Dillon Powder Die

[Broc]

How many here are using the powder die to also expand the case a little?

I have a Hornady die, but decided to try the dillon, since it is there. Maybe I am not setting it up right (although it's very straight forward), but I dont like the way it expands the case, it seems it opens it too much.

I am thinking of switching to the Hornady, or I am also open to suggestions on other dies.

If it matters, this is for handgun.

 

[Nick Leduc]

I use them on all of my handgun cartridges and they all seem to work great. Like you say, it's kind of hard to set it incorrectly. My only thought is maybe once you have the correct height set, maybe the die is spinning a little bit more when you tighten the nut on the die......?

 

[Nick Leduc]

OR you made your adjustments on a shorter than most case and if you are not trimming then your longer cases with bevel more.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

How many here are using the powder die to also expand the case a little?

I have a Hornady die, but decided to try the dillon, since it is there. Maybe I am not setting it up right (although it's very straight forward), but I dont like the way it expands the case, it seems it opens it too much.

I am thinking of switching to the Hornady, or I am also open to suggestions on other dies.

If it matters, this is for handgun.

A little bit goes a long way. You can adjust it so it expands only. Or expand and flare or the oh shit I expanded my 38 to accept .501” diameter bullets what an idiot.
If you’re getting too much flare just back it off a touch till you get there you want to be.

 

[TrashcanDan]

How many here are using the powder die to also expand the case a little?

I have a Hornady die, but decided to try the dillon, since it is there. Maybe I am not setting it up right (although it's very straight forward), but I dont like the way it expands the case, it seems it opens it too much.

I am thinking of switching to the Hornady, or I am also open to suggestions on other dies.

If it matters, this is for handgun.

Is this for 9mm? or All the handgun cartridges?

I have had it over expand/ flare out, but backing it off did the trick.

 

[milktree]

How many here are using the powder die to also expand the case a little?

I have a Hornady die, but decided to try the dillon, since it is there. Maybe I am not setting it up right (although it's very straight forward), but I dont like the way it expands the case, it seems it opens it too much.

I am thinking of switching to the Hornady, or I am also open to suggestions on other dies.

If it matters, this is for handgun.

The powder die is *supposed* to expand the cartridge. <-- edited for typo, I first wrote "die" twice, which is wrong

The sizing die squishes the case down, but doesn’t size the I.D. of the case. It makes it undersized because not all case walls are the same thickness.

The powder die has a precise O.D. to match the projectile. It has the same function as the expander ball on a rifle cartridge sizing die.

The cone at the top of the pistol powder die is to bell the mouth so you can seat the projectile without shaving off the sides.

 

[Broc]

Is this for 9mm? or All the handgun cartridges?

I have had it over expand/ flare out, but backing it off did the trick.

9mm

 

[Broc]

OR you made your adjustments on a shorter than most case and if you are not trimming then your longer cases with bevel more.

Good point. I will need to double check that

 

[allen-1]

9mm

@milktree gave you the correct answer.

Go back to the manual and go through the setup again. Also, if your shellplate's loose, you'll get inconsistent belling of the case mouth.

I'm running an XL650, primarily for 9mm, but some .38, .357Mag and .357Sig. Using stock Dillon dies and powder feeder.

 

[gerrycaruso]

They're all I use and they all work fine. As others have said, make sure the shell plate isn't loose and back the die off until you get the amount of expansion you want.

 

[Nick Leduc]

Also remember: Dillon does not hold the length of the funnels to any spec, so if you have two "F" funnels, they are not interchangeable. Ask me how I know. Lol.

 

[Broc]

Also remember: Dillon does not hold the length of the funnels to any spec, so if you have two "F" funnels, they are not interchangeable. Ask me how I know. Lol.

That is good to know.

I will try playing with the Dillong die a little more and I will also try the Hornady die. That cone on the Dillon still doesnt convince me.

 

[milktree]

I will try playing with the Dillon die a little more and I will also try the Hornady die. That cone on the Dillon still doesnt convince me.

You're still talking about the powder funnel die?

What 's not convincing about it?

What problem are you trying to solve? Are the bullets loose in the case, or are they too tight? Or are you having trouble getting the bullet seated? Or something else?

 

[milktree]

I will try playing with the Dillon die a little more and I will also try the Hornady die. That cone on the Dillon still doesnt convince me.

You should have the powder fill die down just enough to make it not-hard to seat the bullet. Any more and you'll too quickly wear the brass; too little and the case will scrape the sides of the bullet.

 

[Broc]

You're still talking about the powder funnel die?

What 's not convincing about it?

What problem are you trying to solve? Are the bullets loose in the case, or are they too tight? Or are you having trouble getting the bullet seated? Or something else?

You should have the powder fill die down just enough to make it not-hard to seat the bullet. Any more and you'll too quickly wear the brass; too little and the case will scrape the sides of the bullet.

I dont know. I will let you know after I play with it again tonight.

 

[allen-1]

That is good to know.

I will try playing with the Dillong die a little more and I will also try the Hornady die. That cone on the Dillon still doesnt convince me.

For whatever it's worth - you're loading 9mm - so am I. I've got about 8,000 rounds sitting on my shelves right now that I've run with the same setup. (I have a toolhead setup with dies and powder drop for each of the calibers I'm loading - so I don't have to reset the dies each time). Every couple of hundred I check the powder drop and the OAL, but I haven't had to adjust it. I do keep an eye on the locknuts for the dies so they stay in the same position.

The only trouble I've had with the powder funnel is it sticking to the cases. I was putting a dab of oil on the outside of it, now that I'm lubing the cases - that isn't an issue.

When I set it up originally, I had some trouble getting the flare right. I want just enough so that the bullet fits in so that I don't shave its edges when I press the bullet in. It took some fiddling, maybe a few curses.

 

[wmccurdy53]

I have switched to Mr Bullet Feeder powder funnels for all of my pistol rounds.

 

[jaypap]

Maybe obvious but you don't have the powder die from a different caliber conversion kit in there? As mentioned above you need F powder funnel for 9mm.

 

[Broc]

Maybe obvious but you don't have the powder die from a different caliber conversion kit in there? As mentioned above you need F powder funnel for 9mm.

I dont. This one is for 9mm.

I adjusted it, I think now it is working. I was a little worried because it seems a little aggressive how it opens up the case. The Hornady die seems to be smoother.

I wasnt jamming the case all the way up.

 

[jaypap]

I also tighten down my lock rings with a case inserted in the dies, it helps to keep them from moving while tightening down.

 

[Nick Leduc]

I dont. This one is for 9mm.

I adjusted it, I think now it is working. I was a little worried because it seems a little aggressive how it opens up the case. The Hornady die seems to be smoother.

I wasnt jamming the case all the way up.

It may seem aggressive, but remember the whole motion is what is making the whole powder measure assembly work. Which you should check that nothing is binding on the top end. Make sure the funnel slides freely in the powder die. Make sure the powder measure opens and closes the way it is supposed to. Something small like inserting the fail safe rod from the wrong end can create a bad angle and bind things up and make it seem tight.

 

[allen-1]

It may seem aggressive, but remember the whole motion is what is making the whole powder measure assembly work. Which you should check that nothing is binding on the top end. Make sure the funnel slides freely in the powder die. Make sure the powder measure opens and closes the way it is supposed to. Something small like inserting the fail safe rod from the wrong end can create a bad angle and bind things up and make it seem tight.

or having the whole powder assembly at a bad angle so that the failsafe rod binds...