223 on a dillon 550?
- Thread starter ckc123
- Start date
yes, its very simple. also depending on what your shooting? autoloader or bolt.
for my 223 bolt I do 2 cycles.
first if deprime resize and after I have to trim to length or I have chambering problems.
2nd cycle I prime, charge, seat the bullet.
I go at a steady pace, no rush and making sure all is well in the stations.
if your just starting you might want to try one station or one step at a time until you create some sort of rhythm in your production.
for my 223 bolt I do 2 cycles.
first if deprime resize and after I have to trim to length or I have chambering problems.
2nd cycle I prime, charge, seat the bullet.
I go at a steady pace, no rush and making sure all is well in the stations.
if your just starting you might want to try one station or one step at a time until you create some sort of rhythm in your production.
I'm using it in an semi-auto..
do you use two different heads or just use the "Regular" setup but don't rotate the case through all 4 stages?
I've done thousand of .40's so I know what you mean by rhythm, I've jsut never done rifle before.
do you use two different heads or just use the "Regular" setup but don't rotate the case through all 4 stages?
I've done thousand of .40's so I know what you mean by rhythm, I've jsut never done rifle before.
I do precision 308 loads on a Dillon. It works great. Here is my method:
1) Clean brass in walnut. (Towel off dust).
2) 1st tool head:
ST#1: de-prime and lube the case body with an RCBS lube die
ST#2: empty - wipe a bit of Imperial sizing wax on case neck with fingers
ST#3: resize and trim with RT-1200B
ST#4: empty
3) Wet tumble with ceramic media. This removes all powder residue inside the case and in the primer pockets. It also does a light de-burring. Although, the RT-1200 doesn't really leave a burr if you keep a sharp cutter in it. I towel off the brass and let it dry over night.
4) Inspect the brass and shake out any media.
5) Second toolhead:
ST#1: Lyman 'M' die
This makes sure the neck is concentric and it bells the case mouth (0.003" at most). This eliminates the need to chamfer. You adjust it so that is only gets the case mouth. When you sit the bullet in, it aligns itself better also. Prime on the down stroke.
ST#2: Powder funnel or powder drop, depending on whether you want to weigh or throw the charges. If you polish the inside of the Dillon powder drop, its accuracy will surprise you (even with some stick powders). I use a Chargemaster if I want to weight the charge.
ST#3: Bullet seater
ST#4: Taper crimp die. Adjust it so that is closes the bell you made with the 'M' die. Don't put any actual crimp on the bullet.
I make lots and lots of very accurate ammo with a very small amount of effort.
1) Clean brass in walnut. (Towel off dust).
2) 1st tool head:
ST#1: de-prime and lube the case body with an RCBS lube die
ST#2: empty - wipe a bit of Imperial sizing wax on case neck with fingers
ST#3: resize and trim with RT-1200B
ST#4: empty
3) Wet tumble with ceramic media. This removes all powder residue inside the case and in the primer pockets. It also does a light de-burring. Although, the RT-1200 doesn't really leave a burr if you keep a sharp cutter in it. I towel off the brass and let it dry over night.
4) Inspect the brass and shake out any media.
5) Second toolhead:
ST#1: Lyman 'M' die
This makes sure the neck is concentric and it bells the case mouth (0.003" at most). This eliminates the need to chamfer. You adjust it so that is only gets the case mouth. When you sit the bullet in, it aligns itself better also. Prime on the down stroke.
ST#2: Powder funnel or powder drop, depending on whether you want to weigh or throw the charges. If you polish the inside of the Dillon powder drop, its accuracy will surprise you (even with some stick powders). I use a Chargemaster if I want to weight the charge.
ST#3: Bullet seater
ST#4: Taper crimp die. Adjust it so that is closes the bell you made with the 'M' die. Don't put any actual crimp on the bullet.
I make lots and lots of very accurate ammo with a very small amount of effort.
Exactly what I was looking for... Thanks!!!!!!
For full resize w/expander ball for semi-auto 223.
Tumble fired cases (corncobb + Rapid Polish [no walnut ==no dust... Thank you Murray Gardner for this tip])
Lube cases w/Dillon case lube.
Presently $23 spare toolhead.
ST#1 Regular Dillon non-carbide 223 sizer w/carbide ball. Remove the primer bar lever; just let the bar sit sprung in the forward position. Lots of primer crud will fall on it. Clean up with Varsol.
ST#2,3,4, empty.
Go nuts resizing and indexing. Just let the sized/deprimed cases fall into a bin after ST#4.
I tumble these cases in a separate batch of corncobb.
These sized cases all get checked in a Dillon gauge to see if neck needs trimming; generally I get 3-4 reloads before trimming is needed. There are however about 5-10% that need trimming each batch. I'm doing about 500 cases per batch.
I managed to get an acceptable system going with the Lee ball cutter and a cordless screwdriver running the Lee shellholder. Requires gloves, pliers to tighten the shellholder, a Wilson chamfer/deburr doodad, and blind determination. A smarter man would sell a kidney and get a Giraud.
About now you swear you'll never ##### about loading pistol ammo ever again.
Loading:
Cases are fully prepped and un-lubed, ready for loading. 550 has been cleaned of primer crud and lube that got everywhere. Primer bar lever is re-attached.
Different toolhead.
ST#1 A generic Lee universal decapping die $11 to knock out the piece of media that will be stuck in about 15%-20% of the flash holes. Cases are primed here like normal.
ST#2 Regular Dillon powder die/funnel
ST#3 Dillon seating die. If you're running compressed loads of, say. Varget, this die will leave a ring indentation on the ogive of your expensive 75-77 grainers. The big buck Redding Comp seating die is the expensive solution to this. There may be cheaper seating dies that don't leave a ring. My uncompressed loads are okay with the Dillon seater.
ST#4 Empty "Friends don't let friends crimp rifle ammo". Even bulk cannelured 55's. Forget the crimp.
Do not use Federal 223 brass. Even after the first firing, the primer pockets won't hold a primer properly and you'll have scary pressure rings at the web. Throw that s**t out. Just get Winchester and be happy.
Tumble fired cases (corncobb + Rapid Polish [no walnut ==no dust... Thank you Murray Gardner for this tip])
Lube cases w/Dillon case lube.
Presently $23 spare toolhead.
ST#1 Regular Dillon non-carbide 223 sizer w/carbide ball. Remove the primer bar lever; just let the bar sit sprung in the forward position. Lots of primer crud will fall on it. Clean up with Varsol.
ST#2,3,4, empty.
Go nuts resizing and indexing. Just let the sized/deprimed cases fall into a bin after ST#4.
I tumble these cases in a separate batch of corncobb.
These sized cases all get checked in a Dillon gauge to see if neck needs trimming; generally I get 3-4 reloads before trimming is needed. There are however about 5-10% that need trimming each batch. I'm doing about 500 cases per batch.
I managed to get an acceptable system going with the Lee ball cutter and a cordless screwdriver running the Lee shellholder. Requires gloves, pliers to tighten the shellholder, a Wilson chamfer/deburr doodad, and blind determination. A smarter man would sell a kidney and get a Giraud.
About now you swear you'll never ##### about loading pistol ammo ever again.
Loading:
Cases are fully prepped and un-lubed, ready for loading. 550 has been cleaned of primer crud and lube that got everywhere. Primer bar lever is re-attached.
Different toolhead.
ST#1 A generic Lee universal decapping die $11 to knock out the piece of media that will be stuck in about 15%-20% of the flash holes. Cases are primed here like normal.
ST#2 Regular Dillon powder die/funnel
ST#3 Dillon seating die. If you're running compressed loads of, say. Varget, this die will leave a ring indentation on the ogive of your expensive 75-77 grainers. The big buck Redding Comp seating die is the expensive solution to this. There may be cheaper seating dies that don't leave a ring. My uncompressed loads are okay with the Dillon seater.
ST#4 Empty "Friends don't let friends crimp rifle ammo". Even bulk cannelured 55's. Forget the crimp.
Do not use Federal 223 brass. Even after the first firing, the primer pockets won't hold a primer properly and you'll have scary pressure rings at the web. Throw that s**t out. Just get Winchester and be happy.
