First real problem with Dillon SDB this week

[hc18flyer]

I had run a hundred. 38 Specials the week before, thought I would run another 100 for my brother last Wednesday evening. I poured my Clays powder in, and cycled the press a few times to check the powder throw. It was nearly spot on for 2.8 grains. I started cranking out loaded rounds, about 50 rounds in, I checked the case, after the powder drop, empty! Son of a biscut! A screw had loosened on the crank mechanism that cycles the !

powder measure, allowing the little plastic square out of the groove it rides in. I changed out the nut to a locking style and found a small spring to attempt to keep the plastic square in place. Back in business. Today I cranked out about 300 this afternoon, used up some 358477, prior to me started powder coating.i need to be 'in the moment , pay close attention to every detail. I like going to break them Dow and re run them.

hc18flyer

[Walter Laich]

ran into that myself--did what you did--used a locking nut and that solved the problem

to have a visual I use a magnet on the end of the powder bar--the head of the adjusting nut in fact to hold a section of day-glow ribbon. It's in my line of sight and I can see it move back and forth. sorta like belt and suspenders

[Bmi48219]

I haven’t (knock on wood) had the powder measure setting change. I do have a clip-on book reading light aimed at the #3 station and visually check there is powder in each case before setting a bullet on it for seating. It took awhile to get into this habit.
I also remove the #3 station locator pin every tenth load to dump and weigh the charge, which I then pour back into that case and position it back in the shell plate.
I adapted a 6” x 6” x 4” deep bin with a 3” x 3” x 1.5” pivoting bin above it, for the loaded ammo to fall in as it is ejected from the press. When I check the powder charge weight on the tenth load there are 10 loaded rounds in the pivoting bin. If the weight is correct I dump those ten into the lower bin. That way if the tested charge isn’t good I only have ten suspect rounds to worry about.
By having all the QC occur once every ten rounds it doesn’t affect output too much. It’s worth the peace of mind.

[hc18flyer]

Thanks, 'Bmi48219'! Sounds like a workable QC solution. I have an endoscope camera I intended to mount over Station 3 to check my powder drop, but it doesn't like my current old android phone or tablet? I will use your method until I get my endoscope working. Today I weighed out that batch and tonight I will start taking the light ones apart with my inertia bullet puller hammer. Keep moving up in weight till I get past the 'no powder loads'. I will either disassemble or shoot the whole batch. Lesson learned!
PS- I put my empty cases in a container sitting crossways over the bin catching my loaded rounds.

[marvelshooter]

Several years ago mine did the same thing. A drop of blue loctite cured the problem. Had to take apart about hundred .45 target loads with an impact puller. Now part of my routine is to make sure I see the powder slide move full stroke. Every single time.

[Bmi48219]

….. Today I weighed out that batch and tonight I will start taking the light ones apart with my inertia bullet puller hammer. Keep moving up in weight till I get past the 'no powder loads'…..

I had cause to question some of my loads in the past. After a session I noticed the zero on my Frankfort Arsenal (cheap) digital scale wasn’t consistent. With 100 suspect loads I tried sorting them by loaded weight (on a beam scale) figuring the heavier ones could be over max. Problem became the cases themselves. All were Federal HS but the empty brass weight range was +/- 3 grains. The projectiles can vary a couple grains too. I wound up pulling all of them down only to discover none were off by more than .2 grains. But better safe than sorry.

[hc18flyer]

I am a third thru the batch, starting with the lightest ones. Less than a third of those didn't have a powder charge, which surprised me. It bears out your point about case weight variances. Yes, better safe than sorry.

[jmorris]

Mine came with a “jam” length nylock nut and there is also a wave washer in there.

see #16340 and #14041 in the manual, page 5, here.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/medi...al-english.pdf

If you don’t have them, you need them.

[Tall]

I don't have a Dillon. On my Lee turret press I mounted an accessory LED lamp that I got on eBay so I can check to make sure the cases have powder before I install the bullets. I am pretty sure they make the same thing for Dillon. You need one.

[Walter Laich]

I don't have a Dillon. On my Lee turret press I mounted an accessory LED lamp that I got on eBay so I can check to make sure the cases have powder before I install the bullets. I am pretty sure they make the same thing for Dillon. You need one.

One problem with the SDBs is the very narrow "window" you have to see the inside of the case at Station 3 (powder is loaded at station 2)

I've seen guys rig up a small camera going to a laptop that will show the inside of the case. eBay has bunches of them that work on phones, too

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...amera&_sacat=0