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Thread: Why I favor the Hornady Lock and load powder measure in the 550 press.

  1. #1
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    Why I favor the Hornady Lock and load powder measure in the 550 press.

    You have probably read some comments from me on my liking the Hornady powder measure and I'll try to explain why. A while back I purchased a 550B Dillon along with several die holders and several caliber conversions that were missing the Dillon powder funnels. Looking around the garage I started thinking can I make these work with the older standard die sets and it was quite simple. Die setup would be as follows.. a FL decapping die/sizing die followed by a belling die followed by the Hornady powder measure followed by the bullet seating/ crimp die. Using this setup I now could load 38's and 357's using the Dillon caliber conversion that was missing the powder dropping/belling die. Before I had been loading this caliber using my Lyman-T-Mag press and taking all day to do what I did in a few hours on the 550. The Hornady powder measure works quite well and is so easy to adjust and maintain the correct charge. It also meters difficult powder that my Dillon powder measures have trouble with.

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    The Hornady powder measure I'm referring to. Cell phone picture I don't know why they are 90 degrees off. I've tried to correct and save but the result is the same.

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    I should probably mention that its the case activated powder measure.

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    Boolit Bub nccaster77's Avatar
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    Pics. When you are saving pics from your phone to the site here choose the small or medium size option and your pics should show up ok. I had the same issue.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    Yep, I only use hornady measures in all my presses. I love the quick change inserts, and the drain funnel, and the PTX ability. They also just seem less “jankey” especially with stick powder.

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    I agree Hornady PM works better with stick powders. With Ball powders, either is fine. With flake like Unique, I get better results with Dillon. Not sure why on that one...

    I find that Dillon PM is just as easy to setup though. Only issue with setup is getting your fat fingers in to adjust die. No big deal and not a game changer IMO.

    The real issue I have with Dillon PM is the powder die is WAY too over priced.. come on Dillon. Should be a max $10 item.

    And yes, I have used Hornady PM on my 550 too. I was pissed to learn it doesn’t fit on the 1050 (primer system in way). I am actually using a Hornady PM on my Mark 7 Revo right now.
    Last edited by djryan13; 02-17-2020 at 10:39 PM.

  7. #7
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    I sure like mine.
    They sell the case activated adapter kit to put their new & old measure on any progressive with the standard die size hole.

    My new LNL-AP came with the case activated linkages & new generation measure, but;
    if I still had my old Pro-jector, I'd sure have grabbed the adapter linkages to update it.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 02-17-2020 at 09:39 PM.
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    I walked over to where I have several Hornady case activated powder measures sitting on the bench and picked one up and started to examine it for function and feel. It felt smoother than my RCBS powder measure from the 70's and I believe smoother than even the Dillons. Granted no powder measure is going to be perfect with a given powder. I guess if we wanted total accuracy we would be either throwing a charge and trickling it or purchasing one of those new fangled powder dispensing machines.

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    Quote Originally Posted by djryan13 View Post
    I agree Hornady PM works better with stick powders. With Ball powders, either is fine. With flake like Unique, I get better results with Dillon. Not sure why on that one...

    I find that Dillon PM is just as easy to setup though. Only issue with setup is getting your fat fingers in to adjust die. No big deal and not a game changer IMO.

    The real issue I have with Dillon PM is the powder die is WAY too over priced.. come on Dillon. Should be a max $10 item.

    And yes, I have used Hornady PM on my 550 too. I was pissed to learn it doesn’t fit on the 1050 (primer system in way). I am actually using a Hornady PM on my Mark 7 Revo right now.
    I agree wholeheartedly the Dillon powder funnel is a $10 item at best but then they know that we will buy it for twice or more we will complain but nevertheless we will still buy unless of course we own our own lathe.

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    Boolit Buddy jessdigs's Avatar
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    FIFY

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

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    Quote Originally Posted by jessdigs View Post
    FIFY

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
    the term FIFY
    you contradict something that another user has written?

    Its a mass produced cheap part that is being exploited simply because they know we will pay their price. My opinion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    the term FIFY
    you contradict something that another user has written?

    Its a mass produced cheap part that is being exploited simply because they know we will pay their price. My opinion.
    I think FIFY means fixed it for you.

    Which powder measure is that one? I need a few for my 550 as well


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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    Yep, the Rotating Drum PM is the most Consistent, Period.

    Have Lyman, RCBS(2), Hornady L-N-L & older style, and a Redding BR-3.

    No sliding bar measures for me. They stick.
    I HATE auto-correct

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    Quote Originally Posted by Walks View Post
    Yep, the Rotating Drum PM is the most Consistent, Period.

    Have Lyman, RCBS(2), Hornady L-N-L & older style, and a Redding BR-3.

    No sliding bar measures for me. They stick.
    I had a problem with H110 and H335 with the Dillon Powder measures. The Hornady throws it consistently within .1 grain. I took the Dillon powder measures apart and buffed the hell out of them and they worked better but I still do no trust them. They seem to work ok with W231. I think you will agree that you need to be able to depend on your powder measures.

    Rotating drum is more consistent most of the time. When speaking of the Hornady with the case activation I will agree 100% simply because when setup right you cannot bang it. The RCBS that is hand activated or any other drum powder measure that is hand activated requires that you maintain a consistent method of running it. Too much force/bang and the load will increase slightly and too little and the load will be slightly on the light side.
    Last edited by 6bg6ga; 02-19-2020 at 07:51 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sukivel View Post
    I think FIFY means fixed it for you.

    Which powder measure is that one? I need a few for my 550 as well


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I looked up the term and that was what came up. Anyway the poster hasn't come back to clarify.

  16. #16
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    Not sure why I am OK with the Dillon PM but it works well enough for me. But all I have ever loaded on the half dozen I have owned are pistol rounds. Mostly, Bullseye, HP38 and Clays powders. Normally get within .1 gr but, the occasional charge will be off .2 gr. Maybe if I was a better shooter I could discern a difference in accuracy but shooting my scoped pistol carbines I get sub 2" groups at 50 yards with cast.

    It would get costly to change over to a better measure and I could not justify it for my needs. BTW, read about some testing done at the Houston warehouse Link below:
    https://precisionrifleblog.com/2013/...ifle-accuracy/

    Supremely accurate powder drops seemed unnecessary to achieve benchrest accuracy in their tests. That may have been an anomaly, but interesting none the less. One reason I do not sweat it on pistol ammunition. I also saw some testing that showed thrown charges that varied a bit in weight more accurate than weighed charges...but cannot find the article. It makes sense that this would only be true if the PM was not "losing" powder due to leakage.
    Don Verna


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    Boolit Buddy jessdigs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    I looked up the term and that was what came up. Anyway the poster hasn't come back to clarify.
    The OP posted that his pictures post sideways often.
    I downloaded the picture, rotated it, reposted it in the right side up orientation so that those following could see his picture as intended.

    Yes FIFY means "fixed it for you"

    I just meant I fixed his picture orientation. Nothing to do with his or my equipment. No disrespect intended.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

  18. #18
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    I think the variation we see in cast bullet weight probably causes more variation than the .2 gr of powder. I don’t stress over it either. I only like the Hornady for stick powders which don’t do well at all IMO in the Dillon. Honestly, they don’t do as well as I would like in the Hornady either but when you want to run 1500 rounds of 30-06 with Varget for your Garand, you don’t do it in a single stage (if your time is valuable enough).


    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    Not sure why I am OK with the Dillon PM but it works well enough for me. But all I have ever loaded on the half dozen I have owned are pistol rounds. Mostly, Bullseye, HP38 and Clays powders. Normally get within .1 gr but, the occasional charge will be off .2 gr. Maybe if I was a better shooter I could discern a difference in accuracy but shooting my scoped pistol carbines I get sub 2" groups at 50 yards with cast.

    It would get costly to change over to a better measure and I could not justify it for my needs. BTW, read about some testing done at the Houston warehouse Link below:
    https://precisionrifleblog.com/2013/...ifle-accuracy/

    Supremely accurate powder drops seemed unnecessary to achieve benchrest accuracy in their tests. That may have been an anomaly, but interesting none the less. One reason I do not sweat it on pistol ammunition. I also saw some testing that showed thrown charges that varied a bit in weight more accurate than weighed charges...but cannot find the article. It makes sense that this would only be true if the PM was not "losing" powder due to leakage.

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drew P View Post
    Yep, I only use hornady measures in all my presses. I love the quick change inserts, and the drain funnel, and the PTX ability. They also just seem less “jankey” especially with stick powder.
    I have to agree with this. While the Dillion powder measure works with the right powder. The Hornady seems to work better, with more different types of powder

  20. #20
    Boolit Mold
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    I had assembled an AR-15 match rifle with SGW parts (long time ago, 1990) and loaded match ammo for it on a Dillon RL-1050 using H4895 powder through Dillon measure, 53gr Sierra hps, rifle shot into 1/2" at 100 yards. Have used Dillon measures on all my Dillon machines (7) never had a problem.

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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