Advice…9MM Brass and Dillon 550 Powder Cone issue

Buzznrose

Buzznrose

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New Braunfels, TX
So I am a “KISS” (keeping it super simple) kinda guy…while still doing things properly.

I don’t want to sort 9MM brass…I don’t care about brand as long as it is in good shape…but my Dillon powder funnel is a fussy little sucker!

I prep all fired brass the same in 3 steps:

1. Wet tumble in dish soap and citric acid

2. Deprime on Lee single stage with Universal decapping die

3. Wet tumble in Armor All Wash Wax and just a pinch of citric acid.

Here’s the issue…when loading the brass, I kept having issues on the down stroke where the brass was hanging up on the powder funnel (which also bells the case mouth). I only expand the case enough to fully engage the powder throw and start a bullet, so it’s not like I’m pounding it way in. I went back and forth with this for a couple hours trying to get it right.

I emailed Dillon. They told me to buff the powder funnel and trim/clean up the inside of the brass using a chamfer/deburr tool. Did all that. But still had issues.

After realizing it was happening only sometimes, I decided to separate brass by headstamps. I had a lot and won’t list all, but the headstamps that had the least frequent issues (almost never) were Starline, Win, FC, Speer, Blazer, and PMC.

All the other stuff (Hornady, Geco, SB, Herters, and a bunch of other brands all had a lot of issues.

So I ask…should I buy a new powder funnel? I guess I could if someone thinks it might help.

Is this why folks sort 9MM?

I load 9MM far more than and other cartridge, but I’ve not had these issues with any other cartridge (.40, 10MM, .38, .357, or .45 ACP).

Thanks for any insights you can provide.
 
bihj said:
I had this same problem. Easy to solve. Your brass is to clean. Add some dust. If you have a vibrating tumbler, throw the brass in for a few minutes. If not, just put some tumbling media in a bucket, add brass, and shake a little. Separate the brass out and load it.
Click to expand...

I can try that…but why does it only happen with certain brands?
 
I just found the closed thread “ Can I get my cases too clean?” And there are some pretty good ideas there.

Can I get my cases too clean?

I have been wet tumbling some new range brass, both pistol and rifle and used Dawn and citric acid to get them really clean. I have been reading where some report the pistol brass wants to stick in the powder funnel. Other report that using car wash with a wax prevents the sticking problem. Hope...
www.thehighroad.org

I’m done loading 9MM for a while as I loaded 800 rounds this week, but I plan to try some one shot in one bucket and wet tumble with a good dallop of AAWW and water and see what happens.

I’ll probably also eliminate the citric acid on the second wet tumble from now on…
 
Buzznrose said:
So I am a “KISS” (keeping it super simple) kinda guy…while still doing things properly.

I don’t want to sort 9MM brass…I don’t care about brand as long as it is in good shape…but my Dillon powder funnel is a fussy little sucker!

I prep all fired brass the same in 3 steps:

1. Wet tumble in dish soap and citric acid

2. Deprime on Lee single stage with Universal decapping die

3. Wet tumble in Armor All Wash Wax and just a pinch of citric acid.

Here’s the issue…when loading the brass, I kept having issues on the down stroke where the brass was hanging up on the powder funnel (which also bells the case mouth). I only expand the case enough to fully engage the powder throw and start a bullet, so it’s not like I’m pounding it way in. I went back and forth with this for a couple hours trying to get it right.

I emailed Dillon. They told me to buff the powder funnel and trim/clean up the inside of the brass using a chamfer/deburr tool. Did all that. But still had issues.

After realizing it was happening only sometimes, I decided to separate brass by headstamps. I had a lot and won’t list all, but the headstamps that had the least frequent issues (almost never) were Starline, Win, FC, Speer, Blazer, and PMC.

All the other stuff (Hornady, Geco, SB, Herters, and a bunch of other brands all had a lot of issues.

So I ask…should I buy a new powder funnel? I guess I could if someone thinks it might help.

Is this why folks sort 9MM?

I load 9MM far more than and other cartridge, but I’ve not had these issues with any other cartridge (.40, 10MM, .38, .357, or .45 ACP).

Thanks for any insights you can provide.
Click to expand...
Stiction on the powder funnel is common with new brass and wet tumbled brass. Simple solution: Mix lanolin:99% iso alcohol at 1:20 and lube the brass with it....all your problems will cease with that. 1:20 is half the lanolin I use on bottleneck, and comes to .5 ounces of lanolin for 10 oz of alcohol. I use a plastic spray bottle from amazon. For reference, Dillon caselube is 1:10 lanolin:alcohol. Other things that work: Tumble it in corn/walnut dirty media for 20 or 30 minutes. Or polishing your dillon funnel, but that won't entirely eliminate it, and it will always come back. I just lube my brass now and no longer worry about it. I also have a DAA funnel that doesn't seem to have as much of an issue with it.
 
I take a qtip loaded with black powder lube and swab the inside of about every 5th case or so. Keeps things running smooth. I've also found that one of the bonuses of shooting cast pistol bullets is that the lube on my fingers from handling the bullets transfers to the cases. Doesn't help with the expander but does with the deprimer.
 
I will start by saying you do not need to lube pistol cases.

Now that that is out of the way, try using this just one time.

image.jpg

If you are like most that actually feel the difference for themselves, it won’t be the last time you do.
 
I’ve tried just about every lube on the market as well as the lanolin mix, and what I use now is 1 ½ oz of Hornady LIQUID one shot (not the wasteful aerosol) mixed with 12 oz of red Iso-Heet. The liquid does not affect primers or powder, no post-lube cleaning required. Just a couple sprays in a ziplock bag, shake, let the alcohol evaporate for 15 minutes, and reload. Leaves a nice slick (NOT sticky) coating on the brass that stays for weeks stored in another ziplock. How I came about this is another story….but this mix really works great.
 

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ReloaderNoob said:
I’ve tried just about every lube on the market as well as the lanolin mix, and what I use now is 1 ½ oz of Hornady LIQUID one shot (not the wasteful aerosol) mixed with 12 oz of red Iso-Heet. The liquid does not affect primers or powder, no post-lube cleaning required. Just a couple sprays in a ziplock bag, shake, let the alcohol evaporate for 15 minutes, and reload. Leaves a nice slick (NOT sticky) coating on the brass that stays for weeks stored in another ziplock. How I came about this is another story….but this mix really works great.
Click to expand...
Does this get into the case mouth as well?
 
Put your cases on a cookie sheet case mouth up and spray them with One Shot. Rotate the cookie sheet 180 degress and spray again. Some of the One Shot will get inside the case mouth.
 
A RCBS sizing die that maintains the case taper may help. It doesnt have a carbide ring like other dies. Its a tapered carbide insert.

https://www.starlinebrass.com/faqs/ Or From Starline Brass- The land for expanding case mouth is too long and when you begin to bell mouth the bottom of expander gets into the thicker taper of case and wedges causing it to be very hard to get back out. We have modified several by increasing radius on end and slightly shortening expanding land and this eliminated the problem completely.

9MM 2.JPG
 
Buzznrose said:
I’ll probably also eliminate the citric acid on the second wet tumble from now on…
Click to expand...
That's a good idea. The critric acid is for breaking down the carbon to be washed away...no need to use it a second time.

I lube my 9mm cases with a alcohol/lanolin mix (about 12/1) in a bag before processing. It cuts the effort of sizing in about half.

If you decide to get a new expanding/powder through insert, take a hard look at one with the M-die profile...the one I've use was from DAA, but there are others
 
I switched to wet tumble a long time ago and add citric acid to both the wash and rinse step, but it’s because I reuse the rinse water for the next wash cycle. If you deprime between these steps you may want to keep that citric acid as there’s a lot of carbon in the primer pockets. Your cases are going to be squeaky clean either way so a shot of lube will definitely help. I use One shot and it’s worked really well for me.
 
EricBu said:
Stiction on the powder funnel is common with new brass and wet tumbled brass. Simple solution: Mix lanolin:99% iso alcohol at 1:20 and lube the brass with it....all your problems will cease with that. 1:20 is half the lanolin I use on bottleneck, and comes to 0.5 ounces of lanolin for 10 oz of alcohol. I use a plastic spray bottle from Amazon. For reference, Dillon caselube is 1:10 lanolin:alcohol.
Click to expand...
Case lube is the correct answer.

Lay the brass you wish to lube on a old hand towel and knock them all onto their sides. Spritz the lube onto the brass with 2-3 quick spurts from 3 feet away. Then pick up the corners of the towel and jostle the brass while the lube is still wet. Enough will get on/into the case mouth to do the job. Using the same towel over and over improves your results.

You DO NOT need to...
• Spray directly inside the case mouth.
• Use a heavy coating of lanolin. Lanolin is an extremely efficient lube.
• Use all that brass immediately. I am still loading cases lubed over a year ago.
 
Buzznrose said:
Do you have a link? Does this replace the powder die insert in the Dillon?
Click to expand...
www.doublealpha.biz

Mr.BulletFeeder by DAA Powder Funnel - Dillon

Your Mr.Bulletfeeder® is supplied with a newly designed and improved powder funnel for Dillon. The powder funnel is a very important component of a bullet feeder of any kind, as it prepares the brass correctly so that the bullet can be seated in the case, and not tip over as you index t...
www.doublealpha.biz www.doublealpha.biz
 
Circling back to thank folks for the advice.

I finally had a chance to follow the advice provided. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up some walnut shell media and ran a bunch of clean 9MM through it with some Lucas polish. Loaded a couple dozen rounds and they ran through the case bell and powder die slicker than Sasquatch snot!

Thanks folks!

www.summitracing.com

Lucas Oil 10878-1 Lucas Gun Metal Polish & Tumbler Media Additives | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Lucas Gun Metal Polish & Tumbler Media Additives with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Polishing Compounds at Summit Racing.
www.summitracing.com www.summitracing.com
 
I use aerosol OneShot to solve this issue as it dries clean and will not contaminate powder. Im very leary about using lanolin based at any strength to lube pistol brass without tumbling it off. Some guys are obviously getting away with it, and maybe they will never have an issue. But why even invite Mr Murphy to the party?

The DAA funnel will help as well as the blunt funnel/expanders suck no matter the manufacturer. Its the same reason I use RBCS PTXs in my Hornady drops.
 
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