Reloading .223/5.56 Dillon 750XL

[Pcburner]

I am looking to setup my Dillon 750XL to reload .223\5.56. I currently load 9mm and .45ACP so rifle rounds are new to me. I currently use decap\resize station 1, bell\powder drop station 2, powder check station 3, bullet seat station 4, bullet crimp station 5.

I am reaching out to the community to find out what dies and stations would\do you have your 750 setup for loading .223\5.56?

 

[Twdmar]

If you want make good quality ammunition, have a tool head for sizing, decapping, trimming etc. Then after cleaning off case lube, use another tool head for powder charging and loading.
If you do it all at once the results are not as good.

 

[danny]

Don't resize for semiautos (rifle) on a progressive and create finished rounds at the same time.

Danny

 

[Pcburner]

Please explain

 

[Pcburner]

If you want make good quality ammunition, have a tool head for sizing, decapping, trimming etc. Then after cleaning off case lube, use another tool head for powder charging and loading.
If you do it all at once the results are not as good.

What are the issues that causes not so good performance? What dies are you using?

 

[243winxb]

I currently use decap\resize station 1, bell\powder drop station 2, powder check station 3, bullet seat station 4, bullet crimp station 5.

https://www.sierrabullets.com/reload-basics/reloading-for-semi-autos-and-service-rifles/

Station 1, prime also?
Station 2, no bell needed.

Station 5. Trim length has to be almost the same to crimp. To much crimp can bulge the case shoulder, jamming rounds in the chamber. RCBS makes a taper crimp die for 223. I suggest not crimping & focus on neck tension.

Full length sizing on a Dillion requires checking head to datum of sized brass from every station. A difference in deck heights of the shell plate can cause issues, by pushing the shoulder back to far.

In 1979 i used a Dillon RL-450 to load 223.
Station 1, size, decap, prime.Old RCBS die set.
" 2, powder drop.
" 3. Seat bullet, done.
Wipe lube off.

The case trimming is an issue. Fl size brass, trim back .020" to 1.740" and your good for many loading on the progressive.

If starting out today, Buy Redding type S full length sizing bushing die. Best way to control neck tension. Will not need to use an expander or lube inside of necks.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I loaded .308 on a 550. It added .5 moa to the group size over doing it single stage. I did not dig into why. Im sure it was a combination of things. I feel the biggest issue may have been seating primers with it. Fine for blasting ammo.

 

[Mcrider55]

You didn't say for what gun (AR/Bolt) you are loading for and what your end goal is. Are you going to shoot for sub MOA or more of a spread like most AR shooters are after. I load only 223 and load for both. My bolt gun is for sub moa accuracy and the time involved is much more than when I load SHTF ammo for my AR's.

 

[243winxb]

Dillon has a Platform alignment tool. The press may be out of adjustment from the factory. My RL-450 was.

 

[Twdmar]

What are the issues that causes not so good performance? What dies are you using?

There is too much going on trying to do it all at once. Plus the lube creates problems when trying to put powder in the cases. Also, if you have a problem with one step you now have powder and primers all out of sync and sometimes all over the place. I do load pistol ammunition all at once though.
Things work much better when loading to have all the case lube removed. I hand prime and load from there, sometimes throwing powder charges and sometimes trickling powder and loading after on the press.
I use mostly forster dies but some reddings and the lee factory crimp die seems pretty good. I don't use the dillon dies for anything.
The dillon press is capable of making good ammunition, probably not benchrest quality, but because there are so many moving parts tuning the whole thing takes a bit of trial and error.

 

[drop_point]

Run the brass through the press twice. One for case processing, once for loading.

 

[danny]

Run the brass through the press twice. One for case processing, once for loading.

That is a viable solution if you want to use the progressive for everything, or if that is the only press you have. I would do my case cleaning, sizing and primer pocket uniforming, etc. on a single stage press, then run it on the progressive to load it. Why? Because it is no fun disassembling ammunition to resize it when it does not pass a case gauge check. You can cause gauge the case only, resizing it as needed, then load it with the progressive.

Danny

 

[drop_point]

That is a viable solution if you want to use the progressive for everything, or if that is the only press you have. I would do my case cleaning, sizing and primer pocket uniforming, etc. on a single stage press, then run it on the progressive to load it. Why? Because it is no fun disassembling ammunition to resize it when it does not pass a case gauge check. You can cause gauge the case only, resizing it as needed, then load it with the progressive.

Danny

How do you clean and uniform primer pockets on a single stage press?

The progressive sizes just fine. Never had a problem with one for sizing.

 

[danny]

How do you clean and uniform primer pockets on a single stage press?

I don't clean primer pockets...ever. You don't uniform primer pockets on a press. You do it off the press while you use a single stage press for the other operations. It is one of the operations you do when you do your reloading on a single stage press.

The progressive sizes just fine. Never had a problem with one for sizing.

Have you ever used a case gauge on every single piece of brass you have sized for a batch of ammunition?

Danny

 

[drop_point]

I don't clean primer pockets...ever. You don't uniform primer pockets on a press. You do it off the press while you use a single stage press for the other operations. It is one of the operations you do when you do your reloading on a single stage press.

Have you ever used a case gauge on every single piece of brass you have sized for a batch of ammunition?

Danny

You’re the one that said it. Your post doesn’t make sense. I’ve loaded around 80,000 rounds on progressive presses and checked with a case gauge around once every 20 rounds.

"I would do my case cleaning, sizing and primer pocket uniforming, etc. on a single stage press"

 

[Iowa Fox]

Dillon has a Platform alignment tool. The press may be out of adjustment from the factory. My RL-450 was.

How does that alignment tool work?

 

[243winxb]

How does that alignment tool work?

See online instructions. Different between presses.

I didnt buy the tool. I moved a powder funnel die to my RL-450 priming station. Put a large nail/spik in the funnel, so it hangs/centers freely. The spike should be inline with the primer hole.

 

[Zero333]

For bottleneck rifle ammo, the ONLY crimp die worth using is the " LEE Factory Crimp Die "

For straight walls cartridges, a taper crimp is the best as long as you don't overdo it, and do it as a separate step.