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Thread: Uniquetek or MBF powder/expander dies

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Uniquetek or MBF powder/expander dies

    For those of you who have either the Uniquetek or MBF powder funnels for the Dillon powder measure, could you please tell me what the two diameters of the expander tip are?

    Do they work or are they a gimmick?

    I do 99% of my reloading on a Dillon 550. I don't want to resize in a separate step and utilize a NOE expander tip or Lyman M-die in place of the sizer die.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I cant speak to those brands, but I use one made by Lathesmith on this forum. Made exactly what I wanted and its been working hard for 6 years and tens of thousands rounds of 9mm. The stock Dillon plug on the powder-thru-expander was .353-.354. The one he made me is .358.

  3. #3
    Banned
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    I have the Uniquetek powder funnel for the Dillon 550 but that one is for 45 ACP. It produces good results but I don't know the dimensions off the top of my head.

    I have Dillon style Powder funnels made by Lathesmith for the 550 and those are for 38 Special. The main portion of the expander is .358" and it has a "M" die "step" on the upper section that is about .360"

    I HIGHLY recommend the powder funnel made by Lathesmith. It's a game changer for cast lead bullets in 38 Special when using a Dillon 550.

    I like Dillon equipment but the Dillon powder through expander (powder funnel in Dillon nomenclature) is too small for cast bullets.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    It sounds like Lathesmith is the guy to talk to. I load both 9mm and .40/10mm so I'd need two of his funnels in .357/.359 and .401/.403 maybe? I think the Dillon .40 expander measures .398 and I'm having leading issues.
    Last edited by mvintx; 05-20-2019 at 09:29 AM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    He will fix you up. If you talk to him and he needs an expander to copy, you or him can PM me and I will send mine to him. I have a bunch loaded so I have been focusing on 223 and 270 lately.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks sigep. I need to figure out what size I need and go from there. My .401" sized bullets are getting swaged down to just over .400". Do you think I still need one of his funnels? I haven't measured my 9mm stuff yet.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I would take a look at your crimp first. The way I do it with the wasp waist that dillon carbide sizing dies produce, I don't get any setback. Measure the thickness of the brass at the case mouth, multiply by 2, and add the .401 of the boolit. That should be real close to where your overall cartridge width should be. If that does not get you where you need to be, then yeah, I would get an expander from lathe smith.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    The loaded rounds measure .422" and drop easily into the chamber. The .401" sized bullets are getting swaged down to .400". Is that too much or am I OK here?

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    What does your barrel slug? Ideally you would want .002 wider than what your barrel slugs. Quite a few posts here show that .402 is needed, but barrels vary a lot.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    I slugged that barrel years ago and I don't remember what the measurement was. Guess I ought to do it again. Maybe .402" would help, thanks.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check