sticking cases on funnel driving me crazy

[uscra112]

I will definitely try this when I get a minute. Working night shift 6 days a week doesn't allow for much time to do anything. I definitely need to win a lottery so I can retire.

I hear ya. Did a 15 year sentence with a Tier One supplier to Generous Motors. On call 24/7/365, and I once worked from New Years until May without a single day off, troubleshooting a system. Needless to say extracurricular activities took a back seat.

[oldsman]

I just ordered the Mighty Armory funnel flair die to try out for myself so I can compare it to the mr bullet feeder die

[dearslayer]

I just ordered the Mighty Armory funnel flair die to try out for myself so I can compare it to the mr bullet feeder die

If you don't mind could you please let me know how it works. I'd appreciate it.

[sigep1764]

The way I solved my sticking problem with 9mm in my 550c was to deprime and size on the single stage. Stage one on the Dillon is filled with a Lee Universal expander and an NOE expander plug. If shipping is cheaper from an individual, I will offer up my services. You can have it shipped to me and I'll send it to you. Just an idea to check out. Second option would be to have a member here turn one on a lathe for you and ship it.

[jsizemore]

I took some measurements on my custom powder funnel. From the tip of the funnel where the powder exits to the start of the flair is .25". The straight barrel of the expander over most of that quarter inch is .356". The outside diameter of the tip of the funnel where the powder comes out is .31". From the .31" tip to where the expander is the .356" diameter is almost a straight taper is .04" long. I hope that makes sense to you. From where the flair starts to the where the flair ends at the shoulder is .25" long. Where the flair taper ends at the shoulder is .46" diameter. The shoulder diameter is .509".

The throats on my pistols like .3575" bullets. I size to .3577" and pulled bullets measure .3575" with my alloy. The fella didn't like making the expander that big but it works with my reloading components. If it's a little big it can be reduced in size. Where my expander contacts the brass has a high luster from so much use. Good Luck.

[dverna]

Iv mentioned this subject in another thread but it's driving me nuts. If i'm only loading a few rounds it's not as big a deal but when doing a few hundred rounds it's more than annoying. Loading 9mm cast boolits on my Dillon XL750 press and honestly i feel like i'm gonna break the shell plate the cases stick so bad. Releasing the funnel results in a pretty big THUMP each and every time. To clarify I'm not using the expander that came with the press. That expander allowed my boolits to fall over resulting it shaved boolits. My cast boolits measure 0.3565 after powder coating and sizing. A vey generous member here on cast boolits actually made me a new expander that works fantastic. Expanding just enough to insert the boolit it sits on somewhat of a shelf created by the expander that allows the boolit to stand up straight to prevent shaving the lead when seating.
Some have mentioned that the cases are too clean but I've tried less clean cases, Hornady one shot, imperial wax on the expander tip and still the same result. I"ve also polished the heck out of the expander and still cases stick so bad that it makes reloading very un enjoyable.
Anyone else have this same issue??I'm at wits end. Can someone provide a link to an expander that will work for these boolits? I'm sure I'm leaving out necessary info so please ask.

My cast bullets are a bit smaller (I think, because I cannot measure to .0001) .356". I am using the expander that came with the Dillon dies and have not had bullet shaving.

It might be worth going back to the Dillon expander and checking if it is adjusted to put a bit more flair on the case.

BTW, I use bevel base bullets. Flat base bullets are going to be a tougher challenge to keep from shaving. I also use "hardball" (92-2-6) alloy so it will be less prone to shaving than a softer alloy.

Like others, I use a case lube but that does not seem to be helping you so there is something going on with the expander. That is why I suggest going back to the Dillon expander. It should work and if not, Dillon will replace it.

[JimB..]

look into buying the Mighty Armory , I would not get the mr bullet feeder I know those stick , there is another company that sells them called Photo Escape , never delt with them . I am using Mighty's 30 cal neck sizer in 30 carbine and it work great but that is not a powder die . I would check if Mighty will ship to you , sometime Mighty has listings on ebay

Mr. feeder folks buy their powder funnels from Photo Escape. FWIW, I do not have a sticking issue with them.

i would try spray lube, but I’d do it with the cases standing up. Lubing the outside of the cases isn’t going to help your problem.

[jetinteriorguy]

Another thought, sounds like some serious galling going on. I’m thinking if you’re just cranking rounds out as fast as you can perhaps you’re building up heat on the funnel from the friction. This will increase the galling action significantly. Maybe slowing down will lessen the heat buildup and help prevent it from galling. One way to perhaps figure this out is if the sticking only starts after you’ve been loading a while, in other words if it’s not sticking when starting out cold but gets progressively worse as you go. This may be a weird thought, but something to consider and doesn’t cost a dime to try.

[dillonhelp]

The carbon residue inside the fired cases acts as a lubricant on the powder funnel. All size dies will size the case neck portion tighter than necessary. This is because there is too much variation in case neck thickness. Then the powder funnel has an expander portion that opens the case neck up to a uniform inside diameter. This ensures consistant neck tension holding the projectile, regardless of brass manufacturer. If you insist on wet cleaning, leave the pins out and run for 30-45 minutes, so some carbon residue remains inside the case. Using a car wash containing car wax instead of other citric acid based products helps. A light spray of Dillon case lube on the brass can overcome this. Dillon case lube is alcohol and lanolin, so the powder burning rate is not affected.

[M-Tecs]

Wet tumbling has some advantages and some disadvantages. The main reason I wet tumble is to clean the primer pockets. Everything that I have read indicates that for most application this is not really a benefit but if I am going thru the extra effort to wet tumble I want the primer pockets clean.

Since long before wet tumbling was a thing, I did/do all brass processing in two steps. All my Dillons have case feeders. I size, deprime and expand the neck/flare in the first time through the press. For straight wall cases I mostly use a Lyman M type die. Next is wet tumbling and or trimming if needed. Second pass thru the press is to prime, drop powder and seat/crimp the bullet. I prefer to crimp after the bullet is fully seated so I generally use a separate crimp die if needed. Using this method, you also a more flexibility for die locations.

Using this method (particularly with ball powders) the lack of additional vibration allows the Dillon measure to drop is amazing accuracy. Funnels sticking issues are also eliminated.

[dearslayer]

The way I solved my sticking problem with 9mm in my 550c was to deprime and size on the single stage. Stage one on the Dillon is filled with a Lee Universal expander and an NOE expander plug. If shipping is cheaper from an individual, I will offer up my services. You can have it shipped to me and I'll send it to you. Just an idea to check out. Second option would be to have a member here turn one on a lathe for you and ship it.

Thanks so much for that offer and perhaps another time I may take you up on it. Fortunately a very generous member here has offered up to make me a new one.

[dearslayer]

Another thought, sounds like some serious galling going on. I’m thinking if you’re just cranking rounds out as fast as you can perhaps you’re building up heat on the funnel from the friction. This will increase the galling action significantly. Maybe slowing down will lessen the heat buildup and help prevent it from galling. One way to perhaps figure this out is if the sticking only starts after you’ve been loading a while, in other words if it’s not sticking when starting out cold but gets progressively worse as you go. This may be a weird thought, but something to consider and doesn’t cost a dime to try.

Oh heck no....I have to move at a snails pace due to the severe sticking. There's no way to do it fast under the current circumstances.

[M-Tecs]

When I process pistol brass I mostly use carbide dies. I still use a light spray of Hornady One Shot. I've never timed output rates but it's well over 1,000 rounds per hour without any meaningful sticking/galling issues.

I do let the One Shot dry for at least 30 minutes.

[uscra112]

That less than 4 seconds per piece.......you can keep that up for an hour?

[M-Tecs]

That less than 4 seconds per piece.......you can keep that up for an hour?

Awhile back I sized and deprimed 3,300 223 cases for a buddy in one setting using my Super 1050 and Dillon carbide sizing die. The cases were lightly tumbled in corncob to remove some stuck-on dirt/mud then sprayed with Hornady Ones shot the day before. When you only have to pour cases into the feeder and pull the handle 1 per 4 seconds is easy. I did let the dogs out a couple of times and did a couple of other minor things, but total time was still under 4 hours. Yes, my elbow was sore the next day.

Normally I like to do batches between 1K and 2K.

[Valley-Shooter]

I used to have problems with sticking cases, but I don't anymore.

I load my 9mm on a Dillon RL1050. I removed the Dillon expander die on station 2. I installed a Lyman M die, I got it super cheap on eBay. At the powder measure I have a Photo Escape powder thru expander. The majority of the expanding happens with the Lyman die and the powder thru expander finishes the expansion. I load 147 grain Hi Tek coated cast bullets. I wet tumble my range pickup brass with s/s pins, Dawn, and citrus acid; and rinse tumble with car wash, I usually deprime it before the wet tumbling. I also rollsize, so my 9mm brass before it gets loaded.

[uscra112]

Awhile back I sized and deprimed 3,300 223 cases for a buddy in one setting using my Super 1050 and Dillon carbide sizing die.

You must have a case feeder that orients the case automatically.

And one arm twice the size of the other.

[M-Tecs]

You must have a case feeder that orients the case automatically.

Is there any other type?

Start the video at 6 minutes. He is sizing and trimming. All the excess lub. he has in the feeder will start causing problems but is does show a normal production rate of just processing brass.



jmorris has posted some nice videos of his fully automated Dillons. One example below in post #4. His stated he does 1000 rounds in 52 minutes for fully loaded ammo. My guess is he has to stop stopping to fill primers and powder. Bullets and brass should be able to be added as the machine cycles. I don't use bullet feeders and I do stop to pour cases in the feeder.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...11#post5641011

[uscra112]

Only ones I know of are a tube that you stack the cases in. But I'm not a progressive press user. My shooting sports are well served by a single stage RCBS junior. I only know what I saw in the magazine ads before I quit reading them in the 1990s.

[M-Tecs]

Only ones I know of are a tube that you stack the cases in. But I'm not a progressive press user. My shooting sports are well served by a single stage RCBS junior. I only know what I saw in the magazine ads before I quit reading them in the 1990s.

Here's an old one from jmorris with a bullet feeder.