powder weight check on dillon 550b

[bubbapug1]

I just weighed out fifteen samples of TAC on my dillon while setting up for .223 loading. TAC is a very fine ball powder. I felt it would be a better choice than reloader 15 for consistant metering, but the powder is not the whole and only variable.

I wanted to start out with around 22 grains. I settled on 22.3 and than pulled ten samples with the same case.

22.2 - 22.2 - 22.2 -22.4 -22.2 - 22.3-22.5- 22.3- 22.2- 22.4

Than I tapped the powder slide with a wrench slighlty to see if the powder would pack more tightly in the volumetic pocket an pulled another sample....24.1!!!

I went on ebay and bought a vibrating motor for an Iphone. I am going to mount it on the powder hopper in a few days. I noticed the more vibration on the ten samples, the higher the weight. I figure if I over vibrate the powder slide it will tamp down the powder to its maximum density for each dose and I will pull a tighter set of weights.

Has anyone tried this before?

[Revoman]

I bought an ABS 1-1/2" permanent cap, it fit a little tight so I sanded the rough part off and drilled a hole in the center to fit 1/4" threaded rod, ran the rod up through another hole drilled in the hopper cap and filled the upside-down ABS cap with..........what else? Bullets! It weighs down the powder and gives great results.

Only draw back is that when checking weights you have to put the powder back into the container, not the hopper or you dump the powder into your weigh-down apperatus.

[huckberry668]

consistant density is what gives your accurate powder charge each time. by tapping it you're settling it tightly. Not the way to go on a progressive when you speed up. The point is to get a consistant drop of charges. You see the little roof top looking part inside the bottom of the powder hopper? that's the baffle that fluffs up the powder as it drops into the bar so you get 'consistant density.

I measure the charge with brass in the charging station only then with brass in all 4 stations as if I'm reloading complete rounds to get a most accurate measure. Then I start my loading routine and check every 20 or 30 rounds. here is a trick, I found it stays consistant by keep the powder in the hopper at a certain minimum level (1/4 from top). Works even better for regular powder measure.

[anyracoon]

Might want to wipe down inside of powder measure with a anti-static sheet once in a while.