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Posted: 6/17/2009 8:22:47 AM EDT
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I have a Dillion 550B.
I just got into reloading a few months ago and have mostly just reloaded small batches to get the fundamentals down. I am now ready to step up the volume. I will be using the ammo mostly for general range shooting, not precision marksmanship. I have a Dillion trimmer that will be delivered on Friday and I pretty well have the case preparation down pat. My question has to do with the powder loading. All my powder loading to date has been individual by hand measurement. I can go with the Dillion powder system but I was thinking of getting a RCBS Chargemaster Dispenser and Scale Combo. I know the Dillion system will be faster but being an engineer I don't have that much confidence in hand operated mechanical systems based upon gravity and a consistent hand motion. My intuition is that the RCBS dispenser would be much more accurate than the Dillion. I don't mind taking the time with the dispenser but I am trying to figure out if the difference in accuracy is really worth while. I understand I can get a .1 grain accuracy with the RCBS. What can I expect with the Dillon? Do the electronic dispensers last for a long time? I don't want to shell out $300 for one and it only last a year or so. Has anybody tried both and reached a conclusion on which system is better? |
I'd strongly recommend the Dillon powder measure. If you don't use it you defeat the entire purpose of having a progressive press. 
If you use ball powders you can easily get .1 gr. accuracy. I'm not very trusting either, and I weighed MANY charges, and they never varied. The only exception to this is if you take a break and come back to the press after an hour. I found the first charge will be a tiny bit heavy, but I automatically cycle the press and dump the first charge back into the hopper, cycle again, and move on. Powder choices are key, and the long stick powders won't do well, but any ball or flake powder will be VERY accurate. As to the reliability of the Chargemaster, I have read both good and bad reviews (considering buying one to load .50 BMG). Some have found they didn't work out of the box, and some have found they quit working shortly after starting. Others have had good success for several years. I'm not prone to trusting electronic stuff of that nature, but manually weighing the 220 gr. charges the BMG takes is a PITA.
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If you're worried about precision from the Dillon measure, throw a ball powder and add a baffle to the measure.
Working out consistent hand operations for low variability is not hard, it takes some practice and experimentation. The question is this, "How much variation of powder charge weight from throw to throw is too much?" There are two answers. One is for long range shooting, past 600 yards. In this case, every charge and everything else about the cartridge need to be identical, or as identical as possible. Control what you can, vertical dispersion, and minimize what you can't control, the wind. The other answer has two parts. Charge variation is too large if it causes some charge weights that are known to be too hot. If the variation can't be reduced, then the basic nominal charge needs to be reduced. Charges that vary +/-0.2 or even a little more have no practical effect on accuracy at short ranges with a robust tuned load. A robust load shoots the same across the entire range of weights around the nominal charge. If a noticeable change in vertical dispersion occurs with tiny changes in charge weight, then the load is tuned at a specific charge, but it's not robust, and worse, when the weather changes, the load will no longer be tuned. I'd rather spend my money on a different piece of equipment than one of the automatic dispensers. Maybe I'll see the light and get all fancy one day, but I'm seeing that just now. Quoted:
..., but manually weighing the 220 gr. charges the BMG takes is a PITA. Scoop and trickle. |
| Choose a powder that measures well in a DPM and production runs are easy......But, if you spend enough time down the road....developing loads and finding sweet spots....you can have variances in charges using stick powders that really will not cause too much fussing.......Google Optimal Charge Weight Load Development and you will see about variances.... |
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Just remember that Palma Team ammo has been loaded on 550 machines, and David Tubb uses a 550 granted with a fancy scale system of course.
The old saying goes it is poor carpenter that blames his tools. Spend more time learning the craft....and you will gain a lot of insight. |
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For mass production, listen to the guys and get the Dillon powder dispenser.
If you start to do smaller batches of precision rounds with extruded powders than the RCBS Chargemaster is the shiznit. I also love the ability for the RCBS to throw incremental loads for development very quickly, accurately, and changing out the powder takes just a minute. I have both and use both very often. |
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Quoted:
The old saying goes it is poor carpenter that blames his tools. Spend more time learning the craft....and you will gain a lot of insight. Being an engineer I understand that concept very well. I am in the process of learning the craft. I will be much smarter sometime in the future. In the meantime I am trying to figure out what to do. I am glad that I can come to a forum like this and ask questions and get the benefit of experience. In a few years maybe I can be one of those dishing out the advice. |
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Quoted:
For mass production, listen to the guys and get the Dillon powder dispenser. If you start to do smaller batches of precision rounds with extruded powders than the RCBS Chargemaster is the shiznit. I also love the ability for the RCBS to throw incremental loads for development very quickly, accurately, and changing out the powder takes just a minute. I have both and use both very often. I will probably go ahead and get the Chargemaster but use the Dillon powder loader for most of my range loads. |
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Quoted:
Thebeekeeper1 and AeroE speak from wisdom, grasshopper. It is a wise man who follows the road of wisdom. Gotta add my 2 cents here. COSteve is correct. Any of my Dillon powder measures (5) throw ball powder exact to + or _ .1 gr. Flake + or - .2 gr. Not so good with extruded without tuning the PM. Stay with ball powder and the Dillon PM. Even a beginner will get good results. |
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