loads. I even use the second largest disk for my pulled SS109's and WC844 blasting loads.

I agree, Tac works great (or any ball powder).  I've also had very good results with RE 15.  It's not as bad as Varget.  Plus my rifle really likes it.  I get a +/- .15 grain precision out of it and they still end up being my most accurate loads.  

ETA:  Definitely get the double disk kit right. Also there's a trick to get the precision you want out of this.  You need to cycle the turret when you take your sample measurements.  The powder settles into the disk chambers when you do this.  If you don't have it in a "steady state" operating condition, then you'll get charges that aren't representative of what the process is actually doing when you're chugging along loading.

I have the old discontinued manual disk measure.  I run or have ran, Clays, Blue Dot, W231, Power Pistol and H335 with good results.

A note.  Check the drop amount against a scale.  The actual amount dropped isn't always what the manual says in the Lee conversion chart.

ZM

I have a Lee Classic Cast Turret with the Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure.  I have not loaded any rifle rounds yet but I have loaded 38 special and 44 magnum rounds.  I have had very good luck with Bullseye, 231 and 2400.  They all meter well in my Lee equipment.
You are going to like your LCT press.  Mine operates wonderfully.  I really think it is the best press Lee has ever made!!  Some people load 200 rounds per hour on their LCT press.  I am a little more cautious about checking proper powder drop charges,  so I stop a lot to actually measure my powder drops.  It is still pretty quick.  Of course the full progressives are faster but it all amounts to what you want.  I don't ever see me buying another press.

Can someone list some BALL powders vs. EXTRUDED powders vs. FLAKE powders for the sake of us s

Thanks

I too will be using the Auto Disk with my kit.

Mine will throw:

Unique(flake)
H335(ball)
H4198/H4895(short cut extruded)

all the same.  It doesn't seem to matter.  With extruded, try to work the thrower slower so it fills slowly and evenly.  Ball is always right on and flake/extruded never vary more than .1 or .2, which isn't even enough to matter that much.  

AA2230 works very well without leakage.

I loaded my first 100 9mm rounds yesterday with Bullseye.  I'm impressed with how accurate the autodisks are.  I just ordered the double disks, a swivel adapter, and the riser.  

The only drawback to the autodisks, IMO, is that it's kind of a pain to switch disks.  Is the Lee Pro Auto Disk much better than the standard AD?  

Not sure which model is which, but get the one (or the update kit) that features machine screws and knurled brass nuts to secure the hopper to the base.  My early version used some coarser threaded screws that screwed right into the plastic hopper, and if you got careless/hamfisted, you cracked the hopper.  The machine screw/brass nut version is much easier and prevents cracking the hopper.

When changing disks, just loosen on of the screws about half way.  Hold the whole contraption over your bench because as soon as you raise the hopper the two aluminum riser plates will fall out, you want those to fall in a convenient location. Hold the hopper down against the disks and then completely remove the opposing nut and screw.  Raise hopper the 1/16 - 1/8" or whatever and rotate it 180 degrees.    

After replacing the disks with the desired combo, reinsert one of the riser plates in the side that still has the screw backed only half way out.  Rotate the hopper so it's lined up with the holes and hold it captive,  Barely snug that screw up and then insert the second hopper riser plate on the other side, insert screw and tighten up the nut.  

Sounds kind of difficult, but after you do it a  couple of times, it's pretty easy.  Takes longer reading through my convuluted instructions than actually doing it.

Because of this, I've toyed with the idea of picking a set of disks that would throw a charge just a couple tenths greater than what I'd want, and then drilling a tiny pilot hole through the larger of the two cavities and expoxying in a threaded sleeve for a set screw.  I'd use that set screw to fine tune the volume of the larger cavity to preclude having to disassemble the works to swap out disks.  Anyone try such an endeavor?   Thoughts?  Would epoxy work on the disks?  They are some kind of nylon material, and I'm not sure epoxy adheres to this, that's my only thought so far that's keeping me from trying this out.

Ooops!

Using the Lee Pro Auto Disk, I've had good results with longer extruded (IMR 4895), shorter extruded (VV N135, N140, N320, N340), as well as flake (Green Dot).  When averaging 20 samples, standard deviation for the IMR 4895 runs from 0.1 to 0.2 grains, and for all others listed above SD = 0.1.  YMMV.  I was surprised I did not see more variation with the Green Dot flake powder.

One of the posters above mentions a key point: the turret must be indexing (turning) when you're taking your measurements.  The motion of the press influences the packing and flow of the powder through the measure.  If you're just using the press in the single-station mode, you should confirm that the measure is giving you the desired charge when it is NOT indexing; if you're using the auto-index feature and operating in progressive mode, you must confirm again.  You may need different disks in each mode to get the same powder charge.

Quoted: Can someone list some BALL powders vs. EXTRUDED powders vs. FLAKE powders for the sake of us s Thanks I too will be using the Auto Disk with my kit.

As for a "list."

IIRC.......try the front (or ref.) section of your re-loading manual.  YMWV as to IF your manual has them listed.  Though, IIRC......mine had pictures of the grains to help explain.

Basically........

Ball...........looks like tiny "balls" though, sometimes not exactly roundspheres and/or sometimes flattened discs.

Extruded............looks like tiny "Lincoln Logs" or very short cut spaghetti strands.

Flake................looks like "corn flakes" or confetti like scrap.

Aloha, Mark

PS...........for pics of the different shapes (1/2 way down the page)..........

members.aol.com/mudsmeller/powder.html