Dillon powder funnel sticking to brass

[rhodesengr]

There have been other threads here and elsewhere about this issue but I thought I would see what the current thinking is about this.

The issue is that the Dillon powder funnel can stick to the case so when you go to lower the case, you feel a significant resistance. I am using an SDB and the problem is particularly noticeable on 45 ACP which I just started loading. On the SDB, you feel this on the upstroke. When the case does release, the machine can jerk causing some powder to fly out of the case on its way to stage 3 and the new case in stage 1 can get bounced out partially or entirely.

I called Dillon and they said to use case lube: Theirs or Hornady One Shot. Dillon has two lubes: one made with Lanolin, and a newer synthetic type. They suggested the synthetic type over the Lanolin. Dillon also suggested polishing the powder funnel.

I did quite a bit of digging about this. So far my 45 ACP has been with new brass and possible new brass is worse than fired brass which has a layer of carbon on the inside. However, I wet tumble so when I do go to clean my 45's, the carbon will get removed.

Some people are using Imperial dry lube which is maybe just graphite?

One Shot seems to be a popular.

One guy shortened the length of his powder funnel and there are some after market powder funnels available.

So what are you other folks here doing to keep the cases from sticking to the powder funnel?

[jsanch03]

I had this issue when I first started wet tumbling my brass. Super clean brass and a new powder funnel will stick together. What worked for me is polishing the expander portion of the funnel with flitz as a starter then polishing with jb bore shine. It cleaned up any micro scoping tool marks and I haven?t had an issue with sticking.

[czshooter]

I also had the problem when I started wet tumbling my brass. This type of cleaning creates metal on metal contact. After cleaning and drying, I put the brass in walnut media for twenty minutes and it works fine.

[rhodesengr]

After work, I took a look at my powder funnel and sure enough it had the "brass stripes of death" all around the business end. I already had a bunch of high tech polish stuff from some other work I did so I cleaned off the brass and polished the end. Its all shiny now. I tried it on some new hulls and just the polishing made a huge difference. I do think I want to try some lube (probably One Shot first) before I start another run of 100 rounds.

I have graphite powder on hand so I tried it on both new and shot cases. Interestingly, it would not stick to the new brass but stuck fine to fired brass and made insertion pretty smooth even before I polished the funnel. It came up in all the stuff I read earlier that its a good idea to clean new brass just like one would clean fired brass. This is to remove brass particles but maybe it also cleans and prepares the surface to hold lube better.

Doing the dry tumble after the wet tumble also came up in my search and sounds like another good idea. Always "more than one way to skin cat" but don't tell my Maine Coon cat I said that

[AdamVIP]

I had this problem for awhile and what I ultimately ended up doing was tracking down a powder drop from the 1050. Its tapered not bell shaped so it doesnt stretch the case but puts a flare on so the bullets still sit ok (I use a 550b).

Heres a picture I pulled from the net. Its the second part up on the left.

[rhodesengr]

I wonder why the have different designs for the funnel. The video i found on YT where the guy slices off the end of the funnel said that the funnels used to be shorter. Wonder why they changed the SDB part to make it longer while the part for the 1050 doesn't have the cylindrical portion at all.

I am guessing it has to do with rounding out the ID of the case. The Stage 1 die just works on the outside of the case. So maybe they put the neck on the SDB funnel to round out the inside. I don't know the detail of the 1050 but maybe the machine works the ID at a different stage?

[ar15barrels]

There have been other threads here and elsewhere about this issue but I thought I would see what the current thinking is about this.

The issue is that the Dillon powder funnel can stick to the case so when you go to lower the case, you feel a significant resistance. I am using an SDB and the problem is particularly noticeable on 45 ACP which I just started loading. On the SDB, you feel this on the upstroke. When the case does release, the machine can jerk causing some powder to fly out of the case on its way to stage 3 and the new case in stage 1 can get bounced out partially or entirely.

I called Dillon and they said to use case lube: Theirs or Hornady One Shot. Dillon has two lubes: one made with Lanolin, and a newer synthetic type. They suggested the synthetic type over the Lanolin. Dillon also suggested polishing the powder funnel.

I did quite a bit of digging about this. So far my 45 ACP has been with new brass and possible new brass is worse than fired brass which has a layer of carbon on the inside. However, I wet tumble so when I do go to clean my 45's, the carbon will get removed.

Some people are using Imperial dry lube which is maybe just graphite?

One Shot seems to be a popular.

One guy shortened the length of his powder funnel and there are some after market powder funnels available.

So what are you other folks here doing to keep the cases from sticking to the powder funnel?

This is a common problem with people who wet clean their brass as well as with new brass.
The problem is the completely clean brass galls to the steel expander funnel.

Tumble your brass in corn cob or walnut shells to get some dust on them.
The dust acts as a dry-lube like the carbon does so that the brass will not gall to the expander funnel.

Also get ALL the brass back off your funnel as the brass is sticking to the brass that's already on your funnel.

[rhodesengr]

Tumble your brass in corn cob or walnut shells to get some dust on them. The dust acts as a dry-lube like the carbon does so that the brass will not gall to the expander funnel.

Also get ALL the brass back off your funnel as the brass is sticking to the brass that's already on your funnel.

Thanks. I do have my funnel very shiny and polished now.

Do you think the dry tumbling is more effective than case lube as suggested by Dillon? Seems like a quick spray with One Shot or one of the Dillon lubes would definitely stick while media dust may fall off.

I have also seen threads where guys are just giving the clean brass a quick wash in one of the automotive "Wash and Wax" products.

[ar15barrels]

Thanks. I do have my funnel very shiny and polished now.

Do you think the dry tumbling is more effective than case lube as suggested by Dillon? Seems like a quick spray with One Shot or one of the Dillon lubes would definitely stick while media dust may fall off.

I have also seen threads where guys are just giving the clean brass a quick wash in one of the automotive "Wash and Wax" products.

I am not a fan of ANY type of liquid lubes inside a case.
Stay with dry lubes.
The easiest method is to simply dry tumble.

[Revoman]

I wet tumble with SS pins and actually had that same issue while dry tumbling, even using Nu-finish as a polishing wax in the medium.
The polishing trick worked great for me at that time.
While I still wet tumble, I use a carwash soap that puts a minor amount of polymer on the brass. After many reloads, I find that there seems to be zero issues with this method and there is zero sticking in the flaring operation with any of my SDB's (I had 4 of them) post polish.

[rhodesengr]

I use a carwash soap that puts a minor amount of polymer on the brass. After many reloads, I find that there seems to be zero issues with this method and there is zero sticking in the flaring operation with any of my SDB's (I had 4 of them) post polish.

I just tried using the Turtlewax product I had on hand (Zipwax). I had just polished the funnel. I took about 10 new Starline 45ACP cases, I deburred in the inside rim, and dropped them in a solution of water and some Zipwax, rinsed and dried them. I ran them through my SDB. They felt ok, maybe some resistance coming out of the funnel. After this, there were clearly new vertical lines of brass forming like I had before polishing. So I don't think the Zipwax worked all that well if the lines were forming so soon. Maybe the rinsing took off any coating?. Without rinsing there were soap bubbles inside the cases.

Which product did you use and did you rinse them or not? Do you see the brass stripes forming?

[ar15barrels]

I just tried using the Turtlewax product I had on hand (Zipwax). I had just polished the funnel. I took about 10 new Starline 45ACP cases, I deburred in the inside rim, and dropped them in a solution of water and some Zipwax, rinsed and dried them. I ran them through my SDB. They felt ok, maybe some resistance coming out of the funnel. After this, there were clearly new vertical lines of brass forming like I had before polishing. So I don't think the Zipwax worked all that well if the lines were forming so soon. Maybe the rinsing took off any coating?. Without rinsing there were soap bubbles inside the cases.

Which product did you use and did you rinse them or not? Do you see the brass stripes forming?

The rinse has removed the wax.

If your goal in putting them into water with some wax mixed in was to leave a little bit of wax on them, you need to dry them without rinsing so that the little bit of wax remains on the cases as they dry.

[rhodesengr]

Does anyone understand why the brass deposits form vertical lines on the funnel? That seems strange to me. It suggests there small-scale ridges around the funnel tip. If the funnel was perfectly round, I would think the deposits would look more random.

[sofbak]

The rinse has removed the wax.

....

What asinine statement is this?!? How else does one use a car wash/WAX liquid. Does one leave the soapy suds on the car and let them dry in place? I don't think so, but I checked the Turtle Wax web site to be sure... For your perusal...

Go here, read this:

https://www.turtlewax.com/products/zip-wax-car-wash-wax-64-fl-oz

And if you didn't find it, let me quote the manufacturer...(third paragraph):

"And, as you wash, the dual-action formula leaves a layer of carnauba car wax for incredible shine and protection. You simply wash and wax in one fast step! Then, just RINSE and dry for incredible results, made incredibly easy."

OP may have used hot water for his rinse, or he did something else "not right". But definitely the Turtle Wax product is designed to be rinsed, with the carnuba let in place.

So who is typing without thinking now? Don't make me dig up your last goof over a dangerous .380 load. I can.......

[rhodesengr]

The instructions say to rinse so that's what I did and like I said, there were soapy bubble in the cases. I just used plain old cold tap water.

Stuff I ordered has started to come in. Tonight I am trying DIY Lanolin type. One is supposed to use 99% Isopropyl but that hasn't come in yet so I am trying some 70% I have on hand. The Lanolin didn't seem to easily dissolve in the 70%. Seemed like more of suspension that a solution. I also tried denatured ethanol and acetone. Lanolin doesn't dissolve in either of those at all. Maybe I am missing some sort of emulsifier.