Dillon Progressive Press Precision Upgrades/Mods

[padom]

I wanted to create a post for those interested in getting better accuracy out of their Dillon press. I use the XL650 specifically and recently made some upgrades that have really increased the accuracy of my powder drops. Here are the upgrades listed below.

-Uniquetek Powder Tube Baffle
-Uniquetek Powder Bar Micrometer
-Polished inside of the Dillon Automatic Powder feed assembly

These upgrades have made a huge difference in consistency of charge drops. Im not sure which one specifically made the difference because I did them all at once. I have since ordered more baffles and micrometers from Uniquetek for all my toolheads!!

You can choose to purchase a powder bar with the Micrometer already installed, you can send them your powder powder and have the micrometer installed for you on your bar or you can just buy the micrometer and install it yourself on your powder buy which I did. Its not hard but make sure you read the directions fully and follow them exactly.!


http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1231
http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1278


http://www.uniquetek.com/store/69629...e_Accuracy.pdf

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[Kadams1563]

I have been wanting to get the micrometer set up. I have already been using the powder baffle.

I polished my powder measure, installed the tool head clamp kits, use Whidden tool heads, strong mount.

I'm sure there is more just can't think of them. My 650 is completely decked out besides a Bullet feeder. I load all .223 and 9mm I shot on it. Usually 500 rounds a month or so.


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[ToddKS]

I am loading on a 1050. I would be interested to hear what people are doing to get consistent shoulder set back.

 

[padom]

Hmmm. I get very consistent shoulder set back on my 650. I'm using the Dillon trim die to set shoulders back and trim all in one step. I then set neck tension with a 21st Century expander die or Forster FL die depending on the caliber.

I just processed 200pcs of 1xLC 308 setting back .0035 and trimmed to 2.055.

 

[ToddKS]

The differences between the way a 1050 and a 650 operate that I think may make the 1050 more prone to this issue. I do like the idea of sizing with the trim die and the expanding.

 

[ubet]

Just ordered the floating whidden tool head from uniquetek with their clamp system already installed. Pretty excited to get everything

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[padom]

I just got done putting another powder dispenser together on a Dillon billet toolhead for my 300blk supers load. Polished powder dispenser funnel with the Uniquetek micrometer and powder tube baffle. Filled the powder tube 2/3 full with H110 and ran the press dropping powder 10 times to get everything settled in. I am using the large powder bar. After 10 drops I weighed the drop on my Chargemaster which showed 18.5g. I spun the micrometer to lower the charge, made 10 drops then weighed and it was 17.6g. I dialed it in this time counting the harsh marks on the micrometer and made 10 drops. It was dead on 18.0g on the chargemaster. I made 25 consecutive drops after this, measuring every one on the Chargemaster to see how accurate it was reading. Every single drop was dead on 18.0g on the CM! I was having issues with this powder last week, getting fluctuations of 0.6-0.8 high or low no matter what I did. I was also getting spills of H110 dropping onto the indexing plate and priming system of H110 that was stuck or left in the powder funnel after a case was charged. Was a damn mess and clogged up the press to the point I had to tear it down and clean it.

All those issues are gone now and its dead accurate. I put another order in with Uniquetek yesterday for Micrometers and baffles for all the rest of my toolheads! I am polishing all the powder dispensers now. Man why didnt I do all this sooner.

 

[j-moose32]

Bumping an old thread. Wanna go into more detail about how you polished the powder drop setup?

 

[B_w.]

Bumping an old thread. Wanna go into more detail about how you polished the powder drop setup?

x2

 

[Anb618]

I did it a while back. Used a Mothers PowerCone 360 (already had one in the garage), which worked awesome.

Pull the plastic tube off, and powder bar/plastic baffle out. Chuck up the bit in your cordless drill and add a little polishing compound to it. I used Blue Magic polish cream, but any decent aluminum polish will work. Run the drill on slow cycle (keeps the heat down) until you’re happy with results, allowing it to cool if it starts heating up. Took me about 10 minutes per drop.

PowerCone® 360

PowerCone® 360 takes Mothers® best-selling metal polishing tool and makes it even better. The patented spherical cone extends its polishing ability and effective surface area to not only polish those difficult-to-reach areas and broad, curved surfaces with ease, but now you can safely tackle...

mothers.com

 

[Halfnutz]

Use a bench stone on the surfaces of the powder bar, and inside the housing. Polish these as well.
Just remove the high spots don't over do it.

Try a tapered reamer (by hand) in the powder funnel part of the caliber conversion kit, sand and polish. This seems to help with extruded powder to prevent bridging. Ball powder runs like water.

Add springs or rubber bands around the powder bar and hopper to smooth out motion.

I adjust the failsafe rod so the spring fully compresses but not bind.

I use a stone, fine sand paper, steel wool, and a Dremel with felt/rouge, and flitz to get a mirror finish.

Degrease afterwards and wipe it all.down with a dryer sheet.

 

[Anb618]

Use a bench stone on the surfaces of the powder bar, and inside the housing. Polish these as well.
Just remove the high spots don't over do it.

Try a tapered reamer (by hand) in the powder funnel part of the caliber conversion kit, sand and polish. This seems to help with extruded powder to prevent bridging. Ball powder runs like water.

Add springs or rubber bands around the powder bar and hopper to smooth out motion.

I adjust the failsafe rod so the spring fully compresses but not bind.

I use a stone, fine sand paper, steel wool, and a Dremel with felt/rouge, and flitz to get a mirror finish.

Degrease afterwards and wipe it all.down with a dryer sheet.

^This is the right way.
Mine is the fast/“good enough” way.

This is why ^he’s a machinist, and I’m just a public servant.

 

[Halfnutz]

That's not quite machinist work. But I appreciate the nod.
All of it was put out there well before I did it, I'm just regurgitating.