Would the x-small powder bar help?

[njl]

I've just started loading .380 with Alliant Promo (still doing small test batches trying to decide on a charge weight) and have caught my press throwing the occasional light charge. 0.2-0.3gr light is significant when the expected charge is 2.6 or 2.9gr.

Would an x-small powder bar help my RL550B throw more consistent charges of big fluffy powders like Promo?

I did some searching and couldn't find a good comparison saying or showing what's different between the small and x-small bars.

Would attaching a small vibrating something to the powder hopper help?

[Flatland Shooter]

Looks like you are right at the edge. In the past I was told that loads under 3.0 gr required the xs powder bar. But the following link recommends that loads under 2.6 gr use the xs powder bar.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/SD_small_powder_bar_problem-98-9-2104.htm

[njl]

I was curious, so I took out the powder bar last night to examine. At 3gr Promo, it's still got a couple of mm of travel before it's "fully closed".

It's kind of annoying that I can't seem to find any comparison of the small and x-small powder bars. My thought is, if the x-small is thinner (top to bottom) and the shim on top is taller, then the adjustable slide in the bar would present a wider opening less likely to allow clumps of fluffy powder to bind up and fail to fill the cavity. If that's not what the s-small does, then I'm doubtful it'll be of any use to me.

[rdinga]

I ordered the XS powder bar when I started loading for the .32 S&W. Then after reading some more I ordered the Arredondo Powder Drop Slide with Micrometer from Uniquetek.

In between loading for 9mm 147's, .38 wadcutters and .32 S&W most of my loads are 3.6 grains or less.

[njl]

I ordered the XS powder bar when I started loading for the .32 S&W. Then after reading some more I ordered the Arredondo Powder Drop Slide with Micrometer from Uniquetek.

In between loading for 9mm 147's, .38 wadcutters and .32 S&W most of my loads are 3.6 grains or less.

Which do you use and is either much better than the other? That Arredondo bar is $$. I'm not having trouble with fine powders leaking through. I'd just like a more accurate bar for small charges of high volume powders like Clays or Promo.

What's the difference between the Dillon small and x-small?

[dillon]

On the standard small powder bar, the end of the cavity is V-shaped, which aids in a more consistant closure as the powder bar slides away from the opening in the housing where powder enters the bar.

On the XS bar, the end of the cavity is machined square, to allow the bar to close to a smaller capacity. If you can drop the volume of powder you need without the adjustable insert contacting the end of the cavity, then use the regular small powder bar.

[njl]

That doesn't sound like it would help me. Has any R&D gone into shortening the bar top to bottom to make an x-small bar in which the opening is larger, yet the volume smaller?

[dillon]

None at all. We haven't had any issues with the current design