Dillon powder bar issues

[Broc]

PS. that Lee 'perfect' one -

Lee Precision, Inc.. Perfect Powder Measure

Lee Perfect Powder Measure is best for reloading rifle cases, can also be used for pistol cases. Throws charges from 2 to over 100 grains. Used with the Universal Charging Die on the Load Master. View product instructions

leeprecision.com

it seems to look a lot like a hornady unit - is it compatible with hornady case activated drop gizmo?

This powder drop is so awesome, I have 4 of them because they are so cheap.

I trust it with 45/70, to the point I only weight the first 3 or 4 drops and then crank it.

That being said, my 750 doesn't seem to have any issues with the powder drop. Using N320 it is very, very accurate. I will walk away for 2 weeks, come back and it is still spot on.

Could it be your powder?

Maybe Email Dillon and have them send a new one as a replacement under warranty.

 

[paul73]

This powder drop is so awesome, I have 4 of them because they are so cheap.

I trust it with 45/70, to the point I only weight the first 3 or 4 drops and then crank it.

That being said, my 750 doesn't seem to have any issues with the powder drop. Using N320 it is very, very accurate. I will walk away for 2 weeks, come back and it is still spot on.

Could it be your powder?

Maybe Email Dillon and have them send a new one as a replacement under warranty.

View attachment 547633

it was a lot to do with switching powders and being at the first section of the learning curve.
i kinda figured most of it now, of how to stabilize the load - here is what i get now from latest batches - it is much better now than it was:

Number of Shots	10​
Extreme Spread	42​
Average	2801​
Standard Deviation	13​

Notes	Imported from Chronograph, String 1 on 12/1/21, 9:50 AM
Number of Shots	10​
Extreme Spread	54​
Average	2776​
Standard Deviation	16​

 

[Broc]

it was a lot to do with switching powders and being at the first section of the learning curve.
i kinda figured most of it now, of how to stabilize the load - here is what i get now from latest batches - it is much better now than it was:

Number of Shots	10​
Extreme Spread	42​
Average	2801​
Standard Deviation	13​

Notes	Imported from Chronograph, String 1 on 12/1/21, 9:50 AM
Number of Shots	10​
Extreme Spread	54​
Average	2776​
Standard Deviation	16​

How do you stabilize it?

Is there more to it than dumping powder and running it a few times?

 

[allen-1]

This powder drop is so awesome, I have 4 of them because they are so cheap.

I trust it with 45/70, to the point I only weight the first 3 or 4 drops and then crank it.

That being said, my 750 doesn't seem to have any issues with the powder drop. Using N320 it is very, very accurate. I will walk away for 2 weeks, come back and it is still spot on.

Could it be your powder?

Maybe Email Dillon and have them send a new one as a replacement under warranty.

View attachment 547633

I just started using vihtavuori N320, as I'm starting to load .45ACP. It visually appears different from Hodgdon TiteGroup. TiteGroup appears to be tiny little discs, while the N320 appears to be little cylinders. The 320 drops more consistently than the TiteGroup.

 

[PatMcD]

1. Ream the powder die with a 1/2" taper then polish the inside with a dremel tool (it might not help with consistency, but it pretty much eliminates stick powder "bridging").
2. Shitcan the failsafe apparatus and use a spring. I wouldn't trust a rubber band.
3. Get the micrometer powder adjust.

With those 3 things, my Dillon 650 powder throws are within .1gr with RE15, Varget, or 8208.
That's good enough.

 

[paul73]

1. Ream the powder die with a 1/2" taper then polish the inside with a dremel tool (it might not help with consistency, but it pretty much eliminates stick powder "bridging").
2. Shitcan the failsafe apparatus and use a spring. I wouldn't trust a rubber band.
3. Get the micrometer powder adjust.

With those 3 things, my Dillon 650 powder throws are within .1gr with RE15, Varget, or 8208.
That's good enough.

i did not polish the internals yet, it is on my to do list.

what was done - a $100 upgrade with the micrometer bolt - that helped a ton, the tin insert into the measure.
also - used a soft pencil to put solid layer of graphite on every moving contacting surface - it smoothed up movement a lot.
then - i removed the retarded rod and placed a rubber band on the bar - can be seen in the picture.

drops now are quite consistent within 0.1gn when it stabilizes.

 

[mac1911]

This powder drop is so awesome, I have 4 of them because they are so cheap.

I trust it with 45/70, to the point I only weight the first 3 or 4 drops and then crank it.

That being said, my 750 doesn't seem to have any issues with the powder drop. Using N320 it is very, very accurate. I will walk away for 2 weeks, come back and it is still spot on.

Could it be your powder?

Maybe Email Dillon and have them send a new one as a replacement under warranty.

View attachment 547633

impossible , lee stuff actually working......hahahhah

 

[Broc]

impossible , lee stuff actually working......hahahhah

The perfect powder drop works great. I ordered a 5th for .460 last night.

 

[mac1911]

i did not polish the internals yet, it is on my to do list.

what was done - a $100 upgrade with the micrometer bolt - that helped a ton, the tin insert into the measure.
also - used a soft pencil to put solid layer of graphite on every moving contacting surface - it smoothed up movement a lot.
then - i removed the retarded rod and placed a rubber band on the bar - can be seen in the picture.

drops now are quite consistent within 0.1gn when it stabilizes.

View attachment 547673

Its amazing years of dillon product development missed this design upgrade

 

[paul73]

Its amazing years of dillon product development missed this design upgrade

You mean filling mating surfaces with a graphite?
I am an engineer, some stuff is rather obvious when you deal with precision moving parts. That powder drop mechanism is not even that well machined, but, it is working ok now.

What I am annoyed with, moderately, is how half-ass that whole powder drop assembly gizmo is made compared to the press itself.
The core of the press is awesome. A solid machine.
But even that $80 micrometer bolt aftermarket part - Dillon was not aware that a usual M10 or whatever 10c bolt they placed there was not adequate? That powder bar that feels too tight to insert and then wobbles whet at the middle? Etc.
It all works well now, but, was annoying to deal with. And that idiotic safety rod mechanism, really, all I could think of was - wtf is all that for.

 

[mac1911]

You mean filling mating surfaces with a graphite?
I am an engineer, some stuff is rather obvious when you deal with precision moving parts. That powder drop mechanism is not even that well machined, but, it is working ok now.

What I am annoyed with, moderately, is how half-ass that whole powder drop assembly gizmo is made compared to the press itself.
The core of the press is awesome. A solid machine.
But even that $80 micrometer bolt aftermarket part - Dillon was not aware that a usual M10 or whatever 10c bolt they placed there was not adequate? That powder bar that feels too tight to insert and then wobbles whet at the middle? Etc.
It all works well now, but, was annoying to deal with. And that idiotic safety rod mechanism, really, all I could think of was - wtf is all that for.

Well it must be good enough for dillon and all their team shooters?
It is laughable at some of the “design” features and where “corners” are cut
Im no engineer but wonder about the same stuff.

 

[paul73]

so, will post it here.
i was loading my new 6 dasher today, and i used a spare brand new dillon powder measure - 'modified' in the same exact way i did with other ones i have.
this one was brand new stock non-modified - means no micrometer, no insert. stock as is.

i set it on the same rubber bands, applied a lot of graphite to all surfaces all around. i loaded other day 200 rounds dropping precision rifle powder at 30gr, today i was dropping 32gr of varget, 100 rounds.
it went very well with an every drop measured - and it went with majority going sharp at 32gr and some at 31.9gr. may be 3-4 drops were as 32.2gr.
so i am quite a believer of the way i am doing it - hell with the rod and all that 750 gizmocrap. measure moved to station 3, because i like it this way.

anyway, if anybody has non stop issues with this measure not doing consistent drops - this is the solution, one of them, works for me fine.

 

[Road_Clam]

so, will post it here.
i was loading my new 6 dasher today, and i used a spare brand new dillon powder measure - 'modified' in the same exact way i did with other ones i have.
this one was brand new stock non-modified - means no micrometer, no insert. stock as is.

i set it on the same rubber bands, applied a lot of graphite to all surfaces all around. i loaded other day 200 rounds dropping precision rifle powder at 30gr, today i was dropping 32gr of varget, 100 rounds.
it went very well with an every drop measured - and it went with majority going sharp at 32gr and some at 31.9gr. may be 3-4 drops were as 32.2gr.
so i am quite a believer of the way i am doing it - hell with the rod and all that 750 gizmocrap. measure moved to station 3, because i like it this way.

anyway, if anybody has non stop issues with this measure not doing consistent drops - this is the solution, one of them, works for me fine.

View attachment 621526

Whats the purpose of the aluminum clamp on the primer tube ? Looks like the 750 has a much different primer system than a 650.

 

[paul73]

Whats the purpose of the aluminum clamp on the primer tube ? Looks like the 750 has a much different primer system than a 650.

lower clamp is where the plastic guiding shim was sitting to control the vertical rod that would move the powder measure bar. rod would connect where i have now that white ziptie.
so, i ditched it all, as can be seen, and wouldn`t be happier with the results.

as i get it - the old dillon powder measure design for this thing was exactly same what i do now - only with a proper metal spring used in that spot instead of bubba rubber bands. works the same though.
the accuracy of drops improves tremendously as the bar is always under tension, and does not waggle anymore as bad as when pulled by the rod.

if you asked about the upper clamp - it has the rod that pushes the primer bar back and forth. it is now moved to the side not to interfere.
cannot get a big enough stock picture to show how it was:

 

[Road_Clam]

Interesting trick with the rubber band to ensure a full stroke of the powder charge bar. I never observed any issues with my charge bars but I might do the rubber band "just because"

 

[paul73]

Interesting trick with the rubber band to ensure a full stroke of the powder charge bar. I never observed any issues with my charge bars but I might do the rubber band "just because"

it is not about issues - it is all about consistency, as i load for precision rifles. a 0.2gr consistent drops are nice. i hope to get some time on thursday to get out and measure with chrono all the loads i`ve made. will see.

 

[Broc]

it is not about issues - it is all about consistency, as i load for precision rifles. a 0.2gr consistent drops are nice. i hope to get some time on thursday to get out and measure with chrono all the loads i`ve made. will see.

I would never load presicion rifle on a 650 or 750.

For precision, you might want to weight every charge.

 

[PatMcD]

I would never load presicion rifle on a 650 or 750.

For precision, you might want to weight every charge.

I do it all the time.

 

[paul73]

I do it all the time.

i weight every charge when i care, and, usually, it is 0.1gr accurate.
like when was set for 30.8 - it would go with 30.8 rarely getting to 30.7, and a 0.1gr diff in the drop is not really that dramatic to make too much fuss about it.
and nevermind that the scale itself is claimed to be 0.2gr accurate.

to go down to the 0.05gr accuracy in both scale and drops - i am not there yet, and will unlikely ever be.

 

[paul73]

I would never load presicion rifle on a 650 or 750.

and you would be wrong, really, 750 works just any other press for precision or not.
i do not use brass feeder. you get a shell in your hands, weight it, zero scale, put shell into station 3, do a powder drop, weight the drop, adjust amount of powder if needed, or repeat the drop, when drop is good - put it into station 4, seat the bullet - done. works just fine.
all brass is prepped and pre-primed before that.

when i load 223 or 308 for plinking - it feeds preprimed brass from the top feeder, and just goes quick. and shoots very well after that.

 

[Broc]

and you would be wrong, really, 750 works just any other press for precision or not.
i do not use brass feeder. you get a shell in your hands, weight it, zero scale, put shell into station 3, do a powder drop, weight the drop, adjust amount of powder if needed, or repeat the drop, when drop is good - put it into station 4, seat the bullet - done. works just fine.
all brass is prepped and pre-primed before that.

when i load 223 or 308 for plinking - it feeds preprimed brass from the top feeder, and just goes quick. and shoots very well after that.

Ok, you are basically using it like a single stage. So there is no difference.

 

[paul73]

Ok, you are basically using it like a single stage. So there is no difference.

huge difference is that i have setups now for 4 calibers. each caliber uses 2 tool heads - one for full size die, other head for powder drop and seating.
all is preset for my loads, all is ready to go when i want it, no adjustments needed, no time spent on anything. insert the head and go.

only part that needs to be done from time to time is the primer tube swap - but it is a 3 min job. and, well, for 223 a plate needs to be swapped. rest of stuff uses 308 plate.

also, to run it as a batch or run it one by one weighting every one - is a choice that is nice to have.

 

[PatMcD]

I use it fully automatic: I take a box of pre-primed Wolf brass and dump it in the case feeder. Neck sizer in station 1 to true up the case mouths, use a short-grain powder (RE15, 8208, Varget) in the Dillon powder dump in station 2, Forster micrometer bullet seater in station 4............... then go shoot X's.