Powder die

[Jon D]

Anyone have recommendations for a through powder die? I'm using a turret press and want to set up a powder die I can hand dump precision charges through. I've got to speed up making precision rifle ammo for long range and high-power. No sense in weighing to the kernel if a kernel or two gets hung in the die or spills. Ive heard the Dillion is ok, but needs mods to be perfect. Any thing else out there that doesn't take modification to work well?

 

[DiffEQ]

Turret, not progressive?
Leave an empty hole in your turret and use a powder funnel with extension.

 

[Jon D]

The goal at the moment is to get the process and dies sorted out on a turret. Once I have proven to myself that I can make good enough ammo on a turret press for 600 or 1000 yards, then try to do it on a progressive.

So far, I'm getting good results on my t6, playing around with different combinations of dies and tools, but the powder charge step isn't as good as I want with a lee powder die. I want a charging die that doesn't hold or spill a single kernel.

 

[TIMO]

The Dillon would be the way I would go with. I have used it before for loading 45-70. Not sure of the mods you mentioned, but the powder die I have has a set screw to keep the powder funnel in place and I used the Dillon plastic funnel on top to pour into.

Tim

 

[Mauser06]

I am running a dillon with the appropriate powder funnel in the die and an area 419 funnel. I don't know if there are cheaper funnels that will do the job.


I've been loading on it. Station 1 mandrel and prime. Station 2 powder dump from my V3. Station 3 seat bullet.


Everything is more than consistent. If I was chasing rabbits...maybe not. But I'm shooting steel. I have a few too many hobbies...so 4 steps in 1 crank is pretty convenient for me.

Haven't done much tweaking to the 550. Upgraded primer bearing. Polished the bottom of the shell plate. I have a thrust bearing coming. I can basically load as quick as the scale drops. I keep the scale on a separate bench so it's stable.


Working for me. But I'm no pro.

 

[RegionRat]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018252785?pid=893757

There are many and Hornady makes one too.

The Dillon works well with the Area 419. If you already have a Dillon PN 20064 and the internal funnel required by cartridge, the Area 419 unit also has drop tube extensions that help if the funnel needs to clear other dies.

 

[Jon D]

I'm going to try the Hornady. Seems like a decent design for about a quarter of the price of a Dillion/419 setup. Will see what happens. Parts should be here in about a week. I also figured out what happened with the lee. After loading probably a 1000 rounds or so, the internals got dirty and was causing the thing to hang up. It's still not a very good design. The Hornady looks much better....we will see.

 

[Cropduster11]

I'm going to try the Hornady. Seems like a decent design for about a quarter of the price of a Dillion/419 setup. Will see what happens. Parts should be here in about a week. I also figured out what happened with the lee. After loading probably a 1000 rounds or so, the internals got dirty and was causing the thing to hang up. It's still not a very good design. The Hornady looks much better....we will see.

How did the hornady work out?

 

[Jon D]

The Hornady powder die works great with a bit of a caveat. The first die i bought came with two sleeves. The smaller sleeve sat on the shoulder of a 223 case not the neck. This caused lost kernel issues. I bought a second Hornady powder die and the smaller of the two sleeves sat on the neck, working perfectly. A Redding drop tube stabs in perfectly to get the funnel up above the other dies.

 

[std7mag]

I use a Lee powder through die with no problems.
Lee even sells extenders to get you above the other dies if needed.

 

[drop_point]

I use the Hornady powder die, never had an issue with it.

 

[Jon D]

The lee die works pretty good and would not hesitate to use one for pistol or blaster ammo, but I prefer the Hornady for precision ammo. If you load enough on the lee, powder will eventually get behind the sleeve and cause things to stick. Plus there are two ledges inside that a kernel or two can hang on. Pull your lee powder die apart sometime. Bet you find some powder hiding in there somewhere. There is nothing inside the Hornady die to powder to hang up on and no way for it to get behind the sliding sleeve. It's simply a better design.