Dillon Square Deal Expander

[truckmsl]

Have any of you guys using the Dillon SDB ever felt the need to have a larger-than-standard powder funnel/expander for over-sized cast pistol boolits? If so what was your solution?

[AZ Pete]

no, I haven't. I load 8 different calibers on a SDB, and the expanders have been fine for cast and jacketed bullets. What caliber are you having an issue with?

PS, Dillon provides very good customer service on the phone. They have been able to solve any and all problems that I have encountered, first time..every time.

[imashooter2]

The SDB expanders can bell a case just as much as you could ever want. I still want case tension, so I don't want the entire neck expanded more than standard.

[crabo]

I just bell mine enough to be able to seat the boolit without shaving. I like seeing the lines from the boolit through the brass. I know I have enough neck tension.

[FromTheWoods]

Not for pistol, but for rifles--

Sometimes for cast in order to expand the mouth, I check Dillon's supply of expanders and buy one that is likely to open the mouth as I need to open it.

I'm thinking .25-35, .32-40--calibers like those, I've played with different expanders. (I'd have to go out to the shop: It's raining hard, late, and I'm a tad lazy now.)

[truckmsl]

Sorry guys. I meant the sizing die. What I'd like to do is have a larger inside diameter case so my larger cast boolits don't have to either size the brass so much when using harder lead or become compressed when using softer lead. I cast .359 for a lever gun and .38spl, and .402 for 40S&W. Since these are dillon proprietary dies for the Square Deal, I don't have many options. I have a feeling that I may need to go to a different press.

[Echo]

Sorry guys. I meant the sizing die. What I'd like to do is have a larger inside diameter case so my larger cast boolits don't have to either size the brass so much when using harder lead or become compressed when using softer lead. I cast .359 for a lever gun and .38spl, and .402 for 40S&W. Since these are dillon proprietary dies for the Square Deal, I don't have many options. I have a feeling that I may need to go to a different press.

Well - it might be possible to hone out the Dillon die, that I assume has a carbide insert. Might take a while. Maybe better to have a machinist do it, taking it out as many thousandths as you believe are necessary.

Or check with Dillon - they might be able to custom make one for you.

[truckmsl]

Thanks, Echo - I've never honed carbide so need to research it. Any tips will be appreciated! Dillon doesn't seem interested in doing any custom work these days, in my experience.

[myg30]

Try calling lee or rcbs or hornady and tell them your issue. If they recomend to bore one out then you know what you need to do. They might have a different cure fer you !
Just my .02 worth.

Mike

[Lloyd Smale]

problem is case tension is a good thing and if you open up your sizing die you wont have near as much case tension.

[historicfirearms]

Ok I'm reviving an old thread but I have the same question as the OP. Just getting my new to me SDB up and running in 45 Colt. I like to shoot .454" boolits in some of my revolvers and the Dillon powder-through expander is a little small for my soft boolits. It measures .4485" on the expanding portion which isn't big enough to keep the brass from sizing down my soft alloy boolits. I'm also having to flare the mouth more than I care for to keep from shaving lead while seating. Does anyone know of someone that can make me a custom expander for the SDB?

[jmorris]

I have not but the SD uses the same powder funnel as the 550 and 650. There are some that use the MBF powder funnel because it opens the case up more than normal for use with their bullet feeder. IIRC there is a guy on eBay that sells custom ones as well.

[Valley-Shooter]

45 ACP "M" style powder funnel, powder die for Dillon
http://www.ebay.com/itm/45-ACP-M-style-powder-funnel-powder-die-for-Dillon-RL550-XL-650-RL-1050-/222114543747?hash=item33b70ef883:g:M4oAAOSwZJlXMrE F

45 acp and 45 colt use the same expander on the Dillon presses.

[historicfirearms]

45 ACP "M" style powder funnel, powder die for Dillon
http://www.ebay.com/itm/45-ACP-M-style-powder-funnel-powder-die-for-Dillon-RL550-XL-650-RL-1050-/222114543747?hash=item33b70ef883:g:M4oAAOSwZJlXMrE F

45 acp and 45 colt use the same expander on the Dillon presses.

Awesome, thanks! I just ordered one.

[historicfirearms]

I got my powder funnel from the link above a few days ago. It works perfectly and the machine work is very nice. The m die style expander works way better keeping my boolits straight going into the sizing die. No more shaving lead with my .454 boolits. I'm a happy customer. Wish he made one for 357 boolits now, but I didn't see one on his eBay listings.