Dillon Powder Measures and Varget

[kimel]

So I set up my brand new 550B today for .223. After hearing all the horror stories surrounding Varget and Dillon measures and having experienced some issues with Varget and my RCBS measure I was wondering how things would turn out.

I set up the press as it was shipped. Swapped out the powder bar but did nothing special. I did note that the bar was pretty rough from casting marks.

After adjusting everything for proper travel of the powder bar, I adjusted the charge to my load and started throwing and weighing charges. I used the same technique I have been using with my RCBS measure of pausing at the bottom and doing a extra rap of the handle when I hit bottom. The powder bar would hesitate in its travel more often than not and charge weights varied by as much a +0.2 to -0.4 grains over about 20 charges. Charges where I saw powder visibly fall out of the measure assembly after I lowered the case were not weighed.

I then emptied the measure and pulled the bar. I had noted the bar was pretty rough when I put it in but this was a test so I had done nothing.

I next worked all four long sides of the bar over with 400 and then 600 grit emery paper. Laying paper on flat surface, hold bar on paper and moving in a randomly orbiting motion. I was polishing here, not trying to change dimensions and I wanted to take care to keep the sides square.

I also polished the chamber where the powder goes and broke the edges of the top of the chamber just slightly per the suggestions of someone here (George I think).

Hosed it off with degreaser and then hit the external surfaces with Krunch MagSlick (it says on the can it can be used for powder bars and I have used it for a long time on my SDB bar). I wiped the inside of the powder chamber just in case some of hte MagSlick got in there...which it probably did.

While that was drying I polished the internal surfaces of the powder measure where the bar travels. There were a few burrs there. Wiped it out well and then reassembled everything.

Refilled the powder measure, readjusted and started throwing and weighing charges again. Charge weights still varied slightly but it was now +0.1 and -0.2 grains over 20 charges. Powder bar practically slammed from side to side. I was NEVER able to get my old RCBS measure this accurate with Varget despite several attempts.

All totalled the extra work on the powder bar took maybe 15 minutes including emptying the measure, disassembly, polishing and re-assembly.

Well worth the time, in my book.

YMMV....

[John Dunn]

Is the Magslick a graphite product?

Great post!

[kimel]

Not exactly sure what it is John. It is some sort of a dry lube in an aerosol can. The dried residue is "white" (more or less) so I suspect it is a teflon based product in an aerosol carrier.

Graphite would probably do the same thing but in my experience is messier...at least for me.

[Guest Larry Cazes]

I use locksmiths powdered graphite on the powder bars on my 550B as well as on the primer slide and it works very well. Use less than you think you need. A little of this stuff goes a long way.

[KAL]

Very nice post.

Just got done with the dremmel and did a little polishing like suggested. Made a huge difference in how the powder drops.

Now just a thought but now that the chamber is like a mirror in side, Do you think it will tarnish or corrode easily and will cause powder to bridge again??? Just have to keep a eye on it to see, How long has yours been polished up?

[kimel]

Probably depends on where you live. Where I live humidity is not really an issue. Unless it is raining or we are having a big snow melt the humidity stays under 30% year-round. Polished carbon steel can sit on the bench for months without rusting.

Now if you live were the humidity is much higher, especially where salt air comes in to play then you might well run into corrosion issues.

Like you said, time will tell.

My 550 bar has only been polished for about 3 weeks. Thus far it shows no signs of corrosion. The dry-lube I used on it may offer some protection as well.

I'll polish up the pistol bar this weekend and then just let it sit on the bench and see how that goes. Not sure if powder de-gassing itself is corrosive or not. I wouldn't think so or we couldn't store loaded ammo for decades on end.

[KAL]

You hit the nail on the head, I asked because I live on the beach in NJ, and Salt air and Humidity are always a pain in the but here. Still even it it needs a little clean up it will be worth it. Maybe just give it a coating with something when it goes on the shelf and a quick clean before use.

[George]

The other trick with Varget and a 550 measure, is to hit the end of the upstroke (handle down) sharply against the stop. This impact makes sure “ALL” the powder drops. Then I pause for one Mississippi with the handle down (case up) to give the charge a moment to flow completely down the drop tube (Varget is not a fast dropper like ball powder is). The combination of both these moves keeps Varget from spilling (extra grains dropping after the case is out of the powder measure) and keeps my charge variances down in the + - .1 grain range.

I also don’t size on the 550 for my Varget loadings, this makes the press run smoother, which makes Varget run smoother.

I like the idea of polishing the charge bar. I will try that and report back.

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Thanks

[George]

On reading Kimel’s point about polishing the charge bar up, I decided to disassemble, inspect and treat mine similarly. I have a dedicated tool head/powder measure set up for Varget and the SMK 77/69’s with no size die and a Redding Competition seating die.

Upon inspection I realized that I had switched to the large charge bar and it was set so the 24ish grain Varget charges I throw were occupying a tall narrow column rather than a wider, more squatter space like the same charge in the small charge bar would. After also noticing that the drop tube is a narrow cone and very restricted passage, all the rationale behind why I switched to this bar a few years ago came back to me. The narrow charge cavity and the straight shot it provides helped get the Varget charge down the pike quickly and completely so it helped in reducing spills and bridging in the drop tube. I am also thinking that this narrower charge cavity may meter more accurately too when it loads powder. I notice a number of folks saying that their variances with Varget are running .2 to .4 grain while I am getting +- .1 grain.

This mod coupled with my whack and wait routine in press operation are what I believe have given me a clean press and repeatebly accurate results using Varget in a Dillon measure.

Now to see if the charge bar and drop tube polishing I just did changes all this for better, or worse ;-)

BTW Kevin, I don’t whack the end of the up stroke more than once as it hits the end of the stroke because I have a deep seated fear of stroking a progressive twice with cases in the same stations. I just whack it home smartly once at the end of the stroke and then wait for a moment to let the powder completely flow down the drop tube.

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Regards,

[Patrick Sweeney]

Yea, polishing the charge bar can have great benefits, even with powders not prone to hassles, like Varget. And Krunch MagSlick it great. I use it for everything in reloading except for One Shot on brass.

[slowsure]

I have decided to load .223 and read most all of the post's in the reload forums about dillon powder mesures and Varget. Here is what I have experanced:

Polishing the powder measure bar was easy enough, I stoned the bar and polished with 600 grit paper. I have some dry graphite type lube that I used for lube, I rubbed most of it off until it looks like pencel lead over all the surfaces except for the chamber area (where the powder meters).

I changed the way the powder measure ?cam feature? works back to the old method dillon used of no cam interferance and 2 dillon springs wraped around the powder bar and powder reserve. Function is smoother overall but not sure this is a good thing in the case of Varget powder. Maybe the clunk-clunk of the cam might be better? I use the George method of wack and wait on the upstroke of the ram (handle in down position). This seems to be very KEY.

I also polished the casting at the bottom of the powder hopper and smoothed a few rough edges.

During a loading session I noticed (I try to look into each case for powder level) no powder in a case and then remembered I had not been doing the wack and wait. I advanced the press and ran the next case with the wack and wait, out came what looked like three measures of powder!!!! big mess!! Pulled the bullets and two kennels of powder came out of the last two rounds. I belive that the Varget bridged in the powder funel? not sure what exactlly happened but I'm glad that you can look into the case and see the power level with Varget. My charge is close to being a compressed load.

My powder measure seems to throw consistantly ~+ - .1 G all the time. I need to be more aware of the actions involved when loading Varget more than other powders!