Question on Dillon Powder Measure

D

disseminator

New member
Hey All,

I just got my 550b setup for 300 blk and loaded up a few hundred rounds. It all went great UNTIL I went from loading 15-18g of powder to 20g.

The small bar maxes out at 20 but I couldn't get there. The large bar starts at 20g and I got there but it was a hot mess since the screw was cranked ALL the way in.

I will mostly be loading 125g and 150g bullets but at times will go heavier so this presents a problem since the charge weights will go from less than 20 on some, and more than 20 on others. What can I do? This is very annoying and will drive me back to my Big Boss II if I can't come up with a solution.

Thanks.
 
Changing powders so you're not bumping up against the max on one bar / or the min on the other would make the most sense to me...
 
What does the powder measure have to do with which press you use? You can use Hornady, Lee, and Dillon case-activated powder measures on Dillon, Hornady, and Lee presses. You can use any manual-activated measure, either on the bench or on the press, on or with just about any press.
Dillon says:

"1. Extra Small – use for dropping less than 3 grains of powder
2. Small – use for dropping 3 to 20 grains of powder
3. Large – use for dropping 20 to approximately 45 to 50 grains of powder
4. Magnum – use for dropping 50 or more grains of powder"

Since the measure meters by VOLUME, obviously the WEIGHT is just an approximation and there must be SOME overlap. The weight of ball powder for a given volume is quite different from the weight of stick powder for the same volume.
IF your problem is real (and you aren't just reacting to the silly Dillon numbers given above), and you can't live with it (I can't imagine having to switch powder bars midway in a loading cycle), get the Hornady L-N-L Powder measure (and be sure it comes with the small and large metering assemblies).
With the Hornady, each metering assembly can be cranked down to ZERO grains, but the rifle really doesn't work well until you are metering around 10-12 grains.
Even better, get a ChargeMaster 1500 for all load work-up and be done with it.
The Dillon powder measure is really just a Lee Auto-Disk with an adjustable charge bar that actually works.
 
I load 16.5 gr of H110 using the large Dillon bar. Even though Dillon states >20 grain start for the large powder bar you can drop a lesser charge.
 
I was barely able to get to 20 grains with LILGUN which is my preferred powder for 300 blk. I realize powder is measured by volume and that is why I asked about the size of the powder bar. :) So yes I really have a problem.

The reason I mention going back to my single stage is that my RCBS powder dispenser ( I have a chargmaster too, but so slow. ) goes from 5g to 100g or some crazy thing and I guess there is no way to get that with the Dillon powder measure?

Thanks for the replies. All idea's are welcome.

:D
 
FWIW
When dropping really light charges for .32acp on a 550 using the small bar
(before the extra small bar came out) I did not feel comfortable
working with the powder bar right at the stop.

So I took apart the small bar, roughened up the triangular face of it, and epoxied pieces of a
copper wheat penny that had been filed flat (and sort of polished) on one face and roughened on the other to the angled sides of the bar.
I also smeared a bit of epoxy in the joint of the triangle to fill that area to keep from trapping any powder

Used the dremel to rough cut and bevel the outer edges and finished by filing and smoothing the edges to fit.

Re-assembled it, and voila! I had my pre-Dillon extra small bar.
Never faulted Dillon for selling the .32acp shellplate without a powder bar that (I felt) was appropriate.
Don't think the .32 is in the top 5 sellers.

I usually check my powder drops every 50 before dumping the loaded ammo into the pile with the rest.
Needless to say, the modification is low impact and it has never let go.

I reckon you could do the same to the large bar to get a smaller minimum
drop that would allow you room to work with the 20gr. charges.

It might be much simpler (for you and your specific need) to just face off the moving slide in the bar.
That should gain you a couple of grains.
Having a pal mill the face would be the best way to keep things square though and not cut so much as to weaken the casting.


My .02, JT
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top