Question for Dillon RL550 users on powder measure?

[muddocktor]

Hey all,

I have a question for you people that load with a Dillon RL550 users on your powder measure and how it deals with some types of powder. I presently have an earlier RL450 that has the original style manual powder measure and it absolutely hates 296/H110 and has problems with handling Accurate #9 also. Both are very fine grain spherical powders and seem to really clog up the measure slide and make it very hard to dispense powder and jam up the mechanism.

So my question is this: How does the powder measure that came with your 550 of any vintage deal with those powders in particular? I am thinking of getting the upgrade auto measure that looks to be current production units being sold with the 550C, but only if these measures can deal with those powders without too much problems.

I also have the powder measure adapter and use my old Lyman 55 measure on my 450 for 296/H110 with decent results, but the Lyman also absolutely loathes Accurate #9 too and will lock up the drum within 20 powder throws or so.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Not many measures can beat a Lyman 55. The current case mouth activated Dillon powder measure (I own 4) is fine with WW231 (my go to pistol powder. I did load a batch of about 600 30-Carbine with WW296 and it was fine (about 20 years ago). I did about 400 44mag target loads with Unique about 10 yeas ago and have been using them lately they are very consistent!

I have my old manual Dillon measure still and used it in 1984 to load 20,000 223's with WW748, with no problems at all on fine ball powder. There must be a problem with the "Charge Bar" thickness. It may still be under warranty (only if the parts are still available). It wouldn't hurt to give them a call! CS # 1-800-223-4570.

Ivan

 

[iouri]

Don't have any experience with H110 or AA#9 but I didn't have any problems with True Blue (very fine powder as well)

 

[muddocktor]

It's funny, those are the only 2 powders I have problems with (H110 & A#9). It runs Accurate #2 just fine and that is a fine spherical as well. And it runs Longshot, WSF, 231/HP38, and Unique just fine too. It is a bit inconsistent with Blue Dot on dropped weights, but doesn't bind up any with BD. It also runs 2400 and IMR4227 just fine too.

 

[garander]

I use 2 Dillon 550s , been using them on and off over the last 25 yrs .
Now I only use them for pistol loads . Presently 1 is set up for 45 acp
The other for 148 gr hbwc for my 52-2 both powder puff bullseye loads .
I use both bullseye and 231 powders . The lower the charge , the more inconsistency . Medium to hot loads and your ok . Not good for stick powder. I load single stage for rifles .

 

[Tadeus67]

mine works fine with bullseye.

 

[federali]

I too have been using a 25-30 year old Dillon 550B. I've had no issues with AA powders, Unique, Bullseye or any other pistol powders. I don't reload rifle ammo on this press. I've even left powder in the reservoir for months at a time without problems.

Perhaps you may need to disassemble the powder throw and give it a good cleaning. Another issue that may cause issues with some powders is dampness. During the warmer months I run a dehumidifier in my basement where my reloading bench is located. Generally, I no longer need the dehumidifier once the heating season begins.

 

[M1A]

I have the RL450. Bought new in '81. Did a bunch of upgrades including the powder measure. I recently replaced that with the newest version. FYI you will need to reset all your dies as a plate is installed atop the ram shortening the distance by about 1/8".
I use W231, W296, and Titegroup with no problem. I would change powders before I went back to the plunger system.
BTW I regularly clean the powder bar and surrounding surfaces with denatured alcohol.

 

[M29since14]

Call Dillon. I had a similar problem. It was a while ago and I don’t recall the details of our conversation. They sent a couple of new powder slides, which worked very well. The new slides were free of charge. I’m still using them, but I admit I don’t load 296/H110 all that often. I do frequently use AA2, which also is a very fine ball powder.

 

[fredj338]

My 550B does fine with any ball or spherical or flake powder, but 800X. It can do ok with some small stick powders, like Varget, but gets pretty +/- with larger stick like say imr 4831. The newer measures feel clunky but the are more consistent for me.

 

[4barrel]

I have 2 550s and 296 and h110 gives me the same problem. That is the only powder that gives me a problem. When I use those powders for the last 20 years I do the powder on my RCBS powder drop one at a time. I have new slides but they don't help. I have learned to live with it. 4227 is the best replacement without a problem. I think I like it better anyway.

 

[muddocktor]

I just use my 450 to load 38/357, 44 Mag and 9MM. All rifle and 380 Auto I load on my old Pacific single stage.

On the powder measure, I never store powder in it. And it is cleaned out regularly. I have not cleaned with denatured alcohol though. Also, this issue isn't related to humidity or the lack of it. This happens whether the humidity is high or low and mostly around where I live the humidity is on the high side. But the last several days it's been on the lower side.

As to calling Dillon, I did that this afternoon. I talked about the problem I was having and also asked some questions about the new auto powder measure upgrade system they sell for the RL450/AT500 for $92.95. I frankly wasn't impressed with what the guy told me. He said that he had the same problem with those 2 powders I was having, even with the new model powder measure system on the 550's he had. He also didn't offer any help at all about my present powder measure and he didn't offer to send any new slides either, like they provided to M29since14 said they did for himself. At least the guy was honest enough to tell me he had problems with their measures and those powders. Needless to say, I wasn't overly impressed with the "help" I received on this issue from Dillon. So much for their "legendary" customer service.

I don't want to spend over $100 by the time you figure shipping into a new powder system that doesn't handle those powders any better than what I presently have. I just as soon save the money for something that does handle those 2 powders well. I already have the adapter to mount my Lyman 55 on my 450, but the Lyman doesn't handle A#9 good at all.

 

[Skeet 028]

Many years ago I changed my 410 powder to 296. It was a great load. Except the darn powder bound up the slide on the loader. Changed to a P-W using 296/H110. Same problem. bound up the powder. Later got a 450 and 296 was doing the same thing with that powder measure. Certain powders are terrible in any powder measure..296/H110 WC 820 old Winchester 295 all seem to haveproblems with MOST measures. Every now and then you will find someone who has no problems. Personally I think some measures just have the right tolerances to use such fine powders. My Spolar machine in 410 dos really well with 296...but it has a vibrator on it to move the primers and make consistent powder drops. May be an idea to try on your 450/550. I do not load max 357 or 44 mag on my 650 using 296/H110

 

[Dale53]

I have loaded thousands of .44 Magnums with Win296, H110, and WC820 without issue on my two Dillon 550B’s.

If you have the latest Dillon Powder measures with the proper slides for the load in question, You shouldn’t have a problem either.

You definitely should be using a proper slide for the load in question:

Do not try using a rifle slide for pistol loads, as an example. I suggest the O.P. call Dillon again, and talk to another tech. He just may get a different answer that will solve his problem.

Dale53

 

[muddocktor]

Dale53, I tried both the small slide and the large slide when loading the 44 mags with the Accurate #9 this last time out. And the large slide jammed up much worse than the small slide would and in a much shorter time period. The small slide did acceptably when loading some 357 Mag the other day with the A#9, but it was only about a 11.5 grain throw. When you went up to the 19.5 grain throw for loading 44 Mag like I did, the slide would get tighter and tighter and you would eventually have to take it apart and clean the slide, spacer bar and the slide opening on the measure. With the large slide in place, it would start binding within 5 powder throws and would get terribly bound up by around 25-30 throws. I ended up loading that 100 rounds of 44 Mag by checking and correcting every charge I threw, since as the slide started binding up the throw accuracy fell off a whole bunch. After I finished off that 100 rounds with A#9, I cleaned the measure up again and loaded another 150 rounds loaded with CFE-P with no problems and with good, accurate powder throws for some lighter loads with older brass.

 

[oger]

As the slide and body of the powder measure get worn out they will give trouble with ball powder. I use one of my newer powder measures when working with ball powder and have no problems.

 

[Skeet 028]

I cleaned the measure up again and loaded another 150 rounds loaded with CFE-P with no problems and with good, accurate powder throws for some lighter loads with older brass.

The powders like 296 are some of the finest powders in the bunch. I remember getting some WC820 many years ago to use in the 410.From Jeff Bartlett? We called it magic because we could get the right charge into the old AA 410 cases. Even 296 didn't fit in those cases. I used a P-W 800 to load 410s. That powder and 296 (to a lesser degree) would migrate down between the powder gear and the shut off plate and bind so hard that the powder shutoff turned with the motion of the powder gear..which resulted in no powder charges. I even tried wiring the gear open and the machine would lock up and not even function after 400-600 shells. This was an older used machine but in excellent condition. New gear and shutoff worked for a while but that powder was like sand..fine sand. Even if using a new powder measure, those powders may not actually work for you. My Dillon measures work just fine with most any other ball powders. I just don't load many full blown magnum loads so none on a progressive. I will have to take a picture of a beautiful Python blown up with one round of 296 loaded on a progressive machine. 2 of the 3 rounds left in the cylinder were at half recommended 296 charge weight...Detonation does occur

 

[andyo5]

I have a 550B with a mixture of older and current style powder measures. I have had no problems loading H110 or 296 or any other powder types in any of my powder measures, with one exception. When loading Varget in a current type powder measure for .223 rounds, the measure eventually becomes fouled and begins to stick open, then eventually jams. I called Dillon and they told me that this combination causes the long sticks that Varget is shaped in to break up and jam the mechanism. The result is that the measure jams on the upstroke and stays open so that on the downstroke, powder spills out of it. I disassembled the measure and found that the Dillon rep was right. I cleaned it up and got back in action. Dillon recommends using ball powder with their .223 tooling.
BTW, I load alot of H110 for .357 magnum rounds. It measures really well and I never have had a problem with the powder or the tooling.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

I personally own two RL550's and a 650XL and have not used those powders in the Dillon powder measure. But my suggestion would be to contact Dillon directly with your question. As you know they have outstanding customer service and will usually have a solution or at least an educated answer for you.

 

[muddocktor]

I personally own two RL550's and a 650XL and have not used those powders in the Dillon powder measure. But my suggestion would be to contact Dillon directly with your question. As you know they have outstanding customer service and will usually have a solution or at least an educated answer for you.

Evidently you didn't read my post #12 above. Did that; the wall next to me was more helpful than the "expert" I talked with at Dillon.