Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

[neoinarien]

So I have a good amount of 4895 and 4064 for my 308 and 30-06 semis... and the drop powder dispenser gets gummed up with these stick powders.

It will hit to +-0.1 grain on 5 loads, then go +2 grains on one. Apart from being a massive safety issue, it's also a huge pain in the you know what.

So I will be likely switching to h380, but I still have a lot of this stick powder. Is there a way to get these to meter smoothly? A different better powder dispenser?

 

[jet_lagged]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

For what it is worth, try pulling the powder dispenser apart and buffing all the metal surfaces so they shine, which will reduce friction a bit. It can't hurt, and may help a little.

From my experience, to me it seems that the most important thing for a consistent charge weigh is a consistent "pull" force on the handle. By that I mean, up and down should feel about the same for each case being filled, so you are keeping the vibration level the same, etc.

If it is different, pull that filled case out of the shellpalte and weigh the charge.

So I no longer really run it as a full progressive press if I am trying to minimize charge variations. If the brass needs full-length sizing, I do that first, as that seems to be where the "pull" variation is, with some cases sticking a bit or taking more force. Then I prime, charge, seat and crimp (if needed) all the sized cases in a progressive mode.

http://airfieldshootingclub.org/content/dillon-powder-measure-tuning

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1016979

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=864416

 

[neoinarien]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

Thanks.

I did just what you described: I did the sizing+seating as a one stage, then did the rest. It slows things down... considerably... but it does <span style="font-style: italic">help</span>, somewhat.

 

[rsplante]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: neoinarien</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So I have a good amount of 4895 and 4064 for my 308 and 30-06 semis... and the drop powder dispenser gets gummed up with these stick powders.

It will hit to +-0.1 grain on 5 loads, then go +2 grains on one. Apart from being a massive safety issue, it's also a huge pain in the you know what.

So I will be likely switching to h380, but I still have a lot of this stick powder. Is there a way to get these to meter smoothly? A different better powder dispenser? </div></div>

I know one way, but you probably won't like the answer. In Glen Zediker's book, Handloading for Competition (p.415), he has a picture of David Tubb's highly modified RL550B. He has permanently mounted a Prometheus powder dispenser above the 550. Besides the cost of a Prometheus, it looks like it took a bunch of construction to support the Prometheus that high above the 550.

Then there is my cheapie solution. I weigh every charge on my RCBS Chargemaster 1500; however, if you choose that route, I would recommend weighing each completed round. Two weeks ago I experienced my first (and hopefully last) encounter with a squib round. Very scary.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...911#Post2770389

 

[EddieNFL]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

4064 use requires a chain saw.

 

[wtopace]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

I pulled the powder station off my 550B and left just an open set of threads on station #2. I run a neck sizer in #1, seater in #3 and the lee factory crimp in #4 for uniform neck tension (I seem to get better accuracy this way). I normally load with the locator button removed on station #3 and trickle charge outside of the press between station #1 and #3.

It slows it down a bit, but the progressive #3 and #4 really help out once the cases are charged.

 

[Compact45]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

I treat every station as a single stage to avoid charging issues. Resize, trim, prime, powder, then seat. All cases are worked at one time for each step. I do this for up to fifty cases as a time. My powder procedure is to use the 550B and dump a close powder charge then pour it from the case into a powder pan and weigh each charge on a digital scale. If it is low I trickle more powder while the pan is still on the scale, if to heavy I tap a little out and weigh again.

Time consuming but better than an unsafe powder charge.

 

[fx77]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

FWIW this Johnson QuickMeasrue adapts to the Dillon and gives very precise and repeatable throws.
Tim Johnson is a GTG guy and will speak with U directly.

http://www.quick-measure.com/progadapter.htm

 

[SIE107]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

Take the dispenser out, then replace it with a funnel, weigh your charges with a good beam scale or electric scale and dump the powder into the case each time.. yeah, it will slow you down a bit, but it will also remove some of those issues your having with charge weights as well.

 

[daboone]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

Paraphrasing with Rocky Raab permission:

"Most measures are better with one type of powder than another. Be it flake, extruded or spherical, some measure are liable to choke on at least one. It's just the way it is. 

Operator technique is at least as important as mechanical factors when it comes to dispensing consistent charge weights. 

The water content of the powder changes, and that affects the WEIGHT of a given charge, but not the actual amount of powder IN that charge. So a measure that's set to dispense 50 grains of powder one day may dispense 49 or 51 grains on another day. BUT IT IS STILL DELIVERING THE SAME AMOUNT OF POWDER! If you change the setting to get the "right" weight, you are actually changing the charge. 

It is NOT always that vital to get a charge weight down to the exact tenth of a grain. It can be important in very small charges for very small cartridges, but not in most rifle rounds. Instead, what you want to achieve is ±1% of the desired charge weight or less. For a 50-grain charge, that means anything less than a half-grain either side is not only acceptable, but you probably cannot tell the difference on target. (And that's one that hardly anybody believes, but it is true.) 

The only way to get exact weights is to - weigh. That means weigh every charge. You can use a trickler, a spoon or even tweezers, but if you insist on getting right to dead-nuts on, that's the only, uh...way. Or get a digital dispenser which does the weighing for you. (But read #4 again. Really.")

 

[rsplante]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wtopace</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I pulled the powder station off my 550B and left just an open set of threads on station #2. I run a neck sizer in #1, seater in #3 and the lee factory crimp in #4 for uniform neck tension (I seem to get better accuracy this way). I normally load with the locator button removed on station #3 and trickle charge outside of the press between station #1 and #3.

It slows it down a bit, but the progressive #3 and #4 really help out once the cases are charged. </div></div>

I do the same thing except that I leave the powder die in station #2. I have found that an RCBS funnel fits nicely over the powder die (when the inside part is pushed up by the brass). That way, I do not have to remove the brass to charge it. The only drawback is that you have to keep your wits about you. Since you cannot look directly into the brass, you have to keep track of the charge status. I recently experienced a squib due to that. I now weigh every round after loading to make sure I have no more squibs.

 

[rsplante]

Re: Better powder dispenser for dillon 550b?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Compact45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I treat every station as a single stage to avoid charging issues. Resize, trim, prime, powder, then seat. All cases are worked at one time for each step. I do this for up to fifty cases as a time. My powder procedure is to use the 550B and dump a close powder charge then pour it from the case into a powder pan and weigh each charge on a digital scale. If it is low I trickle more powder while the pan is still on the scale, if to heavy I tap a little out and weigh again.

Time consuming but better than an unsafe powder charge. </div></div>

I hear you; however, I think I can save you some time. I weigh every charge, but otherwise I treat it like a regular progressive press. I weigh every completed round (which is actually a pretty quick process with a digital scale.) Any that are even 5 gr. low get pulled apart. Since this happens much less than 1% of the time, it does not consume much time.