550B Powder charge not consistent and constant spillage

[peanut4a]

I recently bought a new 550B to reload 7.62x51. I began to calibrate the how much powder per charge when I noticed the problem. Each time a case is filled, while the case is being removed from the powder die powder will trickle out of it. Its getting to the point where after 30 or so rounds there was a a decent amount of powder all over the machine. With this the charges the machine was throwing were not consistent. I would get several throws of 43.4-43.7grns then out of no where would have several throws of 45.8-46.1 then back to the 43 grain range.

I am using WC846 powder.

I put witness marks on the powder bar to ensure it is resetting to the same point each time, which it is.

Any idea on a fix?

Thanks

[Too_Slow]

You say that you put "witness marks" on the bar, it needs to move the full travel each time. In other words it has to move from end of possible travel to the other each and every time otherwise you will get bad throws like that.

Brian

[Sarge]

I don't load rifle but is that a stick powder? If it is it might be bridging. Maybe tapping the case and giving it more time to digest all the powder may also help.

As for consistency you might check that the powder bar is moving all the way forward on each stroke. Make sure the spring on the failsafe rod is being compressed when you push the handle forward. I like mine compressed more than the recommended amount.

[peanut4a]

Powder I am using is a ball powder similar to BLC2. Tried pausing at the top of the stroke to allow powder to fall, and have tried tapping the powder die. Neither worked.

Powder bar is moving from its fully closed position at the top of the stroke, to if you are facing the press the far left side of the powder bar is flush with the housing for the powder die when the lever is at the bottom of its stroke.

Thanks

[Sarge]

Maybe static? Or high humidity is clumping the powder.

[Poppa Bear]

That is a lot of powder. Are you using the correct bar? (see below) It almost sounds like some of the powder is sitting on the bar and it is not pushed off until you start to relax the lever and allow the bar to close if you know what I mean. By this time the case has separated from the die so some of the powder spills out onto the machine.

I checked, in order to drop what you are, you need the large bar which drops 20 to 50 grains so you are close to the max drop on that bar. The magnum bar is supposed to start at 50 so you are a little light for that one.

It sounds like not all the powder is dropping down the funnel and every so often the excess does drop so you get a heavy charge.

[392heminut]

I've been dealing with the same problem when loading .308, and I'm using Varget and Reloader15. No problems at all when loading .223. Each setup has it's own powder measure and the powder measure for the .308 has the large bar. I pause at the top of each stroke to let the powder completely dump into the case and still end up with the exact same issues peanut4a has described. I've been loading 45 ACP, 40 S&W, 38 super and .223 on my RL550 for 15 years and never had a problem like this until I started loading .308 ammo.

[MARKAVELI]

That is a lot of powder. Are you using the correct bar? (see below) It almost sounds like some of the powder is sitting on the bar and it is not pushed off until you start to relax the lever and allow the bar to close if you know what I mean. By this time the case has separated from the die so some of the powder spills out onto the machine.

I checked, in order to drop what you are, you need the large bar which drops 20 to 50 grains so you are close to the max drop on that bar. The magnum bar is supposed to start at 50 so you are a little light for that one.

It sounds like not all the powder is dropping down the funnel and every so often the excess does drop so you get a heavy charge.

+ 1checking your powder bar... Make sure you have the large powder bar.

[constable79]

That is a lot of powder. Are you using the correct bar? (see below) It almost sounds like some of the powder is sitting on the bar and it is not pushed off until you start to relax the lever and allow the bar to close if you know what I mean. By this time the case has separated from the die so some of the powder spills out onto the machine.

I checked, in order to drop what you are, you need the large bar which drops 20 to 50 grains so you are close to the max drop on that bar. The magnum bar is supposed to start at 50 so you are a little light for that one.

It sounds like not all the powder is dropping down the funnel and every so often the excess does drop so you get a heavy charge.

+ 1checking your powder bar... Make sure you have the large powder bar.

One other suggestion, lower your powder die just a little. The plastic washer in the side of the powder measure should actually hit full travel when the handle is about an inch from the end of the stroke.

To ensure you are "pausing" long enough on the down stroke, mesure the time it takes for you to dump the powder from a cartridge. Your dwell time on the down stroke needs to be at least this long.

Hope this helps.