soundlzrd Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I loaded up my first 500 rounds of 38 on my 550b. I tested every 10-20 rounds randomly for powder drop. However in my class last weekend I had a squib. THe 38 cases are so tall that 3.7 grn of hp38 is really hard to see, light drop or not. Thankfully no damage was done. Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldgoat03 Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Sean I can comiserate. I load 38sp (and other relatively tall cases) on my 550 and SDB and agree it is not easy to visually inspect charges. I have in line fabrication lights on both presses and if you lean over and get close you can see the charge. Its not easy but I visually inspect them all prior to placing the bullet. You can do it but I share your wish for an easier way. OG03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Steele Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 It's called a 650. Sell it and upgrade. But if you do that, get a 1050 and be done. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar10ar15man Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 change your load..... pick a powder that gives a 50% or more case fill.... i have loaded thousands of 38's without a single failure/not double charge......all on a 550..... i do not weight check once set up..i peek at the case ocassionally........ same rule as always. a powder that gives greater that 50% fill a velocity normal for the bullet weight and bbl length a pressure that is in an area that gives a clean burn...upper 2/3s or so of the pressure band. what bullet ??.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 It's called a 650. Sell it and upgrade. But if you do that, get a 1050 and be done. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I may have if the change over cost/time wasn't so much more than the 550. I barely shoot enough to justify the 550, but it just works well. change your load..... pick a powder that gives a 50% or more case fill.... i have loaded thousands of 38's without a single failure/not double charge......all on a 550..... i do not weight check once set up..i peek at the case ocassionally........ same rule as always. a powder that gives greater that 50% fill a velocity normal for the bullet weight and bbl length a pressure that is in an area that gives a clean burn...upper 2/3s or so of the pressure band. what bullet ??.... The bullet is a 158 grn hp from rainer. Very accurate. For me What powder do you recommend. I tried to look around and the hp 38 is all I could find in stock. Many others loads I found didn't seem to be much different in weight, but maybe in volume. Advice would be welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 The press did not cause the squib, you did, by pulling and checking every 10-20 rounds for charge weight. Let the press do what it is supposed to do, and you do what you're supposed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Higher volume powders...Alliant power pistol is a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 Oh, by no means am I blaming the press, I defiantly missed it. I may have to get some Alliant then before cranking out any more 38sp loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 What will really help to eliminate squibs is trusting your press. Get into the habit that if you pull a case off the press, it does not go back on the press, it gets set aside, until all normal brass is run through. Putting a case back into the press after checking the weight is also a good way to double charge a case... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterthefish Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I would hold off on power pistol unless you want loads on the hotter side. Trail Boss is a pretty fail safe powder for 38 SP and is coming back to regular supply. I don't have a 550, but if you did seating & crimping in one step you could do a powder check, no? Whether or not that works for you only you can say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar10ar15man Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 (edited) i use accurate number 7 for 38 spcl with 158 gr bullets. i load rn at 1.44 with 8 gr for about 1000 fps with a 6 bbl and just below 17kpsi... so adjust for the shorter hp bullet and start a little less and work up... i agree interupting the flow of work is most likey the cause of the missed powder...... Edited September 24, 2014 by ar10ar15man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Vark WSO Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Peterthefish - I agree with you on Trail Boss and have loaded thousands of .38 Specials using that powder with no problems. I also tumble clean my brass with the SS pins and liquid - so the inside of the case is clean too - makes it much easier to see the powder once it is dropped in. What I want to know is where do you live that Trail Boss is coming back to regular supply? I have not seen a 9 ounce, much less a five pound keg in over two years. Have not seen any on any powder supply website either. There is much lamenting on the SASS Wire from fellow cowboy action shooters about the lack of availability of this powder. Not to hijack the thread - but if TB is coming back - this is the first I've heard and would be very happy about it! Soundlzrd - it can be done. One of our CAS club's members modified the 550 tool head in his machine shop to allow a Dillon powder checker to be used. Obviously had to seat and crimp on the last station. The guys who did this told me they went back to the old way and just looked in each case before seating the bullet. I went the route Mr. Steele suggested and got a 1050 (but still have and use my 550 occasionally). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob DuBois Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I bought a good clamp light from Lowe's think there's a selection of strip lights on E Bay. You need to stand or sit so you see the powder in the case before placing the bullet. Hard to do on 38 Special but your eyes are the check system. There's a lock up die out there may be able to put that in station three seat and crimp on station four. I had the little white block come out of the powder measure while loading 38 Special. Now I make sure when dropping a tube of primers to look at the white block on the powder measure. Powder measure was dropping varied drops but working so I had a mess and a few bullets to pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar10ar15man Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 QUIT WORRYING ABOUT A NON-ISSUE... its a machine..you pull the handle..it drops powder.... it only screws up when the operator gets anal and "thinks" something MIGHT BE WRONG..... I HAVE WORN OUT 2 550'S..I HAVE OWNED 4 MORE........ IT IS A NICE MECHANICAL TOOL...USE IT THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. NEXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12glocks Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) I squibed a couple of 9mm rounds (I use Power Pistol) and sold my 550's. That was a mistake that I wish I did not make. I have talked to smart guys who are experienced shooters that have squibed on the 500. I suspect it's about running fast making good production. I am running a 650 now and do like it a lot better but it is expensive. I think the important thing is to run the press more slowly than wide open. I do a lot more case inspection than I did before as well and that has saved me headaches priming. Is the fail safe rod adjusted correctly? Also I think a light may help as well. http://inlinefabrication.com/products/skylighttm-led-lighting-kit-for-the-dillon-550 I do have a powder check installed and it's OK. But it has become dislodged so that it is not probing the cases and not alarming either. I would think you could shake 38 cases. I pulled a couple hundred 9mm rounds after my squib because I could not hear propellant when I shook the case. Edited September 25, 2014 by 12glocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 I was learning to trust the press, but changing poweders so I can get an easier visual check would probably be good. I have a 686 coming eventually so I will need to work up another load. THese were for my 1 7/8 J-Frame. As for adjusting the fail safe rod, that looks to be how mine is adjusting and working. The interupted work flow could have been the issue, I think the squib happend during the load of 100 primers when I had one sick in the feed tube. I tried to run out what I had, but there is a chance I missed one. Still learning and getting a rythm. Thanks for everyoens help, and Ill check out inline fabrications stuff too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar10ar15man Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 do you guys pull the pan off your engine every morning to check if the connecting rods are all bolted in correctly ?? do you inspect the fuel injectors to make sure they are sprating correctly every day ?? do you realize that gasoline is more powerful than tnt ?? you use the car the way it was designed and you never look back.... do the same with your dillon.... i am not saying to be sloppy, but use the machine the way it was designed....400 plus rounds an hour... a nice smooth work flow......if you cannot TRUST the machine to do its job... GO BUY YOUR AMMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZackJones Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Some advice that was passed on to me that was really good is whenever you have to stop doing something on the 550 raise the shellplate and leave it there while you refill primer tubes, get more bullets, brass, etc. That way when you return to the machine you know exactly what phase of the loading cycle you're on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) do you guys pull the pan off your engine every morning to check if the connecting rods are all bolted in correctly ?? do you inspect the fuel injectors to make sure they are sprating correctly every day ?? do you realize that gasoline is more powerful than tnt ?? you use the car the way it was designed and you never look back.... do the same with your dillon.... i am not saying to be sloppy, but use the machine the way it was designed....400 plus rounds an hour... a nice smooth work flow......if you cannot TRUST the machine to do its job... GO BUY YOUR AMMO I heard you the first time. Bad analogy though. If my connecting rods fail, or my fuel injectors fail, nothing blows up in my hand, I simply can't get to where I am going. You keep saying "trust the machine" but keep in mind that machine has to be fed/supplied with primers, powder, brass and bullets and set-up by humans and if there is a mistake in any aspect, the repercussions can be bad. There is a lot of expertise needed to make good reliable ammunition, the machine is only one part of it. I appreciate adding controls to my process (lighting, powder check die, etc.) to ensure quality production. Otherwise, I could just train a monkey or my six year old to pull a handle of a machine. That being said, I trust my process more than factory ammo at this point. Edited September 25, 2014 by RDA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I load 38 spl for my wife using W-231. I can see every case has powder. Maybe it' s the height or the lighting you are using. I load .223 and can also see if there is powder. Also, 3.7 is very light for the 38. I load with a 125 grain JHP bullet and use 4.6 gr. What bullet are you using? I agree with Grumpy and others. When you start pulling cases to check, you start making mistakes. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar10ar15man Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) do you guys pull the pan off your engine every morning to check if the connecting rods are all bolted in correctly ?? do you inspect the fuel injectors to make sure they are sprating correctly every day ?? do you realize that gasoline is more powerful than tnt ?? you use the car the way it was designed and you never look back.... do the same with your dillon.... i am not saying to be sloppy, but use the machine the way it was designed....400 plus rounds an hour... a nice smooth work flow......if you cannot TRUST the machine to do its job... GO BUY YOUR AMMO I heard you the first time. Bad analogy though. If my connecting rods fail, or my fuel injectors fail, nothing blows up in my hand, I simply can't get to where I am going. You keep saying "trust the machine" but keep in mind that machine has to be fed/supplied with primers, powder, brass and bullets and set-up by humans and if there is a mistake in any aspect, the repercussions can be bad. There is a lot of expertise needed to make good reliable ammunition, the machine is only one part of it. I appreciate adding controls to my process (lighting, powder check die, etc.) to ensure quality production. Otherwise, I could just train a monkey or my six year old to pull a handle of a machine. That being said, I trust my process more than factory ammo at this point. your doing 75 mph down a busy highway, a conn rod fails. locks the engine, you spin in rush hour traffic.......the repercussions can be bad....... 20 years of using dillon presses...no powder check die, no light to check with.......21 tool heads with dies in them...... learn to trust the machine 10 fingers, ten toes, all the guns still work..... Edited September 25, 2014 by ar10ar15man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 "your doing 75 mph down a busy highway, a conn rod fails. locks the engine, you spin in rush hour traffic.......the repercussions can be bad......." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 do you guys pull the pan off your engine every morning to check if the connecting rods are all bolted in correctly ?? do you inspect the fuel injectors to make sure they are sprating correctly every day ?? do you realize that gasoline is more powerful than tnt ?? you use the car the way it was designed and you never look back.... do the same with your dillon.... i am not saying to be sloppy, but use the machine the way it was designed....400 plus rounds an hour... a nice smooth work flow......if you cannot TRUST the machine to do its job... GO BUY YOUR AMMO I heard you the first time. Bad analogy though. If my connecting rods fail, or my fuel injectors fail, nothing blows up in my hand, I simply can't get to where I am going. You keep saying "trust the machine" but keep in mind that machine has to be fed/supplied with primers, powder, brass and bullets and set-up by humans and if there is a mistake in any aspect, the repercussions can be bad. There is a lot of expertise needed to make good reliable ammunition, the machine is only one part of it. I appreciate adding controls to my process (lighting, powder check die, etc.) to ensure quality production. Otherwise, I could just train a monkey or my six year old to pull a handle of a machine. That being said, I trust my process more than factory ammo at this point. your doing 75 mph down a busy highway, a conn rod fails. locks the engine, you spin in rush hour traffic.......the repercussions can be bad....... 20 years of using dillon presses...no powder check die, no light to check with.......21 tool heads with dies in them...... learn to trust the machine 10 fingers, ten toes, all the guns still work..... You won't instantly spin. If and engine does truly lock up and locks the drive train, it would lock the driven wheels. You could put it into neutral or press the clutch and coast to the side. If you don't or can't do that, you'll like just come to a stop. I have never heard of a car spinning out from a locked up engine ever. For that matter, in the billions of miles driven every day across our country by millions of drivers, i have never heard or seen an engine seize while driving. I have spent 1000 times more of my life driving than I have shooting guns. Yet, in the limited time I have spent shooting guns, I have seen a blown up gun and multiple squibs. Now, if you have to hold the engine in your hand when the connecting rod failed, that would be more analogous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glocke12 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 The press did not cause the squib, you did, by pulling and checking every 10-20 rounds for charge weight. Let the press do what it is supposed to do, and you do what you're supposed to do. I'll check the powder charge every 20 rounds or so...but I just don't pull, check, and resume...I'll start over at station one after checking the charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 The press did not cause the squib, you did, by pulling and checking every 10-20 rounds for charge weight. Let the press do what it is supposed to do, and you do what you're supposed to do. I'll check the powder charge every 20 rounds or so...but I just don't pull, check, and resume...I'll start over at station one after checking the charge. If you restart at station 1 you'll have a case with a live primer. If you continue you'll pop out the live primer just to insert a new one. Be a bit of a surprise if the decapper set off the primer. Wait til the last rd goes through station 2 and feed the powder test rds through, starting at station 2. FWIW I still say there is no need to check a powder charge that often. As Grumpy said,"Let the press do what it is supposed to do, and you do what you're supposed to do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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