|
|
06-06-2009, 09:26 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Dillon 550b Question
When loading on my 550b especially 9mm my powder drop tube bells the case mouth it seems to cause my case to stick in on the bell die. This sticking occurs when I try to move the handle forward to lower the belled case. I am providing a very small amount of belling to the case mouth just enough to get a bullet to barely sit in the case mouth. This problem makes for quite a bit of jerking and does not provide me with a fluid motion for optimum reloading speed. I am wondering if I need to be using a brush to better clean the inside of my cases after tumbling them. Any ideas would be appreciated.
LD
|
06-06-2009, 09:37 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
Try polishing the powder funnel bell with #000 steel wool and then cleaning it with alcohol. I had the same problem (with 45 acp), and that worked for me.
revarc
|
06-06-2009, 09:54 PM
|
|
Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 8 Posts
|
|
I had that same problem back when I worked full time and had no time for case polishing. Now that I have plenty of time on my hands I tumble all of my brass first. Seriously, perhaps there is too much residue in the case that is causing it to stick on the bell.
I hope that helps,
Frank
__________________
sona si latine loqueris .
|
06-06-2009, 11:54 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 754
Likes: 1
Liked 129 Times in 58 Posts
|
|
I know that this may seem very basic, and I'm not trying to state that you are in any way inept, but are you sure that you have the correct caliber die at that station? It's easy enough to make an error such as that.
|
06-07-2009, 05:25 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 729
Likes: 0
Liked 42 Times in 23 Posts
|
|
I've had that problem on different presses and different dies, but always when using new Starline brass. That stuff is thick, and hangs on the expander. Things smooth out a lot after the first loading.
|
06-07-2009, 01:05 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by socal s&w
I know that this may seem very basic, and I'm not trying to state that you are in any way inept, but are you sure that you have the correct caliber die at that station? It's easy enough to make an error such as that.
|
I have loaded thousands of 9mm on the 550b not to mention the same for 38 specials 40 S&W 45 ACP and 44 mag. The 9mm seems to give me the most trouble with the sticking. As for correct die size this was a brand new die set I bought from Dillon and I am sure it is correct. I think I will go with the polishing recommended with the steel wool and see if that helps. I will also start inspecting the inside mouths of my cases better to make sure that the 4-6 hour run time in the tumbler with crushed walnut is doing a good enough job. That for all your suggestions I appreciate them.
LD
|
06-07-2009, 07:48 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 847
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times in 11 Posts
|
|
The post about tumbling your brass is correct; it'll help a lot. The expander is already polished.
|
06-07-2009, 08:13 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Iowa
Posts: 138
Likes: 1
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
550b
There is a powder drop with a 1/16 in. groove in the belling part that will take care of the hold on your cases , if you don't have a groove in yours , you can put one in with a file and a drill press, use the side of a 6 in, file and cut a shallow groove half way between the bottom and where it starts to bell . almost like the grooves in Barnes Bullets
|
06-08-2009, 03:42 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: MURFREESBORO TN.
Posts: 5,384
Likes: 90
Liked 402 Times in 177 Posts
|
|
Try useing some liquid car wax in your tumbling media. Maybe that will help. Don
__________________
"Don't worry be happy"
|
06-08-2009, 06:50 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbrady
There is a powder drop with a 1/16 in. groove in the belling part that will take care of the hold on your cases , if you don't have a groove in yours , you can put one in with a file and a drill press, use the side of a 6 in, file and cut a shallow groove half way between the bottom and where it starts to bell . almost like the grooves in Barnes Bullets
|
Is this powder drop you mention a Dillon product? If not do you know who manufacters it and where I might be able to purchase one at. Also I had never heard of adding dishwashing soap to my walnut media when I tumble but will give that a try also. I do have some polishing liquid for case polishing that I seldom use and will try adding that to my media also and see if that helps with the sticking problem. Thanks again!
|
06-08-2009, 11:31 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 710
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Littledragon777
Also I had never heard of adding dishwashing soap to my walnut media when I tumble but will give that a try also.
|
Neither have I, and I've been at it over a quarter century. I would advise AGAINST putting dishwashing soap in tumbling media, unless you want a sticky, worthless mess.
|
06-09-2009, 10:11 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Iowa
Posts: 138
Likes: 1
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Sorry I didn't get back to the post sooner. The drop we have is an old dillon that came with the Dillon 1000 press we bought second hand. I have since modified all my drops that go inside a case mouth with the 6 in file . I don't think dillon is doing it anymore. must be the added cost.
|
06-09-2009, 10:46 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 710
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
|
|
Two 550's; four powder measures.
The only time I've had a case stick is when using NEW Starline brass.
|
06-09-2009, 10:53 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Iowa
Posts: 138
Likes: 1
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
We had 9mm , 44mag,45acp and 357mag stick with once fired brass
Last edited by gbrady; 06-09-2009 at 10:58 PM.
|
06-10-2009, 08:43 AM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 710
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbrady
We had 9mm , 44mag,45acp and 357mag stick with once fired brass
|
Over-belling?
|
06-10-2009, 10:46 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Central IL
Posts: 22,791
Likes: 18,498
Liked 22,388 Times in 8,267 Posts
|
|
You mention using walnut polishing media. Check and see if it has a lot of powder in it. Like a jewelers rouge . I remember many years ago using walnut shell media and it came with some kind of red powdery dust in it and it caused all kinds of problems. Switched to corncob media and no problems since, (unless I put too much liquid case shine in it, then it's a mess).
__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244
|
06-10-2009, 02:19 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Rocky River, OH, USA
Posts: 9,451
Likes: 1,271
Liked 9,184 Times in 3,621 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Littledragon777
When loading on my 550b especially 9mm my powder drop tube bells the case mouth it seems to cause my case to stick in on the bell die. This sticking occurs when I try to move the handle forward to lower the belled case. I am providing a very small amount of belling to the case mouth just enough to get a bullet to barely sit in the case mouth. This problem makes for quite a bit of jerking and does not provide me with a fluid motion for optimum reloading speed. I am wondering if I need to be using a brush to better clean the inside of my cases after tumbling them. Any ideas would be appreciated.
LD
|
Are these new, never fired cases? If so, that's not unusual. After they've been used once, that should go away.
You can always buy a can of mica from Midway or somebody to prevent this. Just stick the cases opening down in the mica and twirl them around. A can of mica should last you a VERY long time.
|
06-10-2009, 06:19 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmort666
Are these new, never fired cases? If so, that's not unusual. After they've been used once, that should go away.
You can always buy a can of mica from Midway or somebody to prevent this. Just stick the cases opening down in the mica and twirl them around. A can of mica should last you a VERY long time.
|
No the cases that I am reloading I have fired several times myself. As for the question about over belling I would say I probably don't bell enough as the bullet when seated by hand has a hard time staying straight in the case as I try to bell just enough to get the bullet seated. The walnut media I use is from Frankford and does not contain any rouge. I will check into the mica idea and see if that helps also. I have the sneeking suspision that the inside of the case is not getting clean enough in the 4-6 hours of runtime I give them in my Frankford tumbler although I would think that would be plenty I will increase my tumble time to 6-8 hours and see if that helps.
|
06-10-2009, 09:10 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 710
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
|
|
Your problem intrigues me. I tumble for 2-3 hours using "lizard litter;" i.e., crushed walnut hulls.
I don't have cases sticking in either of my Dillons, although my cases run to the frequently-reloaded side of the spectrum.
Perhaps you are reloading in a magnetic subspace anomaly...
|
06-11-2009, 06:22 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kalif. usa
Posts: 6,836
Likes: 2,665
Liked 3,927 Times in 2,366 Posts
|
|
I believe it's because the 9mm case is actually tapered. I polished my powder thru expander down to 0.350"-0.351" & it runs fine.
__________________
NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|