quick question, Dillon Powder check

[jmorris]

This has been more of a obsession than practical. I’m going to make the Ultimate Pro 4000 Lee press.

Thats what that is, I wanted the fastest Loadmaster and a PC die didn’t fit anywhere to achieve that goal.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Thats what that is, I wanted the fastest Loadmaster and a PC die didn’t fit anywhere to achieve that goal.

FCD didn’t work, will be using a seating crimp die in one

 

[Mark_Mark]

Dillion Powder Check WORKS on the Lee Pro 4000. You just need a slightly bigger washer. Look at the Photos

 

[lordpaxman]

I’m just trying to streamline my progressive process to not include looking in the case with rifle rounds. I’m making the Ultimate Pro 4000 press that will not use any Lee dies.

It’s your process, of course, but I still try to visually check for powder. The Dillon powder check die is not infallible, or should I say the CBLF that set it up failed to tighten the nut at the end of the rod and it self adjusted such that the throw wasn’t sufficient to engage the notch on the rod. Small wonder everything was passing.
You should also be careful not to adjust the throw too much, it’s all plastic and will break. Your setup looks good!

 

[EricBu]

will it work on any standard press?

Any progressive that has enough room in it's layout to put the powder check after the powder drop and not interfere with any other component, it will work. The RCBS powder check works well too. These powder checks/powder cops are not meant to be time savers Mark Mark, they are meant to be hand/eye/gun savers;-) They are primarily useful if you are loading on a progressive fast enough that your mark one issue eyeball can't look in each case, or if you are loading a cartridge that it is not easy to look into the case, or you are using a bullet feeder and no longer have an easy way to look in the case. I've also seen people who rigged up video cameras and use a tablet to verify, as well as lights and mirrors. I personally won't load without one, it's just another layer of security, but if you are doing low volume, low output, your eyeball can do the same thing.

 

[jmorris]

The Dillon powder check die is not infallible

It is a battery powered device as is their low primer alarms. The last thing I do before I start cycling the handle is check both for function.

 

[Mark_Mark]

It’s your process, of course, but I still try to visually check for powder. The Dillon powder check die is not infallible, or should I say the CBLF that set it up failed to tighten the nut at the end of the rod and it self adjusted such that the throw wasn’t sufficient to engage the notch on the rod. Small wonder everything was passing.
You should also be careful not to adjust the throw too much, it’s all plastic and will break. Your setup looks good!

thanks! what’s the throw?

 

[Mark_Mark]

Any progressive that has enough room in it's layout to put the powder check after the powder drop and not interfere with any other component, it will work. The RCBS powder check works well too. These powder checks/powder cops are not meant to be time savers Mark Mark, they are meant to be hand/eye/gun savers;-) They are primarily useful if you are loading on a progressive fast enough that your mark one issue eyeball can't look in each case, or if you are loading a cartridge that it is not easy to look into the case, or you are using a bullet feeder and no longer have an easy way to look in the case. I've also seen people who rigged up video cameras and use a tablet to verify, as well as lights and mirrors. I personally won't load without one, it's just another layer of security, but if you are doing low volume, low output, your eyeball can do the same thing.

I was having a impossible time looking into the .223 case. and juggling with tapping and adjusting the case feeder. I just needed a audio warning, I wish the Lock-out die would work for rifles.

Next step, new case feeder and a new case activated powder drop. and a crimp die.

 

[Mark_Mark]

It is a battery powered device as is their low primer alarms. The last thing I do before I start cycling the handle is check both for function.

very NICE! very meditative

 

[Mark_Mark]

$530 for a case feeder, wonder if the Mini will work on the Lee Pro 4000

 

[lordpaxman]

thanks! what’s the throw?

What I meant was, the vertical rod where you have your large flat washer at the end, is adjustable in length, and tips the plastic head with the metal pin against the notched rod. If that distance is too long when your press cycles down and engages the powder check, it’s plastic vs metal, and, one will win.

 

[Mark_Mark]

What I meant was, the vertical rod where you have your large flat washer at the end, is adjustable in length, and tips the plastic head with the metal pin against the notched rod. If that distance is too long when your press cycles down and engages the powder check, it’s plastic vs metal, and, one will win.

that’s what I thought too. Was check if I was unaware of something else

 

[BushMaster-15]

I sincerely doubt there is a better more accurate progressive anvil powder measure on the market ,than Dillon's !.
MY scales DON'T lie ,if I set it for 76 Grains ,it throws 76 grains . If I set it for 5.6 grains it throws 5.6 grains ,each and every time .

Having multitudes of them ,along with their respective Dies setup on tool heads , I can switch calibers in a matter of 5 minutes by simply changing shell plates ( Provided small or large primer charging are same ) as that requires additional time to set .

This is one of My Original older 550's ,which I bought from Mike Dillon in the late 80's and it still produces EXCELLENT QUALITY ammunition ,provided one does their part

 

[Mark_Mark]

I sincerely doubt there is a better more accurate progressive anvil powder measure on the market ,than Dillon's !.
MY scales DON'T lie ,if I set it for 76 Grains ,it throws 76 grains . If I set it for 5.6 grains it throws 5.6 grains ,each and every time .

Having multitudes of them ,along with their respective Dies setup on tool heads , I can switch calibers in a matter of 5 minutes by simply changing shell plates ( Provided small or large primer charging are same ) as that requires additional time to set .

This is one of My Original older 550's ,which I bought from Mike Dillon in the late 80's and it still produces EXCELLENT QUALITY ammunition ,provided one does their part

You know if the powder drop on the SDB is the same as Dillions other drops?

If I have time tonight, I’m going to try to fit it on my Lee Pro 4000

 

[BushMaster-15]

You know if the powder drop on the SDB is the same as Dillions other drops?

If I have time tonight, I’m going to try to fit it on my Lee Pro 4000

I don't know about that .

 

[Mark_Mark]

I don't know about that .

one way to find out!!!

 

[BushMaster-15]

one way to find out!!!

I'm sorry we were in the middle of a horrific Cat fight here ,so the Boss had to deal some authority .

Dillon Square Deal B , UH Duh I was wondering WHT was SDB ? . Bingo they are Identical powder throws as far as I'm aware of . They are Identical on My RL 550 and 650 ,I went back and looked at some photo's of a Friends 900 and they ALL appear universal . I could be wrong but looking at them close up I see NO differences .

An Email to Dillon will confirm your suspicions but they look Identical to ME

 

[Mark_Mark]

I'm sorry we were in the middle of a horrific Cat fight here ,so the Boss had to deal some authority .

Dillon Square Deal B , UH Duh I was wondering WHT was SDB ? . Bingo they are Identical powder throws as far as I'm aware of . They are Identical on My RL 550 and 650 ,I went back and looked at some photo's of a Friends 900 and they ALL appear universal . I could be wrong but looking at them close up I see NO differences .

An Email to Dillon will confirm your suspicions but they look Identical to ME

I just remember, SDB has a small die size, so I would need an adapter

 

[Mark_Mark]

@jmorris will this powder thru die work for .223 or do they have different sizes.

converting my .45 ACP SDB powder drop into my Lee Pro 4000

 

[BushMaster-15]

@jmorris will this powder thru die work for .223 or do they have different sizes.

converting my .45 ACP SDB powder drop into my Lee Pro 4000
View attachment 1093793

OK up to speed heck of a day around here !. The Powder Drop die accommodates caliber specific charge activator internally ,internal and external dimensions of Die Body are Identical . Std. 7/8-14 thread . As a caliber conversion from Dillon would consists of a shell plate location specific pins and a caliber specific charge puck ,which are ALL included in a caliber conversion . I've Never purchased a charge puck ( what I call them ) separately . I'm Not up to speed on Lee anything or Hornady either . RCBS Dillon YES . Sorry

https://www.dillonprecision.com/med...255,255,255&fit=bounds&height=&width=&canvas=:

 

[Mark_Mark]

OK up to speed heck of a day around here !. The Powder Drop die accommodates caliber specific charge activator internally ,internal and external dimensions of Die Body are Identical . Std. 7/8-14 thread . As a caliber conversion from Dillon would consists of a shell plate location specific pins and a caliber specific charge puck ,which are ALL included in a caliber conversion . I've Never purchased a charge puck ( what I call them ) separately . I'm Not up to speed on Lee anything or Hornady either . RCBS Dillon YES . Sorry

https://www.dillonprecision.com/med...255,255,255&fit=bounds&height=&width=&canvas=:

what you do? run a nuke power plant?

thanks for the link!

 

[BushMaster-15]

Mark Mark ; Here's a couple of photos showing a typical Dillon charge caliber specific puck . The pucks are ALL same outer Dia, but sholder neck angle cartridge specific . As one end is a mirror case image ,the other rams up against the powder measure and activates the charge drop .
Don't know if that helps or Not as I've NO clue how a Lee works . Pistol pucks are slightly different but same principle Dia. x height . .308 is Same as 30-06 their interchangeable .

And Thank You for bringing all of this up ,as it seems I need to toss some Dies and parts into the vibratory polisher and clean up some obliviously Filthy pieces

 

[BushMaster-15]

what you do? run a nuke power plant?

thanks for the link!

https://www.sound-image.com/

NO I'm retired or at least that's what people keep saying , Yet there's always ONE MORE THING which needs doing .
Seems I'm either gonna go back to Aerospace where I can really have days off or sneak out of State where NO one will Know who or where I am

I still dabble or moonlight with design in composite lamination schedules ,generally Aircraft but some Spaceships and Drone also . And in addition I helped design approve hardware changes and revisions for Industrial jungle gyms ( concert audio staging suspension rigging ,as in Parabolic sound enclosures ) I also certified their structural integrity ,of which cannot fail ( MY John Henry is on the Bottom Line ) The work No one ever sees but hears and prays NEVER COMES DOWN . Unless dismantled By Sound engineers aka Roadies .

https://www.scaled.com/

https://www.sound-image.com/

 

[Kra961]

I was having a impossible time looking into the .223 case. and juggling with tapping and adjusting the case feeder. I just needed a audio warning, I wish the Lock-out die would work for rifles.

Next step, new case feeder and a new case activated powder drop. and a crimp die.

I have the 750 and worked with both of Dillon’s powder check dies, aside from the fact the neither had a stem for the 223 round the other issue I ran into was the the rod was picking up powder and either dumping it in between cycles or dumping it into the next case either way I give up on any thought of knowing what my powder charge was either+-
. I did setup a microscope tied to my laptop looking into the case to check the charge, it worked after a bit I found it was just easier to look into the case.
The Dillon is great for doing some things like pumping out pistol rounds I’ve done a large number 9mm and it works well.
it does sizing and decapping as well as trimming very well for rifle rounds but it doesn’t do precision rifle ammo.

 

[jmorris]

@jmorris will this powder thru die work for .223 or do they have different sizes.

View attachment 1093793

Those will work with any of them except the SD (special dies), for the powder measure or the powder check system.

Only time I had to modify one was to clear the OD of the 458 SOCOM (it’s too fat).

Of course you have to pick the correct powder funnel for the caliber. Pistol funnels, incorporate an expander and bell (except for presses with a swage station), rifle ones don’t expand or bell.