jmac2112 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 I recently learned that NOE is (again) producing powder through expander dies: Powder Through Expanders | NOE Bullet Moulds (noebulletmolds.com) They are meant to be used with the Lee Short Charging Die. I've done my time with Lee Auto Drum powder measures, and I have no desire to go back to them. Has anyone experimented with using these expanders with the Dillon powder measure? Is there any way that doesn't involve duct tape/baling wire/epoxy/etc.? Or if anyone is really a fan of Lee products, I'm open to persuasion. I still have several of those Auto Drum powder measures. I could occasionally get them to work without spilling powder, but maybe Lee has come up with something better in the last five years. Thanks! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 7 hours ago, jmac2112 said: I recently learned that NOE is (again) producing powder through expander dies: Powder Through Expanders | NOE Bullet Moulds (noebulletmolds.com) They are meant to be used with the Lee Short Charging Die. I've done my time with Lee Auto Drum powder measures, and I have no desire to go back to them. Has anyone experimented with using these expanders with the Dillon powder measure? Is there any way that doesn't involve duct tape/baling wire/epoxy/etc.? Or if anyone is really a fan of Lee products, I'm open to persuasion. I still have several of those Auto Drum powder measures. I could occasionally get them to work without spilling powder, but maybe Lee has come up with something better in the last five years. Thanks! John Trying to imagine why you would want to adapt the NOE expanders when the Dillon powder measure works so well with the MBF type expanders? Used these for MANY YEARS on the XL650s; and still using on my Mark 7! https://www.photoescapeinc.com/products/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac2112 Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 I do have the MBF expander, and it does what I need most of the time, BUT.... Sometimes I shoot 147 grain coated bullets, and it's nice to have an expander that reaches deeper. Keeps the base of the bullets from getting swaged down, especially with certain headstamps. Funny you should mention the Photo Escape expander, since mine just arrived in the mail today! I've just started experimenting with it, and it seems to work fine. I don't really understand the rationale behind making the 2nd stage so much longer than the first, though. You really don't need that much of a pocket to keep the bullet straight, and it lessens the amount of brass that grabs the bullet. Not necessarily a problem, though, unless I'm using Blazer brass. I swear that stuff is a special alloy of brass and butter.... Good for solving my problem with swaging, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 5 minutes ago, jmac2112 said: I do have the MBF expander, and it does what I need most of the time, BUT.... Sometimes I shoot 147 grain coated bullets, and it's nice to have an expander that reaches deeper. Keeps the base of the bullets from getting swaged down, especially with certain headstamps. Funny you should mention the Photo Escape expander, since mine just arrived in the mail today! I've just started experimenting with it, and it seems to work fine. I don't really understand the rationale behind making the 2nd stage so much longer than the first, though. You really don't need that much of a pocket to keep the bullet straight, and it lessens the amount of brass that grabs the bullet. Not necessarily a problem, though, unless I'm using Blazer brass. I swear that stuff is a special alloy of brass and butter.... Good for solving my problem with swaging, though! Not a significant amount of experience with "mixed" brass; but the standard MBF type expander always worked fine with 135g or 147g bullets. Here was an initial experience I had many years ago; and it has served me ever since: https://forums.brianenos.com/topic/205711-fix-for-shaving-lead-bullets/?do=findComment&comment=2284453 If for some reason I had to use .357" or .358" coated bullets, I would then resort to the necessary expander: https://www.photoescapeinc.com/products/9htc-ptu.html I set my expanders per the OEM instructions and never experienced having the pocket too deep. Same setup for loading automated at 2K rounds per hour if needed. Bullet topple nor bullet setback has been an issue. However, I have not loaded Blazer brass....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac2112 Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 There were no instructions with my Photo Escape die. Do you set yours up according to the MBF instructions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 57 minutes ago, jmac2112 said: There were no instructions with my Photo Escape die. Do you set yours up according to the MBF instructions? OEM instructions from the "man" himself.........have always worked for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac2112 Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Sounds good. I just thought there might be a different setup for the Photo Escape funnel, but I guess it's the same basic idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 2 minutes ago, jmac2112 said: Sounds good. I just thought there might be a different setup for the Photo Escape funnel, but I guess it's the same basic idea. Worth noting: Photo Escape is manufacturing these funnels to the MBF OEM specifications! Available at the PE website; and UniqueTek has been selling them for some time! https://uniquetek.com/shop/ols/categories/powder-handling The DAA unit is "now" of their own manufacture............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac2112 Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Thanks, good to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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