The funnel is locked in place because you are belling the case for pistol. There is no bell on the rifle rounds so it can be free floating.

 

All Dillon powder funnels are free floating inside the powder thru die, both pistol and rifle.

On a Dillon machine, as the shellplate rises, the case pushes against the powder funnel, raising both and eventually activating the powder dispenser. The powder is dispensed near the top of the ram's movement. At that point, both the pistol and rifle funnels have a tight seal against the case. If pistol, the powder funnel has also slightly belled the case mouth.

With your modified setup, you will have to dispense the powder while the ram is at it's apex. Otherwise, the .223 case will be a good distance from the powder funnel.

I'm not sure how you will insure the .223 funnel has good contact with the case. That may require several adjustments, of both the die setting and your powder throw.

 

All Dillon powder funnels are free floating inside the powder thru die, both pistol and rifle.

On a Dillon machine, as the shellplate rises, the case pushes against the powder funnel, raising both and eventually activating the powder dispenser. The powder is dispensed near the top of the ram's movement. At that point, both the pistol and rifle funnels have a tight seal against the case. If pistol, the powder funnel has also slightly belled the case mouth.

With your modified setup, you will have to dispense the powder while the ram is at it's apex. Otherwise, the .223 case will be a good distance from the powder funnel.

I'm not sure how you will insure the .223 funnel has good contact with the case. That may require several adjustments, of both the die setting and your powder throw.

He is using the AT-500. He is not using the Dillon Powder measure. The AT using a different powder die and has a set screw that the powder funnel locks into for pistol. Since you are belling the case for rifle it does not need to be locked in. Look on page 13 of the Dillon Blue Press.

 

Given that this is the AT-500 die and is not being used with a Dillon powder measure, I lock the powder funnel at the top of the AT-500 with the provided set screw. The funnel doesn't need to move.

Adjust the entire die down until the funnel touches the casemouth when in a raised position and back up a little so there is no chance of crushing longer cases.

The hole through the powder funnel is somewhat smaller than the casemouth so no powder will leak out the sides.

I use the little plastic funnel on top of the die because I trickle my charges with an RCBS ChargeMaster Combo.

I have been using this assembly for precision rifle loading of .223, .308 and 6.5x284 Norma. It works well.

Richard

 

Given that this is the AT-500 die and is not being used with a Dillon powder measure, I lock the powder funnel at the top of the AT-500 with the provided set screw. The funnel doesn't need to move.

Adjust the entire die down until the funnel touches the casemouth when in a raised position and back up a little so there is no chance of crushing longer cases.

The hole through the powder funnel is somewhat smaller than the casemouth so no powder will leak out the sides.

I use the little plastic funnel on top of the die because I trickle my charges with an RCBS ChargeMaster Combo.

I have been using this assembly for precision rifle loading of .223, .308 and 6.5x284 Norma. It works well.

Richard

I found it was just as easy or even easier to just pull the case out of the press. Add the powder, and replace the case back in the press. Plus you don’t have to buy a powder funnel for rifle. I do the same for working up loads.

 

I found it was just as easy or even easier to just pull the case out of the press. Add the powder, and replace the case back in the press. Plus you don’t have to buy a powder funnel for rifle. I do the same for working up loads.

Now that I am doing my rifle stuff on a Redding T7, I can set a primed case under the powder funnel and charge it. Then I rotate the head to the bullet seating die and set the bullet. I'm done with that round and so I just place it in the ammo box.

The neat thing about seating the bullet immediately is that by the time I get done and get a new case under the powder funnel, the ChargeMaster will be done dispensing the powder.

I'm pretty happy with my T7 setup. I have a lot of support dies on the toolhead, ready when they are needed.

Richard

 

He is using the AT-500. He is not using the Dillon Powder measure. The AT using a different powder die and has a set screw that the powder funnel locks into for pistol. Since you are belling the case for rifle it does not need to be locked in. Look on page 13 of the Dillon Blue Press.

It looks like they sent me the powder die for the machine using the Dillon powder measure.

I will try using the powder die from one of my pistol set ups and see if that makes any difference.

Chris

 

The best thing is just call Dillon in the morning and see what they say.

 

It looks like they sent me the powder die for the machine using the Dillon powder measure.

I will try using the powder die from one of my pistol set ups and see if that makes any difference.

Chris

The AT-500 die looks just like a regular powder die except that it has a setscrew to hold the powder funnel in position.

FWIW, if you were to use this die to load pistol, you would still use the powder funnel to expand the case. The only difference is that the funnel doesn't float up and down to operate the powder measure.

In both cases, rifle or pistol, set the funnel at the top of the die and tighten the setscrew. Then adjust the assembly in the press to either expand the casemouth for pistol rounds or just miss the casemouth for rifle rounds.

Richard