Thank you very much. I recently purchased a Dillon 750 brand new in the failsafe bracket was missing. Dylan was grateful to ship one out to me on September 2 the day I called. It is still in transit on the 11th. It takes longer to get things up here in Canada. I’ve been staring at this machine thanking I wouldn’t be able to load. A couple of rubber bands later and I’m off to the races
I have no qualms using Lee Auto Drums on my Dillon 750. They have worked great for me. I hate the new powder hoppers, though. No ability to dump charges back into the hopper and cannot use a powder baffle. I have replaced all of the new style hoppers with the old style. You can order them individually from the Lee site and only pay shipping. So what if there's a red hopper on a blue press? I'd never put a powder bottle onto the powder measure. I like seeing what the powder level is. Can't do that with an opaque bottle sitting on there.
After watching this I ordered two Springs from Dylan and they work just fine. A couple days later on a whim I bought the 3 that Hornady sells for their shell plate retaining. Using one full length wasn't strong enough, but doubling up one spring (wrap it around twice) worked great! Since they are 3 for $10, much cheaper also.
Your Dillon rant is on point. I have been frustrated with the same things for many years using Dillon presses. They keep cashing on old glory, have not done any upgrades on the machine design at all, let alone the powder measure system that's super outdated and not very accurate with some powders. Also W231 spills like crazy because its such a fine powder. I've sent emails to Dillon and try to get a answer why they charge so much for shipping and their response was quote: "Our shipping is based on the dollar value of the order, not on its shipping weight and can be found on our web site or at the very bottom of the home page". This policy does not match charging $8 shipping for a $7 item you ordered. I fixed my problem positioning the powder measure with buying the DAA short powder bar which is not cheap ($40). I totally forgot to check Lee and to my surprise they did have a case actuated powder drop with a return spring. (I used Lee presses before they had this auto drum. I used the disk system). I have purchased 12 Dillon caliber conversion kits, tool heads and powder measures to switch calibers quick and easy. But I will tell ya, paying $75 for a caliber conv kit and $130 for a Dillon powder measure was not my my favorite thing. For the money they charge, their press and powder system needs to be of superior quality and performance and its not. I always have to tweak things and even buy after market parts to keep things running better. BTW, most of my dies I use on my Dillons are Lee. I have no complaints at all. They work great. I will purchase couple of these Lee Auto Drums and see how they work. Thanks!
You, and I, are apparently (based on comments I've received) in the minority when it comes to the blue kool-aid crowd. Pointing out stale designs, pricing practices and other things are seemingly off limits for the more sensitive reloading crowd that can't face reality. Meanwhile, they seem, not all, but quite a few, very quick to bash anything Lee. Ironically sad. I just try to tell it like I see it or how things work in my world.
@@ReLoadersBench yeah.. you were right. Looks like a lot of Dillon “followers” in the comments don’t want any other brand on their precious Dillons. It’s a machine. its not perfect. If theres a way to improve it in any way, I don’t care what company makes that part as longs as it makes it run better.
@@jolebole-yt Couldn't agree more. I tend to go with what works for me, kind of color agnostic. But the purists can't seem to see it that way. I get brand loyalty, but at the end of the day I won't put brand loyalty above functionality or ease of use.
As for shipping. Lee Precision is the same, although all their replacement parts are free, but pay a hefty price on shipping. I've ordered some replacement parts for my Lee Turret, and shipping was an arm and a leg. I've since moved to AZ from California and realized Dillion is half an hour from my work. So far they've been keeping me broke. I acquired a xl750 on a trade, and I've been upgrading it and getting a caliber conversion kit. Today I went back to Dillion and bought me a bullet tray.
The last time I ordered replacement parts from Lee (small parts akin to size/weight of the springs ordered from Dillon), shipping was $5. Granted that was a couple of years ago and I’d imagine the shipping cost is based on size and weight. Wheras Lee’s replacement parts are free, as you noted, Dillon’s are not.
I just installed the Lee AutoDrum on my Dillon 550 and after conditioning it with some graphite powder it’s dead on accurate. Ran some CFE223 tru it which is a fine powder and runs smooth and almost silent. I can hear little squeak from the spring probably but I guess with use it will smooth out..or maybe spray some lubricant in the mechanism. I will test it with different powders and if it runs well I will replace all seven Dillon powder measures that I have.
Oh the blasphemy you speak by putting a Lee product on a Dillon! Be careful, the blue kool-aid crowd will jump in here at any moment to tell you how wrong your decision is and it can't possibly work!
The only problem with the springs is that on the rare occasion, the powder bar can "jam" - but I have installed their powder level alarm so if I don't get a powder drop, I'll hear the alarm BEEP before seating a bullet on an empty case. Good recommendation on the 2-spring "retro" - will check it out (I'm close enough to Dillon to drop in and pick them up)
I miss spring and fall (NOT summer!!!!!) in AZ as I lived in Tempe in the mid 1980's for my time at ASU. In 3+ years running this configuration (springs on the powder measure, Dillon's original design in fact) I've never once had the powder bar jam (also not dropping stick powder). Since I run an RCBS lockout die I don't worry about powder drop variances (no charge or double charge) as it will lock the press. Similar to your powder alarm beeping. You'll spend less on the springs (I'm betting inflation has driven prices up a bit) than I spent on shipping (yeah, still a sore spot for me years later, LOL). I have a video ready to publish about a spring I ordered online from the east coast and the seller sent it in an envelop with a stamp. Cost effective and faster than how long it took Dillon who is only one state away. Oh well.
OMG, the blue crowd would absolutely implode over that, LOL. So true, but wanted to stay "stock"-ish or at least as much as possible initially to try and understand if the cult like following for this brand was/is justified. In the end, it's just another press that makes bullets, no better/worse than any other press I own, it just happens to be blue.
Agreed, thanks. Had this been available (or I found it) during my XL 750 powder measure challenges, I probably would have picked it up. Certainly a better "value" than the $18 cost of 2 Dillon springs. The springs work, so I'm going to leave the measure as it as I also like the external volume adjustment knob that the AA short powder bar does not have or support.
Autodrum for the win!! Replaced my Dillon drop with one and went from 17-20 SD to 4 on 9mm. One of the areas that dillon needs to get caught up on, IMO. Psst, that Hornady case prep center looks like a hot mess, LOL.
Oh my...wait until the blue kool-aid drinkers read about your sacrilegious installation of an obviously inferior (because it's both red and by Lee) powder drop on a sacred blue machine! Agreed, both Hornady and Dillion need to step up their game regarding their now outdated designs. I also have to begrudgingly admit I'm kind of liking the Hornady Case Prep Center (follow up videos might explain it). I would have bet the farm I would have NEVER purchased one. I should know better than to never say never!
For those interested, the part number on the Dillon website is 14036. You will have to search through a parts list but it is there. Shipping to east Texas for me was $10.89.
Thanks for listing that. It's a bit of a bugger to find on their website. Clicking on a powder measure schematic and then scrolling through a drop down list for the part numbers/description. I guess I should feel lucky as my shipping to CA was just under $9.00 for 2 $3.99 ea springs shipped First Class Postage to CA that took nearly a week and a half to come from AZ. And my 37 lb welding table I just received cost me $6.99 in shipping from HF and arrived in less than a week! Dillon should reach out to HF for some advice...or at a minimum start using USPS Priority flat rate boxes for shipping. Fast and structured pricing.
Yes they should indeed contact HF, lol. But I did fail to mention I ordered 10 of those springs so I’m not certain if that increased the shipping price. I intend to set up multiple heads and I like having extra on hand Incase of failures 😎🇺🇸
@@CVBigTex - so I couldn't resist. I just jumped over to HF's site, put 10 (ten) welding tables in my cart (per your 10 springs @ Dillon) and the shipping charges for 10 welding tables @ 36 lb/ea (or ~360 total lbs for shipping) is $6.99. Amazing. Love flat rate shipping. Hate to think what the shipping from D would be on 15 springs. Gotta fund the "no BS" warranty pool one way or another.
I have removed all the fail safe rods from my powder drops for the same reason. I was running my automated 650 and something didn't sound normal, I look up and see the powder bar stuck open even though I had the springs in place. I now have to pull over 2,000 bullets to find the handful of rounds with no charge. The fail safe rod was installed shortly after! I hate how clunky it is but I can appreciate the purpose of it. Hope you have better luck.
I avoid this type of powder issue in my progressive presses by using an RCBS Lock-Out die. Years ago I decided on the RCBS Lock-Out die because of the lock-out feature. When set up correctly (maybe a good idea for a video ;-), the die will only operate (allow the press to function) with a correct powder charge. If there is no powder or the wrong sized charge (too much/double charge or too little - powder measure low/out of powder) the RCBS Lock-Out die will lock/prevent the press from advancing. LOVE this safety feature because it actually STOPS the press whereas the Hornady Powder Cop or the Dillon Powder Check dies are only visual or audio "alerts" and do not actually prevent the press/shell plate from advancing. Peace of mind for me. I also found out about the Double Alpha Magnetic Powder Check die after I finished building my XL750. Interesting product as it looks like the the results of an RCBS Lock-Out die and a Dillon/Hornady Powder Check/Cop had a baby...best of both worlds by having an audio and visual alert (like the Hornady/Dillon dies) but also having a lock-out feature like the RCBS (and it's much more compact/better ergonomics IMO than the Dillon Powder Check).
@@ReLoadersBench I think I need to upgrade to a 1050 or 1100. I like having a separate crimp die and having that will not allow me to use a powder check and bullet feeder. I typically crimp at close to the max level for subgun shooting and a combo seat/crimp die doesn't give me the results I'm after.
@@jms1545 - Totally understand. I also prefer to have separate seat and crimp dies, but on the limited number of 5 stations the LnL and XL750 have, it was an acceptable trade off for me. One of the reasons I'd consider a Redding or Lyman turret (7 or 8 stations I believe, but unfortunately, not progressive).
The fail safe rod system on the Dillon presses is what I hate the most. While the press operations is fairly quiet, the powder system and the fail safe rod up/down clunks are just so annoyingly loud. Too loud. It also bogles my mind how none of Dillon's engineers have not come with a better powder drop system. Powder check dies exist for a reason too :)
I know I'm late to this video and for me on my 650 the Dillon powder measure is working fine. But I would like to know what case feeder are you using? It looks like the newer, as far as I know, Lee 5 tube model and how have you attached it?
Not sure I’ve ever read where someone prefers the Lee Powder Drum Measure over Dillon’s Powder Measure. To each his own. But I found the Lee Drum to be junk. It jams, binds and leaks powder.
I bet if you won a spring tester, you could figure out how many pounds of resistance are needed and how much elasticity is needed and you could probably fashion your own suitable replacement spring(s) if you ever needed to, using springs that are bought from a hardware store. You could cut coils until the spring just works perfectly every time.
I just ordered a xl750 a few days ago and have really enjoyed all of your upgrade videos and will be doing exactly the same setup. So just curious are you saying that the xl750 powder measure is still out of date and this is Dillons fix to be able to run a powder check and bullet feeder?
Just to be clear, it's my opinion that the Dillon Powder Measure is "out of date" feature wise (e.g., ability to turn on/off powder release, ease of powder removal/return to powder jug, adjustment/location of how powder measure must be positioned - limiting other die options/solutions, etc.) that other vendors have implemented that address these issues/concerns. In terms of "Dillon fix", I'm not sure I'd call it a "fix". I'd call it an "option" to use at your discretion. The spring solution was changed (removed) in the early 2000's as I'm guessing for the "safer" fail safe rod solution. Dillon makes the springs available on their site for those who have pre-fail safe powder measure models that need replacing. I chose to use the springs to change my fail safe rod version to the older pre-fail safe rod design. Not optimal, but it works for me. Again, use at your own discretion as I'm guessing Dillon would not officially recommend disabling the current fail safe rod design in favor of the spring design. The spring design was the original design and worked, apparently, for many years. My .02 is there was a legal exposure that resulted in the fail safe rod design implementation. Did I mention to use the springs at your own discretion ;-) The only bullet feeder Dillon support officially (to my knowledge) is their own. There are other, well known solutions that are currently not compatible with the new design of the XL750. Good luck with your build.
So, I am not a fan at all of the Lee powder measure and have a video explaining why. And it happens for everyone on the expansion of the case on the shell plate upward motion, it's the snap and pop that happens, at least for sure on 9mm. The only way I have found around it is to expand the case prior to the powder drop, which is not going to work with a normal setup. ua-cam.com/video/wP6KbPZo5No/v-deo.html Also, I do not like the new design Lee has come out with as well. What happens after you have filled it and it's on the press and you are calibrating your initial powder drop. You keep the factory powder bottle near you to dump the powder from the shell that you are using to calibrate with ? Because without a cap on the top, you cannot dump it back in the powder drop as we all normally do. So then you are removing powder from the powder container calibrating your drop and cannot just dump it back in. BTW, I am all for trying to make your press run right for you, so I am not just "fan boying" here :-)
A thoughtful response. I watched your video. You don't cover if there is a powder drop (grain variance) issue, you just highlight the "pop/click". If the pop/click is due to belling the mouth of the case, as long as the powder drop weight is accurate, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it personally. All about trade offs. And not being able to dump any case powder back into the powder drop is an acceptable trade off for me over the inability to turn off/on the Dillon powder measure. I would think some creative shop with a CNC would devise a coupler that sits between the Dillon base and would have an on/off and the ability to de-couple a screw-in reservoir (look up Dram Worx). Or, maybe will redesign their powder drop to offer some updated features (like easy powder dump, on/off, etc.). An opportunity for some creative individual/shop to fill a need and I'm sure many would opt for the ability to turn powder dispensing off/on and add an easier way to dump the powder back into the powder jug. It may already be out there, I just haven't found it yet. BTW, I saw your video on the sewing light from Amazon enough that I picked one up for my 750 build. I did a search on Amazon for the similar light and found one for $12 shipped instead of $16. I'm also a HUGE fan of InlineFab and have been for many years. I have multiple skylights in my LnL presses, but decided to go a different route for the 750 build, but InlineFab got plenty of my $ for this build too ;-) Agreed, I want MY press to run MY way in how I configure it. Preference is to keep it Dillon as much as possible/reasonable. The 5th station allows me to install an RCBS Lockout die that takes all the guess work (or visuals) out of knowing if your case is over/under/correctly filled. Have a lockout die on every progressive press.
and I had to satisfy (and document) my own curiosity, so I made a video of what my Lee Auto Drum does on 9mm for my LCT. No pops/clicks/jumps... ua-cam.com/video/AaEUeh7e7PY/v-deo.html
I am sure the springs from Dillon are used elsewhere industrially, such in the aerospace industry for example. You should find a more generic source and you would be surprised how cheap they could be from another source. Don't be surprised if a hardware store had them or a suitable substitute!
Just a comment on the delayed shipping. Due to the C-Virus, shipping times are/were greatly delayed due to logistics for getting medical supplies across the country. Food for thought.
Ricky P - when I ordered the springs it was EARLY Feb, well before EVERYTHING fell apart, so there was no delayed shipping yet. And to be honest, shipping deliveries from UPS, FedEx and even the USPS have been GREAT to date. Dillon just chose to charge a LOT of $ for a very SLOW class of shipping. Nothing to do with C-19 then. USPS Priority flat rate small boc would have been less expensive and MUCH faster.
@@ReLoadersBench Perhaps. Maybe they were dealing with the delayed orders as well so it took a while to get out. I do agree shipping was high. Shouldnt have been more than $6 after postage and cost of packaging/supplies. As a small business owner I understand how frustrating it can be on the shipping side of things. Once it leaves the door everything falls on the carrier. With that said, I do appreciate your videos and will be doing some of the same upgrades to my 750.
with the 750 did you just removed the fail safe rod and replaced it with the two springs and just basically rotate it where it does not hit anything while cranking down the lever?
Correct. Which is exactly how the powder measure worked originally (and the original design, which is why they have the springs for sale and how they are installed/used), before the failsafe rod design was added (and my guess would be due to some legal/liability issues that forced the failsafe rod addition). Use at your own risk as this was how I addressed my needs.
After receiving the, I was thinking the same thing. Can't recall if my length measurement was exact or "close to". Also never measured the pull weight. Some have told me they use rubber bands instead. If rubber bands work, I personally wouldn't loose too much sleep or exact length or pull weight.
@@ReLoadersBench on the side of the new style measurer there are two plates your failsafe rod has to go through both on order for it to work where the old spring style only had one.
"Better" is subjective. Some will say yes, others no. Different, more updated design for sure IMO. A commenter wrote about the Lee: "Extremely consistent and easy to make fine adjustments, and low profile". I'd agree with all three points. Post spring "down grades", I've not found/had any issues with the Dillon. If I had to pick a favorite of my powder measures, it would be the Hornady measure however.
@@ReLoadersBench I want to change on my 750xl to get more consistent loads. Did all the upgrades on my Dillon powder measure, but wonder if something case activated from different producer will work better...
@@bossebatong - My .02 would be to try either the Lee (less expensive test) or the Hornady (more $, but higher quality/materials IMO). Just keep in mind, depending on powder, consistency can be elusive/challenging regardless of powder measure (especially with stick powder).
Had Harbor Freight ship me my 39 lb welding table...for a $4.95 flat fee. Dillon charges me almost $9 for an envelope with two springs that would have been fine with a postage stamp. Not your father's Dillon, that's for sure.
I had no issues paying for the springs but I think ~$10 for snail mail (took forever - literally over a week - to get from Scottsdale AZ to CA) for something a stamp would have covered was a bit over the top considering the shipping charge was greater than the cost of the 2 springs. Live and learn.
I agree with you 100% it's crap I own a Dillon 550c which is the newer Dillon when you buy quality you expect quality I load 223 with mine with h335 powder and I have a heck of a time with linkage where you put your Springs I have a total of 3 number 64 rubber band started off with two end up going to three and it's corrected about 97 98% I have already sent my powder measure back to Dillon at my cost they never did say what they did they said this should correct your problem it's a pretty good press not Downing the Press I guess if I had to do it all over I would go another Avenue I've been loading about 26 years between the conversion kits overpriced dies keep in mind I reload every handgun caliber except for 32 and 380 I have other presses and do not have half the problems out of any of those that I do with Dillon just got done dealing with a Lee's shell holder issue they sent me a new one they took care of shipping and the cost of the part which was not much it's just the ideal of customer service and it Dillon XL 750 buy For is not a cheap press quality or price to sum it up you ever right to be bent out of shape
they do that, I hate it. I usually buys everything somewhere else because their chipping charges are always ridiculous. The pain is when other people dont sell some stuff like the ring indexers hwere you are stuck buying them from Dillon. They for sure abouse about the shipping putting that money in their pocket like their presses are not expensive enough
There are to many forum posts going back years by customers trying to solve Dillon 650 issues. Then there is the robust aftermarket upgrades to fix it so it runs as they expected. With that said, they work very well out of the box doing 5-600 per hour. Most desire their machine to do in excess of 1,000 with upgrades. Dillion is forced to not upgrade much do to free parts forever. You need a simplified parts stream to keep costs low. You hinted on the safety rod being a legal change. Same for the primer system on the 750. I suspect that the 650 carriers will be replaced with 750 ones under warranty. The Reloader Dude bought the Dillon 550 BL Loader and dressed if up with Lee Powder Measure & 4 die set in lieu of touching his set up for 9mm on his 650 model. This was not the first time a 650 user had expressed no desire to touch their 650 once they got it set up to make their 9mm bulk competition rounds. Ironically, his Dillon 550 BL with contraband Lee parts is essentially a Lee Breechlock pro in function. Sorry about the Blue Code comments below. Few can be objective do to fear of loosing club privileges. Nobody wants to look foolish in their own eyes for their choice. Few have actually used a different brand. You are an exception. You assumed Dillon would be as advertised and found it to be different. Dillion is excellent at marketing a press that is collectible as art or a trophy. It is like Apple stuff in many ways. Dillon Caliber conversion as they are intended are expensive when set up for plug & play. When your build is complete, what was the cost ?
Well, for what it’s worth, I bought the XL750, and a Bulletfeeder directly from Dillon. Dillon’s own site has more videos for Mr. Bulletfeeder than for their own presses. Dillon shipped it all to me from their warehouse. When I contacted Dillon with the same problem, they just told me it is impossible to use the Dillon powder check and the bullet feeder Dillon sells with the XL750. I wasn’t even given the option of getting the springs. Dillon did not (and still do not) even mention that you can’t use the Bulletfeeder they sell and showcase with Dillon’s powder check die and the XL750. I didn’t ask for free stuff, I asked for help with the stuff Dillon sold me. I didn’t get any. I am quite unimpressed with their customer support.
Re Loader I don’t know what kind of reloading you do, but every loader I know who uses a bulletfeeder has the Mr. Bulletfeeder from Double Alpha. It far and away the number one feeder on the market and it sells for $470.00, plus tax and shipping. That is the price of an industry standard bullet feeder. www.doublealpha.biz/us/mr-bulletfeeder
Richard Bristol - I’m guessing you don’t know that Mr. Bulletfeeder is NOT compatible (says both Double Alpha and Dillon) with the XL 750. That means all the reloaders you know don’t have a 750.
Agreed...it's easy money...and I have a long memory, so the quick/easy money up front will ultimately cost them in the long run...at least from my purchase point.
That Lee Auto Drum powder drop is legit. Extremely consistent and easy to make fine adjustments, and low profile.
Thank you very much. I recently purchased a Dillon 750 brand new in the failsafe bracket was missing. Dylan was grateful to ship one out to me on September 2 the day I called. It is still in transit on the 11th. It takes longer to get things up here in Canada. I’ve been staring at this machine thanking I wouldn’t be able to load. A couple of rubber bands later and I’m off to the races
I have no qualms using Lee Auto Drums on my Dillon 750. They have worked great for me. I hate the new powder hoppers, though. No ability to dump charges back into the hopper and cannot use a powder baffle. I have replaced all of the new style hoppers with the old style. You can order them individually from the Lee site and only pay shipping. So what if there's a red hopper on a blue press? I'd never put a powder bottle onto the powder measure. I like seeing what the powder level is. Can't do that with an opaque bottle sitting on there.
After watching this I ordered two Springs from Dylan and they work just fine. A couple days later on a whim I bought the 3 that Hornady sells for their shell plate retaining. Using one full length wasn't strong enough, but doubling up one spring (wrap it around twice) worked great! Since they are 3 for $10, much cheaper also.
Your Dillon rant is on point. I have been frustrated with the same things for many years using Dillon presses. They keep cashing on old glory, have not done any upgrades on the machine design at all, let alone the powder measure system that's super outdated and not very accurate with some powders. Also W231 spills like crazy because its such a fine powder. I've sent emails to Dillon and try to get a answer why they charge so much for shipping and their response was quote: "Our shipping is based on the dollar value of the order, not on its shipping weight and can be found on our web site or at the very bottom of the home page". This policy does not match charging $8 shipping for a $7 item you ordered.
I fixed my problem positioning the powder measure with buying the DAA short powder bar which is not cheap ($40). I totally forgot to check Lee and to my surprise they did have a case actuated powder drop with a return spring. (I used Lee presses before they had this auto drum. I used the disk system). I have purchased 12 Dillon caliber conversion kits, tool heads and powder measures to switch calibers quick and easy. But I will tell ya, paying $75 for a caliber conv kit and $130 for a Dillon powder measure was not my my favorite thing. For the money they charge, their press and powder system needs to be of superior quality and performance and its not. I always have to tweak things and even buy after market parts to keep things running better.
BTW, most of my dies I use on my Dillons are Lee. I have no complaints at all. They work great. I will purchase couple of these Lee Auto Drums and see how they work. Thanks!
You, and I, are apparently (based on comments I've received) in the minority when it comes to the blue kool-aid crowd. Pointing out stale designs, pricing practices and other things are seemingly off limits for the more sensitive reloading crowd that can't face reality. Meanwhile, they seem, not all, but quite a few, very quick to bash anything Lee. Ironically sad. I just try to tell it like I see it or how things work in my world.
@@ReLoadersBench yeah.. you were right. Looks like a lot of Dillon “followers” in the comments don’t want any other brand on their precious Dillons. It’s a machine. its not perfect. If theres a way to improve it in any way, I don’t care what company makes that part as longs as it makes it run better.
@@jolebole-yt Couldn't agree more. I tend to go with what works for me, kind of color agnostic. But the purists can't seem to see it that way. I get brand loyalty, but at the end of the day I won't put brand loyalty above functionality or ease of use.
As for shipping. Lee Precision is the same, although all their replacement parts are free, but pay a hefty price on shipping. I've ordered some replacement parts for my Lee Turret, and shipping was an arm and a leg. I've since moved to AZ from California and realized Dillion is half an hour from my work. So far they've been keeping me broke. I acquired a xl750 on a trade, and I've been upgrading it and getting a caliber conversion kit. Today I went back to Dillion and bought me a bullet tray.
The last time I ordered replacement parts from Lee (small parts akin to size/weight of the springs ordered from Dillon), shipping was $5. Granted that was a couple of years ago and I’d imagine the shipping cost is based on size and weight. Wheras Lee’s replacement parts are free, as you noted, Dillon’s are not.
Thank you for sharing the Dillon spring hack.
Great channel
I just installed the Lee AutoDrum on my Dillon 550 and after conditioning it with some graphite powder it’s dead on accurate. Ran some CFE223 tru it which is a fine powder and runs smooth and almost silent. I can hear little squeak from the spring probably but I guess with use it will smooth out..or maybe spray some lubricant in the mechanism. I will test it with different powders and if it runs well I will replace all seven Dillon powder measures that I have.
Oh the blasphemy you speak by putting a Lee product on a Dillon! Be careful, the blue kool-aid crowd will jump in here at any moment to tell you how wrong your decision is and it can't possibly work!
@@ReLoadersBench 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@ReLoadersBench I will paint the red bootle cap BLUE and put a Dillon sticker on it. Nobody will know lol.
The only problem with the springs is that on the rare occasion, the powder bar can "jam" - but I have installed their powder level alarm so if I don't get a powder drop, I'll hear the alarm BEEP before seating a bullet on an empty case. Good recommendation on the 2-spring "retro" - will check it out (I'm close enough to Dillon to drop in and pick them up)
I miss spring and fall (NOT summer!!!!!) in AZ as I lived in Tempe in the mid 1980's for my time at ASU. In 3+ years running this configuration (springs on the powder measure, Dillon's original design in fact) I've never once had the powder bar jam (also not dropping stick powder). Since I run an RCBS lockout die I don't worry about powder drop variances (no charge or double charge) as it will lock the press. Similar to your powder alarm beeping. You'll spend less on the springs (I'm betting inflation has driven prices up a bit) than I spent on shipping (yeah, still a sore spot for me years later, LOL). I have a video ready to publish about a spring I ordered online from the east coast and the seller sent it in an envelop with a stamp. Cost effective and faster than how long it took Dillon who is only one state away. Oh well.
Ha! Just get a Lee Precision Powder Drum measurer and orient it however you need.
OMG, the blue crowd would absolutely implode over that, LOL. So true, but wanted to stay "stock"-ish or at least as much as possible initially to try and understand if the cult like following for this brand was/is justified. In the end, it's just another press that makes bullets, no better/worse than any other press I own, it just happens to be blue.
I think you can use a DAA Extra-Short Dillon Powder Bar to resolve this issue for handgun rounds, while still being able to use the failsafe rod
Agreed, thanks. Had this been available (or I found it) during my XL 750 powder measure challenges, I probably would have picked it up. Certainly a better "value" than the $18 cost of 2 Dillon springs. The springs work, so I'm going to leave the measure as it as I also like the external volume adjustment knob that the AA short powder bar does not have or support.
Autodrum for the win!! Replaced my Dillon drop with one and went from 17-20 SD to 4 on 9mm. One of the areas that dillon needs to get caught up on, IMO. Psst, that Hornady case prep center looks like a hot mess, LOL.
Oh my...wait until the blue kool-aid drinkers read about your sacrilegious installation of an obviously inferior (because it's both red and by Lee) powder drop on a sacred blue machine! Agreed, both Hornady and Dillion need to step up their game regarding their now outdated designs. I also have to begrudgingly admit I'm kind of liking the Hornady Case Prep Center (follow up videos might explain it). I would have bet the farm I would have NEVER purchased one. I should know better than to never say never!
For those interested, the part number on the Dillon website is 14036. You will have to search through a parts list but it is there. Shipping to east Texas for me was $10.89.
Thanks for listing that. It's a bit of a bugger to find on their website. Clicking on a powder measure schematic and then scrolling through a drop down list for the part numbers/description. I guess I should feel lucky as my shipping to CA was just under $9.00 for 2 $3.99 ea springs shipped First Class Postage to CA that took nearly a week and a half to come from AZ. And my 37 lb welding table I just received cost me $6.99 in shipping from HF and arrived in less than a week! Dillon should reach out to HF for some advice...or at a minimum start using USPS Priority flat rate boxes for shipping. Fast and structured pricing.
Yes they should indeed contact HF, lol. But I did fail to mention I ordered 10 of those springs so I’m not certain if that increased the shipping price. I intend to set up multiple heads and I like having extra on hand Incase of failures 😎🇺🇸
@@CVBigTex - so I couldn't resist. I just jumped over to HF's site, put 10 (ten) welding tables in my cart (per your 10 springs @ Dillon) and the shipping charges for 10 welding tables @ 36 lb/ea (or ~360 total lbs for shipping) is $6.99. Amazing. Love flat rate shipping. Hate to think what the shipping from D would be on 15 springs. Gotta fund the "no BS" warranty pool one way or another.
Wow, incredible
I have removed all the fail safe rods from my powder drops for the same reason. I was running my automated 650 and something didn't sound normal, I look up and see the powder bar stuck open even though I had the springs in place. I now have to pull over 2,000 bullets to find the handful of rounds with no charge. The fail safe rod was installed shortly after! I hate how clunky it is but I can appreciate the purpose of it. Hope you have better luck.
I avoid this type of powder issue in my progressive presses by using an RCBS Lock-Out die. Years ago I decided on the RCBS Lock-Out die because of the lock-out feature. When set up correctly (maybe a good idea for a video ;-), the die will only operate (allow the press to function) with a correct powder charge. If there is no powder or the wrong sized charge (too much/double charge or too little - powder measure low/out of powder) the RCBS Lock-Out die will lock/prevent the press from advancing. LOVE this safety feature because it actually STOPS the press whereas the Hornady Powder Cop or the Dillon Powder Check dies are only visual or audio "alerts" and do not actually prevent the press/shell plate from advancing. Peace of mind for me. I also found out about the Double Alpha Magnetic Powder Check die after I finished building my XL750. Interesting product as it looks like the the results of an RCBS Lock-Out die and a Dillon/Hornady Powder Check/Cop had a baby...best of both worlds by having an audio and visual alert (like the Hornady/Dillon dies) but also having a lock-out feature like the RCBS (and it's much more compact/better ergonomics IMO than the Dillon Powder Check).
@@ReLoadersBench I think I need to upgrade to a 1050 or 1100. I like having a separate crimp die and having that will not allow me to use a powder check and bullet feeder. I typically crimp at close to the max level for subgun shooting and a combo seat/crimp die doesn't give me the results I'm after.
@@jms1545 - Totally understand. I also prefer to have separate seat and crimp dies, but on the limited number of 5 stations the LnL and XL750 have, it was an acceptable trade off for me. One of the reasons I'd consider a Redding or Lyman turret (7 or 8 stations I believe, but unfortunately, not progressive).
@@ReLoadersBench Yes good idea for a video.
The fail safe rod system on the Dillon presses is what I hate the most. While the press operations is fairly quiet, the powder system and the fail safe rod up/down clunks are just so annoyingly loud. Too loud. It also bogles my mind how none of Dillon's engineers have not come with a better powder drop system. Powder check dies exist for a reason too :)
I know I'm late to this video and for me on my 650 the Dillon powder measure is working fine.
But I would like to know what case feeder are you using? It looks like the newer, as far as I know, Lee 5 tube model and how have you attached it?
Not sure I’ve ever read where someone prefers the Lee Powder Drum Measure over Dillon’s Powder Measure. To each his own. But I found the Lee Drum to be junk. It jams, binds and leaks powder.
I bet if you won a spring tester, you could figure out how many pounds of resistance are needed and how much elasticity is needed and you could probably fashion your own suitable replacement spring(s) if you ever needed to, using springs that are bought from a hardware store. You could cut coils until the spring just works perfectly every time.
Agreed!
I just ordered a xl750 a few days ago and have really enjoyed all of your upgrade videos and will be doing exactly the same setup. So just curious are you saying that the xl750 powder measure is still out of date and this is Dillons fix to be able to run a powder check and bullet feeder?
Just to be clear, it's my opinion that the Dillon Powder Measure is "out of date" feature wise (e.g., ability to turn on/off powder release, ease of powder removal/return to powder jug, adjustment/location of how powder measure must be positioned - limiting other die options/solutions, etc.) that other vendors have implemented that address these issues/concerns. In terms of "Dillon fix", I'm not sure I'd call it a "fix". I'd call it an "option" to use at your discretion. The spring solution was changed (removed) in the early 2000's as I'm guessing for the "safer" fail safe rod solution. Dillon makes the springs available on their site for those who have pre-fail safe powder measure models that need replacing. I chose to use the springs to change my fail safe rod version to the older pre-fail safe rod design. Not optimal, but it works for me. Again, use at your own discretion as I'm guessing Dillon would not officially recommend disabling the current fail safe rod design in favor of the spring design. The spring design was the original design and worked, apparently, for many years. My .02 is there was a legal exposure that resulted in the fail safe rod design implementation. Did I mention to use the springs at your own discretion ;-) The only bullet feeder Dillon support officially (to my knowledge) is their own. There are other, well known solutions that are currently not compatible with the new design of the XL750. Good luck with your build.
So, I am not a fan at all of the Lee powder measure and have a video explaining why. And it happens for everyone on the expansion of the case on the shell plate upward motion, it's the snap and pop that happens, at least for sure on 9mm. The only way I have found around it is to expand the case prior to the powder drop, which is not going to work with a normal setup.
ua-cam.com/video/wP6KbPZo5No/v-deo.html
Also, I do not like the new design Lee has come out with as well. What happens after you have filled it and it's on the press and you are calibrating your initial powder drop. You keep the factory powder bottle near you to dump the powder from the shell that you are using to calibrate with ? Because without a cap on the top, you cannot dump it back in the powder drop as we all normally do. So then you are removing powder from the powder container calibrating your drop and cannot just dump it back in. BTW, I am all for trying to make your press run right for you, so I am not just "fan boying" here :-)
A thoughtful response. I watched your video. You don't cover if there is a powder drop (grain variance) issue, you just highlight the "pop/click". If the pop/click is due to belling the mouth of the case, as long as the powder drop weight is accurate, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it personally. All about trade offs. And not being able to dump any case powder back into the powder drop is an acceptable trade off for me over the inability to turn off/on the Dillon powder measure. I would think some creative shop with a CNC would devise a coupler that sits between the Dillon base and would have an on/off and the ability to de-couple a screw-in reservoir (look up Dram Worx). Or, maybe will redesign their powder drop to offer some updated features (like easy powder dump, on/off, etc.). An opportunity for some creative individual/shop to fill a need and I'm sure many would opt for the ability to turn powder dispensing off/on and add an easier way to dump the powder back into the powder jug. It may already be out there, I just haven't found it yet.
BTW, I saw your video on the sewing light from Amazon enough that I picked one up for my 750 build. I did a search on Amazon for the similar light and found one for $12 shipped instead of $16. I'm also a HUGE fan of InlineFab and have been for many years. I have multiple skylights in my LnL presses, but decided to go a different route for the 750 build, but InlineFab got plenty of my $ for this build too ;-)
Agreed, I want MY press to run MY way in how I configure it. Preference is to keep it Dillon as much as possible/reasonable. The 5th station allows me to install an RCBS Lockout die that takes all the guess work (or visuals) out of knowing if your case is over/under/correctly filled. Have a lockout die on every progressive press.
and I had to satisfy (and document) my own curiosity, so I made a video of what my Lee Auto Drum does on 9mm for my LCT. No pops/clicks/jumps...
ua-cam.com/video/AaEUeh7e7PY/v-deo.html
Re Loader I’m satisfied with your video and statements for sure. Could be a bad batch .
I am sure the springs from Dillon are used elsewhere industrially, such in the aerospace industry for example. You should find a more generic source and you would be surprised how cheap they could be from another source. Don't be surprised if a hardware store had them or a suitable substitute!
Totally agreed.
Has anyone tried using a rubber band, heavy duty type. Seems that would work better than a spring that can easily break.
Just a comment on the delayed shipping. Due to the C-Virus, shipping times are/were greatly delayed due to logistics for getting medical supplies across the country. Food for thought.
Ricky P - when I ordered the springs it was EARLY Feb, well before EVERYTHING fell apart, so there was no delayed shipping yet. And to be honest, shipping deliveries from UPS, FedEx and even the USPS have been GREAT to date. Dillon just chose to charge a LOT of $ for a very SLOW class of shipping. Nothing to do with C-19 then. USPS Priority flat rate small boc would have been less expensive and MUCH faster.
@@ReLoadersBench Perhaps. Maybe they were dealing with the delayed orders as well so it took a while to get out. I do agree shipping was high. Shouldnt have been more than $6 after postage and cost of packaging/supplies. As a small business owner I understand how frustrating it can be on the shipping side of things. Once it leaves the door everything falls on the carrier.
With that said, I do appreciate your videos and will be doing some of the same upgrades to my 750.
Re Loader Dillon’s shipping rates are extraordinarily high. Pretty ridiculous in my opinion.
with the 750 did you just removed the fail safe rod and replaced it with the two springs and just basically rotate it where it does not hit anything while cranking down the lever?
Correct. Which is exactly how the powder measure worked originally (and the original design, which is why they have the springs for sale and how they are installed/used), before the failsafe rod design was added (and my guess would be due to some legal/liability issues that forced the failsafe rod addition). Use at your own risk as this was how I addressed my needs.
are the measurements of those springs exactly 5"? what's the pull weight? Im thinking I can go get a few of those at the Hardware shop.
After receiving the, I was thinking the same thing. Can't recall if my length measurement was exact or "close to". Also never measured the pull weight. Some have told me they use rubber bands instead. If rubber bands work, I personally wouldn't loose too much sleep or exact length or pull weight.
Any update on how these springs work over time?
No issues (not a single "it's stuck open" occurrence) to date. For my specific die setup, this worked for me personally.
How did you do away with the linkage on the powder measure itself as far as them locking the measure out
Not quite sure I understand your question. I just removed the fail safe rod and anything that attached to it.
@@ReLoadersBench on the side of the new style measurer there are two plates your failsafe rod has to go through both on order for it to work where the old spring style only had one.
What are the dimensions of the springs? Is there a solution sitting in the local hardware store?
if you read the comments/question/comments they will answer your questions
@@ReLoadersBench It was more of a rhetorical question. Good luck with your channel.
Is the Lee measure better then dillon?
"Better" is subjective. Some will say yes, others no. Different, more updated design for sure IMO. A commenter wrote about the Lee: "Extremely consistent and easy to make fine adjustments, and low profile". I'd agree with all three points. Post spring "down grades", I've not found/had any issues with the Dillon. If I had to pick a favorite of my powder measures, it would be the Hornady measure however.
@@ReLoadersBench I want to change on my 750xl to get more consistent loads. Did all the upgrades on my Dillon powder measure, but wonder if something case activated from different producer will work better...
@@bossebatong - My .02 would be to try either the Lee (less expensive test) or the Hornady (more $, but higher quality/materials IMO). Just keep in mind, depending on powder, consistency can be elusive/challenging regardless of powder measure (especially with stick powder).
great video,,i thinking you were going to suggest hornady powder measure but lee suggestion was better ,keep up good work
Thanks.
I feel you on the shipping fees from Dillon.
Had Harbor Freight ship me my 39 lb welding table...for a $4.95 flat fee. Dillon charges me almost $9 for an envelope with two springs that would have been fine with a postage stamp. Not your father's Dillon, that's for sure.
Dillon should include or send for free these 2 springs.
I had no issues paying for the springs but I think ~$10 for snail mail (took forever - literally over a week - to get from Scottsdale AZ to CA) for something a stamp would have covered was a bit over the top considering the shipping charge was greater than the cost of the 2 springs. Live and learn.
ah don't trip about a blue ""press mine is red white and blue and looks awesome just like my limited edition rcbs summit press .
I agree with you 100% it's crap I own a Dillon 550c which is the newer Dillon when you buy quality you expect quality I load 223 with mine with h335 powder and I have a heck of a time with linkage where you put your Springs I have a total of 3 number 64 rubber band started off with two end up going to three and it's corrected about 97 98% I have already sent my powder measure back to Dillon at my cost they never did say what they did they said this should correct your problem it's a pretty good press not Downing the Press I guess if I had to do it all over I would go another Avenue I've been loading about 26 years between the conversion kits overpriced dies keep in mind I reload every handgun caliber except for 32 and 380 I have other presses and do not have half the problems out of any of those that I do with Dillon just got done dealing with a Lee's shell holder issue they sent me a new one they took care of shipping and the cost of the part which was not much it's just the ideal of customer service and it Dillon XL 750 buy For is not a cheap press quality or price to sum it up you ever right to be bent out of shape
That’s where they make there money. I think Dillon is over priced. But I don’t own a Dillon so I can be wrong .
they do that, I hate it. I usually buys everything somewhere else because their chipping charges are always ridiculous. The pain is when other people dont sell some stuff like the ring indexers hwere you are stuck buying them from Dillon. They for sure abouse about the shipping putting that money in their pocket like their presses are not expensive enough
There are to many forum posts going back years by customers trying to solve Dillon 650 issues.
Then there is the robust aftermarket upgrades to fix it so it runs as they expected.
With that said, they work very well out of the box doing 5-600 per hour.
Most desire their machine to do in excess of 1,000 with upgrades.
Dillion is forced to not upgrade much do to free parts forever.
You need a simplified parts stream to keep costs low.
You hinted on the safety rod being a legal change.
Same for the primer system on the 750.
I suspect that the 650 carriers will be replaced with 750 ones under warranty.
The Reloader Dude bought the Dillon 550 BL Loader and dressed if up with Lee Powder Measure & 4 die set in lieu of touching his set up for 9mm on his 650 model. This was not the first time a 650 user had expressed no desire to touch their 650 once they got it set up to make their 9mm bulk competition rounds. Ironically, his Dillon 550 BL with contraband Lee parts is essentially a Lee Breechlock pro in function.
Sorry about the Blue Code comments below. Few can be objective do to fear of loosing club privileges. Nobody wants to look foolish in their own eyes for their choice. Few have actually used a different brand. You are an exception. You assumed Dillon would be as advertised and found it to be different.
Dillion is excellent at marketing a press that is collectible as art or a trophy. It is like Apple stuff in many ways. Dillon Caliber conversion as they are intended are expensive when set up for plug & play.
When your build is complete, what was the cost ?
You spent $500.00 on a bullet feeder and you’re complaining about Dillon not sending you $17.00 worth of springs for free?
Well, for what it’s worth, I bought the XL750, and a Bulletfeeder directly from Dillon. Dillon’s own site has more videos for Mr. Bulletfeeder than for their own presses. Dillon shipped it all to me from their warehouse.
When I contacted Dillon with the same problem, they just told me it is impossible to use the Dillon powder check and the bullet feeder Dillon sells with the XL750. I wasn’t even given the option of getting the springs.
Dillon did not (and still do not) even mention that you can’t use the Bulletfeeder they sell and showcase with Dillon’s powder check die and the XL750.
I didn’t ask for free stuff, I asked for help with the stuff Dillon sold me. I didn’t get any. I am quite unimpressed with their customer support.
ummm...my P-Mag bullet feeder by Socal S&W was $62...not sure where you got $500 from.
Re Loader I don’t know what kind of reloading you do, but every loader I know who uses a bulletfeeder has the Mr. Bulletfeeder from Double Alpha. It far and away the number one feeder on the market and it sells for $470.00, plus tax and shipping. That is the price of an industry standard bullet feeder.
www.doublealpha.biz/us/mr-bulletfeeder
Richard Bristol - I’m guessing you don’t know that Mr. Bulletfeeder is NOT compatible (says both Double Alpha and Dillon) with the XL 750. That means all the reloaders you know don’t have a 750.
I did good. I made it to 12:55. I can take no more.
tjdinfl - then don’t watch and go somewhere else to leave comments that make you feel good.
Excessive shipping charges are complete BS. Many retailers do this for additional revenue.
Agreed...it's easy money...and I have a long memory, so the quick/easy money up front will ultimately cost them in the long run...at least from my purchase point.
Dillon sent them to me for free
Sounds like you got lucky and I did not.