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Powder Bar Adjustment Tool


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I have seen mention of the various things that can be put onto the head of the adjustment bolt on a Dillion powder bar, but I think I found my own solution.

Rummaging around in my bin of unused tools and junk, I came up with a 11mm socket from a cheap socket set. It fits the bolt head just fine and gives me a hand grip to turn the bolt. Works pretty well.

Today I think I'll get a wood knob and drill it out to accept the end of the socket and epoxy that in. That will give me a larger surface for finer control.

Edited by Graham Smith
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I did all that with the plastic slip on things they work and work well. Then I broke down and got one of Lee Loves (Unique Tek) micrometer adjustments for my powder bar. I was sceptical whether it would work as he said guess what it works better! It is definitely worth the $50 he charges. I have one on a rifle charge bar and will get one for a pistol charge bar when it is time to load pistol. http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1231

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The bolt head size is 7/16 which is the same as 11mm. I did go to Lowes and they didn't know what I was talking about. I also went to Home Depot, ditto, and I'm not in the market for a $50 replacement powder bar.

It's just that I wanted a simple, quick, low cost replacement for a wrench and it turns out that a socket head works quite well. I just happened to have a spare lying around, but you can pick up an entire socket set at the dollar store for peanuts.

Your mileage may vary.

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Like I said Graham they work great I still have them on my powder measures except one. I just wanted to let you know about the micrometer one it is the best. I think I got my knobs at a Sentry Hardware so check in with the nuts & bolts even in the small stores. The clerks had no idea what I wanted so I looked for myself.

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+1 for the .30 cent knob from Home Depot / Lowes. Enough of us have put them on that I don't think it would be a bad idea for Dillon to add them into their new press package.

The knob adds just enough surface area to make the measure easy to adjust but it's light enough that you still get good tactile feedback from the bolt to make really fine adjustments. The fact that it can just be left on the bolt means I never have to go scrounging around my bench looking for my adjustment tool/wrench. I made my own adjustment tool using an old socket and a wooden knob, and then I got a Dillon Universal bench wrench, so I've tried alternatives, but the plastic knob beats them all.

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