More Auto Drum Powder Measure Tinkering (How Low Can You Go?)
The Range Squirrel
In a previous post I was determining what was causing my Lee Auto Drum Powder Measure to bind when throwing small charges. I found that the cup on the end of the adjusting barrel was protruding from the drum and catching on the wiper. I made an effective, but not elegant ‘repair’ that took care of the bind. In the interest of developing some reduced power loads for my wife’s .380s I engaged in further tinkering to see how low I could get the powder throw.
I still don’t consider what I came up with to be elegant, but it allows me to further reduce my powder throws to the point I could use the Auto Drum to charge a .25 ACP if I wished.

I owned a Marlin 60 since 1987, but never really got ‘into’ guns until 2011 when I bought my first 9mm pistol. That was soon followed by a .380 and a 12 guage pump, and I was all in. I had done some 20 guage reloading growing up, and threw myself into 9mm and .223 reloading in 2017,ย .380 in 2019 and 7.62×39 in 2020. It is so satisfying to go to the range and string together ever improving groups with ammo I loaded myself; it doesn’t hurt that I’m a little OCD about technical things, the tangible/visible rewards are really gratifying.
I have a nagging but as yet unattained ‘want’ for a .358 Yeti unloader, it just looks like a really cool caliber. My next learning curve, space permitting, is casting and coating.