Dillon rifle powder die ?’s

[sawinredneck]

Wanting to load .308’s on my 550 for sure and maybe .243 in the future, so what powder measure insert would allow me to do both calibers, or am I just hosed and need both?

[lefty o]

Wanting to load .308’s on my 550 for sure and maybe .243 in the future, so what powder measure insert would allow me to do both calibers, or am I just hosed and need both?

if your talking the charge bar in the measure, the large bar is needed for either .308 or .243.

[Uncle Dave]

Read wrong 🤓

[jmorris]

It’s at the back of the manual, if you don’t have a copy click here.

http://dillonhelp.com/Dillon%20Manua...RL550C2017.pdf

Yes, they are different.

[sawinredneck]

if your talking the charge bar in the measure, the large bar is needed for either .308 or .243.

Not the charge bar, the powder funnel insert.

It’s at the back of the manual, if you don’t have a copy click here.

http://dillonhelp.com/Dillon%20Manua...RL550C2017.pdf

Yes, they are different.

I understand they are different, but why wouldn’t one work with both is my question.

[kayala]

They use different ones: 'B' for 308 (13587) and 'I' for 243 (13305). Here's conversion chart cross reference.

[sawinredneck]

Ok, let’s try this another direction. Does anyone have both “B” and “I” inserts that would be willing to post pics of the tops and bottoms, side by side, so I can see what the physical differences are myself?
Thanks.

[ioon44]

The only difference is the bottom where the case neck fits in to operate the charge bar, the B = .308" & I = .243".

[jmorris]

I understand they are different, but why wouldn’t one work with both is my question.

Because they do not go inside the case to flare and/or expand like pistol powder funnels (what we are calling dies in this thread). Pistol dies don’t have expanders in the decapping stem where it is common place for rifle dies.

That brings up the next question, why? It’s the relatively small opening on rifle cases where there are already bridging problems as it is with some powders, think about how small the hole would be in a powder through expander die for a 308, mush less .223 or .17.

So the powder funnels for rifles go around the neck of the case. If you put a .243 case into a 308 funnel some powder would go into the case and some all around the neck filling the gap, until you lower the case spilling the powder everywhere. If you tried to shove a 308 into a 243 funnel, you would just destroy the case.

[sawinredneck]

Ughhhh!
I know the difference between handgun dies and rifle dies, I also know there is a difference in case mouth sizes.
BUT, I have one of these, https://www.gun-guides.com/The-Perfe...des®-p83298169 and it works perfectly with either caliber.
I guess I’ll call Dillon Monday.

[CraigOK]

I got out a 24, 25, and 30 cal one to compare. With what you want to do the 243 one might work for both, the 30 cal would make a mess with 243. The hole bored through the powder funnel is = caliber. Hope that is helpful.

[SlowBurn]

Because they do not go inside the case to flare and/or expand like pistol powder funnels (what we are calling dies in this thread).

Thank you jmorris - like so many lessons for those of us still on the steep end of the learning curve, your explanation is intuitive once you hear it explained, but until someone tells me, I don't even know what I don't know...

Does a Dillon rifle powder funnel do anything to flare the mouth of a .308 Win cartridge?

I've been wanting a 550 for some time now to reload .308 Win, originally inspired because a "package deal" rifle purchase included a 550 series deluxe quick change kit and dies for .38 Special.

For .308 Win brass, previously fired in my rifle, that doesn't need annealing and trimming yet, I follow this process on a single stage press:

• deprime
• wet tumble with stainless media
• neck size with .002" oversize mandrel
• flare with NOE expander and prime on press
• weigh and load powder
• seat .310 sized and lubed boolit with only enough crimp to remove flare
• lightly taper crimp without swaging boolit

I want to continue weighing powder instead of using a measure, and I like wet tumbling before working brass. Hmm - 5 processes after cleaning and only 4 stations on a 550...

I see a few options:

1. neck size on a single stage press after tumbling, and complete the last 4 processes on the 550
2. deprime and neck size on the 550 before tumbling, and complete the last 4 processes on the 550 after tumbling
3. split the 5 processes into 2 passes, reducing the value of using a progressive, but still more efficient than using a single stage press

Am I on the right track and thinking about this wisely?

[Dan Cash]

Simply put, the Dillon powder dies are universal for all calibers. The powder funnel is caliber specific. The Dillon powder funnel for bottle neck cartridges fits on the outside of the cartridge neck. A .243 case will run up into the hole of the .308 die.

[sawinredneck]

I got out a 24, 25, and 30 cal one to compare. With what you want to do the 243 one might work for both, the 30 cal would make a mess with 243. The hole bored through the powder funnel is = caliber. Hope that is helpful.

Very helpful, thank you very much! I figured the .30cal had a larger bore, but wasn’t sure the .243 had enough flair for the .30cal to clear.
The only other concern would be powder bridging, but in theory if it will feed the .243 without bridging, in theory........

[sawinredneck]

Thank you jmorris - like so many lessons for those of us still on the steep end of the learning curve, your explanation is intuitive once you hear it explained, but until someone tells me, I don't even know what I don't know...

Does a Dillon rifle powder funnel do anything to flare the mouth of a .308 Win cartridge?

I've been wanting a 550 for some time now to reload .308 Win, originally inspired because a "package deal" rifle purchase included a 550 series deluxe quick change kit and dies for .38 Special.

For .308 Win brass, previously fired in my rifle, that doesn't need annealing and trimming yet, I follow this process on a single stage press:

• deprime
• wet tumble with stainless media
• neck size with .002" oversize mandrel
• flare with NOE expander and prime on press
• weigh and load powder
• seat .310 sized and lubed boolit with only enough crimp to remove flare
• lightly taper crimp without swaging boolit

I want to continue weighing powder instead of using a measure, and I like wet tumbling before working brass. Hmm - 5 processes after cleaning and only 4 stations on a 550...

I see a few options:

1. neck size on a single stage press after tumbling, and complete the last 4 processes on the 550
2. deprime and neck size on the 550 before tumbling, and complete the last 4 processes on the 550 after tumbling
3. split the 5 processes into 2 passes, reducing the value of using a progressive, but still more efficient than using a single stage press

Am I on the right track and thinking about this wisely?

There is no flaring done with the Dillon powder drop, it’s an internal taper that fits around the case mouth, like your powder measure and funnel do.
The Lyman “M” dies will expand the case neck for better fitment of cast boolits and I believe Lathesmith will make rifle expanders that you can use for powder through. But I’m not 100% sure on that, someone will correct that I hope.
For the rest, I’m no help, I run semi-autos so I FS cases every loading.

[Handloader109]

There is no flaring done with the Dillon powder drop, it’s an internal taper that fits around the case mouth, like your powder measure and funnel do.
The Lyman “M” dies will expand the case neck for better fitment of cast boolits and I believe Lathesmith will make rifle expanders that you can use for powder through. But I’m not 100% sure on that, someone will correct that I hope.
For the rest, I’m no help, I run semi-autos so I FS cases every loading.

Well maybe for most calibers,my 300bo has a taper and will flare just enough for cast boolit 223,22tcm don't. 9mm does.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[sawinredneck]

Well maybe for most calibers,my 300bo has a taper and will flare just enough for cast boolit 223,22tcm don't. 9mm does.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I didn’t word that well at all! Most of the Dillon rifle powder inserts don’t flare the case mouth. The .30 carbine does, I wasn’t aware the .300blk did, and most other straight wall cartridges it will flair.
I’m very sorry for the confusion.

[Handloader109]

I didn’t word that well at all! Most of the Dillon rifle powder inserts don’t flare the case mouth. The .30 carbine does, I wasn’t aware the .300blk did, and most other straight wall cartridges it will flair.
I’m very sorry for the confusion.

Sorry, my tone might not have been the best either, it is funny how some do and some don't. Most rifle cartridges shouldn't flare.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[jmorris]

Ughhhh!
I know the difference between handgun dies and rifle dies, I also know there is a difference in case mouth sizes.
BUT, I have one of these, https://www.gun-guides.com/The-Perfe...des®-p83298169 and it works perfectly with either caliber.
I guess I’ll call Dillon Monday.

If I click on your link I see you have to change the “sleeve” to go from 243 to 308 (aka “just hosed and need both” or one won’t work for both), that’s the part that Dillon calls the “powder funnel”. So yes, you can use the same powder “die” (it’s also the same as the powder check “die”) but will need to adjust it and add the correct funnel (“sleeve” in perfect adapter speak), also figured that’s what you were asking about when you wanted a single “insert” to do both, it’s not made.

Smaller sleeve is for calibers in .218 ~ .243 and a larger sleeve for .270 and larger calibers.

Not much difference except I don’t see how you are going to mount a Dillon measure to it.


Slowburn, there generally is no flare done on bottleneck rifle cases.

[jmorris]

This may help, the “die” is the part that threads into the tool head and has the recess turned into it for the powder measure or powder check to lock into. The funnel drops into the ID of it.

So if you don’t mind adjusting the die, you can use it with any funnel on any tool head.