PLEASE CHECK YOUR POWDER LEVEL BEFORE YOU SEAT THE BULLET!!!

[NorCalMikie]

Have proper lighting and you're much better off. Light on the wall in front of me and light on the wall behind me that shines over my shoulder. Powder measure to my left and loading block just in front. Each case gets powder. Just before seating the bullets, I pick up the case, tip it back to me so the light over my shoulder shines in the neck.
You can't miss seeing the powder level.
Find a routine that works "for you" WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS and stick to it!

The only time I've ever had issues with powder level in a case was when it was running out of the flash hole because I missed putting the primer in. (DUH???)

 

[JMayo]

I always carry a squib rod to the start box ... Saves time ! Lmbo !

I did learn to check every case meticulously. Slow down, check them, every one.....

Your range buddies lives depend on it.

 

[DocCarbon]

Crap can happen at any time too anybody ,no one is infallible . I've been at the reloading endeavor for #55 years as of last week and I KNOW Better . Single stage or Progressive Mistakes happen .

Many reloaders sort brass by head stamp , deprime , clean , anneal ,trim ,resize even weigh all components
and I'm one of those . I generally use My Progressive Big Blue machines . I also have a few scales High $ Electronic Lab scales ( I used to be a Chemist of sorts ) I also have and older OHaus Triple beam and after I'm through ,with a reloading session ; I WEIGH EVERY cartridge and as I know exactly what MY ! St. Near perfection re load is ,all others had better be within + - Tolerance and if it isn't into Pull down pile it or they go . One must take an AVERAGE CASE Weight and allow for a variable ,if You stay within those parameters
It's impossible to do yourself harm ,from an under or over load ,even in pistol reloads .

Hope some of you follow the logic . As for myself I no longer use any loading trays ,so visual can't work for ME

 

[ncageneral]

Brother dropped by to return an air mover I had loaned him that morning. I was charging 6 BR cases. We were talking. I went to seat a bullet and got distracted, bullet tipped over sideways when I raised the ram to seat it. Caught that. Removed seating die, inserted sizing die to straighten out the bend in the case neck, dropped the charge into the powder pan, rechamfered the case, screwed the seating die back into the press, loaded the case into the shell holder and proceeded to seat the bullet. It was only after I looked down that I realized I had failed to charge the case. Crap, now its sitting in the loading block amongst the remaining 19. Brother says , I better go before you get unhinged. Weighed them out to find the empty case. Lesson learned, when your brother shows up with a million questions just quit. Grab some ice tea and just be patient. He'll go home soon enough.

 

[wagonman]

I will listen to talk radio or music, but no talking to any one while powder dropping or seating bullets

 

[Majday]

7-8 years ago was using blue dot for a reduced 223 load. I was using 10gr and worked well initially. I weigh/load powder and seat bullet one at a time. I learned a valuable lesson one day to be meticulous with really paying attention to the scale and make sure the charge stays the same every time. Needless to say the bevel (I think that’s the term) moved from 10 to 20 on me without me seeing it and I fired a round with that charge. I’m glad I had hearing protection as it rung my ears and split the stock apart. I escaped luckily with only some brass in my thumb and some an inch below my eye. Lesson learned- almost the hard way

 

[rwj]

Though there is not a “fool proof” process, the powder check feature that can be incorporated into many progressive presses is a great defense against an over/under charged condition…

 

[divingin]

On my Hornady AP progressive, I can't really see how you can double charge a case. It would involve physically moving the shell plate back one spot (which has to be done with the ram in the half-up position, as I recall.) You can screw up by not using full strokes on the handle, but you still won't double-charge.

It is easy to miss seating a primer, but the powder handling is at least somewhat idiot-proof.

On my old Dillon (450, I think?) I had to manually throw powder and manually shuttle a primer in place after raising the ram (also had to manually index the shellplate.) Double charges were easy if you got out of sync on your process. I don't use Dillon now, so can't really say about the newer models (and I'm too lazy to research.)

 

[Rsadams]

i dont have one of those but ive seen them before. i really should try something like that. — my recent load in 44M when doubled will be rite at the top of case so its obvious but missing one - not so obvious- gotta find a way to check that. thanks

wowser— I hope you didnt get hurt- youve just convinced me even more to go the way Ive been planning with my pistol loading. thanks

I seriously like my inline fab light kit... It's bright enough but not to bright and just slips in the hole in the middle of the 550 tool head.... If you get one don't worry about the battery one , get the plug in with the on/off switch.... You can easily see inside 9 mm cases so .44 should be super easy.... I will admit it's tough seeing inside a .223 case but it's just small...

 

[hoz53]

I seriously like my inline fab light kit... It's bright enough but not to bright and just slips in the hole in the middle of the 550 tool head.... If you get one don't worry about the battery one , get the plug in with the on/off switch.... You can easily see inside 9 mm cases so .44 should be super easy.... I will admit it's tough seeing inside a .223 case but it's just small...

yesterday i just sat a small LED flashlight on top of the hole in toolhead at station 3. it worked good and i could see the powder level easy in 223s. i think i will put a powder check die in that station though, but mabie ill just stick with some sort of light. i will checkout the light ur talking about. Thanks

 

[Rsadams]

yesterday i just sat a small LED flashlight on top of the hole in toolhead at station 3. it worked good and i could see the powder level easy in 223s. i think i will put a powder check die in that station though, but mabie ill just stick with some sort of light. i will checkout the light ur talking about. Thanks

You probably already know but the Dillon 550 doesn't have enough stations to add a powder check die but I simply don't run mine as fast as possible..... I look at every station but crimp to insure powder levels etc before placing a bullet.... It's still a ton faster than my single stage.... The light from the inline kit goes in the middle hole so it takes up no space.... It can be hard to see in .223 cases and I can see the level of it's close to the shoulder of course.... But for pistol or large mouth cases it's wonderful , just flip a switch and away you go... For something larger like .308 I only use two dies and can't really see doing them on the Dillon , it takes so much time doing all the prep.... Now if we could just get our hands on some cheap reloading stuff we could try it out...lol

 

[hoz53]

You probably already know but the Dillon 550 doesn't have enough stations to add a powder check die but I simply don't run mine as fast as possible..... I look at every station but crimp to insure powder levels etc before placing a bullet.... It's still a ton faster than my single stage.... The light from the inline kit goes in the middle hole so it takes up no space.... It can be hard to see in .223 cases and I can see the level of it's close to the shoulder of course.... But for pistol or large mouth cases it's wonderful , just flip a switch and away you go... For something larger like .308 I only use two dies and can't really see doing them on the Dillon , it takes so much time doing all the prep.... Now if we could just get our hands on some cheap reloading stuff we could try it out...lol

Yes Ive had the 550 a few years. When i loaded pistol on it station 3 was bullet seating and station 4 bullet crimping so i couldnt use a powder checker. When I decided to load 223 i thought i would do like this
station 1— decap- size- prime
station 2 — powder drop
station 3 - powder check
station 4— seat bullet. i dont need to crimp 223

for 223 i wanted to do a complete round in one die head. Never wanted to do operations off press or two die heads. I didnt like how the powder stuck to the lube on the cases though so ive resigned myself to a setup where i will size/decap on a single stage then clean the lube off in vibratory tumbler. after that finish off the round in the 550.
( prime,powder,bullet). I may just do it all single stage and put the 550 ‘up on the shelf’
Ive got a few components but ur right I need more to keep going very long. Thanks

 

[Rsadams]

Yes Ive had the 550 a few years. When i loaded pistol on it station 3 was bullet seating and station 4 bullet crimping so i couldnt use a powder checker. When I decided to load 223 i thought i would do like this
station 1— decap- size- prime
station 2 — powder drop
station 3 - powder check
station 4— seat bullet. i dont need to crimp 223

for 223 i wanted to do a complete round in one die head. Never wanted to do operations off press or two die heads. I didnt like how the powder stuck to the lube on the cases though so ive resigned myself to a setup where i will size/decap on a single stage then clean the lube off in vibratory tumbler. after that finish off the round in the 550.
( prime,powder,bullet). I may just do it all single stage and put the 550 ‘up on the shelf’
Ive got a few components but ur right I need more to keep going very long. Thanks

I resize all my rifle on my single stage because of all the prep work that it takes to load even plinker rifle.... That gives you an open station , station 1... Still using the Dillon for .223 is way faster after resizing.... I do crimp because I am loading for ARs....

I do pretty much what you're doing....

1. Run brass through media to clean...
2. Lube and resize on my single stage...
3. Trim , debur etc...
4. Rerun the brass in the media to get the lube off....
5. Inspect flash holes for media and brush the dust out of the necks , sometimes apply a little imperial dry neck lube if I am feeling fancy that day...
6. Since most of my brass is LC for ARs and you have to remove the crimp I actually prime the cases with a hand primer because if the crimp isn't removed perfectly I find them wanting to hang sometimes on the Dillon while trying to prime...
7. Then run them through the Dillon to charge with powder , seat bullets and a light crimp...

Sounds like a lot but especially if the crimps have been removed previously it goes as fast as you can get the prep work done and rerun through the tumbler....Plus I honestly can't tell on a iron sighted AR any difference in accuracy.... Of course that may be because I can't see well anymore.... I put my glasses on I can see the sights perfect but I can't see the target and vice versa...lol... Thank goodness for red dots and scopes...

Buying the Dillon is one thing I spent a bunch of money on and it was worth every cent... Unboxed it and set it up , bolted it to the bench with the strong mount and away I went , no fuss and no problems plus anytime I have called Dillon they have been helpful and nice enough.... I can't say that about the help at rcbs some of the people are down right rude and act like they could care less... If they don't need my money , Dillon will take it...

 

[hoz53]

I resize all my rifle on my single stage because of all the prep work that it takes to load even plinker rifle.... That gives you an open station , station 1... Still using the Dillon for .223 is way faster after resizing.... I do crimp because I am loading for ARs....

I do pretty much what you're doing....

1. Run brass through media to clean...
2. Lube and resize on my single stage...
3. Trim , debur etc...
4. Rerun the brass in the media to get the lube off....
5. Inspect flash holes for media and brush the dust out of the necks , sometimes apply a little imperial dry neck lube if I am feeling fancy that day...
6. Since most of my brass is LC for ARs and you have to remove the crimp I actually prime the cases with a hand primer because if the crimp isn't removed perfectly I find them wanting to hang sometimes on the Dillon while trying to prime...
7. Then run them through the Dillon to charge with powder , seat bullets and a light crimp...

Sounds like a lot but especially if the crimps have been removed previously it goes as fast as you can get the prep work done and rerun through the tumbler....Plus I honestly can't tell on a iron sighted AR any difference in accuracy.... Of course that may be because I can't see well anymore.... I put my glasses on I can see the sights perfect but I can't see the target and vice versa...lol... Thank goodness for red dots and scopes...

Buying the Dillon is one thing I spent a bunch of money on and it was worth every cent... Unboxed it and set it up , bolted it to the bench with the strong mount and away I went , no fuss and no problems plus anytime I have called Dillon they have been helpful and nice enough.... I can't say that about the help at rcbs some of the people are down right rude and act like they could care less... If they don't need my money , Dillon will take it...

thanks for all that info - my eye site is a prob for me to. Dillon customer svc has been excellent with me. Think ive had mine since in the 80s. they factory rebuilt them once.
I will continue to use them in some capacity
thanks