Which Dillon owner wants them to make bigger funnels for boolits or coated bullets?

[jayjay1]

Hello guys!

My boolits and coated bullets get downsized in the brass, which isn´t opened enough because of the to small powder funnels from Dillon.
I´ve contacted Dillon because of the problem, that my pulled bullets get downsized in the cases 0,0015" and even more.
But Dillon answered to me, that there is no problem.

I´m not satisfied with this anwer, because it´s not true.

So, who of the Dillon owners inhere wants Dillon to make a second line of powder funnels, let´s say 0,0015" wider in dia?


If so, please vote!

[1bluehorse]

Hello guys!

My boolits and coated bullets get downsized in the brass, which isn´t opened enough because of the to small powder funnels from Dillon.
I´ve contacted Dillon because of the problem, that my pulled bullets get downsized in the cases 0,0015" and even more.
But Dillon answered to me, that there is no problem.

I´m not satisfied with this anwer, because it´s not true.

So, who of the Dillon owners inhere wants Dillon to make a second line of powder funnels, let´s say 0,0015" wider in dia?


If so, please vote!




For some reason the thread won't let me vote so I'll just say what I do with mine....stick a Lyman M die in station three and seat and crimp in station 4...Dillon 450.......could do the same with any model..

[hd09]

I'll second the M-Die, Been using them for years with pistol rounds and just got in to casting for my Hornet. Bought a M-Die for it and ain't lookin back. I have made a few different expanders for it to see what works best. The one that came with it is .221 to .225 and that is probably good for j-words but not when my cast ones are .225 Good luck with Dillon.

[jayjay1]

Seating and crimping in one station is not a good idea in my opinion.

Have done this in the beginnig and had from different OALs up to damaged bullets almost everything.
How can this work properly, seating while you crimp the bullet?

And on the other hand:
Why shouldn´t Dillon produce propper stuff for what we´ve paid for?

The powder funnel works with FMJ´s, but with nothing otherwise.

[ph4570]

I do not use the Dillon funnels for at least a couple of reasons -- it is a poor expansion scheme and for the reason stated by the OP.

I make my own funnels with no expansion and use an M die in station one. My brass is prepped before loading so M die in station one, powder drop in station two, boolit seat in station 3 and crimp in station four.

[reed1911]

I too simply run it the same way. I really find it odd that anyone would size, de-prime, and then reload without cleaning of the brass. Yes, yes, I know some folks toss it in the tumbler loaded to clean off the lube, but not I. I've had terrible results this way. Yes, no lube is required with carbide dies, but I still use some on the brass as it makes it so much less work. If we are talking about the set of us who care about the difference that seating makes to a cast bullet, one would presume that we don't use a progressive as a one step ammo machine.

[jayjay1]

Well, those who use the Lyman M-Dies just approve the problem, right?

They´ve made the same experience and were then searching a solution, coming up with the M-Dies.
The message is pretty much the same, Dillon´s powder funnel doesn´t expand enough.

[ph4570]

Dillon machines have a few flaws. The powder funnel expander scheme being one of them. I certainly acknowledge the issues with the funnel/expander scheme. You will not get Dillon to provide funnel/expanders in varied sizes for the same cartridge. The M die is a superior scheme with varied size expanders available and can be custom made. There are other flaws with the Dillon machines. Some have other alternative solutions. I'll not get into those.

If it brings you pleasure you can continue to whimper to Dillon or adopt the better expander solution.

[reed1911]

You know, if you can get enough of an order together, there are lots of machine shops that could make them for you at a fair price. You'd just have to figure out what size you wanted or for those that wanted maybe a little oversized to be custom fit by the end user. We have lots of shops here that I farm large volume work out to, I only have manual machines and if I need 100 of this or that, they toss it in to trim some of the idle time between bigger jobs.

[jmorris]

I don't have any problems with mine but if you do, you might get one of mrbulletfeeders funnels they are larger.

[Garyshome]

I don't have any problems.

[Handloader109]

My new to me Dillon is working well enough for my 9mm. It will open up the mouth of the cartridge WAY more than you can reasonably use. In fact, from my view, you can damage the brass if you open up fully. I'm actually tempted to move my Lee expander to the powder position in order to better control this expansion.

[reed1911]

My new to me Dillon is working well enough for my 9mm. It will open up the mouth of the cartridge WAY more than you can reasonably use. In fact, from my view, you can damage the brass if you open up fully. I'm actually tempted to move my Lee expander to the powder position in order to better control this expansion.

Keep in mind that the issue is not the mouth of the case that is the issue here, you are correct it will bell the mouth to any size you could want and then some, the issue is beyond the mouth of the case and deeper in (think of the short straight section of the funnel) that the OP wants made larger.

[bobthenailer]

I had a senairo where 2 of my 44 mags had chamber throats that measured .433 and .434 they would not shoot accuratly enough for me with bullets sized @my normal.430 dia.


I beagled the mould and had lathsmith make me a .434 sizer/lube die for my Star , bought a 45lc powder drop tube from Dillon and had a machinest friend turn it down to .431 dia, problem solved.

[jayjay1]

Handloader109, like reed1911 wrote, you got it wrong.
It is not about the flare, how could it?

Did you ever plug your barrel?
Have you ever pulled some seated bullets?
Measure some before seating, pull ´em out and then, measure them again.

I´m having too custom made sizers for my star from Chris / lathesmith, they are awesome.
But the Dillon expanders kill this advantage by far.

Am loading in three hand gun calibers, and all bullets get downsized in the case 0,0015" or more.

[jayjay1]

I don't have any problems with mine but if you do, you might get one of mrbulletfeeders funnels they are larger.

Hey jmorris!

I´m always looking for a solution which is acceptable.
Losing one station for a M-Die and seating/crimping on one station is not.
Doing a prepare step in sizing the brass, setting the primers and then expand the case - before - loading them isn´t an option too.

I mailed to DAA, asking them if the powder funnels / expanders will fit the Dillon powder measure, they don´t.

So will I have to buy a Mr. Bulletfeeder to correct the malfunctioning expanders of Dillon?

Can´t you see what happens here?
Everyone is having the same issue with the too small expanders from Dillon, and everyone does his sort of workaround to correct this failure.
Some of them are going so far to advocate it, thinking this has to be correct?

I´m sure that a lot of customers contacted Dillon because of this before, I´m surely not the first (and not the last one).
Maybe it´s to less buisness for them, I don´t know.

[mikeinctown]

As I'm about to buy a 650xl, can someone describe this problem to me? I wasn't aware that .001would be that big of a deal, and in fact that tolerance would normally be within well established limits of pretty much any machining process, unless you wanted to start paying several times more for a given product.

Until now I was under the assumption that the case is sized before it gets to the powder station and that it is only flared open to accept the bullet at the powder stage. Or is this issue only with a 550 or other setup? (and is it with one specific caliber?)

[jmorris]

So will I have to buy a Mr. Bulletfeeder to correct the malfunctioning expanders of Dillon?

Can´t you see what happens here?
Everyone is having the same issue with the too small expanders from Dillon, and everyone does his sort of workaround to correct this failure.
Some of them are going so far to advocate it, thinking this has to be correct?

I´m sure that a lot of customers contacted Dillon because of this before, I´m surely not the first (and not the last one).
Maybe it´s to less buisness for them, I don´t know.

The MR bullet feeder expander is oversized because it just drops bullets into the case mouth and they rotate to the next station to be seated. I use Dillon expanders with the GSI bullet feeder with no problems as it feeds and seats at the same station.

I have Dillon powder funnels that are up to 30 years old, used in SD's, 550's and 650's. I have never had a problem with any of them (I think I polished one once though).

Are you using a combination seat and crimp die?

If not can you seat a bullet, NOT crimp it, pull the bullet and see if the problem goes away?

I have seen over crimping cause the problem you describe and there are many thousands of us that have had no problems with them for decades.

What funnel are you having problems with? Maybe it is just a undersized part. Let me know what one we are talking about and I'll pull ove of mine and mic it.

[kweidner]

My solution is in the mr bullet powder funnel and lapping the seating die out to not crimp the bullet but do what it is supposed to do and simply seat it ONLY. Works like a champ.

[EddieNFL]

G s Custom Powder Funnel AK 300 Blackout for The Dillon 550 650 and 1050 | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-S-Custom-powder-funnel-AK-300-Blackout-for-the-Dillon-550-650-and-1050-/221530084657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339438d531)

[jayjay1]

@jmorris:
If you would have read my postings, you would have seen, that I never would seat and crimp in one station.

I have three pistol calibers which get downsized in the case.
Pulled them without crimping.


caliber 9mm .40 S&W .45 ACP

needed bullet dia. .3575 .402 .452

dia. of the expander .3525 .395 .447

bullet dia. downsized .3565 .4001 .451
in the case

[jayjay1]

G s Custom Powder Funnel AK 300 Blackout for The Dillon 550 650 and 1050 | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-S-Custom-powder-funnel-AK-300-Blackout-for-the-Dillon-550-650-and-1050-/221530084657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339438d531)

I only see 300 Blackout funnels and they don´t even expand.

No pistol expander dies, are there?

[jayjay1]

Some more input above this subject:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?169622-Dillon-custom-powder-funnel-for-9mm

For those who are interested:
Maybe we should start a group buy discussion, to see what we will get there?

Which calibers would be interesting?
Maybe we can get some "major" calibers, like the 9mm, the 38/357, the 40 and the 45 if we are enough buyers?

[jmorris]

Well I measured some of mine.

E (1050 expander not a powder funnel) .4483"
E funnel/expander .4474"
E funnel/expander .4482"

W funnel/expander .3981"
W funnel/expander .3959"

F funnel/expander .3538"
F funnel/expander .3532"
F (1050 expander not a powder funnel "stepped") .3528-.3565"

Keep in mind some of the above are three decades old with no telling how many rounds of rounds loaded. I know what of them has loaded more than a quarter million in the last 10 years, so some were likely larger OD than they are now.

I don't know what Dillons tolerance on the part is but it does look like all of yours are on the small side.

[jwber]

I'm getting a Dillon around Xmas. I'm thinking about using my Lee Pro Auto Disk on it with the 38S S&W Expander Plug for 9mm.

I'm running fat boolits at .358 and seated really deep (using the Lee 358-125-RF). I still get a lil swaging at the base but leading isn't too bad (might just need to change bullet but the accuracy is good).

[Lumpy grits]

Been run'n a D550 since 1987.
No flare issues, ever.
Ya-just got to set the die 'rite' is all.
Seat in one station and crimp in another--
LG

[EddieNFL]

I only see 300 Blackout funnels and they don´t even expand.

No pistol expander dies, are there?

Contact the guy. It's $5.00 extra for pistol style expanders.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

jayjay,

I think on this one, you're going to find the simplest solution just to have a custom made powder funnel in the size you need. This will give you the proper amount of expansion to match your boolit and your firearm. I've had to do this with other presses and die sets, so it's not just an issue with Dillon parts. It's manufacturing variance, all the way from the die to the gun. Two percent variation over 5 or 6 companies can become 12% if the worst scenario happens.

If you have one custom made by someone like Lathesmith, you'll spend much less time/money and have the pleasure of a extremely high quality custom part. Sometimes, when you're talking a single caliber you're going to reload in volume, this is the best solution.

Dillon, can be pretty slow to react to customer wants and in many cases, they do not.

[jayjay1]

Well, Chris / lathesmith is searching for a solution since then.
I´m waiting for response.

If I could get some custom powder funnels, I could die as a happy man.
Searching since weeks for them.

@ Eddie:
http://www.gsgroup.co.za/05gallery.html
Is it this guy?

I will contact him and see what comes out there.

Thank you!


Anyway it comes out, I will report here, so that other users (72% on this poll!) can get their problems in this solved.

[220swiftfn]

As stated above, you could use the funnel/expander from the 38/357 for your 9mm (it's a thou bigger, and I *think* there's enough adjustment in the powder die to make it work as is. If not, shorten it and re-cone the measure end.)

For the 40, I'd say you could dress down a 41 funnel with emory cloth for the exact diameter you want.

For the 45??? I've seen some that are smaller than others,maybe you could get in touch with Alverez Kelly and see if he could mike the ones he has to try to find you a fatter one, or have lathesmith make you one.....


Dan

[jayjay1]

Hi Dan,
I´m through this, having a 38/357 and a 41 funnel here, like I said, I´m working on this since weeks, am frustrated and lightly desperated.

Neither one works, they must been machined, but that seems to be a problem, because they are hardened and have then to be hardened again.

I´m looking forward to get custom powder funnels, that seems to be the king way to solve this problem.
Second best, in my opinion, using a 650, dropping the powder cop and setting a Lyman M-Die.

But what a pita you have to go through and looking for solutions as a customer to solve the problems of the bought product.
That´s very dissapointing for me and I´m not happy about.

Again, will report here if I find any solution.

[jmorris]

Neither one works, they must been machined, but that seems to be a problem, because they are hardened and have then to be hardened again.


Thats not a problem, just need to use a tool post grinder on the lathe instead of a cutting tool.

[HATCH]

contact the guy that is running this auction. He can make what you want

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-S-Custom-powder-funnel-AK-300-Blackout-for-the-Dillon-550-650-and-1050-/221530084657

[EddieNFL]

@ Eddie:
http://www.gsgroup.co.za/05gallery.html
Is it this guy?

I don't think so. I contacted him through an ebay auction.

[birddog]

Guys,
Quit whining and have your buddy with the lathe crank out some new funnels for you, I have made up 5 or 6 larger sized funnels.
Charlie

[Handloader109]

Handloader109, like reed1911 wrote, you got it wrong.
It is not about the flare, how could it?

Did you ever plug your barrel?
Have you ever pulled some seated bullets?
Measure some before seating, pull ´em out and then, measure them again.

I´m having too custom made sizers for my star from Chris / lathesmith, they are awesome.
But the Dillon expanders kill this advantage by far.

Am loading in three hand gun calibers, and all bullets get downsized in the case 0,0015" or more.
Pulled bullet, nothing is downsized, not pulling the PC off my Bullets. If you open up much more you won't have tension in the right place. I would not trust seating die or crimp die to close up. And at any rate, this won't change dillon.

[Handloader109]

As I'm about to buy a 650xl, can someone describe this problem to me? I wasn't aware that .001would be that big of a deal, and in fact that tolerance would normally be within well established limits of pretty much any machining process, unless you wanted to start paying several times more for a given product.

Until now I was under the assumption that the case is sized before it gets to the powder station and that it is only flared open to accept the bullet at the powder stage. Or is this issue only with a 550 or other setup? (and is it with one specific caliber?)
As you can see from the poll, some see the dillon expander being too small. I'm new to dillon, but so far, on MY 9mm loading, with plated and cast PC'd Bullets, I've not seen any issues. Ymmv

[jayjay1]

Not some, most.

[skeettx]

No issues with my two 1050s
Mike

[ShooterAZ]

No problems here my my 550 either. No need to fix something that isn't broke.

[angus6]

Never noticed a problem, but there is a guy on eBay that will make powder funnels to your spec's

[jayjay1]

All right, after being off for a while I can report my experiences.

A metall worker over here made me a custom funnel for the 9mm caliber, which is working great, but was expensive.

After that I searched around for other options and have found the Double Alpha two-step funnel:

http://www.cedhk.com/shop/products/Mr.BulletFeeder-by-DAA-Powder-Funnel-for-Pistol.html

FTH of it I´ve ordered one for the .45 caliber to give it a try.
Only thing I have to say about it, is that I´ve ordered the one for the .40 dia too.

They really work like advertised, I love this ****.

FWIW 4 ya.


Cheers,
Jay