Dillon 550 users

land308

New member
I'm new to Dillon presses and only have about 200 223rem rounds under my belt with this press. MY problem is that every now and again the powder measure dumps powder all over the place. I think this happens most of the time because the lip of the case is catching on something up in there causing the measure to lift before the case in fully in place. This last time it happened I think the measure may have got jammed open on a piece of powder. I am using IMR4895 and I can feel the measure crunch powder ever so often. Any suggestions? I'm sure I am screwing up some where in the process or don't have something set up quite right. Thanks for any help.
 
There are two possible causes that I can come up with quickly:

1) your powder is bridging in the powder-funnel.

2) your shell-plate is not as tight as it should be so the cases can tilt enough to enter the powder-die at enough of an angle so that the case hooks the edge.

The shell-plate on mine needs to be re-tightened regularly.
 
Dillon doesn't claim their measure to be compatible with 'stick powders', and with the availability of very useful ball powders for .223, thats where I would go. Several good ones, which flow perfectly, include W-748, H-335, Acc. 2230, Benchmark... If you can detect any powder shearing, your charges are not likely to be uniform.
 
OK here are a few things I have figured out about the 550.

Ball powders will some times stick because of static electricity. Use a dryer sheet and wipe it around in the powder funnel.

When setting up the powder die, make sure the powder bar runs all the way over to the right when you raise the brass into it. When all the way raised the left side of the powder bar should be flush with the housing it rides in. If it is not, it will create a small "shelf" and some powder will stay in there until the last second.

Worst case scenario call Dillon.
 
The plate was a little loose, I tightened it and I think that will help. The powder is also hanging up. I've been watching each powder charge to make sure they are close to the same height in the case. I just caught one that was low and the next one didn't charge at all so I put a pan up near the measure and tapped it and powder came dumping out. I didn't know stick powder didn't work well with the dillon. I think I am going to work up a new load using ball powder. I think I am also going to weigh all of the loads I have loaded so far to make sure that none are too light on powder. I would hate to blow up one of my guns or my face.
Thanks for all the help guys
 
Quote:
1) your powder is bridging in the powder-funnel.




Just what the man says. Sounds like you found your problem. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Quote:
Quote:
1) your powder is bridging in the powder-funnel.




Just what the man says. Sounds like you found your problem. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



In my 15 years of loading on a 550, I can say without a dout this is exactly whats happening! I have had pretty good luck with Varget, you can still hear it cut one every once in awhile, I had one dump like you are asking about in about the last 250 rounds.

1 thing you can do to "help"
Look in the top of the funnel, you will see a taper and a sharp corner where it stops then its straight tru to the bottom. Whip out your dremel tool and take the sharp edge off the bottom of the taper, DO NOT GO TO DEEP, you dont want to ruin the funnel where it contacts the case mouth. Then polish the entire inside of the funnel, clean and reinstall. I was at a friends house one night and he was reloading for a 221 FB for his dad and we where having this problem. We ground and polished the funnel and it seemed to really help, the problem didnt go away but it far less than before. Please note the finish on the inside of this funnel wasnt very good to start with, you could see some small tool marks in it. A different powder will end it however.
 
It may be a pain,but I tap the side of the shell while the powder funnel is all the way in the charging position and it really helps the powder to fall into the casing and prevent alot of the bridging problem. The 223 small neck can be a real pain with stick powder. I have gone to nothing but ball powder now (Ramshot) and it meters like water. I still tap the side of the casing because of the static problem that was mentioned.
BTW, a loose shell plate will make a mess every time.
 
Powder is bridging in the funnel, drop the stick powder, and buy some Winchester 748 and don't look back. It will never give you a problem, and is argueably the finest powder there is for the .223.
 
I had a little trouble with extruded powder as well with the Dillon. I did some forum searching and found some tips. I agree with the above posts, take a dremel tool and do some polishing on the top of the powder funnel. I also found a bore mop that I chucked up in my drill and used to polish the inside my 204/223 funnels. I used the big cloth dremel wheels to polish the aluminum of the powder measure as well.

link to fix


BigView.jpg


I also modified my measure return rod to make it back to the old style non-fail safe version. This got rid of the "clunk" and made it much smoother and made the drop much more constant with charge weight. I didn't have the springs that the old style measure uses but rubber bands are almost free. Here is another link that gives some information on another way to covert the rod over. Retrograde rod coversion

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Here is what the old style rod looks like and sometime you can find the parts.

oldstylea.jpg


Since I did this I haven't had any powder get hung up (other than the dreaded static cling) in 223 or 204 using 4895 in 204 and varget in 223 and the charge has been very accurate as well. My flake pistol powder is almost right on everytime as well. I know it would have been nice if Dillon would have done this before sending it out but it doesn't take very long to do and you'll love the results.
 
Quote:
How did you install the micrometer powder measurer screw?



I got it from Uniquetek It has much finer threads and is repeatable when you change powders or charge. Simply dial it back to the setting, verify on scale and start loading.
 
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