Warden Callaway Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 One struggle with the Lee Loadall is changing out the powder and shot bushings. The change itself is not bad but needing to dump the powder and shot is a real problem. I've found a few helpful hints and workarounds but was still thinking there should be a better way. In the night I was thinking if the lid could be secured, the unit could be turned upside down so the charge bar could be removed. I thought of a hundred ways of holding the lid on. A couple of ways was to wedge something between the handle and the lid. Before dawn I was up and taking care of other business when my attention turned to the roll of TP. The light bulb came on. It's so simple it just might work. So after breakfast I went up to the loading bench and tried it. Worked slick as a gut! The procedure is: Push charge bar to shot to drop powder. The shot will fall out into hopper when unit is tipped back. I used a paper table napkin under the lid. That made a good, tight seal. I then shoved a roll of TP between the top and handle and cover. When I started to turn the loader over I discovered all I had to do is tip it enough to get the powder and shot substantially from the drop hole area. I could remove the charge bar and change the bushings. I found it easier to replace charge bar cover plate while the loader was on it's back. Here is a picture, maybe. http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/Bibbyman/LeeBushingChange20140101b_zps1c6b23e7.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Mushman Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Looks like a pretty good idea to improve the situation. The picture however, looks like the TP role is not secured real firmly for one to risk it not slipping? Perhaps if the TP role were turned 90 degrees and frimly afixed between the top and the handle? I would want to try this quite a lot empty (with weights) before I depended on it to avoid a major mess...... THere is also I guy on YouTube who drilled 1/2 holes in the lower front of the powder and shot containers and removes a plug (tapered dowell or cork) to empty before he tips it back. Thanks for the good idea - let us know how you refine it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 You're right. I was experimenting with different bushings and on the third try I did turn the roll 90º. I thought I'd taken a picture of it in that position but when I went to press, I couldn't find it so I took the second try. On the first test I didn't use the napkin under the lid and when I got it back together and mounted, I took the lid off and found a few flakes of powder on top of the center post. The napkin test was clean. I also was trying to come up with a 3/4 oz shot bushing. I discovered that the powder bushings would slip fit inside the 1 oz shot bushing. Of course the "foot" would have to be removed. But I have another Loadall in 20 guage so I have a full set of duplicates. I cut the foot off the 198 powder bushing and slid it in the 1 oz shot bushing. The combination metered out 320 grans on my old Lyman balance scales. Picture link; http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/Bibbyman/LeeBushing20140101_zps4ef88fd5.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 As users of the Lee Loadall know, the expelled primers fall under the base of the Loadall and have to be dug out fairly often. And that's a pain. So I decided to make a drop tube into a jar to catch and keep the spent primers. The breakthrough was the discovery that a 45/70 case would just slip fit perfectly in the primer hole in the base of the base. I rummage through my junk brass to find a donner case. As luck would have it, I found a case with the base separated. Even more luck to find the case was nearly perfect length to reach from mounting board to top of deprime station. I drilled a 7/16" hole through mounting board. I already had a hole through the bench top that would align. I had saved a vitamin C bottle because I knew it would come in handy someday. I drilled a 7/16" hole in the center of the top and widened it out to about 1/2" with rasp. I drilled thee holes for drywall screws. Works perfect! ]http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/Bibbyman/LoadallPrimer2_zps14c90c79.jpg http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/Bibbyman/LoadallPrimer1_zpsf3d2a4e0.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Mushman Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Nice simple mod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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