Harrel powder measure/Dillon 550

Am kicking the idea of mounting Schuetzen powder drop on top of Dillon 550.

Not wanting opinion. My question is, have you mounted a Harrels drop on progressive press ?


Schuetzen will drop to 1/3rd of 1/10th of 1 grain.

Why ? Power factor for NRA action pistol is 120. Six cartridges are checked at random selection at each of four events. ES has to be within 20 so I can load 125 and not get called for failing chrono. Several guys failed chrono.

Bianchi Cup is over. Great time. I shot open class, unclassified and placed dead last for open class. Showed up with untuned pistol, no training, a cut down 8lb recoil spring because MidwaybackorderUSA was out of 7 lb springs. Cycling problems became an issue. Intentionally upped charge weights using Dillon measure. ES was greater than 80.

German team brought hand loads manufactured by custom loader with ES under 20.

At event were major component and ammunition manufactuers. Got to visit with them all. Have business cards of industry leaders who shared a lot of knowledge. One broke out test data to see. One of the most respected names in bullets shared hand written test data printed on back side of targets. Targets with 30 shot groups. Learned some more about powders. Powders that I use or have tried, got great results from then moved on to a pound of something else. I won't throw names out but if you see a load I post in near future. You might write it down and try.

Good time. My Thanks to Graf & Sons for sponsorship. I felt fortunate to attend such a world class event. I got to visit with, shake hands and shoot with the best shooters in the world. There was zero range bravada. Truly down to earth experience.

Harrels info appreciated.

may be somewhat related, but I mounted my Prometheus I and Prometheus II above the Dillon 550B to use in place of the Dillon powder measure in station 2...

How does the measure mount in a stand? I've seen adapters for RCBS measures and I've seen Lee measures used in 550 and 650 presses, maybe 1 one is available for your measure..

Yes it is related hrt4me. How are you funneling powder into case ??

I was hoping to thread Harrells into 550 tool head. If I can't, will have to mount above and drop a tube.

Are you dropping into Dillon powder die ??

What about case mouth expander ??




eta to previous poster, FB41; I believe Harrells sells a stand.

I use the AT500 oversized powder die in station 2 and drop from the Prometheus via a drop tube of appropriate length to ensure the powder hits the black funnel without 'splattering' and spilling over its sides:


When I bought the Prometheus I, its inventor, Brand Cole, included plans to fabricate a stand so one could incorporate his powder measure with the Dillon 550 press; I took the plans to a local machine shop and had 3 (to reduce the cost for each one) stands commissioned out of sheet metal for me and 2 other local buddies with their own Prometheus powder measures.

ETA: I am only loading match rifle rounds in conjunction with the Prometheus, so I do not need to expand the case mouth in station 2 (I still load my .45 ACP, 9x19mm and .40 S&W pistol rounds using the Dillon powder measure)

ETA: BTW, I grew up in central Missouri and cut my teeth at the Chapman Academy (now Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club) and first watched Rob Leatham compete in the 1987 Bianchi Cup; when I held my Type 01 FFL, I placed many an order via Graf & Sons, particularly because one of my buddies was in college at MU with one of their sons...

If its that important why not use a electric dispenser and Single stage load? are you shooting MASSIVE quantities?

a few other threads over the past few years discussing the Harrell powder measure and Dillon 550

Brian Enos

Cast Boolits

6.8 Forums

20,000 ++ this next year. Where ever I go for the next 350 some odd days. Open pistol won't be far away.

So yes, massive quantities.

Thanks hrt4me. Rob is a great guy. Cyborg-Human with a pistol.

Load to a 130 pf and dont sweat it.

Harrels are good measures (I have two) but mounting them on a Dillon press might be painful and expensive.

You can tweak a Dillon Powder measure so they throw more consistent. Look up Dillon Powder Measure Tips on the Enos forum.

Do you use the Uniquetech micrometer powder bars or the one's from Dillon? I find they hold charges within .1 grains.

I do. I like them a lot.

Now days I do not play much with loads and powders. When I was, they were a huge help and just about all my Dillon measures (a dozen or so) have them.

Micrometer doesn't change the bar.

Dillon has the best factory mounted drop made. Micrometer makes it even better.

That said, it's not what I want or have in mind.

I have had a chance to think it through some more. Will use part of hrt4me's suggestion, then weld Harrells stand to Dillon powder die.

Archive notes.

Harrells Shuetzen powder drop is sold with stand and c-clamp for table mounting.

Some welding or fabrication required.

Dillon part numbers.

16617, funnel

16629, powder die

13806, 9mm, .38 super expander.

My archive notes from loading PPC and Bullseye ammo for 50 yards.

Dillon 1050s. Dillon measures polished inside. Vhit N310, N320 and Hodgon Clays. 10 rounds over a CED Chrono with IR screens. Average ES of 15 and single digit SDs are the norm.

I bet if you were to ask everyone that shot the Cup, a huge majority of them loaded their ammo on Dillon machines with Dillon measures.

Almost everyone loaded on Dillon. Except those sponsered by Hornady. All of mine was loaded on 1050 using Vihtavouri N320 & didn't see the numbers you have. I talked to one company loading with Camdex machine with ES of 100+.

I'm running two Dillons nowadays and adding a third blue machine soon.

I was around chrono area a lot and everytime someone was getting called up for re-chrono.


btw, not meaning to step on toes. The only time I've seen ES under 25, SD under 10 is when trickling to within .02. The company mentioned loading on Camdex equipment flat out said his variance is 3/10ths. He brought 30,000 rounds to sell and stated he loads heavy to keep his ammunition above PF. He also sponsered a winning team of shooters.

I'm making more of this than I should but that's the beauty of hand loading.

Control

While working thru powder I've got plenty of shooter issues to work through. Pistol tuning is at least done. That problem alone will net over 500 points. Powder control might net 50. The biggest improvement to make is me.

I appreciate your suggestion. I posted parts numbers for others and according to hrt4me I'm not the first to do this. Ask hrt4me why he's running two Prometheus drops.

I worry about getting nipped at the chrono also, especially using Unique in my RL550.

So far I've been lucky, but I've had batches with extreme spreads in the 150s in some of my 9mm Production and IDPA loads and the slower ones didn't make minor.

In 45acp my only answer was to bump up the powder charge.

In 9mm my only answer is to change powder and I haven't figured out which handgun powder meters the best.

I'd like to try messing with station two but with the volumes I load I worry....

Anyway, I'm interested in how this will turn out

Finding a scale that will show you anything under 0.1 resolution is gonna be tough. They get real expensive in a hurry.



Using a Prometheus for pistol ammo is overkill that is for sure. I only use mine for long range rifle ammo.

Try doing these things to your Dillon measures and your ES/SD will come down. http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=154783

Hoser,

My scale is pharmaceutical grade. $ 300.00 + scale. Measures within .02 grains with .02 repeatability. Schuetzen drop measures within .03 grains. Harrells says that is repeatable.

Dillon makes the best progressive drop going. That said it's what it is, bar charge and at best dials to within a tenth. Anyways. Thanks.

I'm locked on course.

pdg45acp,

You're doing what the rest have done and do. We've loaded everything on one machine to date. 1050 is 2 years old and tuned to the nines. Ought to be cause it belongs to the best fella to ever man Graf & Sons tech desk. Same guy who ranked 69th in cup and doesn't practice all year till few days before Cup. Makes me sick.

Jason Perkins\South Fork Arms. This guy was potty trained with an open gun in one hand and wrapped in a Dillon stamped diaper. He's no stranger at Enos forum. I go there all the time to lurk but never post.

I will post pictures when done. Busy building benches, shelves and hanging sheetrock in new reloading central room. There's four courses of fire to NRA action pistol. 225 rounds a match is all that needs precision drop. Practice rounds can be dialed in and run bulk on Dillon press

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