Not Feelin' The Love For Blue Today!

[PCCUSNRET]

Been very (extremely even) happy with my Dillon 550B Reloader until today. I will take responsibility for allowing this to happen, but it really shouldn't have happened in my opinion. Over the past week I have loaded up close to 500 rounds of 9mm on this machine with no problems. Today, I was attempting to make a little video of how great this machine operates to show some of the fellows at the range I belong to. I normally check each powder drop prior to placing the bullet on top of the case but failed to do so while trying to make this video. Turns out that I managed to seat bullets in close to 20 cases without adding any powder. For some reason the wingnut type screw that fits on the end of the powder measure bar had backed off and no powder was falling. I tightened it back up and the powder dropped as it was supposed to. As I said, my bad for not checking each case for powder but after a few thousand rounds you get to believe the machine won't let you down. I weighed each round that was in the drop bin (over 80 rounds) and pulled the bullets that weighed under 188 grs. About 90% of these had no powder. Now need to decide should I risk shooting the other 50+ or pull them all and start over. I am pulling them with one of the RCBS hammer type pullers, this is why I'm hesitant. Still hate risking a squib but would at least know to be on the lookout for one from these loads. What would you do? Shootem' or Pullem'?

BTW, I called Dillon and they are sending me a new part for the powder feed (they also told me why my machine drops powder all over the place when I try to reload .223). In the meantime I am going to add an additional nut to this bar to keep it from backing off again.

 

[Duvel]

I think you said everything that needs saying: Complete attentiveness in reloading, as even with the best equipment stuff happens.

 

[Havok7416]

Pull them. While you are at it, you may want to consider ordering a collet-type bullet puller. It screws into the toolhead and will save you a ton of time.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Pull them. While you are at it, you may want to consider ordering a collet-type bullet puller. It screws into the toolhead and will save you a ton of time.

Yeah, it will probably be easier to pull them than clear a squib. I have one of the Hornady bullet pullers but only have collets for 7 different rifle calibers. I never thought I would ever need to pull this many pistol bullets. Fortunately it only takes one good smack with the RCBS tool to unseat these bullets.

 

[Havok7416]

That's very good. I usually have to hit the darned things multiple times.

 

[snuffy]

Pull them. While you are at it, you may want to consider ordering a collet-type bullet puller. It screws into the toolhead and will save you a ton of time.

Those round nose pistol bullets would NOT give a collet puller anything to get ahold of to pull them. That's why the whacker was invented. I too have the Hornady collet puller, but the collets are also only for my rifle calibers.

 

[jhop73]

I have pulled 9mm 115gr and .45 230gr fmj with a collet puller. I did not think it would work but it did.
-Jeremy

 

[PCCUSNRET]

All bullets pulled and reloaded with powder this time. Had I not pulled the last 54 rounds I would have had 3 squibs. These 3 rounds weighed over 188 grs. but this was due to heavier brass than others weighing the same amount. Had I been using brass with like headstamps there id a possibilty weighing these rounds might have worked. As I was using mixed headstamps some cases were heavier than others by more than the weight of the powder I was using in these rounds.

 

[SwaneeSR]

Wow bummer. Never encountered that with my 550B. Good thing you did not risk the squib.

I was reloading some .30-30 last Sunday and my college-age son came into the reloading room with a question about something. I had to stop charging cases and seating bullets because I was too distracted.

I guess those guys that make the videos just make it look easy.

 

[shootniron]

Glad you caught it...but this really was not a blue problem...it was a YOU problem. This was really no different than a die loosening up, as we have all had one to do.

 

[Havok7416]

Those round nose pistol bullets would NOT give a collet puller anything to get ahold of to pull them. That's why the whacker was invented. I too have the Hornady collet puller, but the collets are also only for my rifle calibers.

snuffy, I see that statement a lot, yet I have been able to pull over 1,000 pistol bullets using collet pullers with no issues. It absolutely can be done.

 

[BigBore45]

That type of Dillon powder measure is known to do that. You have to replace the bolt and the threaded part to fix it.

 

[stoky]

Therein lies the yang to the blue yin. When there's a glitch in the control monitoring system, it'll crank out bad rounds just as fast as good ones.

 

[snuffy]

snuffy, I see that statement a lot, yet I have been able to pull over 1,000 pistol bullets using collet pullers with no issues. It absolutely can be done.

Huh, I'll have to give it a try. That must be one of those old wives tales that told often enough becomes fact. IIRC I have a 35 cal collet, I'll see if I can pull some nines that I'd rather had a different bullet in them. I doubt my lead boolits will pull with the collet though.?

 

[Havok7416]

You are correct. Lead bullets usually will not pull with a collet without squishing the bullet a bit - although you can still reuse them. The bullets that the OP has are either plated or jacketed and those are the types I have the best success with.

You do have to grab the handgun bullets down low near the brass.

 

[ljnowell]

That type of Dillon powder measure is known to do that. You have to replace the bolt and the threaded part to fix it.

Glad you caught it...but this really was not a blue problem...it was a YOU problem. This was really no different than a die loosening up, as we have all had one to do.

Shootniron, it's a Dillon problem. My fixed discs in my measure, or the adjustable charge bar don't do that. Not is it common, as posted above.

 

[2bfree]

That type of Dillon powder measure is known to do that. You have to replace the bolt and the threaded part to fix it.

There is no bolt to replace. This is the first time I have heard of it happening and in many thousand rounds on mine it has never happened. The old style did not have the fail safe rod, it used a spring to return the powder bar.

 

[Havok7416]

For awhile I went out of my way to get the old Dillon powder measures, but any I get going forward will be with the failsafe. It can be difficult to track down the old ones anymore.

 

[Woolecox]

After over 10,000 rounds in a little over 3 years, I have never had that nut back off at all. If fact, it is pretty difficult to turn. Bet your new one will be the same.

The last squib I loaded was on a Lee Classic Turret. I would not be afraid to shoot those for practice after they have been weighed. No rapid fire obviously. Pretty easy to tap out a sqib with a wooden dowel.

 

[jmorris]

If you are not going to put an eye on every charge you need a powder check or lockout die.

Doesn't matter what brand or type of press you are using, that is just part of the job.

 

[stoky]

how to set up a 550 for a powder check die:
http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/uploaded/Using_a_Dillon_Powder_Check_on_an_RL_550B_Press.pdf

 

[jmorris]

That would work if you don't mind seating and crimping at the same time on #4.

 

[stoky]

Which is why you need a 550 for jacketed and a 650 for Pb.
or less operator head space

 

[cfullgraf]

I crimp and seat in different stations on my BL550 and still have a powder check die.

But then I resize at different times than loading and prime off the press which allows me to put the powder measure in station one.

(I resize cases shortly after shooting. Small batches of cases process quickly. Then I store cleaned and prepped cases for a future loading session).