Dillon powder bars

[pull the trigger]

What is the overlap like in the small and extra small powder bars? I have a large and need smaller. But how small? How low will the small go?
Also I am looking for a complete 357 conversion kit for my square deal b. I have the top half of a 9mm kit but not the collars that drop into the top of the press. If I bought the sizing die for the 9mm do you think I could make the rest of the 357 dies work? I know, I am cheap. Thanks!!!

[JimB..]

You need small unless you're planning to load .25acp.

Which press do you have?

What are you wanting to do? Buy 38/357 dies to load 9mm?

If you are asking if you can use your 38/357 dies to expand, seat, and crimp 9mm my thought is that you might have trouble getting the dies adjusted for the short case. Powder may not drop consistently, and you'll probably have excess expansion and no ability to crimp it back out.

[pull the trigger]

Sorry its a square deal b. I have the correct funnel, and shell holder, and seater. Just not the three collars that drop down in the press.

[Dan Cash]

9mm is smaller than .38/.357. Loading 9mm with .38 dies is totally unsat.

[jmorris]

Page 15 of the 550 manual gives this information on the small and large powder bars: Small – use for dropping 3 to 20 grains of powder
Large – use for dropping 20 to approximately 45 to 50 grains of powder


Its worth noting that what they actually can do depends on the bulk of the powder. I know that I have dropped as low as 2.8 gn of clays with the small bar and I'm not sure it was at its lower limit either.

Along with the small and large they send with every machine they sell, they also offer an extra small and magnum for even smaller and larger charges.

[JimB..]

Sorry its a square deal b. I have the correct funnel, and shell holder, and seater. Just not the three collars that drop down in the press.

I think that I ended up with a second 9mm caliber conversion for my SDB a couple years ago if you're interested. Most folks keep the parts together, so it seems unlikely that you'll find just what you need, and the lowest cost solution may well be to call Dillon and see what they say.

[pergoman]

I have found that the small powder bar will drop Clays fairly consistently down to 2.7 grains. Going lower than that will require the extra small bar. Clays is a fairly big grained/flake powder which does not meter well for light charges thrown through the small bar. I have some 9mm loads as light as 2.1 grains of Clays that definitely require the extra small powder bar in order to get anything resembling consistency of charge weight.

[pull the trigger]

I think that I ended up with a second 9mm caliber conversion for my SDB a couple years ago if you're interested. Most folks keep the parts together, so it seems unlikely that you'll find just what you need, and the lowest cost solution may well be to call Dillon and see what they say.
The parts I am lacking are almost as expensive as a whole kit from Dillon.
How heavy will an extra small go?

[imashooter2]

Your question can't be answered without knowing the powder that you want to use. Powders have different densities. Regardless, the SDB is limited as to what cartridges it can load by the available die sets. The extra small bar is only required for .32 S&W.

[pull the trigger]

Lets say unique. I can drop 10gr of unique with my large bar. Probably a little less. What's the max charge of unique from the extra small bar? Do they overlap or is the small necessary for a middle amount ie 7-9 gr or something along those lines? Thanks for all the input so far!!

[GONRA]

GONRA sure likes my Dillon, but try using 800X powder
with ANY powder bar on ANY progressive press.
Even with the good olde "Tetra Whisper 10 Aquarium Air Pump"
"60 cycle vibrator" rubberbanded to the powder measure tube.
!@#$%^&*(

[JimB..]

GONRA sure likes my Dillon, but try using 800X powder
with ANY powder bar on ANY progressive press.
Even with the good olde "Tetra Whisper 10 Aquarium Air Pump"
"60 cycle vibrator" rubberbanded to the powder measure tube.
!@#$%^&*(

Are you saying that a powder he hasn't asked about doesn't meter well on any progressive?