650- Powder Measure on Station #3

[ezra650]

Loading on a dillon 650 here.

I've heard you can use a dillon powder measure on station #3 and the fail safe rod can still be used as intended. Is this true? Also if you are using an MBF in station #4 does this become an issue where the powder bar hits the MBF die/body?

I'm wanting to try this setup so I can expand/bell the case on station #2 and eliminate using the dillon/MBF funnel to bell the case. Smoother operation and less powder spillage being the main reasons. 

For any confusion here is the order of operations
#1- Size/Decap

#2- Expand/Bell, prime
#3- Dillon Powder drop
#4- MBF Bullet feeder
#5- Seat/Crimp

If this setup doesn't work I'm thinking about ditching the dillon measure entirely and going with the Hornady AP powder measure system. If anyone has experience with that setup I'd also like to hear about it. Thanks all. 
 

[Aggrofish]

6 minutes ago, ezra650 said:

Loading on a dillon 650 here.

I've heard you can use a dillon powder measure on station #3 and the fail safe rod can still be used as intended. Is this true? Also if you are using an MBF in station #4 does this become an issue where the powder bar hits the MBF die/body?

I'm wanting to try this setup so I can expand/bell the case on station #2 and eliminate using the dillon/MBF funnel to bell the case. Smoother operation and less powder spillage being the main reasons. 

For any confusion here is the order of operations
#1- Size/Decap

#2- Expand/Bell, prime
#3- Dillon Powder drop
#4- MBF Bullet feeder
#5- Seat/Crimp

If this setup doesn't work I'm thinking about ditching the dillon measure entirely and going with the Hornady AP powder measure system. If anyone has experience with that setup I'd also like to hear about it. Thanks all. 
 

I dont have a bullet feeder I have the seating die in 4 and the crimp in 5. My powder drop is always in #3 whether it's .223 or 9mm on a 650 XL

Edited July 7, 2020 by Aggrofish

[ezra650]

17 minutes ago, Aggrofish said:

I dont have a bullet feeder I have the seating die in 4 and the crimp in 5. My powder drop is always in #3 whether it's .223 or 9mm on a 650 XL

Well that confirms my 1st question! thanks for weighing in. I guess one way to test it is just use one of my spare empty tool heads/powder measures and see where the powder bar is going to be sliding at. Should be easy to tell if it will hit the MBF when full setup is installed that way. The MBF is a PITA to move around! 

[ChuckS]

Powder in station 3 on the 650 works fine.

 

[stick]

No reason it won't work.  I have my MBF in station 3, but it could be easily setup in station 4.

[ezra650]

17 hours ago, stick said:

No reason it won't work.  I have my MBF in station 3, but it could be easily setup in station 4.

That's how mine is setup now. But is the powder measure going to clear the MBF die when it actuates is the question. The powder bar sliding out the back of the measure will hit the MBF if it lines up that way. Seems to be a major issue on the 750 from what I've heard. Don't know how the engineers at dillon didn't think about that one. 

[ezra650]

18 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Powder in station 3 on the 650 works fine.

 

With the MBF in station 4? 
 

[ChuckS]

10 minutes ago, ezra650 said:

With the MBF in station 4? 
 

Nope, never said that. Prior to getting the KISS, my .40 reload setup was this:

 

1) Dillon size and decap die

2) Lee U-die (& prime)

3) Powder measure

4) Seat

5) Crimp

 

I used to occasionally get cases that were too distorted to enter the U-die and would get crushed or just stop the process. The Dillon die was more forgiving. This worked for many years and the other benefit was that there was only one transition from powder to bullet seating so there was less spilled powder. When I got the KISS, the powder measure moved back to #2. I never used a powder check,

[ezra650]

3 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Nope, never said that. Prior to getting the KISS, my .40 reload setup was this:

 

1) Dillon size and decap die

2) Lee U-die (& prime)

3) Powder measure

4) Seat

5) Crimp

 

I used to occasionally get cases that were too distorted to enter the U-die and would get crushed or just stop the process. The Dillon die was more forgiving. This worked for many years and the other benefit was that there was only one transition from powder to bullet seating so there was less spilled powder. When I got the KISS, the powder measure moved back to #2. I never used a powder check,

Gotcha. Well thanks for confirming that it will work in station #3. If the powder bar hits the MBF die then I'll just make the switch to the Hornady measure. Being a drum style measure it's probably slightly more accurate anyway. Aint no way im giving up using the MBF, that thing rocks  

There are a few reasons I'm making these changes. Smoother operation with case expanding done on its own and gives me more options for expansion die brand and will help reduce bullets tipping over on index. As much as I love the simplicity of the dillon seat die I'm wanting one with a micro adjust for different bullet types and OALs. Not 

 

Hmm one benefit I just realized of powder on station #3 is that I will be able to see case abnormalities/damage easier. Nice!

[RGA]

DAA recently released a short powder bar to address this issue.

 

https://www.doublealpha.biz/daa-extra-short-dillon-powder-bar

Edited July 9, 2020 by RGA

[stick]

20 hours ago, ezra650 said:

That's how mine is setup now. But is the powder measure going to clear the MBF die when it actuates is the question. The powder bar sliding out the back of the measure will hit the MBF if it lines up that way. Seems to be a major issue on the 750 from what I've heard. Don't know how the engineers at dillon didn't think about that one. 

Not sure on the 750.  I have the 650.