Reloading is fun - Dillon 550B Rocks

gkosztrub

gkosztrub

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I got a Dillon 550B from Ellwood today with RCBS dies to load 9mm pistol ammo. It took me about 2 relaxed hours to set it up. I allready had the brass prepared (de-primed in a single stage press & tumbled). Adjusting the dies took me a little longer but I think it was because I am new to reloading. I ended up loading up 50rnds without any issues. I am very surprised how well this machine is made and the ease of use. The powder measure is extremely accurate & easy to adjust. I double checked almost every other round on a scale and the loads were perfect every time. The RCBS dies seem to work great with the machine. The set did not come with a factory crimp die so I ended up buying one from Lee. Priming the brass on the Dillon 550 is a breeze compared to my single stage RCBS press.

This is the load that I went with:
124gr CMJ RN bullets from X-treme
Win primer
3.8gr of Titegroup powder OAL 1.160
I can't wait to fire these off.

Anyway, if you are new to reloading and trying to decide on a reloading press I would say go with a Dillon. I did a lot of research before my purchase and the build quality and design of their machines are fantastic.
DILLON 550 :rockOn::rockOn::rockOn:
 
Welcome to the addiction that is reloading, firing off something you made just completes the whole target shooting sport. However, two things.

One, my Lee manual starts the minimum load for a 124Gr with Titegroup at 4.1 Gr and the max load at 4.4Gr with 1063 and 1136 FPS respectively. Your 3.8 seems a little low but I guess its better to start lower and work up. From the 9MM reloads I have done with Titegroup I had some good results with 4.2Gr seated to around 1.120. Just some food for thought if everything goes well at the range.

Two, 1.160 is the max OAL. What gun will you be shooting these out of? If your bullet is to long it will have some trouble feeding depending on the mags and feed ramp of the gun. Min OAL is 1.090 so maybe try loading up a few that are shorter and a few with a few more grains of powder so see how that goes. Also a chronograph helps.
 
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Welcome to the Dillon club !! -----------Had mine for the last fifteen years, with not a hitch ! Hulk of a machine compared to the Lee presses. :rockOn:
 
Thanks for the suggestions Scotty. Before I went to the range this morning I loaded up 10 more rounds but loaded to OAL 1.120 with 3.8gr powder. My gun is a CZ SP01 with lighter springs. My Lyman reloading book said that the max AOL for 9mm is 1.169 so that is why I loaded the first fifty to 1.160 just to be safe. Anyway, all the rounds chambered and fired just fine. It was a great feeling to hit the target with ammo that I’ve made. Out of the 60 rounds I had one that was a light striker but it went bang the second time. What cause of light primer strikes?
The loads I made were very accurate with light recoil. I guess this set-up would make for a good practice round.
After I fired all my loads I switch over to 147gr. WWB ammo. Within 30 rounds I had 2 stovepipes and the accuracy was worse than my hand loads.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback guys.

Ps: Can someone give me a recipe for a load that would meet IPSC power factor for production?
I want to use 147gr or 124gr CMJ RN with Titegroup & Win Primer – powder gr & AOL
 
gkosztrub said:
Thanks for the suggestions Scotty. Before I went to the range this morning I loaded up 10 more rounds but loaded to OAL 1.120 with 3.8gr powder. My gun is a CZ SP01 with lighter springs. My Lyman reloading book said that the max AOL for 9mm is 1.169 so that is why I loaded the first fifty to 1.160 just to be safe. Anyway, all the rounds chambered and fired just fine. It was a great feeling to hit the target with ammo that I’ve made. Out of the 60 rounds I had one that was a light striker but it went bang the second time. What cause of light primer strikes?
The loads I made were very accurate with light recoil. I guess this set-up would make for a good practice round.
After I fired all my loads I switch over to 147gr. WWB ammo. Within 30 rounds I had 2 stovepipes and the accuracy was worse than my hand loads.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback guys.

Ps: Can someone give me a recipe for a load that would meet IPSC power factor for production?
I want to use 147gr or 124gr CMJ RN with Titegroup & Win Primer – powder gr & AOL
Click to expand...

Sometimes with a lite strike the primer was simply not seated deep enough. CCI primers are very tight fitting and WSP as I now use seem to seat fine. The best test is to place the finished round on a desk and shake the desk. If its sitting on the rim of the case it will be flat and not move but if the primer is lower it will wobble around. I sometimes do that after I have loaded 100 and turn them upside down and shake the table and take the 2-3 that have the bad primers and push them down further.

Thats only your first load and you are calling it your target load? Pfftt... you need to keep experimenting with different charges of powder and different OAL's and find what works best for you. A chronograph and paper and a pencil are your best friends when reloading.
 
gkosztrub said:
...give me a recipe for a load that would meet IPSC power factor for production?
I want to use 147gr or 124gr CMJ RN with Titegroup & Win Primer – powder gr & AOL
Click to expand...

I'm loading the 124gr RN Frontiers with 4.0 - 4.1grs of Titegroup to a length of 1.140". Mixed brass. Power factor is 130 -132.

Good choice on the 550. I put the Dillon casefeeder on mine & love it.
 
Who has the best price for a Dillon 550B

So it was that easy:)... Well Because of this site and people making me buy guns:redface: I now have to reload 9mm, .223 and .45.

Pete

gkosztrub said:
I got a Dillon 550B from Ellwood today with RCBS dies to load 9mm pistol ammo. It took me about 2 relaxed hours to set it up. I allready had the brass prepared (de-primed in a single stage press & tumbled). Adjusting the dies took me a little longer but I think it was because I am new to reloading. I ended up loading up 50rnds without any issues. I am very surprised how well this machine is made and the ease of use. The powder measure is extremely accurate & easy to adjust. I double checked almost every other round on a scale and the loads were perfect every time. The RCBS dies seem to work great with the machine. The set did not come with a factory crimp die so I ended up buying one from Lee. Priming the brass on the Dillon 550 is a breeze compared to my single stage RCBS press.

This is the load that I went with:
124gr CMJ RN bullets from X-treme
Win primer
3.8gr of Titegroup powder OAL 1.160
I can't wait to fire these off.

Anyway, if you are new to reloading and trying to decide on a reloading press I would say go with a Dillon. I did a lot of research before my purchase and the build quality and design of their machines are fantastic.
DILLON 550 :rockOn::rockOn::rockOn:
Click to expand...
 
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pmt said:
I'm loading the 124gr RN Frontiers with 4.0 - 4.1grs of Titegroup to a length of 1.140". Mixed brass. Power factor is 130 -132.

Good choice on the 550. I put the Dillon casefeeder on mine & love it.
Click to expand...

Where do you by the Frontiers? How much was the casefeeder?

Thanks
 
My production load is 3.0 grains of titegroup with 147 Montana Golds or Frontier Plated with an OAL of 1.125"

Keep in mind loading manuals will have different min. and max. loads for what seems like the same or very similar loads. It's good to have a number on hand to double check a load or to do cross referencing.
 
beltfed said:
My production load is 3.0 grains of titegroup with 147 Montana Golds or Frontier Plated with an OAL of 1.125"

Keep in mind loading manuals will have different min. and max. loads for what seems like the same or very similar loads. It's good to have a number on hand to double check a load or to do cross referencing.
Click to expand...

may i ask what power factor do u get with this load??
thanks
 
beltfed said:
My production load is 3.0 grains of titegroup with 147 Montana Golds or Frontier Plated with an OAL of 1.125"

Keep in mind loading manuals will have different min. and max. loads for what seems like the same or very similar loads. It's good to have a number on hand to double check a load or to do cross referencing.
Click to expand...

Is this for round nose 147gr bullets? 3.0gr of titegroup is enough to meet the production power factor? I've got to try this load. thanks
 
gkosztrub said:
Is this for round nose 147gr bullets? 3.0gr of titegroup is enough to meet the production power factor? I've got to try this load. thanks
Click to expand...

Truncated. YMMV, you may need to play with a few tenths of a grain here or there.
PF is 130-135 out of my box-stock Glock 17 -Keep in mind also my OAL is 1.125"
 
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