Double Alpha Magnetic Powder Check - Anyone use?

[ddeck22]

Hello,

I'm looking into purchasing this item:

https://www.doublealpha.biz/us/daa-magnetic-powder-check

This is mainly since I feel this is the one area that I cannot double or triple check with 100% certainty after a round has been loaded. I can check length, case gauge, primer all after the fact to my heart's content but not powder in the case. I use the Hornady powder cop now and it works well and I've caught things with it, but I feel like an audible signal would work better.

Does anyone have experience with these? Reviews indicate that it may be finicky.

Thanks in advance for any experience you can share.

[KAYDADOG]

ddeck22, I have several of them and they are very accurate. I use one on my Mark7. Actually, better than the Mark7 version.
Rewired one to have an input to my PLC which interfaces with all the other sensors. I would use them over the Dillon version because they are very easy to setup. You can get a very narrow window when monitoring the powder level.

Hope this helps on making your decision.

[ddeck22]

Thanks for the detailed review. They are fairly inexpensive for peace of mind and just wanted to see what others thought before purchasing.

[Lefty Red]

Was just wondering which powder check die to use. Appreciate the thread and appreciate the responses.
Lefty

[ddeck22]

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-050063-Powder-Cop/dp/B003D6ZLXE

It just has a visual indicator. What I like about the double alpha one and others like it is that it has an audio indicator as well. So, if I am looking at something else (like the case feeder) I don't miss the warning.

[Lefty Red]

I like the idea of an audio warning, since I’m watching too many things on my progressive as it is.

[Bill Allen]

I liked the concept, light plus alarm. Really was never crazy about the dillon checks. Bought one, adjusted it and went to reloading sometimes it doesn't go off when it should and other times go's off when it shouldn,t. Not reliable for me I took it off and put it in my junk drawer and put the dillon back on. Usually the da stuffs nice but I'm sorry I bought this. Bill

[gwpercle]

I don't have any experience with these but share your angst ... Long time ago ...
A no charge in a 38 special case left a boolit in the forcing cone / chamber ...the Good Lord tied the gun up saving my young and ignorant self .

Back then the only method I could come up with to triple check powder charges was to load on a Single Stage and use powder scoops to dip and measure powder into each case ...then eyeball the powder level two more times before a boolit is seated ...
Slow ...Heck Yeah ... Safe ... I've never had another no or double charge in 50 years .
I'm also from an age that doesn't like to trust my life to "Electronics" if I can help it .
Gary

[Bill Allen]

Well after a bit of fooling around I found the case alarm switch was hanging up sometimes. Smoothed out the plastic plunger stii doing it just not as often. Checked the aluminum housing it sits in. There was a small ridge in it that would hang up the plunger once in a while If it hangs up the powder alarm won't work. Very carefully removed the ridge and polished (as best I could) the housing. It now seems to work. I going to try and use it again first screw up and it goes into the trash can. Although I contacted Double Alpha no reply from them, So My final recomendation is a thumbs down. Bill

[deces]

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-050063-Powder-Cop/dp/B003D6ZLXE

It just has a visual indicator. What I like about the double alpha one and others like it is that it has an audio indicator as well. So, if I am looking at something else (like the case feeder) I don't miss the warning.

Hornady should pick a different name for that die, I'm sure there are a lot of jaded people who grimace at that products name.

[ddeck22]

Hornady should pick a different name for that die, I'm sure there are a lot of jaded people who grimace at that products name.

I'm guessing that Antifa types are into reloading, so I doubt it makes a difference. But let's come up with some other names:

Hornady Powder Patron
Hornady Powder Protector
Hornady Powder Guard
Hornady Powder Watchperson (see what I did there?)

[Moleman-]

I liked the concept, light plus alarm. Really was never crazy about the dillon checks. Bought one, adjusted it and went to reloading sometimes it doesn't go off when it should and other times go's off when it shouldn,t. Not reliable for me I took it off and put it in my junk drawer and put the dillon back on. Usually the da stuffs nice but I'm sorry I bought this. Bill

I bought one 3 years back or so and still use it every time the progressive gets used. There is an adjustment on the magnet/stem for powder heigth, screwing the die in/out adjusts when the limit switch turns on/off, and the sensitivity screw adjustment. Usually if I'm getting false beeps/blips it's the die body heigth. Solid tone is usually I've got the sensitivity set to high as it's pretty easy to get the magnet set in the middle of the range.

I'd buy another one if the need came up.

[Bill Allen]

After running a couple hundred rounds my opinion at this point the dillon is just as good except the dillon throws some powder out of the case not a lot just enough to make a mess after a while. The DA keeps it in the brass because of the design. It's probably headed back to my junk drawer if you can't trust it what's the point?

[GWS]

I hate piezo buzzers. So if it's one of those, like Dillon uses on theirs....forget it. That piercing sound makes me want to smash it. But the only other offering is RCBS's and Hornady's visual ones, which are too easy to not look at when you're busy with all the steps on a progressive.

So for me the best answer is to automate bullet and casefeeding, so you can focus just on powder charge, by either looking in each case directly or look at a video screen big enough, and close enough, to be "in your face." You can epoxy an endoscope inside an old sizer die, or better.....use a micro camera, like I did below, thus not using up a station....but either way I think it's best to buy a 5" video screen and mount it as close to you as possible by the press....where you can't help but look.;)

306333

[Bill Allen]

What I tried was a piece of tape on the side of the electronics box. Took a marker and marked the tape were the magnent stops when there's a weighed load in a case. Seems to be accurate but thats pretty much how i use the dillon only I don't need the tape

[MikeF35]

What I tried was a piece of tape on the side of the electronics box. Took a marker and marked the tape were the magnent stops when there's a weighed load in a case. Seems to be accurate but thats pretty much how i use the dillon only I don't need the tape

Bill, I’m in a similar situation as you. Have you tried adjusting the sensitivity screw? I didn’t even know it had one until reading here, but not at home right now so can’t investigate that option. So far mine is also in the “completely untrustworthy” category, but I love the idea and want it to work.

[Bill Allen]

I'm about a few thousand rounds loaded so for now it's sitting in the press. Overall I don't trust it it's better since I put a piece of tape on the side. When I start loading again I'll fool around with it some more put at this point I don't like it nor trust it. Beside not trusting it, it slows my 1050 down since I'm focused on it and slow down to watch it. When you're so focused on one thing on a progressive press you may miss something else happening.

[MikeF35]

DA has been very responsive to my requests for help (and quick to replace a faulty part). I will try a couple things they mentioned regarding this issue when I’m back home later this week, and will report with findings here.

[BLAHUT]

Electronics are all fine and dandy, I do the old fashion way, primers in cartridge, 100 at a time, by hand, weigh a powder charge, put in case, do another, when I get to 100 in the charge block, visually inspect each cartridge with flashlight, put solid bleach cut wad in, put plastic cut wad in, run into compression die, set bullet, seat bullet. I only single load each cartridge. So no help here.....

[Sig]

I hate piezo buzzers. So if it's one of those, like Dillon uses on theirs....forget it. That piercing sound makes me want to smash it. But the only other offering is RCBS's and Hornady's visual ones, which are too easy to not look at when you're busy with all the steps on a progressive.
306333

The RCBS lock out die is not a visual aid. It will stop the the press if a no charge or double charge is detected. I use one just about every time I load.

[Bill Allen]

Wonder if it'll lock out a dillon 1050 if it would I'd try one of those. All you want is no screwed up double or no charge rounds really don't need buzzers especially since I already have one on the primers.

[Bill Allen]

I'm going to look into this will it stop a 1050 dillon?

[Bill Allen]

I've been doing some reading on the rcbs lock out die. Not to change the theard a tad but how are they in real life? Thanks Bill

[KAYDADOG]

I already commented on these and they are very good powder sensors.
I don't like buzzers going off for nothing and that is what Dillons do if there is no case and powder charge in position.
The DA sensors will only react if there is a case in position to check.
The drawback of the Dillon sensor is that multiple powder check plungers are required and then individually need to be setup.
With the DA sensor it only takes several seconds to set the powder charge window you're looking for. They also have a setting to make the powder charge window smaller for more accuracy if needed.

I just did some 440/Corbon reloading on one of my XL650 presses and found the batteries had corroded in the powder sensor.
Cleaned it up and it works but like others said the buzzer is a nuisance if nothing is wrong.

Bottom line. If I wanted to invest in the DA powder charge mounting dies for the multiple calibers, or at least several to start, I would scrap the Dillon powder check sensors and use nothing but the DA powder check sensors if they would fit on the tool head without any interference problems.

I have a second DA one that I don't have to use on my Mark7 conversion setup and will have to see how it will work on a Dillon XL650 caliber setup. If I think it will work, I will be changing over.

[Bill Allen]

Electronics are all fine and dandy, I do the old fashion way, primers in cartridge, 100 at a time, by hand, weigh a powder charge, put in case, do another, when I get to 100 in the charge block, visually inspect each cartridge with flashlight, put solid bleach cut wad in, put plastic cut wad in, run into compression die, set bullet, seat bullet. I only single load each cartridge. So no help here.....

I shoot mostly handguns twice a week 2-300 hundred rounds at a session it would be almost imposible to load that way unless I give up sleeping (lol). When I load 44 mag, 7-30 waters I do as you do and load one at a time. But for the 9's through 45 the dillon does it quite quickly. At this point I'm just trying to fine tune the process and turn out the best reloads posible.

[MikeF35]

Here are my findings after messing more with the DA powder check:

- Problem is ultimately when set up for rifle cartridges (rod turned so the brass tip is up), the rod just goes right through fine powder instead of the top of the powder charge pushing the rod up. You end up with the bottom of the case being what pushes the rod up, regardless of charge or no charge. I’ve only tried this with CFE BLK.

- Turns out brass tip down (i.e. DA’s described “pistol setup”) does fit into a 300 BLK case. When I tried that setup the powder alarm worked great, other than the fact powder is clinging to the bottom of the brass tip. I’d say .1gn at the worst, but that’s just eyeballing it. Will have to fight the static more when I have time, but a quick attempt at spraying static guard and bounce dryer sheet wipe down did not help.

- Current takeaways:

1) This will work well for pistol/300 BLK, but not with bottleneck cases combined with fine powder
2) Not super happy with how much powder is sticking to brass tip (from both load accuracy and reloading cleanliness POVs)
3) DA could resolve #1 by threading the rod and make separate screw-on brass tips with current “pistol” diameter and a “bottleneck” diameter that would work with .223 and larger.

EDIT TO ADD: Loaded some 300BLK on a XL750, it was +/- .1gn (the sticking powder problem described above is not as much of an issue as I originally thought it’d be), and the powder checker worked great (I injected empty and 2x charge cases a few times to check).

#1 takeaway above is the only reason I’d knock 1-2 stars off. If DA does something along the #3 takeaway above for a version 3, it’d be a 5 star product.

[Bill Allen]

Right now I'm trying to shoot down some of my reloads. I have quite a few loaded and ready. I want to find the best loads for all my diferent calibers I shoot. I'll do them on my rcbs press once I find the best load I'll fire the dillon back up and run a bunch. I think at that point I'll try the lock out die. With all the stuff these old eyes have to watch one less would be really nice

[MikeF35]

Right now I'm trying to shoot down some of my reloads. I have quite a few loaded and ready. I want to find the best loads for all my diferent calibers I shoot. I'll do them on my rcbs press once I find the best load I'll fire the dillon back up and run a bunch. I think at that point I'll try the lock out die. With all the stuff these old eyes have to watch one less would be really nice

I do all load development on a lee press; the Dillon is for cranking rounds out once I’ve got it dialed in. I don’t think I’d really want to ever use the XL750 for development.

[Bill Allen]

I have a 1050 I bought used. Very good and fast press, a little pain to get it where you want it but once thats done pull the handle and a bullet falls out, priceless. But for fooling around trying out diferent loads I use my rcbs. Also for short runs like my 44, 41. But for the 9's through 45 after you get a load you like it's the only way to go (for me). I want it as reliable as I can make it which is why the powder check thread. I don't mind fooling around setting it up but I don't want to be playing around with it when I'm loading. I have yet to find a check I can really trust next up will be the rcbs, no matter how much or little it costs if you don't trust it whats the point?