Reloading Rifle Rounds on a Progressive Press Question

[cfullgraf]

Thanks, 178 shovel. I'm seeing a trend of guys using Hornady powder measures on their Dillon presses when loading rifle rounds. Do Hornady measures meter better than Dillons just with stick rifle powders, or with other powders, too? Should I pick up a Hornady measure, or would an RCBS uniflow that I have work as well?

Thanks,

-John

The Hornady L-N-L powder measure and the RCBS Uniflow are of the same design, a drum style powder measure. The Dillon is a sliding bar style.

Many report problems with consistency of charges with stick powders when using the Dillon powder measure.

Since the Hornady and RCBS powder measure set ups screw into a 7/8"-14 thread, either could be used on a Dillon 550 or 650.

I have all three measures and like them although I have not used the Dillon measure for rifle charges.

Unless you have money to burn, I would work with the Dillon first. If it does not give you the consistency you want, then invest in one of the others.

 

[One78Shovel]

Originally Posted by John C  
Thanks, 178 shovel. I'm seeing a trend of guys using Hornady powder measures on their Dillon presses when loading rifle rounds. Do Hornady measures meter better than Dillons just with stick rifle powders, or with other powders, too? Should I pick up a Hornady measure, or would an RCBS uniflow that I have work as well?

Thanks,

-John 

The Hornady L-N-L powder measure and the RCBS Uniflow are of the same design, a drum style powder measure. The Dillon is a sliding bar style.

Many report problems with consistency of charges with stick powders when using the Dillon powder measure. 

Since the Hornady and RCBS powder measure set ups screw into a 7/8"-14 thread, either could be used on a Dillon 550 or 650.

I have all three measures and like them although I have not used the Dillon measure for rifle charges.

Unless you have money to burn, I would work with the Dillon first. If it does not give you the consistency you want, then invest in one of the others. 
__________________
Chuck

John- The flake powder is a real PIA on using the Dillon measure. I have no issue with ball powder.

As for the L-N-L; I have it mounted on my bench instead of having it installed on the press. Either way will work for you.

I receommend the L-N-L as you can get 100 each free bullets as part of their mail in rebate.

Good luck

-178S

 

[jmorris]

I first tumble then run them through the annealer. After that they take a trip through a 650 with a size die in #1 and the trimmer on #3. Then into the 1050 where they are swaged and loaded. Use the Dillon powder measure with ball powders like winchester 748, ramshot TAC ,etc.

Single stage presses work fine if you don't shoot much or have tons of time to load. After the brass is ready to go my 1050 can load 100 rounds in 2.5 minutes and the ammo will shoot moa out of a decent rifle.

 

[dbarnhart]

>>>Do Hornady measures meter better than Dillons just with stick rifle powders<<<

I have a Hornady LnL, and can tell you that stick powders can be troublesome. There was no way I could get Varget to meter consistently for 223. I have fewer problems with Varget and 308 but it is still troublesome.

 

[jmorris]

>>>Do Hornady measures meter better than Dillons just with stick rifle powders<<<


I have a Hornady LnL, and can tell you that stick powders can be troublesome. There was no way I could get Varget to meter consistently for 223. I have fewer problems with Varget and 308 but it is still troublesome.

I picked up an LNL baised on the rumor that they did well with extruded powders after a friend gave me a 20# keg of 3031. The Hornady measure didn't like it any better than the Dillon.

 

[GW Staar]

IMO, the only good way to deal with those troublesome-measuring powders on any progressive is to use a baffle, stroke the handle slowly...a repeatable stroke... If you think slamming the handle of a progressive as fast as you can, to get lots of rounds/minute, is the only way to load...use ball powder.

I should also mention, that the above will also prevent powder bridging, and the resulting squibs from the same.

 

[snuffy]

I'm seeing a trend of guys using Hornady powder measures on their Dillon presses when loading rifle rounds. Do Hornady measures meter better than Dillons just with stick rifle powders, or with other powders, too? Should I pick up a Hornady measure, or would an RCBS uniflow that I have work as well?
Thanks,
-John

John, I went with the Hornady,(in post #10 above), because I had powder leakage with the dillon measure, the fine granules of the WC-844 surplus powder would get all over the press. That measure is at least 20 years old, I don't know if the current LNL measure would do as well.

I tried that measure with varget in .223 match loads,(69 BTHP nosler), I couldn't tell the difference on target with my stock barreled bushmaster. It would meter within +/- 2 tenths over the course of 20 rounds. I also ran the powder through my pact dispenser, which is dead on over another 20 rounds. No difference in group size which was ¾ inch/5 shot groups @ 100 yds.

Any of these measures that would be screwed into a tool head or LNL bushing directly would have to be cycled while the press is all the way to the top for each shell. The possibility of forgetting to do it is very real. IF you think you could remember to do it each time, I suppose it would work.

 

[Deavis]

There is still two parts to the loading process; case prep and loading. The trick seems to be to have two separate tool heads and run the brass through the press twice.

You have a progressive and that is the right setup with the 1200B. You whip it out when you need to trim, prep your brass, and swap out to your loading toolhead. There is no reason to give up the speed of your progressive, I'd rather spend the money for the setup so I have more time to shoot. Dbarnhart has a good setup, I run something similar on my 1050.

1) Deprime with Lee decapper (best decapper on the market for military crimp)
2) FL size with carbide and swage
3) empty
4) empty (vacuum port takes up space)
5) trim with 1200B
6) empty (vacuum port takes up space)
7) neck expand/deburr with M-Die

Tumbling takes off the lube and burrs on the outside of the neck (almost non-existent). Lube with lanolin and alcohol. Loading requires no lube since sizing is already done.

For the powder measure, the Dillon will serve you well. I bought a LNL and dropped hundreds of charges of stick, flake, and ball to compare to the Dillon measure. Except for smoother motion, the statistical difference was negligible given the tolerances expected. I don't like the clunky-itty-clunk but as long as the powder bars are in spec, the accuracy is pretty good for the Dillon measure.

 

[John C]

I notice that many of you guys who use the Dillon 1200 automatic trimmer size the brass in a separate die. I thought the Dillon 1200 sizes cases along with trimming them? Are you guys sizing twice, or am I wrong about the Dillon 1200?

-John

 

[30Cal]

The trimmer is on a dedicated station.

 

[jmorris]

You have to deprime the case at some point. The trimmer is a "size die" but cannot deprime as there is a carbide cutter in they way. I set all of my dies to the same casegauge. The one after trimming on #2 of the 1050 along with the expander on #3 at the swage station iron out the sharp edge after trimming.

 

[Deavis]

The 1200B trim die will size, but as pointed out already, you need to deprime so it is easy to do it in station one. I use the Lee since it handles crimps better than any other brand I've tried. Lee may make cheap stuff but that decapping die works well once you taper the body of the rod slightly to ease mouth insertion