Sharing a powder measure on Dillon 550

[Hammerdown77]

Any of you guys have a good technique for emptying the powder out of the Dillon powder measure?

Up till recently I had been using a Lee Pro Auto Disk with mine and it worked well, but I eventually needed something to throw charges larger than what the Auto Disk could drop without the double disk kit, so I started using the Dillon measure that came with my press. With the LPAD, powder/disk changes were a snap. Turn the measure to "OFF" to stop the flow of powder into the charge disk, unscrew the hopper from the base, dump out the powder. Took all of a minute to do. With the Dillon measure, I have to dink with the linkage and the failsafe attachment, and that stupid wing nut that threads on to the bottom of the failsafe rod (the one that attaches to the shell plate carrier) takes forever to un-thread.

Surely there's a faster way or a trick to change out powder and/or the charge bar in the Dillon measure.

 

[TonyT]

I have three total die/pwder measure setups for the calibers which I reload most frequently (9mm, 38 Special, 45 ACP) on my Dillon 550. For the other calibers I load I have to remove one of the powder measures.

 

[jmorris]

With the Dillon measure, I have to dink with the linkage and the failsafe attachment, and that stupid wing nut that threads on to the bottom of the failsafe rod (the one that attaches to the shell plate carrier) takes forever to un-thread.

Is the metal bracket that pulls on the failsafe rod not slotted? You should be able to lift the plastic bushing up out of the bracket and then swing the rod out the slot, without ever touching the wingnut.

 

[jmorris]

If you have an SD the bracket won't be slotted but they use a pin at the top for QD, instead of a bent rod.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

I am getting ready to load copious amounts of 7.62mm and 30/06 to feed my service rifles. In continuing my philosophy of Work Smart, Not Hard, I just invested in a second Quick-Measure with the progressive press adapter. It should be here next week. The designer is easy to work with and the 2nd measure will come with a 12" hopper instead of the default 5".

For those you unfamiliar with the Q-M, it uses semi-fixed drop tubes that measure the powder when a case mouth is inserted in the bottom of the spring-loaded tube. The measure is fast and equally reliable with all powders. The downside is that it is expensive and is a system you buy-into.

When it comes and I get it installed, I'll post pictures and a better description of its operation w/ the 550.

 

[Hammerdown77]

Is the metal bracket that pulls on the failsafe rod not slotted? You should be able to lift the plastic bushing up out of the bracket and then swing the rod out the slot, without ever touching the wingnut.

The plastic bushing had a groove around it that snapped into the metal bracket to hold it in place, and it would not pop out easily (I didn't push on it hard, because I didn't want to round off the groove or break the bushing). Maybe that's a don't care thing, I don't know.

 

[Hondo 60]

I have 7 toolheads and one powder measure for my 550.
It's very easy to change the load.

To empty it, I use a funnel & pour the powder back into the original container.
Tip it up until it stop flowing, then tip it down & back up several times to get the powder off of the baffle.
I then push the powder bar in 5 or 6 times to make sure I got all of the powder out.
After changing the caliber, sometimes I even run a few empty cases thru just to make sure.
Then refill with the new powder.

 

[jmorris]

The plastic bushing had a groove around it that snapped into the metal bracket to hold it in place, and it would not pop out easily (I didn't push on it hard, because I didn't want to round off the groove or break the bushing). Maybe that's a don't care thing, I don't know.

I have been doing it that way for years without issue. Some of by bushings "snap" in as you describe (clear in color) on other machines they just drop in (white in color).

I figured if Dillon did not intend for you to remove the measure this way they wouldn't have spent the extra money the slot cost over a round hole. If you are really worried call Dillon and have them send you a extra bushing, they would for free. I just can't see having to deal with the wingnut/spring every time I have to move the measure.

 

[Slamfire]

I have many tool heads and two powder measures for my dillion 550 B. I got the second because the first is so worn, that ball powders dribble between the powder bar and measure.

I do not have the storage space nor do I want to spend all the money to have many measures.

 

[Hammerdown77]

I'm thinking now two would be a good setup. One for the large charge bar, and one for the small. I need to place another Dillon order for a 45 Auto Rim shellplate anyway!

 

[Hammerdown77]

The bushing on mine won't slide out of the slot, its diameter is larger than the width of the slot. There's a small rim around the top edge of the bushing that prevents easily pulling it downward back out of the bracket hole (at least not without buggering up that rim). The setup appears to me as if they didn't think you would be removing the bushing on a regular basis.