What's Acceptable ?

[foosball]

Hi all,

I just bought a 550b from BE. Nice machine. I have set the 550 b by watching the video and set the reloader for 38 spcl.

I have the small pwoder bar in and I've been trying to get a consistant output of 3.9 grs of tightgroup on a consistant basis. The output varies from 3.8 to 4.1 grs and I can't seem to keep it at 3.9. grs

Is ther some kind of secret or trick to consistancy with the Dillion Powder Bars. Didn't seen to have this kind of trouble with th RCBS stuff although my arms did get tired using a single stage.

I thing the variance will hurt my shooting.

Need some advice.

Thanks

Jeff

[HSMITH]

Jeff, both of my 550B's have a lot of miles on them but both throw Tite-Group within a tenth.

Number one is make sure you run the handle consistently, just like you did with the powder measure.

Number two, dump the first 10 or 15 throws back into the hopper, this will give the powder a chance to settle a little.

Number three, keep the hopper fairly full. Shouldn't need to but it should help a little.

[Matt Cheely]

I've always had my 550 throw +/- a tenth. Do what HSMITH says, but I only toss 2 or 3 back in after I put the powder in.

[Newguy]

Try tightening the blue wing nut at the end of the powder bar rod. If it's not really snug you'll get the erratic powder drops.

[straightshooter1]

From what you describe in your post, you are as much as 3 tenths off. I have never had a

Dillon measure drop loads that much off even with extruded rifle powders. Check to make sure everything is tight, make sure you are consistent in the strokes as the previous posters told you and, if you are still that much off I would call Dillon and get them to walk through all of the possibilities with you over the phone. I once had a terrible problem with my primer slide that I just couldn't figure out. They took about 30 minutes over the phone to walk me through every possibility and, finally, we found the problem and fixed it. That was about fifteen years ago, but they haven't changed in their willingness to help a customer as far as I can see.

Maybe you should just go ahead and call them today. They have (or used to have) a motto of "Don't suffer in silence" and I have always found them to be way above and beyond any other company in customer service. Plus (since I have always been a bit mechanically challenged) they don't treat you like you are some idiot. They are always respectful and, above all, helpful.

One last thought-do you have two powder measures? If so, put the other one on and see if you are still off. If it drops + or - a tenth, then it is not you, but some fault in the other measure. I always like to see that it is not me (did I mention that I am a bit mechanically challenged?) but that it is the "thing" itself that is at fault.

Bob

[hmp32]

Another suggestion I would make:

Get some isopropyl rubbing alcohol or acetone and clean all the metal parts. Even though the machine is new, it won't hurt. The powder measure on the SDB (mostly the same as the 550 except for some fittings) improved greatly after I did this. Also, make sure the powder funnel is traveling the full length to completel move the powder bar.

As another note, make sure the machine is on a relatively bench/table.

[benos]

In addition to all the suggestions, I pasted this in from Which Dillon.

When calibrating your Powder Measure, in a nutshell - throw four individual charges in the scale's pan before adjusting the Powder Measure. Especially as you're coming close to your target charge weight.

Here's a technique that works well if the cartridge case will hold two charges of your target powder charge. Clear all the empty cases out of the Shellplate, and remove the Locator Buttons from the powder dropping station and the bullet seating stations. Put an empty, primed case in the powder dropping station. Cycle the handle so it drops one charge in the case. Remove the case, place it back in the powder dropping station and cycle the handle again. Remove the case and dump the (two charges of) powder in the scale's pan. Repeat that procedure. Now you have four charges in the pan. Say your target powder charge is 4.0 grains; your scale should read 16.0 grains. You might make a sticky for your reloading bench that has 4x totals for your favorite charge weights. Example:

4.6 = 18.4

5.2 = 20.8

Calibrating the Powder Measure using this technique is not only considerably more accurate than the "drop-one-charge-then-adjust-the-Powder-Measure" method, it will save you quite a bit of time and a few headaches, in the long run, as well.

be

[virginiascout]

So I like the previous post but go one further. Dump the first four back in the powder hopper and then put 10 in the measure. I am not one for math so with 10 its real easy 5.3 grains is 53 in the scale.

I als then check random loads for 5.3.

I found it very frustrating to measure tweak measure tweak, can go on all night.

With 10 you get good averages.

Just my 2 cents

Edited February 25, 2006 by virginiascout

[Jasonub]

cool suggestion Brian! I have been doing the single charge weigh thing till i read this. ill try it. thanks

[epj]

Hi all,

I just bought a 550b from BE. Nice machine. I have set the 550 b by watching the video and set the reloader for 38 spcl.

I have the small pwoder bar in and I've been trying to get a consistant output of 3.9 grs of tightgroup on a consistant basis. The output varies from 3.8 to 4.1 grs and I can't seem to keep it at 3.9. grs

Is ther some kind of secret or trick to consistancy with the Dillion Powder Bars. Didn't seen to have this kind of trouble with th RCBS stuff although my arms did get tired using a single stage.

I thing the variance will hurt my shooting.

Need some advice.

Thanks

I had read this thread, and decided to test my 550. I am using 3.7 gr of Clays in a 45 load. I threw 10 charges and weighed them. The scale (Dillon Balance type) read about .2 gr under 37. So, theoretically, I should be about .02 gr light on the average. I feel this is certainly an insiginicant amount. In testing individual charges, I see as much as a .1 gr variance, mostly on the low side. The bulk of the weighed charges are right on the money. If I had a digital scale, I might see more of a variance, but then I would wonder if I was reading the powder weight or the flourescent lights.

Jeff

[foosball]

In addition to all the suggestions, I pasted this in from Which Dillon.

When calibrating your Powder Measure, in a nutshell - throw four individual charges in the scale's pan before adjusting the Powder Measure. Especially as you're coming close to your target charge weight.

Here's a technique that works well if the cartridge case will hold two charges of your target powder charge. Clear all the empty cases out of the Shellplate, and remove the Locator Buttons from the powder dropping station and the bullet seating stations. Put an empty, primed case in the powder dropping station. Cycle the handle so it drops one charge in the case. Remove the case, place it back in the powder dropping station and cycle the handle again. Remove the case and dump the (two charges of) powder in the scale's pan. Repeat that procedure. Now you have four charges in the pan. Say your target powder charge is 4.0 grains; your scale should read 16.0 grains. You might make a sticky for your reloading bench that has 4x totals for your favorite charge weights. Example:

4.6 = 18.4

5.2 = 20.8

Calibrating the Powder Measure using this technique is not only considerably more accurate than the "drop-one-charge-then-adjust-the-Powder-Measure" method, it will save you quite a bit of time and a few headaches, in the long run, as well.

be

Great Idea Brian and the rest. I just get obsessed.

Jeff