Dillon 650 powder measure questions

[Steve H]

I got the 650 up and running today!!!!!! Tow questions have come up.

#1 - I'm loading 5.8grs. of unique, the measure is throwing anywhere from 5.7 to 5.9 Is this normal for this measure?

#2 - Is there a "fast way" to empty the measure in order to change powders? Looks to me that you have to take it off the machine, dump it out and give it a clean out. Which after thinking about it is probably the smartest way to go.....

 

[EddieNFL]

1. It is with Unique. Polishing the internals may help.

2. Not sure, but there may be a upgrade that allows emptying while on the press. I pull the entire toolhead and dump it.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

1. If your measure is that consistent w/ Unique, don't complain.
2. No easy way except to remove it and dump.

 

[rfwobbly]

#2 - Is there a "fast way" to empty the measure in order to change powders?

If you think about it, the measure is only held on by an op rod and 2 socket head screws. A) You'll get faster with more time on the machine. B) There are some tools that help. Here's what and how I do it....

► Splurge and buy yourself a funnel with a 6" mouth. Cut the small end to leave a 1/2-5/8" opening.
► Go to a tool store (Home Depot has these) and buy a set of "ball end" hex keys
► On raising the ram, the op rod pops right off
► Stick the long end of your new "ball end" hex key into the 5/32 socket head screw
► Never tighten the 10-24UNC screws tighter than you can get them by turning the short end of the hex key; that also means you can loosen the screws with the same short end.
► Don't take the screws all the way out, just back each of them off ~1/4" or so

Using this system you can remove the powder measure in about 15 seconds. Use the funnel to dump the powder back into the correct can. Then empty the slide by holding the measure upright over the funnel in the left hand, while pushing up on the 2 gold op plates on the RH side. The slide will operate and the last of the powder will pour out the bottom.

You can completely remove and empty a Dillon powder measure in under a minute doing it this way.

To speed things up further, buy an extra measure. Then you can have one set up full-time for pistol and another setup for rifle. Changing the slide is what takes all the time.

 

[wmurphy]

These work well to dump powder without removing from the press:
http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1347

 

[jmorris]

Changing the slide is what takes all the time.

It's only held in with one socket head cap screw. You don't even need to remove it, just back it off a bit and swap powder bars. It's a lot cheaper than an entire measure and having preset bars saves a bunch of time.

 

[GW Staar]

I don't know a thing about Dillon's powder measure, but I've used a lot of Unique out of my RCBS Uniflow P.M. the last 40 years. What I and many others have found, is that Unique meters much better using a baffle a third of the way up the powder hopper, and a coat of paste wax allowed to dry and buffed inside the funnel casting. Polishing the internals isn't necessary in the Uniflow's case. Perhaps the same would work for Dillon measures as well.

 

[coalman]

+/- .1gr is common with many powders and progressive presses and will deliver more accuracy than most shooters are capable. I run Unique with excellent results. I often just leave the powder in the hopper as I reload regularly.