Couple Square Deal Questions

[boo radley]

A couple questions, after setting up and putting about 500 rounds through my Dillon Square Deal that I recently got from this site....

Initially, I had a lot of problems with primers that weren't fully seated. I started to blame this on the brass, but, when I really threw the handle firmly *up*, the problems went away. Is this normal? Do you really have to make a conscious effort to work the handle up, hard? I'm having to do more than a full, smooth stroke. My concern is, when I really work the handle, I seem to get a lot of variation on OAL, at least with the SWC's I'm using: anywhere from 1.245" - 1.220".

Second -- the powder measure seemed *extremely* consistent with the V.V. N320 powder I was using, but it always metered .1gr less than what I set it for when using a single piece of empty brass. It's as if it flows a little differently when the machine is in full swing, with work going on at all 4 stations. In other words, I take a fired case, put it in station 2, and work the handle, and pull it out at station 3, and weight the charge: say 5.0gr. I'll repeat 4 or 5 times. Then, when I'm cranking out the rounds, I'll stop every 25th cartridge, or so, pull it out and station 3 and weigh -- it's almost always 4.9gr. Not a big deal, but I wondered if this was normal.

Otherwise, man, what a *great* thing this is! Plenty of accurate ammo to shoot.

[SiG Lady]

RE: Question #1... Yes. Perform a FULL stroke of the crank. At least that's what I have to do with my SDB to achieve consistent seating.

RE: Question #2... I've never noticed any inconsistencies in my powder charges, but then I'm not measuring each and every one. I'll do a RANDOM weigh-in now and then and they're always what they should be (this is light-loaded .45ACP charge we're talking about here). The feel of the charge when fired always feels the same, too, so...

Gotta love the Square Deal B, though.

[jessej]

Boo,

Congrats on your purchase! BE's service is top-notch! The more you use your press the smoother you'll get stroking it. The difference you're getting in OAL is due to the inconsistent stroke. What I do to get a more consistent powder charge is drop ten charges then divide to see what the average really is. Then adjust the powder measure (ever so slightly) accordingly. Your could do even more drops, say 20, if you really wanted to be exact. Hornady One Shot helps to smooth things out.

jj

[eric nielsen]

If you use case lube you may have some powder stick inside the cases as you weigh out every 25th charge.

Mine has usually thrown a little MORE powder when I'm going full swing, after I'm sure all the powder is out of the case & in the pan.

Not printed in their book but if you have large hands you can wrap your fingertips around the upright primer column, your thumb around the load handle, and squeeze. I've been doing that for 15 years & I finally cracked a charge handle 2 years ago. Never any problem at all with the primer column & Allen screws.

My friend cracked the charge handle on a 550 - same thing, different technique. You can't "palm" the 550 to seat primers but he put his left hand behind the press every round to seat the primers with both arms. Dillon replaced them both, free.

The advice about averaging charge weights is good. The measure throws a consistent powder VOLUME but that's not always consistent weight.

[TBF]

As above , Full stroke is required to seat primers. Don't be afraid to give a really firm push on the up stroke.

I fine tune my powder measure after the press is up and running full tilt.

I noticed that the weights dropped into a single case were .1 or so different from the weight dropped when all stations were full.

Travis F.

[boo radley]

As above , Full stroke is required to seat primers. Don't be afraid to give a really firm push on the up stroke.

I fine tune my powder measure after the press is up and running full tilt.

I noticed that the weights dropped into a single case were .1 or so different from the weight dropped when all stations were full.

Travis F.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thx, Travis, and everyone.

I'm absolutely delighted with this purchase, and can't think that I could continue to shoot .45acp, and practice and compete without buying a progressive press.

I'll try to get a more consistent stroke. I think, too, I need to increase the bell a tad, since it's fairly tricky to rest the bullet on the cases, without a little tilt. It doesn't seem to matter, except it will fall over sometimes, jamming everything, and then I have a to pull out the needle-nose pilers to remove the brass buttons, and shuffle the cases back a station. I do wish Dillon made those buttons easier to remove/replace.

Travis -- I'll try tweaking the charge when actually running, but as long as I know that it's consistent, and it seems to be, it's easy enough to just adjust with a single case, and just set for .1gr over what I want.

This is fun stuff, too! There's a really nice sense of accomplishment, looking at my filled blue boxes of ammo.

[ima45dv8]

....and then I have a to pull out the needle-nose pilers to remove the brass buttons, and shuffle the cases back a station. I do wish Dillon made those buttons easier to remove/replace.

Boo,

Look around in the parts that came with your press. There should be some small blue plastic tabs with raised ribs as a gripping surface and holes in one end. Slip them over the pins (from the bottom) before inserting the pins in the press. They act as a handle for the locator pins.

HTH,

...Mark

[eric nielsen]

Mine's too old to have those tabs...

I use a really skinny 'dental' pick [from the hardware store] and just slip the end with the 90degree hook under the buttons.

[SiG Lady]

I use tweezers.......

[Gun Geek]

I have a to pull out the needle-nose pilers to remove the brass buttons, and shuffle the cases back a station.  I do wish Dillon made those buttons easier to remove/replace.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had the tools - so I went to the hdwr store and bought some real small screws. Drilled and tapped the button, put the screw (and a little locktite) in the hole, presto - handles. If you do this make sure the screws are low enough that they don't touch the bottoms of the dies (Lee FCDs go down close to the shell plate, and had a habit of hitting the screw)

[Gun Geek]

A couple questions, after setting up and putting about 500 rounds through my Dillon Square Deal that I recently got from this site....

Initially, I had a lot of problems with primers that weren't fully seated. I started to blame this on the brass, but, when I really threw the handle firmly *up*, the problems went away. Is this normal? Do you really have to make a conscious effort to work the handle up, hard? I'm having to do more than a full, smooth stroke. My concern is, when I really work the handle, I seem to get a lot of variation on OAL, at least with the SWC's I'm using: anywhere from 1.245" - 1.220".

Second -- the powder measure seemed *extremely* consistent with the V.V. N320 powder I was using, but it always metered .1gr less than what I set it for when using a single piece of empty brass. It's as if it flows a little differently when the machine is in full swing, with work going on at all 4 stations. In other words, I take a fired case, put it in station 2, and work the handle, and pull it out at station 3, and weight the charge: say 5.0gr. I'll repeat 4 or 5 times.  Then, when I'm cranking out the rounds, I'll stop every 25th cartridge, or so, pull it out and station 3 and weigh -- it's almost always 4.9gr. Not a big deal, but I wondered if this was normal.

Otherwise, man, what a *great* thing this is! Plenty of accurate ammo to shoot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All of the above could be that the press is not mounted on a solid bench. The bench needs to be as steady as possible.

Mine is a metal & wood deal that I got from Home Depot. I keep heavy stuff in the bottom drawers and shelves (probably 100 - 150lbs of bullets, brass, and loaded rounds). The top surface has a pice of 3/4 angle iron screwed to it at the back with lag bolts (3/8 x 1"). The the angle iron is then screwed to the wall studs with lag bolts (3/8 x 3").

[boo radley]

All of the above could be that the press is not mounted on a solid bench.  The bench needs to be as steady as possible. 

Mine is a metal & wood deal that I got from Home Depot.

Hmmm...My bench seems pretty stout. It's a surplus, heavy office table, and I screwed the back edge to a 2x4, which I had attatched to studs in the wall. I also screwed and glued a heavy sheet of plywood to the top. It ain't moving much.

If I were getting inconsistencies in the powder throw, I'd worry, but instead it seems very precise -- just a 1/10th of a grain less than the initial setting running a single, empty case through the machine.

The variations in COL bother me a bit more, but I shot up 250 rounds yesterday, and they all fed and ejected 100%, and I was getting consistent 2"-3" 5-shot groups rested at 25yards -- reasonable for a production 1911, I think. Next batch of ammo I make, I'll try One-Shot, and really focus on working the press smoothly.

(Actually, I need something to seal or cover the plywood, on the bench but that's another thread. I'm seriously thinking about ceramic tile).

[TBF]

Boo,

Try a couple of good coats of paste wax on your plywood.

Available at any home improvement store.

Cheap and easy.

seals the wood fairly well .

Travis F.