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Tip for Dillon Owners

AzAfshinAzAfshin Member Posts: 2,985 ✭✭
edited June 2017 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I've been fighting the powder measures that came with my Dillon 550B for about a year now. Tried polishing the dispenser, working out all the burrs, talking to it, shouting at it, but nothing worked in getting rid of what I call a drift in powder weight. I would set it at 4.3 g with Bullseye powder and it would throw great for 20-30 rounds and then start drifting higher. I'd adjust the screw on it and it would throw great again for 20-30 rounds and then start drifting up again. Adjust again and it would start drifting low. It was driving me crazy how it would keep drifting. I'm not talking about consistency between consecutive throws, but an actual trend up or down that would change the amount by almost 0.5 g if I didn't keep catching and correcting it.

Well, I found the solution. I just finished loading 1300 rounds and only had to adjust for the drift 3 times. Each time was because the amount of powder in the reservoir was getting low. What's this magical solution you ask? I bought some strong springs from Amazon and popped a couple in each of the adjustment screws (you'll need to open it completely and slip the spring in the very middle of the push rod on the screw), but that took care of any drift due to backlash or just the fact that the push rod can move slightly back and forth. So there it is, 20 cent fix.

Hope this helps save someone else's sanity.
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Comments

  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Whatever powder measure I use I always throw at least 20 charges when making an adjustment then check the weight. I also never let the hopper get below half full, things stay much more consistent that way.
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  • gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290 ✭
    edited November -1
    I have both sliding cavities for mine; the regular one, and the Magnum.
    Never had a problem like you describe in 25 years of heavy use.
    It has remained consistently#8203;, boringly predictable.
    You do know that Dillon has free Customer Service, right?
    You could just call them & see what they say before putting springs on screws that don't come with them.
    Where are the double screws you're talking about located on the powder measure? The sliding cavities on mine have a single volume adjusting screw on each.
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  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    After reading your original post I checked the two Dillon powder measures I have 'in-stock'. Both have a 'wave' washer between the adjustment bolt head and the powder slide. This washers intent/utility is to put a small pressure load on the bolt and prevent it from turning on it's own.

    I suggest you contact Dillion with your issue.

    Single WAVE washer:

    https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=1882fl2
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