Putty Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 When I first start loading with a clean machine and make the first advance to station 2, I will SOMETIMES get a double charge. I noticed that the powder bar moves a little to center when there is only one case in the first stage being sized and primed. I have heard that perhaps my powder funnel/bell is set too low, but the Bell is perfect......meaning the bullet sits up and no striations are evident on the outside due to improper seating. Do I have a faulty powder die, or funnel or do I need to back off a little more on the bell? The complete stop as per the video instructions has been replicated ad nauseum. Wassup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Do you mean that the press is empty of other cases and the first case moves the charge bar? Sounds like you found the culprit for the picture EricW posted in another thread. That sucks...but now you know they "why" part I guess. If you don't get an answer quickly call Dillon with phone in hand at the press. They will sort it out pretty quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 when you pull the handle down on the machine without a case under the powder system, an expander funnel will contact the shellplate. This will typically move the powder bar a small amount. However, once the powder bar cavity is full of powder, then it is full of powder. There just isn't room for a double charge of powder. At worst, the movement might compact the powder charge in the bar slightly, allowing .1-.2 grains more powder to fit in the bar. Be sure to flare the case mouth about .008"-.010" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 I think you meant to say "slight over-charge" instead of "double charge." Two solid bodies of mass cannot occupy the same space at the same time. The charge bar can only fit ONE (1) charge in the bar at a time. Therefore: The only way you can possibly get a double charge is if a single case stays in position under the funnel while the charge bar makes 2 trips back & 2 trips forth, dumping 2 charges into a single case. As for a slight overcharge, such a charge is common with the dillon powder measure if it is left to sit for several minutes, hours, or overnight. Simply dump the first couple of measures back into the hopper. Regards, D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted January 11, 2005 Author Share Posted January 11, 2005 Hmmm, Well i measured the last "double charge" with one throw and it was 9.8 grains. I am throwing 5.0 grains of titegroup fairly consistently. There are instances when, after the first shell is sized, with no other cases on the shell plate, and is advanced to station 2 that I get the Double Charge. This has all been measured on a d-terminator scale, calibrated and then verified on an analog scale. These are not solid bodies of mass, but particualtes that have surrounding air space i.e. compressable. Iam noticeing a fair amount of travel by the powder bar (almost to mid point) and the Belling is to Spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 That is scary. Does the power bar rod have a full stroke - all the way from lock to lock - as it is set up now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted January 11, 2005 Author Share Posted January 11, 2005 Yes. When running a full stroke i get perfect end to end travel by the powder bar. With no shell in station 2 i get just short of half travel with the powder bar maybe 1/4 travel. The bell is right at .008. It is still throwing a Double Charge or close to it. Can't make heads or tails of it. At any rate it cost me $1600 to repair my blowed up gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 I can't picture in my mind how it could be phyically possible to get a double charge into one stroke of the powder bar? Maybe if it were in backwards (allowing powder into something other than the "cup")? If you think of the powder area of the powder bar as a dixie-cup, no matter how hard you try, you aren't going to get twice the amount of powder into a full dixie-cup than it's full volume. Our stuff doesn't have that much "fluff" to it, does it? And, since you are seeing a true "double" charge, that has to mean that the powder bar is cycling far enough to empty it's powder and then fill up again, right? You mention that you get some travel out of the powder bar when nothing is in station 2. (station 2 is the powder station, right?) How is it possible to get that travel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 You also mention that the "bell is perfect". I'm not into this enough to know if that is the 'test". Aren't there two (verticle seating) settings in the powder station? The die setting, then the powder measure setting? (not talking about the dial setting, talking about the verticle distance that stuff in screwed in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted January 11, 2005 Author Share Posted January 11, 2005 Exactly, there is only so much space relegated to the powder volume........so one question would be "Is the powder from other throws hanging somewhere, with a one time compounded event?" I dunno about what is possible in terms of powder bar travel when there is no shell in station 2, I am just iterating what is occuring in order to get the machine to function. The Bell is .008 as per Dillons spec. If the term 'perfect' resides within the bounds given for acceptable measurements, then yes, it is perfect. For the RL550B Isn't the vertical setting or the height as which the die is set tied to the powder funnel/Bell adjustment? Hope I didnt miss a step there, but that would be typical of the newb "learn it the hard way". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Anders, I'd put the calipers down and make sure that the powder measure was being *fully* activated when a case is in station 2. This means the charge bar goes all the way to the right. Also, you might pop the powder measure off the die (by loosening the two allen screws) and clean the funnel thoroughly. While you're there, check that the drop out of the measure is unobstructed. I have had powder bridging / double charge issues with Varget. Never had that problem with U clays, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Sandoz, If anyone with familiarity with the 550 lives near you, it might pay to invite them over for a beer --- following a look at your reloading set-up..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 It seems that if the powder bar is throwing 9.8gr of powder, then it's adjusted to throw 9.8gr of powder. Maybe the 5.0gr throws are the indication the something's wrong. Is it possible that the 5.0gr throws are the result of a short stroke of the press handle? Is the powder bar sticking most of the time? Bottom line is that if you can get 9.8gr of powder into the powder bar (when you want 5.0), it isn't set right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 The only way to throw a double charge on an RL550B is to cycle the handle twice without advancing the shellplate. If the powder bar is consistantly travelling to the limits of its travel well before the handle bottoms out, and you are getting about .008"-.010" flaring, then the powder die should be set correctly. Another way to verify this is to pull the handle down with a fired case in station one, and a sized case in station two. Now, lift up the handle slowly, and stop upward handle travel when you can see the mouth of the case, before you begin to extract the case from the funnel. The case mouth should be pushed slightly up onto the angled flaring portion of the funnel. With a tight sizing die, the case mouth is usually tight enough to fully activate the powder measure before the case gets pushed onto the funnel. Be sure that the interior of the funnel is clean of lubricant that might cause powder to build up inside the funnel. Be sure that the return rod is pulling the powder bar all the way back at the end of the upstroke. When you push forward on the handle to seat a primer, the coil spring above the blue wing nut at the bottom of the return rod should be noticeably compressed. If all else fails, dump the powder from the measure and remove the powder bar from the measure. set a clean sheet of paper on top of your bench, so the edge of the paper is even with the edge of your bench. Set the powder bar on top of the sheet of paper, with the adjusting bolt hanging off the edge of the bench, so that the bar rests flat on the paper. Now fill the powder bar cavity level with powder. Lift the bar away, and weigh the powder charge. this should give you an idea of what the powder bar is set for. Please keep me posted as to what you find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted January 11, 2005 Author Share Posted January 11, 2005 Eric, The powder bar goes fully to the right so no prob there. The funnel, bar and most everything that could be cleaned with Iso-alcohol is cleaned on a regular basis. Nik, Eric lives somewhat near me, but he would drink all the beer then puke on my rug. TDean, The powder bar doesnt stick, everything is smooth. I never short stroke, always the long stroke. It throws consistent 5grn. charges. Once in a blue moon it will throw double. Dillon, The only thing that did not check out was the coil spring above the blue wing nut at the bottom of the return rod was not noticeably compressing. Could that be it? I tightened it down so I get good compression. I will ask Eric over if he promises to not pick his nose (with close inspection) at the dinner table, again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Nik,Eric lives somewhat near me, but he would drink all the beer then puke on my rug. Yeah, but Zuzu might be willing to clean up....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Eric lives somewhat near me, but he would drink all the beer then puke on my rug. Wrong. I'll drink all the beer. The dog will puke on your rug. While your wife is yelling at you about the mess, I'll steal your Benny Blaster and your 550 and prevent you from blowing up either one again. Yeah, you can have a new RO on request, but every time you ask for one, we're going to give you a wedgie right after "Load and Make Ready." We call it tough love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achard Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 sandoz, Call dillon, I'm sure they're happy to help you. my buzzer stop working and I ask for a replacement and they will ship immediatlely and of course free of charge. Steve chavez who replies my email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronson7 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 This happened to me once and I also could not not understand it. I had over flared a case by accident and had set it aside and forgotten about it. I started using that darn thing to set my powder drop. When I started loading rounds, I was getting a hellacious overcharge. Took me a couple hours to figure out that because the darn thing was so belled out that it wasn't kicking the bar all the way over. Naturally, when a freshly sized case's turn came, it did push the bar all the way over and "viola" an overcharged case. The case I was using to set the measure was too short due to the excessive flare. Go figure. Bronson7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F6Hawk Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 The only way to throw a double charge on an RL550B is to.... When you push forward on the handle to seat a primer, the coil spring above the blue wing nut at the bottom of the return rod should be noticeably compressed. How is it possible for said spring to be "noticeably compressed", when the instruction manual ways to... "Move the operating handle to the priming position, press the operating handle firmly forward. Tighten the blue wingnut until the top of the spring just touches the underside of the return bracket."??? Still, I agree with the post above that says the ONLY way to get a double charge is if during the charging process, you get less than a perfect fill, and after cycling it twice, it becomes a perfect fill. It seems to me that the charge adjustment HAS to be larger than 5 grains. What ever became of taking the charge bar out and measuring the full charge on a piece of paper? F6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Johnson Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 A problem I was having when SP2 and my 550b was that the powder was fine it would do a number of things to the new style powder measure: 1) powder would collect and eventually cause a short stroke of the measure 2) powder would get caught in the powder funel and collect While I never had a double charge, I did at times get charges 2 to 3 grains over what they should of been. Polishing the inside of the powder measure helped some, but it was not fixing the real problem. Do a search for downgrade powder measure that was written by Eric. Once I downgrade my measure and added two powder measure springs, the force of the springs closing the powder measure would keep the measure from short stroking. SP2 now only varies by +- .1 grain according to my scale now. Just putting springs on a non-downgraded powder measure won't work because the springs will start pulling the measure back to place when the powder measure is already half way closed (the springs won't be as strong to pull it back then). Maybe you could measure how open your powder measure bar is and compare it to other Tightgroup users? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester805 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I know this is an old topic, but I came across it by doing a Google search. I just had the exact same problem happen to me. It seemed that randomly I would get a case that filled with powder and overflowed all over the press. I contacted Dillon and they were great. I finally figured out that one of my cases had dirt caked to the inside wall. When this case got to station #2 (powder), it would overflow. I dumped the powder out of the case and threw it back into my pile of empty cases. When this particular case came up to get loaded, the same powder overflow would happen. This drove me crazy for about a week. I thought something was wrong with my press. It was that the case had junk down inside it so a full powder charge wouldn't fit....causing the powder to spill all over. Hope this helps somebody in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now