Adam Larsen Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Hey all! I have a frustrating problem that I cannot figure out. My problem is that in station 2, the loader is dumping powder as soon as the case and powder funnel seperate as it is coming out of the die. The case is not even close to being overfilled and the level of powder is within the shoulder area of the case. I am using Winchester 748 powder which is ball powder, which is also the same poweder that I use with NO issues for .223. At every case it is dumping about 5-10 granuals of powder which adds up quickly. I literally had to stop and disassemble the loader at about 75 rounds as the primer bar and shell case holder was sticking so badly that I was about to have issues. I have verified the correct funnel and correct assembly and alignment at every station. I am not a new loader, nor am I new to rifle, just 308. I called and talked to Dillon who told me that what I am experiencing is not abnormal and I need to be sure that I am not cycling the handle to quickly. I am not cycling to quickly and am alowing a 1-1 thousand, 2-1 thousand, 3-1 thousand after I max the cam on my down stroke prior to coming back up. I am loadding on a Dillon 550B with all dillion dies with the exception of position 1 in which i have a Lee decapping die to remove any leftover media from the flash hole. Reason for this is I have FL sized and trimmed with a dillon FL sizing die and a dillon RT1200 on a different toolhead already. I have attached a few pictures so you can see the result of 100 rounds. This was AFTER I completely cleaned up after about 75 rounds, but then finished out the 25 rounds that remained due to primers. The picture of the shellplate is after only about 5 rounds as I had to keep blowing the shell plate off after every 4-5 rounds. Do not mind the copper/brass shavings, I know what my problem is there. I need to expand the neck of the case after it goes through the trim die as the neck is just a hair to tight. Please let me know your thoughts on this as I am stuck and very frustrated with this! Again I do NOT have this problem AT ALL with .223 using the exact same setup (with dillon 223 dies) and powder. Thanks for the input!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I know it sucks and there is probably a better fix but have you tried polishing the inside of the funnel? Have you stuck a dryer sheet to the powder hopper to eliminate static? In the meantime can you flick the case with your finger while counting to three? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brassaholic13 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 +1 on case flicking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmclaine Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) When you dropped the conversion into the powder die was it the right side up? Groove at top? Not trying to insult in anyway by asking the simple question. Im loading CFE223 and that stuff is almost like talcum powder and I dont see that much powder loss, just a couple of flakes here and there. Edited January 12, 2014 by pmclaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastshooter03 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 You have to be slow when the powder starts coming out of the bar which is partway through the stroke. Waiting at full stroke won't do anything unless you want to strap a vibrator on.....it... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redial Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Sometimes a kernel of powder will stick to the shoulder of the case or where the shoulder contacts the funnel, creating a gap for powder to spill through. If your cases are wet with sizing lube, it's almost a given. Like most Highpower shooters, I resize on a single-stage, then tumble the lube off before assembling ammo on the Dillon. My two cents, worth every penny Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 I know it sucks and there is probably a better fix but have you tried polishing the inside of the funnel? Have you stuck a dryer sheet to the powder hopper to eliminate static? In the meantime can you flick the case with your finger while counting to three? No I have not tried a dryer sheet. I do not think that it is a static issue, but with that being said I am not sure I have heard of the dryer sheet fix. Does it go on the inside of the hopper or wrap around the outside? Probably a dumb question, but again I have not done this, Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 When you dropped the conversion into the powder die was it the right side up? Groove at top? Not trying to insult in anyway by asking the simple question. Im loading CFE223 and that stuff is almost like talcum powder and I dont see that much powder loss, just a couple of flakes here and there. Oh yea, double and triple checked that! It is in correct and always has been so that is not the issue. I have never thought that the powder was an issue because I have absolutley ZERO issues with spilled powder loading .223 with the same - Winchester 748. That is part of the puzzling thing for me. If I did not load another caliber with the same powder without issues, I would immediately suspect the powder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Sometimes a kernel of powder will stick to the shoulder of the case or where the shoulder contacts the funnel, creating a gap for powder to spill through. If your cases are wet with sizing lube, it's almost a given. Like most Highpower shooters, I resize on a single-stage, then tumble the lube off before assembling ammo on the Dillon. My two cents, worth every penny Mark Mark - could not agree more that sometimes a granual of powder on a case neck can create problems, but I have checked this recently to make sure that there are no foreign components adding to this problem - Nothing at all! There is no lube on the cases at all during this loading process, they all go through corncob media/tumbler after size/trim process. Can't figure this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 It seems from the responses that this IS somewhat normal? Those who have responded do not seem to be suprised by this? Is that really ture? If so I am totally confused why this would even be deemed close to acceptable. Not only does this create a situation where you cannot even load out 100 rounds due to the mess and the loader gumming up, but it is obviously creating a variance of the powder charge since some of what should be going in the case is all over the place. I must be missing something here? Same setup with .223 and ZERO issues with multiple years and 1000's of rounds through this press. I thought after posting this that it might be due to the "tighter" neck from the 308 trimmer die, so I went at it again and put the FL sizing die in station 1 (instead of Lee decapping die) to expand the caseneck back to FL sizing die size, but to no avail same issue. This time I counted and was forced to clean the press after 68 rounds. Primer bar and shell case holder both gummed up and sticking. I will try to polish the powder funnel as suggested above. Any tips on how to do this easily and properly? Thanks guys for all you input on this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Dry sheet on outside of hopper. Held with rubber bands or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brassaholic13 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Polishing is the easy part. Remove the two screws that hold the plastic powder hopper to the casting. Walk off the powder hopper. Get your favorite Dremel tool with buffing pad out, along with some Simichrome (what I use), or Mothers, or whatever polish you have available. Get after the casting with the polishing wheel/compound until it looks like chrome. Wash thoroughly with solvent to remove any compound. Re-assemble the hopper and you're done. 20 mins tops start to finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Polishing is the easy part. Remove the two screws that hold the plastic powder hopper to the casting. Walk off the powder hopper. Get your favorite Dremel tool with buffing pad out, along with some Simichrome (what I use), or Mothers, or whatever polish you have available. Get after the casting with the polishing wheel/compound until it looks like chrome. Wash thoroughly with solvent to remove any compound. Re-assemble the hopper and you're done. 20 mins tops start to finish. Great thank you for this. I will disassemble and do this sometime this week and give it another whirl. Thanks a bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henny Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 When I initially set up for loading 223 I was getting H335 all over the place too. I tried everything to fix it. As a last resort I used a different powder die and my problems ended. I'm guessing it was just some sort of tolerance stacking between the powder die and funnel? Whatever it was, things are good now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 When I initially set up for loading 223 I was getting H335 all over the place too. I tried everything to fix it. As a last resort I used a different powder die and my problems ended. I'm guessing it was just some sort of tolerance stacking between the powder die and funnel? Whatever it was, things are good now! You changed out the Powder Die or the Powder Funnel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD1 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 are you sizing and loading in the same pass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henny Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 When I initially set up for loading 223 I was getting H335 all over the place too. I tried everything to fix it. As a last resort I used a different powder die and my problems ended. I'm guessing it was just some sort of tolerance stacking between the powder die and funnel? Whatever it was, things are good now! You changed out the Powder Die or the Powder Funnel? Powder die. I'm guessing I just had one that was messed up somehow. It worked just fine for the powder check station! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Larsen Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 are you sizing and loading in the same pass? No, I am full length sizing during my trimming process. In my "loading" toolhead I have a Lee Decapping Die in 1, Dillon powder system in 2, Dillon seating die in 3, and Dillon crimp die in 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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