See post 24, think I've got this sorted.
I've searched the forum but I don't see anything that seems to address my specific issue, but please correct me if I'm wrong!
I reload on a Dillon 650 and am using the Dillon 650 powder measure. I have found that it meters ball powders the best. The problem I'm having is that it seems to spill what seems like a lot of powder.
For example, I loaded up 500 rounds of .223 tonight using AA 2230 powder. I'm charging at 25 gr and using Hornady FMJBT 55gr bullets. It generally meters to +/- 0.1 gr (although that is also the accuracy limit of my scale). I get the best metering when I wait a few seconds (4-5 "one thousands") at both the top and bottom of the stroke.
I would periodically hit the shell plate area with an air puffer. After I was done for the evening and was cleaning up my bench and floor, I would say I had several cartridges worth of spilled powder. I did not have any accidental powder dumps from failure to seat a bullet.
I do not believe this is a spillage due to indexing "snap" problem, as there's still a decent amount of room in the cartridge and I have the shell plate adjusted reasonably well. I get full travel of the powder bar (white cube) in both directions, so I believe that is also adjusted properly.
Things I've tried:
I get some spillage when loading for other calibers, though not all of them are using ball powder. The spillage isn't anywhere near as bad. For reference, .45 Auto using AA#5 (ball), 10mm using blue dot (flake), .44 Mag using 2400 (I think this is short extruded?). The .45 Auto might just not be as bad because the charge is substantially less than with .223, though. The pistol caliber spillage could also be indexing related I suppose since the cartridges are shorter.
Is this kind of spillage on a Dillon just common with ball powders, or is there something I can do about it? Any help would be appreciated.
I've searched the forum but I don't see anything that seems to address my specific issue, but please correct me if I'm wrong!
I reload on a Dillon 650 and am using the Dillon 650 powder measure. I have found that it meters ball powders the best. The problem I'm having is that it seems to spill what seems like a lot of powder.
For example, I loaded up 500 rounds of .223 tonight using AA 2230 powder. I'm charging at 25 gr and using Hornady FMJBT 55gr bullets. It generally meters to +/- 0.1 gr (although that is also the accuracy limit of my scale). I get the best metering when I wait a few seconds (4-5 "one thousands") at both the top and bottom of the stroke.
I would periodically hit the shell plate area with an air puffer. After I was done for the evening and was cleaning up my bench and floor, I would say I had several cartridges worth of spilled powder. I did not have any accidental powder dumps from failure to seat a bullet.
I do not believe this is a spillage due to indexing "snap" problem, as there's still a decent amount of room in the cartridge and I have the shell plate adjusted reasonably well. I get full travel of the powder bar (white cube) in both directions, so I believe that is also adjusted properly.
Things I've tried:
- Waiting a few seconds (4-5 "one thousands" at the top and bottom of the stroke
- Giving the handle a tap at the top and bottom of the stroke
- Zip-tying a fish tank air pump (for vibration) to the side of the powder measure
- Doing all of the above at once
I get some spillage when loading for other calibers, though not all of them are using ball powder. The spillage isn't anywhere near as bad. For reference, .45 Auto using AA#5 (ball), 10mm using blue dot (flake), .44 Mag using 2400 (I think this is short extruded?). The .45 Auto might just not be as bad because the charge is substantially less than with .223, though. The pistol caliber spillage could also be indexing related I suppose since the cartridges are shorter.
Is this kind of spillage on a Dillon just common with ball powders, or is there something I can do about it? Any help would be appreciated.
Last edited: