The Progressive Mind Set

I'm looking on Ebay and I think there's one of those small endoscope cameras in my near future. Some are small enough to just about fit down a rimfire barrel.
 
I finally got around to setting up my RL550B and ran my first batch of 9mm yesterday. I have the same type of "firmware update" as well. Until I felt confident in the developed feel for seating the primer, I actually pulled out each case and checked the primer. I visually checked every load to ensure that there was powder dropped and "spot checked" several to ensure that the correct amount of powder was being dropped.

After about the first 50, I gradually developed a feel for what was going on and fell into a slow but steady rhythm that still turned out to be significantly faster than with the turret press that I used to use. My turret press (an RCBS Six position press) was much faster than my single press, and this is the next step.
 
The biggest issue I have is remembering not just to pull the nice lever... but to PUSH it also! It's really annoying to have that perfectly loaded, seated and crimped cartridge fall into the bin and spew loose powder all over because there's no $#^%$#^## primer in that cartridge! :p
 
That "push feel" for seating primers in a Dillon is one of the best features they have over a Lee progressive. On a Lee, all actions in making a round from sizing, priming, expanding, powder charging, seating and crimping are all done on the same stroke and seating the primer is not a "felt" part of the equation on them. With a Dillon, the primer seating is a stand alone process that you feel every time...I easily notice an improper/no primer seat as it happens every time. High primers are non-existent since I started using a Dillon
 
I don't have this problem at all. I load 9/40/45/357mag/44spl/44mag on the same 550b and also share one dillon power measure(power dies and funnels are dedicated to each caliber).
Due to this setup, I have this "missing" charge situation a lot as I always carefully measure and load a few rounds as if I were on a single stage to make sure the charge is right. I would definitely notice if there are .5gr difference.

What powder measure and die are you using? You may want to check the setup

MuthaFunk said:
I've found on my 550B that when I miss a case in one stage for whatever reason and have to skip it in the charging stage, the whole motion of pressing the other stages and not dropping a charge on the blank spot will slightly compress the next charge in the charge bar. The next round that actually get's the charge is typically .5 gr heavier than the previous one. This happens EVERY TIME I miss a charge.

With 45ACP the .5gr heavier load is significant. I tried to put a vibrator on the press to get the powder to settle in more consistently but it didn't work. I now know I get very accurate charges with Titegroup unless I miss a charge for whatever reason. Then the next one to go in for a charge is immediately dumped back in the hopper and recharged to get the correct powder flow.

Have any of you other Dillon users noticed this?

The progressive mindset is indeed a different one. I love slowly cranking out Match ammo with my single press as well.
Click to expand...
 
MuthaFunk said:
I've found on my 550B that when I miss a case in one stage for whatever reason and have to skip it in the charging stage, the whole motion of pressing the other stages and not dropping a charge on the blank spot will slightly compress the next charge in the charge bar. The next round that actually get's the charge is typically .5 gr heavier than the previous one. This happens EVERY TIME I miss a charge.

With 45ACP the .5gr heavier load is significant. I tried to put a vibrator on the press to get the powder to settle in more consistently but it didn't work. I now know I get very accurate charges with Titegroup unless I miss a charge for whatever reason. Then the next one to go in for a charge is immediately dumped back in the hopper and recharged to get the correct powder flow.

Have any of you other Dillon users noticed this?

The progressive mindset is indeed a different one. I love slowly cranking out Match ammo with my single press as well.
Click to expand...

I'm loading 9mm on my 650 right now using Titegroup and I've never noticed an increase in the powder charge if I miss a stage. And I know because I check the weight on my scale just to be sure.

I've noticed no difference either using different powders, N320, N350, 3N37...
 
That's interesting fellas. I'm using primarily titegroup. Let me ask you guys this, when you miss a charge station because there's no case there does the motion of all the other casses still actuate the powder charge bar a bit. I see perhaps 1/8" movement. It's not enough to dispense the charge but it does "shake up" the powder.

Perhaps mine isn't set up properly...
 
MuthaFunk said:
That's interesting fellas. I'm using primarily titegroup. Let me ask you guys this, when you miss a charge station because there's no case there does the motion of all the other casses still actuate the powder charge bar a bit. I see perhaps 1/8" movement. It's not enough to dispense the charge but it does "shake up" the powder.

Perhaps mine isn't set up properly...
Click to expand...

Make sure the clamp screws on the powder dispenser aren't too tight. The unit has to move a bit side to side to operate properly.
 
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