How does the AT500 Powder Die work?

[dan45hk]

I have an XL650 and S1050 that I occasionally would like to drop individual charges dispensed from a Chargemaster for some precision 308 rounds. I'm reading I need to get the AT500 powder die and funnel. Do I need the regular or oversized die? Also how does it work, do you drop in the regular 308 powder funnel into the AT500 or is the AT500 standalone? One more question, does the powder drop as soon as you load it into the funnel or does it have to be activated by the case mouth pressing up on the die? I'm sure I'm making this much more complicated than it is

Edited February 16, 2013 by dan45hk

[Alvarez Kelly]

It's basically the same as an other powder die, but it has a step machined into the top for the funnel, that comes with it. And yes, you need the corresponding powder funnel too. It uses a set screw to hold the funnel, like the old 450 powder dies.

[Intel6]

I do the exact same thing with my chargemaster. You basically lock the powder funnel in the die with a set screw and then scew the whole thing down until it is at the right height for the case when the ram is in it upper position. Then you just stick the funnel on top of the die and pause when the handle is down and pour your powder and it drops into the case. All the die really does is make a complicated powder funnel, notheing else too it.

Neal in AZ

[skeet25]

Instead of setting up an additional toolhead to use the AT500, is it possible to remove the powder measure and just put a funnel over the powder die for manual charging? Would I need some kind of adaptor to hold the funnel in place? Use a Dillon funnel, or RCBS, or other?

This is for some low volume runs of .223, and I would like to just use my existing toolhead and dies to manually charge.

Thanks in advance.