Periodically Verifying Press Setup

[sandhu]

Hi,

I'm new to reloading and started with a Dillon RL550B.

I am currently only loading one caliber (9x19 mm - minor) and have everything setup the way I want. The Dillon dies are locked into place with the supplied lock rings.

I don't remove the toolhead or make any other changes to the setup, other than filling the powder and primer tubes in place.

How often should I verify the powder charge and OAL+crimp in order to make sure things are still adjusted properly ?

For dimensional checks, I case gauge the ammo and measure a round about every 100 rounds or so.

I am more curious about the frequency of the verification of the powder charge.

Thanks.

Cheers,

Achint

Edited January 20, 2008 by sandhu

[al503]

I check the OAL and the powder charge every session and usually just eyeball the crimp.

[basman]

I check the OAL and the powder charge every session and usually just eyeball the crimp.

+1

It only takes a few minutes to have confidence in your loads. I also use a marker (small dot) for a visual check.

[Taildraggerdave]

I do the same as mentioned above.

Also, an excellent tip I found online and have on my own 550B is a small aquarium fish pump attached to the hopper tube with one zip tie. The small fish pumps set up a vibration and makes the powder charges much more consistent. Clays doesn't seem to throw that well but it sure does when the pump is on. I am using WSF in my 9mm loads and it throws less than .1 of a grain variance every time with the pump on.

Take care,

Dave

[sandhu]

Hi,

Thanks for the great info. I'll get the aquarium pump.

I'm using Vihta Vouri N320 and it seems to meter well.

Cheers,

Achint

[kevin c]

That's a great idea about the fish pump - gotta try that with Clays. If you're using Viht N320, though, it probably won't add much - I've found that it meters very consistently. AAMOF, out of curiosity I once ran the measure dry and measured each of the last 10 powder drops. Only the last partial drop was off what I'd set the powder bar for.

Relatively coarse tubular powders like the VV pistol series seem to meter consistently. Flake powders are the ones that have the reputation for not dropping well (powder "bridging" in the meter). That's my personal experience, at least. I don't load many of the fine grained spherical powders except TG, which runs pretty well for me.

ETA that I also usually check the drop and the OAL each session. This may not happen if I'm picking up after a previous session with the same components, provided it's for practice ammo where I know that I have leeway either way for OAL and the powder charge. I always do it for match ammo, though, and any time I open a fresh can of powder or use a new batch of bullets (new component match ammo also goes over the chrono before I take it to a big match).

Edited January 21, 2008 by kevin c

[Rocket35]

I hate to sound like a broken record- but same as above. I rarely load more than 1k at a time though.

[DougCarden]

I am pretty particular about my reloads, I want all my ammo to be "match ammo"

Once I set up the press, I check the powder every hundred rounds when I load the primer tube. I then case gauge a round and check the OAL with calipers.

I have at least 10 primer tubes, so I load 1K at a time. Periodically I check primer depth( I load on 1050s) as well. This procedure allows me to not have any issues with the loading of the ammo.

I then tumble the lube off, then case gauge it and check primers once more before boxing it up. It may seem like a lot of work, but when you take the time to do most of it, you might as well do all of it. If you travel overnight to a match and spend money on a motel, and your gun pukes on you at the match due to the fact that you were too busy, er um ...too lazy to do so...that is frustrating to me, and probably is to many others.

My .02 centavos.....

Regards,

DougC

[boz1911]

Guess I'm a little lazier than you guys. I use a UniqueTek powder micrometer, verify it's setting every 1k rounds or so, even though it never changes. I check my COL about every K also and make minute adjustments every now and then. Crimp, I check when boxing ammo(I don't remove lube), also inspect primer depth when boxing also. Just my methods but they seem to work.

[kevin c]

I find that, depending on the brand of bullet I'm loading, round to round OAL can vary by .005" easily for cast/coated bullets, less for jacketed. To me, that means that I'll accept something inside the expected range and not continually tweak the seater die back and forth by some small amount less than that. I do still check OAL periodically during the run, because of little problems that have cropped up w/ my press.

I load on a SDB. Provided the shell plate bolt is snugged in and tight, a full stroke gets me a well seated primer unless there's a problem in the pocket. My ram is the oldest part of my much rebuilt press, and occasionally the bolt backs out a bit, which can cause OAL and high primers. A dab of locktite helps, but makes it a bear if the bolt breaks, which has happened three or four times over the 120K rounds I've loaded on the press to date.

[gm iprod]

To improve powder measure accuracy with the new style powder measure I have put the return spring abck on the powder bar. This causes the bar to slam back into position. This settles the powder evenly each time. I get Zero variation with TG, V V N320 or Clays.

[Hoofy]

Just for peace of mind, I dump the first 5 rounds, weigh the next 5 rounds, and check 1 every 100 rounds (or each time I fill the primer tube). OAL and crimp checked at random. Return spring on the powder bar makes it pretty consistant

for Titegroup.

I'm starting to notice a trend

[bierman]

I'm running a SDB and usually will check ten charges before I start loading, just to make sure everything is running well. I don't really put a priority on speed when loading. I have a light mounted so that I can visually inspect each case to make sure its charged and check primer seating occasionally as I load. I also check OAL in the first 5-10 rounds and then randomly as I go. I will also check randomly selected rounds when I am done loading. I ran into some issues a couple of months back with my reloads (cost me a few stage DNF's at a couple of local matches) and so I take a bit more time now when I am loading. I am on a pretty tight reloading budget, so a 650 or 1050 are pretty much out of the question right now. In my experience, taking a little extra time is well worth the effort. Best of luck.

[Jman]

Welcome!

I use a digital scale. Pretty easy to check throws so I do frequently. Every 20th round after my confirmed setup. I don't

empty the pan. If I'm using a 4.3gr load and dump 5 throws I want 21.5grs + or - 2 tenths. Another thing I do that

most definitely saved me problems is visually checking primer depth. After loading 100rds I place them in those plastic MTM boxes. Primer up of course.

Bring the box up to eye level between you and your shop light. Let your eye focus down each row of ten. You need consistent

proper seating depth. Remove any that appear high or inconsistent and pull the bullet. Rare occurrence, but it will happen.

Jim M

[sandhu]

Hi,

I'd like the thank everyone for the feedback on this. I'll incorporate these ideas into my reloading. The two I hadn't thought about at all were:

• Powder bar return spring
  
• Check primer seating depth
  

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Achint

[Conqueror]

I check COL every hundred rounds or so, simply because I put loaded rounds straight into hundred-round plastic boxes and it takes 5 seconds to stick a loaded round in the digital calipers. I only check powder charges occasionally since I only load mild range loads and am not concerned with hitting dangerous pressures. If I was loading close to max I would check much more often. Crimp is 100% eyeballed - I drop loaded rounds into the chamber of a spare barrel I have, and if they slide in with no trouble, the crimp is good.

Edited March 3, 2008 by Conqueror