Dillon powder measure system problems solved for fine powders.
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- Опубліковано 22 жов 2013
- On the last video I had a bib problem with powder sprinkling out of the powder measure system. This works for very fine powders and I may try to alter the large powder bar for smaller powder charges..
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Thanks for the simple yet effective solution. My powder measure was essentially throwing two charges, the initial charge and a smaller 0.3gr charge as the case was on its way down to the next station. This second charge was powder that was getting stuck in between the small powder bar and the spacer. When I changed over to the large powder bar, all the leakage disappeared! Clearly, the tolerance on the large 1 piece bar is much tighter. The minimum charge of Win 296/H110 that my large powder bar would throw was 15.2gr. Since I load 16.7gr for a 158gr bullet in .357 the large bar worked out perfectly.
Just wanted to say thank you very much for making this series of videos. I have learned a lot and really appreciate you taking the time.
God Bless
Very informative. I was just about to start reloading a couple thousand rounds of .44 magnum with H110. Experience is always cheapest second hand. Thanks again!
Thanks for the tip man! The big charge bar actually worked great for dropping 23gr of H110 for 44Mag
Good videos you always make me think more about my reloading, thanks again
I found on my RL550C that fine grained spherical powder gets static charged and causes the powder to stick to the powder funnel and outside of the brass. What I did was first to clean out the powder drop with a good brush and hot water and then blowing it dry. I then wire wheeled the sliding parts of the powder bar. I then took some powdered graphite and rubbed it into the sliding areas and also lubed up the powder drop in the areas that come in contact with the powder with powdered graphite. That stopped all static and I now have no powder falling anywhere except into the cases.
I reload .223 and .17 Hornet. You also need to be very careful about lubing your brass. Too much lube can cause problems with powder drop.....lube in the neck can cause powder to stick and jam up especially in the .17 Hornet. Too much lube also can be deposited in the powder die from the brass.
Your welcome.. Thats what this is all about. "helping others out" Glad I could help..
Nice, thanks for taking the time to put this up!
Thanks for posting OBX...good info to know. Haven't used H110 in my Dillon, but I hope to remember this when I do.
Awesome! Everyone says use the small bar for 357mag reloading... GREAT INFO!!!! Hope this fix works for my lost powder!!!! I'm sure it will!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Good video, great idea for the larger pistol calibers.
It would be interesting to see the difference between powders. Not only the shape, but their volumes per weight. Great video and fix to the issue.
Adapt and overcome. Nice job fixing that issue.
Nice job at figuring out a solution
love your videos, you should do some more videos of your reloading room. its giveing me ideas for my future reloading room
thanks 4 all your videos
I found the same solution when loading 357 magnum on my 550B great video
I had the same problem when reloading 357mag with 14.1grn vihtavouri n110. The rifle bar removed the problem with powder spilling, but gave me uneven powder charges. I ended up using the small powder bar, but added a powder bar return spring together with the return rod. That removed the powder spilling, and gave me very accurate powder charges. Adding the spring on other calibers, have made the powder charges more stable. The spring have part nr 14036.
That is a great fix, thanks for sharing your knowledge.
What is that round metal block you used to dump the powder on and where did you get it?
Nicely done sir.
Very informative indeed 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
That is cool it worked.
Thanks for posting the solution. Keep the videos coming!
Awesome. I have this same problem.
long time fan, also a Manufacture of reloaded ammo in So cal every once in a while I get a spill on my 1050 using varget I have 20 or so new powder chargers I just replaced it. Nope it still does it I figured it was getting wedged in there and then sticking not dropping then dropping it without a shell any thoughts.......
Jim
I have a recently mfgd RL550B and two powder measure setups (for .45ACP and .44 magnum), and both of them leak powder and jam up with WW296 (same as H110). I have used the large powder bars from both in both measures, and the problem is that there is about 0.007 clearance between the slides and the measure body. I have emailed Dillon about it but have not received an answer yet.
Dillon has a fix in the Dillon forums somewhere. I did it a while ago. They stated to take a piece or 2 of scotch tape and put it on the powder bar in between both sides and cut the square out with a razor. It took 2 pieces of tape for me, but i have not had any issues since.
caliktil I tried this. One piece fit but two would not. It did help for a while, and I thank you for the idea. Unfortunately it wasn’t a permanent fix. The tape caused a little extra friction between the plates and wore out quickly. A quick call to Dillon, and they sent me an oversized spacer bar to compensate for an undersized powder bar, and apologized for shipping out of spec powder bars. In my case this wasn’t a problem with too fine a powder, I’m using W231. The small powder measure bars should measure 0.357” thick each. Mine were .002” too thin leaving .004” slop between the plates. This doesn’t sound like much, but was enough to be noticeable when you put them in the housing and wiggled them up and down. Hope this helps someone else, just call Dillon and have your dial calipers handy. That will fix it free of charge.
What in tarnation...that's ridiculous. So Dillon tells one guy, just slap some scotch tape up on it you'll be right as rain and while you're at it if you don't like that ratcheting sound just put some blueberry gum on that. And don't forget to buy one of our sexy calendars now ya hear? But then I guess another guy gets ahold of Honest Abe at Dillon and gets told, it's all fucked up, it's out of spec and every damn thing. WTF?
I paid over two fucking grand for this damn machine and I'm still buying whozeewhatsit's and shit for it. I got mounts and lights and powder spill fixers n' shit on the way and mirrors and detent knobs and every damn thing and I still don't have a bullet feeder. So they know there's all these out of spec powder bars out there and they what? Hope it will just fly? Shhhhh...nobody notices, it's all good. The astute ones that call us up well we'll just have to tell 'em that part is made in China and mail the fuckers a damn in spec powdie bar.
Where's my damn calipers, I find out this shit's out of spec I'm gonna take Hornytoday's damn powder measure and make it work on a Dillon. And this guy's like oh yea just call Dillon with calipers in hand and they'll fix it free of charge? Oh they will, will they. Gosh gee willikers Beaver that's great. Ain't that awful nice of them. Ya damn right they'll fix it free of charge...shit.
BLACK MAGICK after about $116.00 of shit to get mine to work...I did 4 fucking rounds and it’s as fucked up as a football bat!!
Good info. I noticed you said about brass shaving, do you lube your cases? I had same problem when I was doing 9mm Luger without lube... used Dillon case spray & now runs sweet & no shavings.
had the same issue loading 300 aac blackout, with the small bar using about 15 grains. Old book said small bar for up to 20 grains, and large bar for 20 plus. Now I look on Dillon sight and is states small bar for up to 15 grains, and large bar for 15 up. Changed to the large bar and now I am good to go. Also for some reason Dillon states use large bar whenever possible.
I'm guessing they watched this video and Changed their process... Hope they send you a CHECK OBXSOLWIND
LOL>>>>>.......
Thumbs up for you Chad V!!!
Your welcome my Friend.. Will call you soon...
I have a 550 and having problem with Varget in 308. If possible can you do a vid on how your powder dispenser is set up please.
Thanks for the post
So is the 38 special the cut off? Can you load 9mm with the large bar? Also when you swap to a less fine powder would you swap back to your smaller charge bar?
What do you perceive to be the difference between a a course and a fine powder in the performance of the round?
Just wondering since it is a few years later, is this still the fix for you. Have you found anything new to try? I am asking because I just ordered the xl 650 and want to know if I should buy a different powder measure. I use H110 a lot, for 300Blk
Question: Can that larger powder bar be modified to load down to 4 grains by machining the terminating point out so it will slide further in the slide way? Has anyone tried it?
I really like your Videos. They are very helpfully. I have one question do all re-loaders have such a large amount of powder and Primers and bullets. I would like to start to reload but cannot find powder or primers where I live. I've even traveled to a large city and they are scarce there too.
Terry LeGrand Where I have found powers is in the shooting ranges for trap and skeet some have a powder stash here in the twincities in Minnesota metro gun club has a great stash of powders and most shotgun powders will work grate for pistols too
You do run a return spring on the bars, don't you? That spring will keep the powder bars pulled up tight into the top of the bar opening so there is no leakage.
Thanks for the advice. Is the H110 powder clean burning?
I think its pretty clean burning.
Found its about 10gr is smallest the big bar will hold
I made marks on top of the SLIDE so when it's in the charge position you can see most of the top bar. Well I made notches score marks on the slide and the moving slide. So if I need 15gr I align the 2 marks up and 22gr for other mark. I use my quick changes by powder type not caliber type But on small charges yes I have to use another quick change. It saved me 2 set ups and at $108 each that's a lot. Not that big of deal to switch hoppers to another 2 bolts loosen up mo e it over
OBX - any tips on how I can reduce the amount of powder "spill-over" when I reload .223 on my Super 1050? The shellplate "snaps" into position when it indexes and the case vibration spills powder. I saw a mod kit being sold with a flat needle-type bearing that gets installed underneath the shellplate. Any idea if that will stop the "jerking" when the shellplate indexes to the next position?
I just use my pinky finger as it indexes around to stabilize the case.
How in the hell are you getting enough powder in a .223 case that it "spills" when the shell plate "snaps" into position when most powders SETTLE when "vibrated" and no rifle cartridge should ever be full with powder up into the neck unless the powder being used is the "worst" powder possible in terms of charge weight/volume for a particular cartridge/bullet? Most shooters try to use the "best" powder listed for a cartridge i.e. the SMALLEST CHARGE if they're loading "mass produced" rifle ammunition on a "production" press cranking out "plinking ammo" and if they're after "accuracy/precision" they're loading the ammo on a single-stage. But then again lots of "noobs" out there associate "highest possible velocity" and/or "largest possible charge" with "best" powder and/or use whatever "published" data they can find online at some forum or discussion board where some supposed "expert" and "experienced" shooter/reloader claims that he uses such and such charge of Brand X Type Y powder and gets "amazing" results in "accuracy" or "power" and "noobs" too cheap/ignorant/conceited to buy a reloading manual or at least double-check that "pet load" vs. other data online run to their reloading supply store/stock/presses and immediately start cranking out the "experts" supposed "pet load" whether it passes the "smell test" of actually looking anything like there's enough or too much powder there for a given cartridge/bullet or not. And usually they're the same noobs that bypassed single-stage presses and "slow" and "low-volume" reloading completely and all the lessons/skills/abilities it could have taught them on a slow and steady basis and jump right into the biggest and most expensive and most complicated press available with dreams of "making money" reloading for "friends" dancing in their heads and ass-deep in credit-card debt and having taken days, weeks or even months to finally get "full equipped" and "set up" to reload "properly" and in a mad rush to "make money" or at least "get started" and put all their accumulated "expertise" from months of internet "window shopping" and "planning" to work they jump head over heels into reloading whatever cartridge is easiest/cheapest/quickest to "get into reloading" and that they have the "right" supplies for. And that's how you end up with guys loading .223 on a Super 1050 and so much powder in the cases it "vibrates out" when the shell plate indexes and instead of contacting the MANUFACTURER they turn to another "internet expert" with a "solution video" to some supposed "flaw" or "fault" with Dillon products NOBODY BUT NOOBS WITH MORE DOLLARS THAN SENSE EVER EXPERIENCES. Why? Maybe because they're too embarrassed to admit to somebody at Dillon they dumped assloads of money into a press and have an issue only OTHER NOOBS SEEM TO HAVE and with a RIFLE CARTRIDGE "everybody" is shooting/reloading no less OR they already DID contact Dillon and Dillon told them to SLOW DOWN and HAND OPERATE THE PRESS and DOUBLE-CHECK THEIR POWDER SELECTION/CHARGE instead of playing "commercial reloader" with a motor-drive on their CONSUMER GRADE PRESS that's NOT A COMMERCIAL PRESS JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY MAKES MOTOR DRIVES FOR IT and using WHATEVER POWDER THEY CAN GET OR CAN GET CHEAPEST AND PROBABLY BOUGHT 8 LBS OF AND HAVE TO USE OR THROW AWAY OR GIVE AWAY BECAUSE THEY OPENED IT AND NOW THEY OWN IT AND CAN'T RETURN IT AND ONLY JUST DISCOVERED ITS A "PROBLEM" IN THEIR PARTICULAR "SET UP" AND "LOAD" THEY'VE PROBABLY ALREADY PROMISED SOMEONE OR SOLD SOMEONE THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS OF AND NOW HAVE TO DELIVER. Or maybe its "leftover" powder from some OTHER "issue" they had using some OTHER "published" load data or someone ELSE had and they bought it "cheap" and ran into EXACTLY THE SAME "ISSUE" THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTED "CONSUMER" HAD WITH IT.
Namely that old SO AND SO THE AMMO EXPERT online or at the local gun store or range or wherever that "published" the load data for X powder in Y cartridge at Z charge weight either was full of shit, drunk, senile, lying or confused or just made a "typo" or two while POSTING that "published" load data OR they "remembered" the published data wrong when they bought/ordered powder but one way or another THAT POWDER just ain't gonna work in THAT CARTRIDGE at THAT LOAD LEVEL and if THAT part of the "published" load data is "wrong" then just what part of it is RIGHT if ANY. Ain't no such thing as an "easy" or "cheap" lesson worth learning at a reloading bench and there's a hell of a lot of reasons to "start small" and "start slow" on a single-stage before diving head over heels into "commercial" reloading and ESPECIALLY as a way to "finance" or "pay for" a LOT MORE MACHINE(S) THAN EVEN 90% of true "amateur" but very experienced and high-volume and long-time shooters/reloaders really NEED much less WANT for ANY kind of "high-volume" reloading because most shooters/reloaders want NOTHING TO DO WITH "HIGH-VOLUME" RELOADING FOR "PERSONAL USE" OR "COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION" BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING "PRECISE" OR "ACCURATE" OR "AFFORDABLE" OR "PRACTICAL" ABOUT HAVING A HIGH-VOLUME "SET UP" UNLESS YOU CAN AND DO SHOOT AT LEAST 10 TIMES AS MUCH IN HOURS PER MONTH OR YEAR AS YOU RELOAD AND NEED TO LOAD AMMO TEN TIMES AS FAST AS YOU SHOOT IT TO "KEEP UP". And since there are TRUE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION PRESSES MADE THAT ON A COST/PROFIT PER ROUND BASIS ARE "CHEAPER" AND FAR EASIER TO SET UP AND OPERATE AND FAR MORE RELIABLE AND DURABLE AND ARE "TURNKEY UNITS" INSTEAD OF CONSUMER PRESSES "UPGRADED" WITH FACTORY AND AFTERMARKET "ACCESSORIES" AND ESPECIALLY ACCESSORIES THE MANUFACTURER DOESN'T OFFER FROM THE FACTORY AND CLEARLY DOESN'T RECOMMEND FOR USE ON ITS MACHINES LIKE MOTOR DRIVES, YOU HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY CLUELESS ABOUT NOT ONLY RELOADING IN GENERAL BUT HIGH-VOLUME RELOADING IN PARTICULAR TO EVER THINK ITS A GOOD IDEA TO "UPGRADE" A CONSUMER PRESS FOR "COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION" AND THAT ITS A "CHEAP" WAY TO GET INTO "LOADING" COMMERCIALLY.
Just like you have to be pretty cluess to blame the press for powder charges "vibrating out" of and spilling from cases when a progressive press shell plate "indexes" instead of wondering how and why you've got so damned much powder in the case and why a company that has been building X machine and others very like it for decades would still have "issues" like that IF they were really "press problems" and NOT "noob reloader" trying to jump into "high volume" and even "commercial" loading without the ability/experience to question IF by chance it MIGHT BE BECAUSE THEY'RE USING THE "WRONG" POWDER AND ARE "OVERFILLING" A CASE BECAUSE THEY'RE USING "PUBLISHED" LOAD DATA FROM A NON-OFFICIAL AND UNVERIFIED AND IRRESPONSIBLE "EXPERT" SOURCE ONLINE INSTEAD OF USING LOAD DATA FROM THE POWDER AND/OR BULLET MANUFACTURER TO AT LEAST "VERIFY" THAT THE "EXPERT" WITH THE "PUBLISHED LOAD DATA" IS IN THE RIGHT "BALLPARK" BEFORE GOING OUT AND BUYING "BULK" POWDER PER HIS/HER "EXPERT" RECOMMENDATION.
And if the powder charge IS "correct" and is verified by multiple reliable and "official" sources that leaves the PRESS OPERATOR and the speed with which the shell plate is INDEXING which is actually a function of how fast the HANDLE IS OPERATED even though the handle might not be DIRECTLY connected/linked to the shell plate and only "nudges" it to a certain point and then it "snaps" from there. Dillon shell plate "tension" IS adjustable using the CENTER RETAINING SCREW and the little "wavy washer" usually found between the screw's "washer" head and the shell plate itself or SOMEWHERE in that "stack" of parts. And one at least SOME Dillon presses there is another SET SCREW horizontally located in the RAM that's purpose is to "lock" that center screw in position so it doesn't get screwed TIGHTER as the shell plate rotates. And as parts "break in" and get polished and worn down a little bit its pretty common for them to get LOOSER and less tension on the shell plate will let it "snap" faster and farther. I'm basing all of this on my own experience with a little old RL550 but Dillon tends to take an "if its not broke don't fix it" approach and generally has an excellent reputation for quality, durability and reliability AND "ease" of setup, adjustment and operation. At least among EXPERIENCED reloaders/owners with basic mechanical skills and who are at least somewhat "mechanically-inclined" and experienced even if only because they took high-school shop class or helped their dad do basic maintenance/repair on the family car when they were a kid, etc. Clearly plenty of successful, city-dwelling, white-collar college-boys who suddenly decide to "get into shooting" and "get into reloading" well into their adult lives often have the FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL RESOURCES TO DO SO WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT OR MUCH IN THE WAY OF RESEARCH OR READING MANUALS ETC SINCE THERE ARE A MILLLION "HOW-TO" VIDEOS ON UA-cam but often they lack they tend to be "mechanically declined" and/or excessively over-confident or under-confident in their own abilities to "figure out" something like a multi-thousand dollar reloading machine with all the factory optional accessories as well as aftermarket "upgrades" they bought all at once because some "expert" online or at the range or gunstore or work "educated" them on what they "needed" to "get started" reloading just like some other "expert(s)" probably did so when it came to their first gun and accessory purchases. When money is no object, ignorance is no obstacle and its really easy for some successful college-educated "executive" type with a "high-paying" white-collar job and a sky-high "credit limit" on multiple cards who is "on paper" at least (if the "paper" is a paycheck" the "smartest guy in the room" at the office and how may have once changed a tire or even changed/changes his own oil to assume that if redneck hillbilly high-school-graduate-at-best looking guys on UA-cam can operate a "production" press then he can too.
nice brother. have you tryed or seen the CFE 223 powder ? its like sand.. I can't use it in my trower.. But its ok I just hand load it cuse the loads are just kick ass and the powder is so clean..
Cfe223 is perfect with dillons powder measure. The big one at least, since it'll measure as low as 13gr I don't use the small one at all. There's no mess with cfe223 what so ever incase anyone is wondering
Should have just used Dillons springs on the slide bar. Springs help the powder bar reset faster. That's what the little cast metal tab is for 🙄
In the Hornady manual H110 is at or near the bottom of the listed powders for every .44 Magnum load but one and its in the bottom half of that one. Why use the "worst" powder overall for .44 Magnum? H110 is damned near a rifle powder in burn rate, is priced like a rifle powder and there area bunch of much better/cheaper/more efficient powders out there. IMR4227 is literally right below H110 for several .44 Magnum loads. Hell, I load 9mm, .40, .45, .45 Colt and .460 Rowland and a bunch of rifle cartridges from .223 to .50 BMG and I didn't even know H110 IS a pistol powder on the label and I use the stuff. Of course I use it in 7.62x40WT 110-grain Hornady V-Max loads for about 2450 fps out of an 18" AR barrel and don't have to use MUCH more of it for that than it takes in .44 Magnum loads. I don't know how many dozen different jacketed and cast lead loads I load for the above listed handgun cartridges but I know very few if any of them require anything but Titegroup or LilGun. And that includes "hot" .45 Colt for my Blackhawk. Of course I also get zero powder leakage from any of my 4 Dillon powder measures regardless of whether they have the large or small bar in them. I didn't see a return spring on your measure in any part of your video and those springs keep the bar/spacer tight in the measure body so they don't leak. Or at least that seems to be how mine work. I don't use the mechanical linkage to the powder, either. That's what powder-through-expander/powder-through-funnel measures are designed to make "optional". Of course with no return spring you have to run external linkage.
your welcome
I guess I don't know the secret, I've only been loading on a Dillon for 30 years and have never had that problem. I've never used H110, probably the finest powder I use is WW231, never a problem with it.
I'm having an issue with powder spillage, not with every pull, however enough to warrant a fix. All I can see in the video is the metal detector. Now I have to watch the video again. Seriously though, I'm using Bulls eye and I keep getting flakes on the turret, and it ends up fouling my primer feed. I keep a can of air around to reduce any build up. I get a good bell to set the bullet in, however, I haven't figured it out. Any suggestions? Dillon RL550B, 9mm Dillon carbide dies.
The spillage is due to the INDEXING ball.. Spring is too heavy and snaps the case index in place and throws powder out of the cases... NOT GOOD. fix it with kits available or lighter spring on ball index. I thought about grinding a ramp that allows it to slid in slow, vrs SNAP in place.
Turn the turret a little slower and you'll have zero problems. You might try a drop or two of OIL on that ball too. That way its no dragging along the bottom of the case plate and then "snapping" into engagement. You should also have the turret/plate set just shy of "binding". Use the center screw to get minimum clearance with no binding and then use the set screw in the side of the ram to secure the center screw in position. And try reading the instruction manual.
Off topic question, but why do you store your spaghetti sauce jars upside down?
Probably to minimise the chance of oxygen getting in
Jason St Pierre - Pim1234 is correct! It’s to prevent mold by enhancing the seal on the only ingress point for oxygen. Obviously, that shelf is a long term food storage space designated for SHTF scenarios.
Note to self, do not use H110. Thanks for the vid.
The Dillon Powder Measure cannot load the fine powder Accurate 1680. The powder flows around the too high tolerance too loose Large Powder Bar and the Large Powder Bar gets stuck tight. I called Dillon and Dillon's solution was to change powder or switch to a good old standard RCBS Uniflow or any other drum type Powder Measure that can handle any powder type and drop accurate loads. Anybody want to buy a slightly used but worthless Dillon Powder Measure?
Send me your dillon setup..i will fix it for ya. im going to need all the parts and some guns for testing 2 ARs and a 1911 Oooo and a 38 that will do.
Hi bro, the magnum bar closes the gape even smaller; it is almost square at the front. Cheers
Please tell me what is a magnum bar????
I found that my powder check always has powder clingers that fall off when returning
I did some research and it does not look good. I wanted to send you all you asked for but your laws limited me. I can send you. SPIT BALLS, 12 OZ non sugared drinks, Salt shaker but no salt, a paddle ball game, some dryer lint, Coffee (no caffiein of course), Comic books, Fluffy dice for your rear view mirror, Easy bake oven, A squirrel hunting kit (Its just a little pot), A bycycle with mandatory helmet, Knee and elbow pads, cup, safety glasses and flashing lights. I would have loved to help.
You are a super cool dude. Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge with us. I'm a newbie & every one of your videos has been educational to me. I keep checking every week for new videos!!! Thanks a lot, OBXOLWIND.
Really surprised you did not try a different powder ? Like Winchester 231 you would also you a lot less powder ? But then again maybe you like cash in the trash ?
Too bad this is not a fix for small charges. I just loaded my powder measure with W231 and it spills powder everywhere. I thought upgrading from Hornady to Dillon would be the best in the world, but their powder measure seems to fail with fine powders. :(
LMAO!!!!
GameCrook is the best site for points.
Why should we have to do this? I have a new 550 and the powder drop is a piece of crap. I appreciate the video, I really do, but don't buy this peice of crap unless you enjoyed taking the lawn mower apart when you were a kid.
Dillon powder measures are crap...I load commercially on 1050s. After a
while they break or the pivot hole will become oval shaped vs round.
Very bad design considering it is a commercial grade machine. When we order more machines we will have them leave this pos at their shop. Get an RCBS uniflow with case actuated linkage. They are really bullet proof compared to this piece of junk. If you have index shake cut some round ear protection buds and super glue them to the positioning pins..works great.
Uh, Dillon measures do not need any external linkage to operate them and Dillon does NOT make "commercial grade" machines. True commercial loaders are INLINE machines that move the cases in a straight "assembly line" with the various "feeders" directly above them and easily accessible and the dies come down to the cases instead of the cases going up to the dies. That way when the machine "resets" after a cycle and the cases move SIDEWAYS in front of the operator, he or she can easily focus on one portion of the machine and one process and see everything at all times. In particular Dillons aren't "commercial machines" because Dillon doesn't make, sell or recommend ANY "power drive" system to make them "automatic" and "hands off" presses. And you damned sure won't find any aluminum or pot-metal parts in a true commercial production press and they're not so complicated and crowded and compromised with AFTERMARKET "accessories" and "automatic" systems that you're dealing with multiple manufacturers and "conversion" time/energy requirements that LITERALLY make it "cheaper" and "easier" to purchase additional presses for additional cartridges/loads rather than convert ONE press to different cartridges/loads.
Anybody that's seen a "vintage" Dillon and has seen the wear that occurs on the frames where the primer bars slide back and forth and how they wear during high-volume/low-maintenance "fixed load" operation where the press isn't frequently "torn down" and cleaned/converted knows they're not "commercial machines" and wouldn't have aluminum frames OR be "affordable" if they were intended for anything LIKE "commercial" ammunition production. They're only considered "commercial" machines based on "cost" alone by reloading/handloading/shooting NOOBS who have no idea how REAL commercial production presses are built and operate or that they can be purchased for less money than it costs to "Set up" a 1050 with all the "bells and whistles" to attempt to make it a "commercial" press rather than the CONSUMER-GRADE press it actually is. The only thing "bigger and better" about a 1050 vs. a 550 is that its self-indexing and has more "stations" so complex "reloading" that requires cases to be sized, trimmed, deburred/swaged, sized again, primed, charged, seated and crimped can be done with one setup and toolhead if anything but "matched" and sorted cases with identical case lengths are being loaded using only Dillon dies/accessories.
By using a Lee Factory Crimp Die in the fourth station of a 550 and using a "standard" seating/crimping die you can load unsorted, varying length cases in a Dillon press and don't have to mess with sorting/trimming them for consistent case length. And you only need other "stations" for checking/verifying powder charges and priming with "alarms" to alert the "operator" if you've got some rookie "operating" the press who is undertrained/underexperienced/overworked/overconfident and isn't keeping up with the press and/or keeping an eye on the important parts of the press and important processes while operating it and instead is just cranking out ammo as fast as possible. And those "safety systems" are there to protect DILLON from lawsuits resulting from blown up guns occurring as a result of light charge/no charge squib loads rather than to protect the "commercial reloader" from lawsuits for "overcharges" or lost business from "duds" or other non-functioning ammo. Those "safety systems" are PARTICULARLY important for protecting Dillon from lawsuits by fools who think just because they're "investing" many thousands of dollars in a CONSUMER press and aftermarket/factory "high output" accessories and who are so inexperienced and clueless about reloading and reloading equipment and so intent on "making money" that they think its "easier" and "cheaper" to buy a bunch of non-commercial Dillon presses and hire trained monkeys to "operate" them and not have to "convert" them and who take that "approach" to "commercial reloading" that they only "set up" and "adjust" a handful of CONSUMER presses like Dillons a handful of times to get them up and running and then just turn them loose to crank out ammo day in and day out with little or no maintenance or ongoing "adjustment" as PARTS INCLUDING DIES INEVITABLY WEAR AND SETTINGS/ADJUSTMENTS CHANGE and then after tens or hundreds of thousands of rounds "successfully" reloaded when some "customer" has a problem with their "commercial" ammunition finally check the press(es) and find out THEY FUCKED UP BY THINKING THEY WERE BUYING "COMMERCIAL" PRESSES OR THAT EVEN ACTUAL "COMMERCIAL" PRESSES RUN "AUTOMATICALLY" FOR TENS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS WITHOUT THINGS WEARING/CHANGING AND WITH NO NEED FOR CONSTANT AND CONSISTENT TESTS, ADJUSTMENTS, MAINTENANCE AND "QUALITY CONTROL" BEYOND "EVERY 1000th ROUND FITS IN A CARTRIDGE GAUGE AND HAS AN "IN-SPEC" COL AND GOES BANG WHEN TEST-FIRED SO THE PRESS IS STILL "SET UP" AND WORKING RIGHT SO KEEP DUMPING IN THE COMPONENTS AND CRANKING OUT THE AMMO!" BASIS and they've produced who knows how many thousands or tens of thousands or more rounds of ammo with "issues" like the wrong powder or powder charges or overcrimped or undercrimped necks, etc.
By putting "safety systems" on their machines or at least making them available and limiting those "safety systems" to verifying that SOME amount of SOME powder has been put in the cases and sounding an alarm if not then Dillon is doing its part and all it has to do and all it can do to make reloading - consumer or "commercial" on its presses "safe" and to ensure the "safety" of the finished ammunition and customer. Because the only thing GUARANTEED to "blow up" any and all guns and the thing most likely to seriously injure or even kill a shooter or bystander is a SQUIB LOAD and a bullet stuck in a barrel and THAT can only result from incorrect or insufficient powder charges and Dillon can't do ANYTHING to ensure THOSE problems don't occur. But when they DO occur you can damned well bet that if the choice is between fessing up to producing faulty "commercial" ammo in some back room of a shooting range and/or gun store and/or sporting good store or in some home "shop" or "garage" and seeing everything they own and don't own because its not paid for yet because they owe money on it and sure as hell are uninsured if they don't even have their "cheap" consumer reloading equipment paid for before going into the "ammunition manufacturing" business getting sold/repossessed/seized as the result of a LAWSUIT by somebody who blew up or the relatives of somebody who blew up a gun shooting "commercial ammo" produced by that fly-by-night "ammunition manufacturer" cranking out "commercial" and 99% of the time "reloaded" or maybe "remanufactured" ammunition with the "cheapest" components and consumer equipment and labor they can find and taking a stab at suing or at least threatening to sue Dillon for their suddenly "consumer" reloading equipment "failing" to produce "safe" ammunition, they're going to try to go after Dillon and get Dillon to make everything all better using the "no b.s. warranty" thing and lying through their teeth about how experienced and skilled and conscientious they are when it comes to reloading and reloading equipment and safety when reloading their "personal use" ammunition.
And Dillon can spot a used and "faulty" part/press that has been either improperly used/maintained or NOT USED AT ALL in a supposed "consumer" application like a PRESS HANDLE never installed because a motor drive was on the press from Day One just because its TOO NEW when they have a "consumer" send back the ENTIRE press for "warranty" and on that basis alone figure out if the "consumer" is telling the truth about the actual use or lying through his teeth and since COMMERCIAL USE "voids" the "no b.s. warranty" and NORMAL WEAR ITEMS also aren't covered if Dillon chooses not to cover them because they show evidence of abuse/neglect and Dillon isn't going to "warranty" parts/presses so some idiot can go back to using a consumer press for commercial loading, its "commercial" users of consumer Dillon products that have ALL the "problems" and "issues" with "premature wear" and "faulty designs" in a few months to a year or two at most of "consumer" and "personal use" loading that other ACTUAL Dillon CONSUMER owners/operators don't see in decades and hundreds of thousands of rounds loaded.
And since even the highest-volume professional and competition shooters at MOST shoot MAYBE 50,000 rounds per year and MANY actually load their OWN ammunition and MOST use Dillon presses because the true production presses are just too large, expensive, complex and "overkill" for even 50,000 rounds of loading per year and take serious factory training and lots of practice set-up and adjustment to "get right" and THEN produce COMMERCIAL QUALITY ammunition not generally "precise" enough for "competition shooters" and are FAR too complicated and time-consuming to use for "load development" or multiple "small" runs of multiple cartridges/loads like MOST competition shooters who also shoot for FUN and RECREATION and usually have a LOT of guns/cartridges they load for, any "amateur" and "consumer" reloader who claims to be loading/shooting thousands of rounds per month in personal use only to explain how his consumer Dillon "wore out" so quickly is loading "personal use" ammo for his or her "personal use" and that "personal use" is trading it to other shooters for cash/components/etc and SELLING or TRADING ammunition for "personal gain" is NOT "personal use" and IS "commercial use".
The quickest way to identify a POSER who claims to be a "high-volume" shooter/ reloader is by the one-pound powder containers and 100-250 round bullet boxes on their perfectly clean and shiny new bench and the way to spot a "consumer" using his "consumer" presses for commercial loading is the multiple 650/1050 presses, motor drives etc.
Old post but ill mention it for others, you could have bent the arm on lower measure block by hand to remove :)