How accurate is your Dillion 550?

[draconianruler]

I'm having problems with my 550 dispensing the same amount of powder (shooting for 42.5 grains). It varies by as much as + and - 0.5 grains. I'm using the large powder bar and trying to dispense IMR 4895. Is this normal?

[Gunsrruss]

Extruded Powder

Extruded Powded doesn't meeter very well. You will get that kind of swing. Ball powders are better. I wouldn't use the powder bar for rifle loads. That's just my opinion. I mostly shoot rifle matches and need exact loads for consistancy.

[rksimple]

My Dillon chokes with most extruded powders. I stick to ball powders with it for now.

[Fjold]

I use ball, flake or the short cut extruded powders in my Dillons. Very few powder measures meter extruded powders accurately so I don't use them in my progressive presses.

[Kiba]

As others have said... 4895 and other longer-stick extruded powders do not meter very well no matter what kind of powder throw you are using.

Try a different powder... hopefully you can find a powder both your dillon meters well and your rifle shoots well.

With 42.5gr of 4895 my guess is you are loading for .308... looking at a burn rate chart, I have not tried it yet until I deplete my stock of 4064 and 4895 but I've heard that H4895 meters much better than IMR 4895 (and the burn rates are VERY close) and just a few spots down the chart is Vhit N-135 which meters quite well and I have had excellent luck with in .308. Varget also tends to work well in .308. Varget is extruded too but much shorter grains than 4895 and typically meters pretty good, within about .2 grains in my Redding 3BR throw.

[30Cal]

I get a pretty steady 0.2-0.3grs with mine using IMR4895 which makes for excellent match ammo. The key to ANY powder measure is to operate the press smoothly and consistantly.

I recommend you weight and record 50 consecutive charges. This will teach you where you're getting sloppy, and you'll learn how to spot when you're going to get a bad charge.

Ty

[tteng]

This is how I understand it:
If I dump a number of ball-bearings into a bucket, I'll get the same amount(the way they stack up) in a fix volume everytime. If I dump lego blocks (or small cylinder objects), the amount will be different given the same volume. So the closer an object is to a round ball, the more uniformity it'll occupy a given space.

[madwarrior]

MY 550 does fine for me. But I believe that I can get better accuracy by using my single stage press. It takes longer, but I feel I have more control over every stage. I do love my 550 when I am doing pistol ammo.

[PistolPete75]

not accurate enough for my precision loads. +/- 0.5 grains using extruded powder.

my go to press for precision loads is a single stage forestor.

[draconianruler]

Thanks for the info. Yes, its for .308. I'll try being consistent and smooth to see if I can reduce the variable amounts. After I use up all the IMR4895, I'll try Varget and see if that is any better. If not, I guess I'll have to reload on the single stage press.

[Jicko]

It is all depending on your usage.

IPSC/IDPA/3-guns (anything short distances, max up to 200-300yds).... the variance is not going to affect you all that much.... then progressive, not-so-accurate & consistant reloader will work.

PrecisionRifleMatch/NRARifleMatch/Tactical/LongRangeMatch (600, 800, 1000yds and more)... where consistency is king, perfect and expected muzzle velocity translate to exact bullet drop matters.... then, you need accurate powder drop, and consistant seating depth etc.... then... you need to go single stage.

With that said.... my pistol rounds, plinking 223s.... my RL550B

My tactical shooting, long range shooting 223 and 308.... RCBS single stage press, with electronic powder dispenser and scale..... (and my next investment will be a micrometer seating die)

Afterall, I crank out a LOT of rounds FAST with my RL550B cuz 1 stage can go up to like 50 rounds..... while the whole LongRangeMatch may be 20rounds only, so single stag'ing the rounds isn't all that BAD

[Jicko]

If u dun already have a single-stage, you can still use your 550B, you just need a more accurate way to dump and measure powder....

Electronic dispenser and scale IS the way to go.... or else.... people have been do rough powder drop and then trickle powder to the exact weight

[30Cal]

Thanks for the info. Yes, its for .308. I'll try being consistent and smooth to see if I can reduce the variable amounts. After I use up all the IMR4895, I'll try Varget and see if that is any better. If not, I guess I'll have to reload on the single stage press.

Try this (talking about rifle handloads):

First, pull out the powder funnel (in the powder die) and clamp it lightly in a vise. Get a 1/4" wide strip of crocus cloth and run it through the funnel and go to town.

I keep only one shell at a time on the shellplate. Before I run the shell into the powder die, I tap the base of the powdermeasure once. If you jar a shell up against the base of a die, or slam the press or whatever, the next charge will be heavy. Just dump it.

If you get out of order because you dumped a charge or are just starting out and trying to get it dialled in, keep in mind what the powder charge expects to see when you get into your production mode. For mine, that would be:
1. Pump (resize)
2. Tap
3. Pump (Dispense powder)
If you have to dump a charge, make sure you do a pump fake to keep the press as close as possible to that production mode.

With a little bit of thought and attentiveness, it works very well.


Somebody outta tell David Tubb that a progressive isn't good enough for LR.

[6079Winston]

An article in a handloading book I have mentions removing the powder measure from a progressive press and replacing it with a funnel. Charges are weighed and poured through the funnel into the case. A Lyman Chargemaster might even be able to keep up. Having said that, the measure on the Dillon should be able to throw within +/-.3gr with the proper technique and powder selection. As others have said you really don't need +/-.1gr unless you are shooting too close to maximum or are shooting beyond 600 yards. Even then, I think the U.S Palma team had all their practice ammo loaded on a Dillon several years ago.

[anyracoon]

I use RCBS's case activated linkage and a RCBS uniflow powder measure on my dillon's when I use stick powders. Here is a link-http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=802477
Works great with the micro-meter adjustment.