Dillon powder drop die question??

RAJBCPA · 12-06-2012, 07:28 PM

..this is a new press that I am getting used to running it...

I have loaded 500 or so small cases (40) without issue,,,,it seems to work great so far....

Anyway, last night I was adjusting the press to use a different powder but with the same caliber (40). I took the powder measure off the press, and dumped the old powder back into the original plastic jar. I returned the powder measure to the press, locked it down and removed the case retaining pin in Station #2 and ran a few charges to measure the new powder and adjust the new powder drop with a digital scale.

Then I noticed a weird thing. The cases no longer were being flared in Station #2.

How could that happen if I did not change the depth of the powder drop die?

thx...

woolleyworm · 12-06-2012, 09:15 PM

I would pull the powder measure and make sure the everything is cleaned out good. Check to make sure that you didn't lose the white spacer at the bottom of the powder measure also.

gdmoody · 12-06-2012, 10:18 PM

You say you removed the powder measure from the press? Probably when you put it back, you just did not get the complete die back to where it was before. Just loosen the lock ring and screw the die down a little at a time until you get it right again.

Bud0505 · 12-07-2012, 09:42 AM

When I want to change powders on my 550B I pull the toolhead pins and release the fail safe rod and remove the toolhead from the press, dump the powder back into it's original container and manually actuate the powder bar to get the remaining powder out of the powder measure. I find this method a lot quicker than removing the powder measure from the powder die.

Sgt 45 · 12-07-2012, 03:24 PM

+1 to what Bud says.

RAJBCPA · 12-07-2012, 08:06 PM

yikes, that is a good idea.... i did not think of that but, that is what I will do from this point forward....

thx...

Kevin Rohrer · 12-07-2012, 09:14 PM

It could be that the measure is not tightened down and is moving up slightly when the press is cycled. I have done that more than once after removing and replacing a measure.

LDBennett · 12-08-2012, 07:35 AM

RAJBCPA:

I keep all the dies set up for each caliber on their own toolhead. The powder measure gets removed and stored in a drawer and put back on the next time I use the same or different tool head. There is no reason to dump the powder by removing the entire tool head, in my opinion and experience. (I reload for over 30 different calibers.)

I suspect you did not get the powder measure back on the powder die totally seated. Inside its neck is a white plastic bushing. It tends to fall out or at least come partially out of the measure. It may not be full seated and is not allowing the measure to seat all the way down. There is a step inside the metal part of the measure that must seat on the top of the powder die. Maybe the white bushing has come out enough to not let the measure fully seat correctly. When fully seated you can hear the clack of metal on metal as you drop the measure onto the powder die.

LDBennett

Kevin Rohrer · 12-08-2012, 07:33 PM

Quote:

There is no reason to dump the powder by removing the entire tool head, in my opinion and experience. (I reload for over 30 different calibers.)

This has been cussed and discussed ad nauseum on all the boards. Suffice to say, some powders (e.g. Bullseye) react negatively with plastic reservoirs.

cpttango30 · 12-08-2012, 09:35 PM

I just take the tool head and powder measure out of the press dump it in to the powder container and run the press by hand till I don't see any powder. Then I take some canned air and blow it all out and off.

HAGEN442 · 12-09-2012, 06:48 PM

Welcome to the World of Reloading
I think I remember doing the same with a LNL many moons ago.
Chanes are you will not do anything some of us have not already done.

12-06-2012, 07:28 PM	#1
RAJBCPA V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 318	Dillon powder drop die question?? ..this is a new press that I am getting used to running it... I have loaded 500 or so small cases (40) without issue,,,,it seems to work great so far.... Anyway, last night I was adjusting the press to use a different powder but with the same caliber (40). I took the powder measure off the press, and dumped the old powder back into the original plastic jar. I returned the powder measure to the press, locked it down and removed the case retaining pin in Station #2 and ran a few charges to measure the new powder and adjust the new powder drop with a digital scale. Then I noticed a weird thing. The cases no longer were being flared in Station #2. How could that happen if I did not change the depth of the powder drop die? thx... -->

12-06-2012, 10:18 PM	#3
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,306	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? You say you removed the powder measure from the press? Probably when you put it back, you just did not get the complete die back to where it was before. Just loosen the lock ring and screw the die down a little at a time until you get it right again. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

12-07-2012, 09:42 AM	#4
Bud0505 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 60	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? When I want to change powders on my 550B I pull the toolhead pins and release the fail safe rod and remove the toolhead from the press, dump the powder back into it's original container and manually actuate the powder bar to get the remaining powder out of the powder measure. I find this method a lot quicker than removing the powder measure from the powder die. __________________ R/Bud

12-07-2012, 03:24 PM	#5
Sgt 45 Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Ann Arbor, Mi Posts: 36	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? +1 to what Bud says.

12-07-2012, 08:06 PM	#6
RAJBCPA V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 318	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? yikes, that is a good idea.... i did not think of that but, that is what I will do from this point forward.... thx...

12-06-2012, 09:15 PM	#2
woolleyworm TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SW Fort Worth Contributor Posts: 4,882	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? I would pull the powder measure and make sure the everything is cleaned out good. Check to make sure that you didn't lose the white spacer at the bottom of the powder measure also. __________________ . What are you gonna do, talk the alien to death? -- (on Sigourney Weaver's worry about Guns in Aliens) "Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands." "I carry a small gun to compensate for my huge Blue press." .

12-07-2012, 09:14 PM	#7
Kevin Rohrer V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 276	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? It could be that the measure is not tightened down and is moving up slightly when the press is cycled. I have done that more than once after removing and replacing a measure. __________________ An armed society is a polite society--Robert Heinlein via Jeff Cooper Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, Varmint Hunters Assn, American Legion, ARCTA, & South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Assn.

12-08-2012, 07:35 AM	#8
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,710	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? RAJBCPA: I keep all the dies set up for each caliber on their own toolhead. The powder measure gets removed and stored in a drawer and put back on the next time I use the same or different tool head. There is no reason to dump the powder by removing the entire tool head, in my opinion and experience. (I reload for over 30 different calibers.) I suspect you did not get the powder measure back on the powder die totally seated. Inside its neck is a white plastic bushing. It tends to fall out or at least come partially out of the measure. It may not be full seated and is not allowing the measure to seat all the way down. There is a step inside the metal part of the measure that must seat on the top of the powder die. Maybe the white bushing has come out enough to not let the measure fully seat correctly. When fully seated you can hear the clack of metal on metal as you drop the measure onto the powder die. LDBennett

12-08-2012, 09:35 PM	#10
cpttango30 Former Guest Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stafford, VA Contributor Posts: 3,071	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? I just take the tool head and powder measure out of the press dump it in to the powder container and run the press by hand till I don't see any powder. Then I take some canned air and blow it all out and off.

12-09-2012, 06:48 PM	#11
HAGEN442 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: The Dodge House, NC Posts: 70	Re: Dillon powder drop die question?? Welcome to the World of Reloading I think I remember doing the same with a LNL many moons ago. Chanes are you will not do anything some of us have not already done. __________________ "A Man's got to have a Code, a Creed to Live By, No Matter his Job" JW