Problem throwing consistant H110 loads

[georgerkahn]

I had similar problems, and bought a powder baffle from UniqueTek ( http://uniquetek.com/product/T1278) reckoning it may be worth the ten dollars, if it worked. I dropped forty successive H110 charges, and quite frankly noted there is an improvement -- but, for me, not where I wanted it. Sooo, I bought a powder weight off eBay ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/143130588009 ) which actually seemed to lower consistency a tad -- as proved by another 40 test drops. My last improvement attempt what two-fold, where I rub-a-dub-dubbed with a dryer sheet; and, drilled a small hole in the powder baffle for a 4-40 nut and bolt, to which I attached a length of thin copper wire -- the other end fastened to my (electrically grounded) metal bench leg. Bion, this showed improvement, but not what I wished for. So... what I have been doing since is what I saw another fellow do in a YouTube I viewed while researching the problem. He had (as I now have) his Determinator scale on bench to the left of the Dillon press, and after the case is primed, and rotated to powder station, the now-primed case is put on the scales and zeroed. After powder dump, it is again removed and placed on scales which now indicates exactly how much powder was dumped. If the amount meets my criteria, I put the case back in and continue the loading sequence. If not, I put it in a loading block for either a later re-try on the press, or, what I've been doing mostly is using a trickler.
Yes -- kind of a pia -- but I, too, have not found an ideal solution. Oh -- re "rejects" -- I only (only?) find two or three out of 40 which are 0.2 grains or more "off" -- my criteria.
My experience...
geo

[6bg6ga]

Like I mentioned the Dillon already has a baffle. I think I have proven my problem is primarily the need for a weight with the super fine H110 powder measure. I have thrown any other powder I use within .1 of a grain all day long without any variation so my problem isn't a baffle.

[country gent]

A friend had problems with his Dillon powder measure and we replaced some springs and didn't get a lot of change then we took it completely apart the little nylon slide bearing were worn and causing the problem with powder charge weights and variations.

Many things can cause variations. Wear the worn surfaces may allow for different locations of drum or slide. Wear may also affect how grains are cut or separated. Vibrations, varying vibrations in the bench press and measure affect how the powder flows and settles. Operation of the measure. How the measure is operated makes a big difference. The same speed force and "bumps" make a big difference. This is part of the reason progressive mounted measures do so well, the press operates them very consistently. Static electricity can induce bridging and sticking in the powder itself. Making throwing good charges almost impossible. A drier sheet wipe down will help a lot here. I have found even the ones used once in the drier work here. Contaminations in measure or powder. moisture oils dust dirts all affect a measure.

The biggest problem I've had with H110 isn't metering it meters good in my measures but some of my older slide operated measures will leak the fine grains walking the under the slide until they start to show on the tooling and bench.

Clean your measure good and make sure its operation is smooth and even. check surfaces bushings and moving parts for wear.

[MrWolf]

You stated you have a baffle already. I forget which powder I was using in my 550 but I ended up putting in a second homemade baffle and I polished the base of the hopper. It actually helped but I was still getting some swing in grains. My stuff is still boxed up and hope to get sorted out within the next couple of months. Good luck.

[Dieselhorses]

It looks to me like the Dillon powder measure has a baffle in it already. I believe I have solved the problem with polishing the powder bars, funnel, and adding weight on top of the powder.

Wanted to extend an "oops-we got carried away" to your OP. Glad you got the Dillon Measure working!

[DougGuy]

Many years ago I bought an adjustable cast aluminum charge bar made by E. A. Brown, I think they called it the Accu Bar or something along those lines, it worked GREAT! It went with a press that I sold and I could never find a replacement for it. Elkins45 had one and was kind enough to take some measurements so that I could get one made of billet aluminum on CNC machinery. I revised the shape of the adjustable part so that it basically was a cat's eye shape in the metering chamber, which other than being round on each end, gives the powder the least amount of sharp corners where the powder granules might not fill out consistently. My son made me two of them and I have zero issues with these, I polished and leveled the bottom half of the Lee powder measure, lapped the top half to a light drag fit which gave no visible leakage with H110, they both throw consistent charges, even though the hopper itself is plastic.

If you really want to throw H110 consistently, you MUST avoid a metering chamber with any sharp corners, even in the rotating drum type measures you can concave the piston. You could even mod a Dillon charge bar to match the shape of the ones I have, and it would reduce the spread simply by breaking the corners from 90 degrees to a more open and less restrictive angle.

I'm just going to toss up a few pics of what works flawlessly for me with H110. I cannot get my son to make more of these since it was an on-the-job sneak it in at lunch type of deal. I can get the cad files from him if someone wants them. I might also add that to offer these for sale does infringe on patents owned and enforced by Lee, from whom Dillon bought the rights to make their adjustable bar style measures.

[6bg6ga]

Well I broke down and called Dillon today. I'm supposed to use the large powder bar so I changed to it again. While I was on hold with 7 people in the "Q" ahead of me I started looking at the videos and lord and behold I have my powder actuator rod on the wrong side. Changed that took the press apart and sucked up all the powder than had fallen on the shell plate and below and reassembled it. I'm now throwing loads 17.0-17.2 I guess sometimes ya have to do something stupid so ya learn.

[Handloader109]

Yep, that can for sure cause issues. I use h110 in my 22tcm at 10.1 grains. Using the small dillon feeder, I can hold .1 grains. No problems. And try CFE 300 BO for your next powder....

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[6bg6ga]

Yep, that can for sure cause issues. I use h110 in my 22tcm at 10.1 grains. Using the small dillon feeder, I can hold .1 grains. No problems. And try CFE 300 BO for your next powder....

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Got to get thru 8lbs of the H110 first

[Greg S]

Without reading the full thread, get an adapter to use and RCBS Measure, a proven design for H110/296.

[6bg6ga]

Without reading the full thread, get an adapter to use and RCBS Measure, a proven design for H110/296.

I appreciate your comments but I'm the type of person that will work endlessly until I resolve the problem. I have the Dillon working so I can throw and hold .2 of a grain tolerance. If I hadn't have wanted to use the Dillon I would have continued using my Lyman -T- Mag, RCBS powder measure and my automated powder tickler. The Dillon represents a sizable investment for me and I would like to maximize it usage.