Dillon 1050 setup

[armyguy209]

Hey guys. My Dillon 1050 came this evening and I have been trying to set it up all day. I barely gave up on it. I think I pretty much am done with it but I seem to be having one problem that I can't figure out. I am still messing with setting up a powder charge on it. For some reason, every time I pull the charge, it dispenses the charge like it should but on the upstroke powder is spilling out from somewhere. It is not coming from the case because the case only has the right amount, such as 21 grains, so it is not overflowing. The powder is coming from somewhere else, which I think is coming from the powder bar. Any help is appreciated. It is making a huge mess and wasting powder.

[alfred1222]

Go slowly on one stroke, and watch the powder measure. look to see exactly where the powder is leaking from. If its the powder bar, than maybe tighten it up or make sure all the parts are installed correctly. But if youre loading 223, and it sounds like youre running some sort of rifle, try slowing down a bit. As in, downstroke, hold for 1 second, upstroke. That way, youre powder measure gets the chance to dispence all of the powder into the shell

[Solus]

I was getting powder spillage from my powder check die on my 650. Check that it can be the culprit

[EL_NinO619]

Make sure the powder measure is completely seated on the powder die and locked down tight. If its just a few granules then it may be just sticking to the powder alarm die. Looks like you loading .223, pretty top heavy case and powder can fling out every now and then if your moving fast. And if your using stick powder it could be cutting it and dropping it once you cycle the press.

[Asmodai]

Check these things

Powder funnel:

* is it totally smooth inside? No burrs to catch powder?

Check for defects and polish any out.

* static electricity keeping extra powder in funnel?

Wash the funnel in soapy water and let air dry.

Also empty hopper of powder and wipe the inside of the hopper with an anti-static dryer sheet to eliminate static electricity then refill it

[armyguy209]

Ok guys. I went back out and messed with it a little bit. It is not coming from the charge bar. The powder is falling out of the die when I lift it back up. I tried going slow, leaving it there for a second or two, and then lifting back up. I tried it every way and it keeps spilling powder.

Another problem I am having is that the adjustment screw is all the way in, and it just won't let me get past 22.5 grains. I am loading .223 with H335 powder. I am trying to start off at 24 grains. I think I need to switch to the large charge bar to at least maybe fix this problem.

As far as the pouring out powder problem, I have no idea.

[Bill Steele]

I would degrease the die/expender with acetone inside and out. After it is completely dry, I would pour a pound of high graphite powder through it (something like like BL-C(2), Bullseye, etc.). Should fix that problem.

On the charge bar, check to make sure you have the large charge bar in the drop.

[armyguy209]

Thanks Bill.

It actually had the small bar so I switched it out to the large bar now. As far as the powder, all I have is h335. I do have some power pistol on the way though if that will work. How hard is it to reset the powder drop die once you take it out?

[Bill Steele]

Thanks Bill.

It actually had the small bar so I switched it out to the large bar now. As far as the powder, all I have is h335. I do have some power pistol on the way though if that will work. How hard is it to reset the powder drop die once you take it out?

H335 should work fine, just pour it through until you start seeing a light coating of graphite.

On setting the dies, the powder drop is the easiest to adjust (not that any of them are all that difficult), but if you don't want to deal with it, you can clean the powder die in place. Just take the hopper off, push the guts out the top and clean them in break-cleaner/acetone. You can pour some acetone down through the body and catch it with a cup, recycle it a few times. That should get any oil out. Then just cycle the powder through to coat things with graphite dust. That should do it.

If you are still leaking after that, my guess would be something is mis-matched part number wise.

[armyguy209]

Hey Bill thanks for the help. I think we are good now. I took the hopper off and emtied out the powder. I washed it with a little soap on a sponge and let the soap dry. Then I shot it out really good with my air compressor to make sure it was dry. Then I popped out the rifle funnel from inside of the die and cleaned it out really good with MEK and qtips. I set it aside to let it dry. I left the actual die in place. I looked down it with a flashlight just to see. There were little spots of like glue all down the inside. I used an brand new ar15 cleaning brush and scrubbed it all off. Then I put MEK on a cloth and pulled it back and forth through the die. I finished it off with some MEK qtips. Then I shot it with air really good. I also installed the large powder bar. I decided to set it at 23.5 grains of h335 for my 55gr vmax and zmax. I don't need a super high load. I just want an all around good round for any ar-15. I looked in all three of my laoding manuals and they differ quite a bit on powder load. Hornady max is like 23.2 whereas Hodgdon max is like 25.3.

I am using Cci#41 and Cci400 primers and lake city brass.

Right now I gave 10 pulls with the same piece of brass and measured it with my RCBS chargemaster 1500. They all came out at 23.4-23.6 and one 23.7. They didn't vary from that. Also no more powder leak.

[Bill Steele]

Hey Bill thanks for the help. I think we are good now. I took the hopper off and emtied out the powder. I washed it with a little soap on a sponge and let the soap dry. Then I shot it out really good with my air compressor to make sure it was dry. Then I popped out the rifle funnel from inside of the die and cleaned it out really good with MEK and qtips. I set it aside to let it dry. I left the actual die in place. I looked down it with a flashlight just to see. There were little spots of like glue all down the inside. I used an brand new ar15 cleaning brush and scrubbed it all off. Then I put MEK on a cloth and pulled it back and forth through the die. I finished it off with some MEK qtips. Then I shot it with air really good. I also installed the large powder bar. I decided to set it at 23.5 grains of h335 for my 55gr vmax and zmax. I don't need a super high load. I just want an all around good round for any ar-15. I looked in all three of my laoding manuals and they differ quite a bit on powder load. Hornady max is like 23.2 whereas Hodgdon max is like 25.3.

I am using Cci#41 and Cci400 primers and lake city brass.

Right now I gave 10 pulls with the same piece of brass and measured it with my RCBS chargemaster 1500. They all came out at 23.4-23.6 and one 23.7. They didn't vary from that. Also no more powder leak.

Excellent.

The best way to determine what the right load is usually means doing a ladder from start to max in like .3gr increments (for 223). Do ten of each level and shoot for groups. Usually there will be a couple nodes that jump out that have significantly better groups. Generally I pick the lower one if I am punching paper. Then start cranking.

Next step, you have to get that conveyor belt setup to feed all the components you are going to burn through...

Have fun, good luck.

[armyguy209]

Haha yeah I will need one soon. I would like to get a Mr. Bulletfeeder and that will be about it, other than the .40cal conversion kit setup/toolhead, and the separate toolhead for case prep.

How do you ladder your load when you are getting that kind of a spread though(23.4-23.6)?

I was also considering getting a cheaper chronograph to see what my loads are doing FPS, so that I can really know where my loads are putting me. The goal would be to get to 2900-3000 FPS for my .223 loads.

[Bill Steele]

Haha yeah I will need one soon. I would like to get a Mr. Bulletfeeder and that will be about it, other than the .40cal conversion kit setup/toolhead, and the separate toolhead for case prep.

How do you ladder your load when you are getting that kind of a spread though(23.4-23.6)?

I was also considering getting a cheaper chronograph to see what my loads are doing FPS, so that I can really know where my loads are putting me. The goal would be to get to 2900-3000 FPS for my .223 loads.

When you get to a good node, you might find that spread is just fine (wide node). I have a Uniquetek Micrometer on my powder bar, so once I calibrate a given powder, I get pretty consistent steps (within the drop consistency of a given powder), but you can do it by just advancing a flat or a flat and a half on the adjustor screw, etc. Also, you will likely get even closer drops with your ball powders as you refine your technique and things get more coated with graphite.

I have a couple of chrony's, I highly recommend them. I actually use the cheapest one quite a bit and it works great with a cheap camera tripod: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852...al-chronograph

[30-338]

ladder testing

ArmyGuy...Ladder testing has to be done at distances of more than 100 yards. I am not sure of the minimum effective range. Many of the articles you read are 1000 yard shooters. I tried it once not knowing that 100 yards was inadequate and wasted a nice batch of ammo only to see it almost all cluster together with no discernible pattern . I think the rule of thumb might be at least 300 yards...or thereabouts.

And the variability of the charge will also be working against you. You might want to weigh each charge at this step. Good luck and keep us posted 30-338

Here is a worth while article http://www.6mmbr.com/laddertest.html

[tiller]

Haha yeah I will need one soon. I would like to get a Mr. Bulletfeeder and that will be about it, other than the .40cal conversion kit setup/toolhead, and the separate toolhead for case prep.

How do you ladder your load when you are getting that kind of a spread though(23.4-23.6)?

I was also considering getting a cheaper chronograph to see what my loads are doing FPS, so that I can really know where my loads are putting me. The goal would be to get to 2900-3000 FPS for my .223 loads.

lol you just said you have a chargemaster.... USE IT