2400 in .30 Carbine

[Havok7416]

Hey guys,

I am currently loading H110 in .22 Hornet and I am running into all kinds of trouble. My Dillon 550 won't meter the powder to save its life. Originally I bought the powder to load for .30 Carbine and the .22 Hornet stumbled into the picture.

Does anyone load either cartridge using 2400 powder and does it meter properly?

 

[rcmodel]

2400 is all I have ever used in the .30 Carbine.

However if H-110 won't meter for you, it's a pretty safe bet 2400 will meter worse.
It just don't get much better then ball powder like H-110 when it comes to powder measures.

I don't know what kind of problems you are having with the Dillon, but often times inconsistent measuring can be traced back to inconsistent press operation.

If you shake or jar the press & measure one time, and operate it smoothly the next, you will get inconsistent powder throws regardless of the type of powder.

rc

 

[Havok7416]

My press is extremely old and several parts have required replacement or repair since I acquired it. The powder measure however is brand new. I run Bullseye through it with no problems although that's a little bigger powder. As far as I can tell every throw is fairly consistent with no shaking or jarring of the press.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

My Dillon 550 won't meter the powder to save its life.

this is very vague. can you be more specific?

 

[Havok7416]

this is very vague. can you be more specific?

I can set the powder drop to a specific amount and it works - for about 10 cases. After that it meters powder consistently 1 grain or more low.

 

[rcmodel]

Powder has to be settled in the reservoir to give consistent throws.

When you fill the hopper, run 10 or so charges through it, then check the weight.
Adjust as necessary then do it again.

Once you get it set with the powder packed down like it is when loading, it should stay the same until the powder level starts getting low.l

After you fill it back up, throw some more charges until it settles down again.

rc

 

[JohnM]

A baffle helps a lot with a cantankerous measure too.
Some guys even put in two.

 

[Hondo 60]

The dillon measure has a baffle in it.

rc has it in post #6.

When you fill the hopper, run 10 or so charges through it, then check the weight.
Adjust as necessary then do it again.

Once you get it set with the powder packed down like it is when loading, it should stay the same until the powder level starts getting low.l

After you fill it back up, throw some more charges until it settles down again.

 

[Havok7416]

That's actually how I figured out I had a problem haha! I always throw 10 charges before I start loading just to be sure. Today when I got to the press the powder had been sitting for almost 24 hours and still no change. I will be calling Dillon in the morning to see if I can exchange the powder measure out.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

what are you using to weigh your charges?

 

[Havok7416]

I have a balance beam scale plus one more as backup.

 

[medalguy]

After I fill the hopper I take a crescent wrench and tap the metal part of the Dillon powder measure about 25 times, or until the powder doesn't seem to be settlilng any more. I throw about 5 loads, then start measuring powder. I find this pretty well eliminates the variance.

 

[Havok7416]

That sounds like a good idea. I can here powder grinding when the powder bar moves so powder is definitely leaking.

 

[rcmodel]

See this old thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-373675.html

rc

 

[Havok7416]

Cool, thanks RC!

 

[Fatelvis]

Sounds like Dillon needs to tighten up it's tolerances on their measures.

 

[Havok7416]

Again I have a very old press. When I called to get some extra funnels and dies they said I had the old part numbers which they no longer use. I'm not sure when they changed over but many of the parts I have are well-tarnished (I bought most of it used).

 

[budman46]

havok,
three or four years ago, i had the same problem with h110 in an old square deal b; i called dillon, described the problem and they sent a fix...

 

[Havok7416]

What was the fix?

 

[budman46]

havok,

it's been a while but i think they sent me a new metering bar.

dillon is tricky...they sell stuff that i have gotten for free...maybe it depends on how you talk to them. good luck!