Powder Handling: Dillon vs. Hornady

[IHMSA Shooter]

For powders such as Red Dot, Unique and Herco which progressive machine's powder measure is more suitable?

[jmorris]

It is said that the Hornady measure performs better with extruded powders that the Dillon. However, it has been my experience (IMR 3031) that neither work “well” with them. Red dot is the only one that I’ve used in your list and works fine in both without a clear winner. If you are loading for pistols using small charges of fast powders the Dillon works better unless you get the special powder drum from Hornady.

[Shoney]

I have both the Hornady LNL AP and a Dillon 550, In addition I have loaded regularly on a friends 650. I use only the standard rotor and the micrometer insert in the LNL.

With flake powders such as Unique and Red Dot, there is a problem with bridging. The weight of the powder above pressing on the lower powder causes it to hang up. Installation of baffles relieves this pressure and gives a bit better accuracy. The attached file has intructions on making your own; I used aluminum from a pop can, and installed two of them in each measure.

As far as accuracy goes, the Hornady does a much better job of throwing consistent charges; average when measured 0.0 to +0.1 grains, only rarely a -0.1. The Dillon measures most often throw +0.1 to -0.1 grains and regularly will throw an occasional +0.2 to -0.2 charge.

The LNL powder measure is by far the better measure. To emphasize this point, there are many Dillon owners with LNL measures on their presses.