Anyone load precision rifle on a dillon progressive?
- Thread starter d.id
- Start date
I size and seat bullets in my dillon press but I hand weigh each round. My dillon will produce rounds as concentric in bullet run out as any of my inlign hand dies will produce.
The advantage of the Dillion in conjunction with Redding comp dies is the tool head floats along with sleeve on dies and the case holder also allows the case to float so when neck sizing or bullet seating everything self aligns its self as you stroke the ram on the press.
I've won several sanctioned matches and even fun shoots from loading off my Dillon and still do.
The advantage of the Dillion in conjunction with Redding comp dies is the tool head floats along with sleeve on dies and the case holder also allows the case to float so when neck sizing or bullet seating everything self aligns its self as you stroke the ram on the press.
I've won several sanctioned matches and even fun shoots from loading off my Dillon and still do.
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
I rechecked 50 rounds of .223 rem with sierra 77 grain bullets and only one was over .001. It (the worst) was .0025 runout. I would say it works pretty good.
I load 223, 6mmBR, and 6mm Ackley on my Dillon. I prep the cases and prime by hand then put into the tub to feed the loaded. I found I had a little powder dropping error because of the Sizing and priming Step. All the cals. shoot 1/4 groups this way.
Hmm, well I"ll just speak to F-Class which is all I know about. We reload about 15K rounds per year across the four shooters in my family on a Dillon 550. This includes 223REM, 308WIN, 284 Shehane & 6BRX. I'm not much into opinions: prefer factual discussions. When someone says "A is better than B" I want to know what criteria was used to come to that conclusion and how they measure results. When talking about reloading presses, I measure run-out on sized cases and seated bullets...and scores on the target. Using that criteria, I am fully confident my "modified" Dillon 550 is producing the best ammo possible.
Before switching over to a progressive, I ran lots of experiments to make sure the ammo quality was just as good on a Dillon as my single-holers. The main issue with presses is consistency of primer seating and runout on sized cases and seated bullets. After some modifications, my Dillon 550 is producing the highest quality in all those areas.
In my mind, the debate is over and plenty of winning match scores in various disciplines prove a progressive can get it done. F-Class, long-range, XTC...all these disciplines have champions using progressives. Benchrest? Well that is where all the crazy people are.
PS. those of you who think we use powder drops on progressives have been out of the loop for a while.....a long while.
Before switching over to a progressive, I ran lots of experiments to make sure the ammo quality was just as good on a Dillon as my single-holers. The main issue with presses is consistency of primer seating and runout on sized cases and seated bullets. After some modifications, my Dillon 550 is producing the highest quality in all those areas.
In my mind, the debate is over and plenty of winning match scores in various disciplines prove a progressive can get it done. F-Class, long-range, XTC...all these disciplines have champions using progressives. Benchrest? Well that is where all the crazy people are.
PS. those of you who think we use powder drops on progressives have been out of the loop for a while.....a long while.
I load everything on my 550, including 1000 yard competition ammo. Like others have mentioned, clamped tool heads and floated dies make all the difference. I also do not use the dillon powder measure, but throw charges on a separate dispenser/scale and dump them in at station #2. Including priming on the press, this results in 100 loaded rounds/hour of the highest quality ammo I can produce. I can't get better concentricity on any single stage press I've tried, it just takes longer.
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
As I already stated, if it works for you then do it. I currently own numerous presses, including standard single stage, coax, progressive and arbor. I personally don't see the benefit of saving one pass on a single stage press while loosing all the "feel", especially bullet and primer seating. Even if overall length and concentricity were within my acceptable limits I wouldn't do it. That's just me though. We all do things differently.
I guess if you're expanding your necks before seating bullets and applying a crimp then maybe it makes sense because you're saving several passes on the press. Also, a lot depends on your reloading experience. I always hate to see an inexperienced reloader using a progressive press. An inexperienced reloader, and even an experienced reloader, is much less likely to load up a damaged case, forget a primer, forget a charge, light charge or double charge(handgun round) in a round if it's sitting in a reloading block and each step can be verified before moving on to the next step.
Guess we've beat this topic into the ground. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Heading up to NH with the wife to look at homes. I really need to get out of "The Peoples Republic of Connecticut".
I guess if you're expanding your necks before seating bullets and applying a crimp then maybe it makes sense because you're saving several passes on the press. Also, a lot depends on your reloading experience. I always hate to see an inexperienced reloader using a progressive press. An inexperienced reloader, and even an experienced reloader, is much less likely to load up a damaged case, forget a primer, forget a charge, light charge or double charge(handgun round) in a round if it's sitting in a reloading block and each step can be verified before moving on to the next step.
Guess we've beat this topic into the ground. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Heading up to NH with the wife to look at homes. I really need to get out of "The Peoples Republic of Connecticut".
RMulhern said:
Probably won't. Those that to shoot in the .1's are usually loading at the range and adjusting for temp, humidity, mood, etc. Also consider the number of rounds they actually shoot compared with other forms of competition.
What I'm reading in this thread is a lot of opinions or experiences from members of several different shooting disciplines, each with their own level of acceptable accuracy or "volume of ammo" needs.
In some ways "Everyone's Right".
I can't believe a dillion will load good enough to compete at 1000 br, when you post groups that are the best four out of five. It maybe good enough for the close lines for XC. maybe…… You need a loader capable of 4" 10 shot groups at 1000……… I'm sure Tubbs Dillion press isn't your out of the box Dillion and the powder measure isn't used ………. jim
Thursday I took my 300 WM to the range to run my loads across my chronograph. These loads were hand weighed and hand primed, they also were neck sized and bullets seated on my Dillon Press. The first set of five shots shooting 230 grain Berger OTM Hybrids produced a group at 300 yards that was under 1/4 of an inch. Velocity was 2804 fps on avg.
The next set was Hornady 208 AMax and those five went in right at 1/2" at 300 yards and the velocity of those were 2864 fps. These again were sized and seated from my Dillon using Redding Competition dies and leaving the head loose and no modifications to the shell plate holder.
My loaded rounds on my press are just as concentric as my loaded rounds from my inlign dies and arbor press.
A bit off subject but my Accuracy International will shoot Federeal Gold Medal match ammo under 1/2" anytime I pull it out at 100 yards and this ammo is mass produced so to think that quality ammo can't be produced in volumes on progressive machines are folks who just don't one own one and two are too closed minded to even invest in one and try.
There's been many folks mentioned here that loads dprecision ammo on progressive presses with great success Tubbs is sone and Whidden be another.
I also own an AR that will shoot 1/4" at 100 yards as well and on good days it'll shoot in the .1's and all that ammo is loaded on a Dillon 1050 completely automated.
This is five shots at 200 yards from my AR loaded directly from the 1050
The next set was Hornady 208 AMax and those five went in right at 1/2" at 300 yards and the velocity of those were 2864 fps. These again were sized and seated from my Dillon using Redding Competition dies and leaving the head loose and no modifications to the shell plate holder.
My loaded rounds on my press are just as concentric as my loaded rounds from my inlign dies and arbor press.
A bit off subject but my Accuracy International will shoot Federeal Gold Medal match ammo under 1/2" anytime I pull it out at 100 yards and this ammo is mass produced so to think that quality ammo can't be produced in volumes on progressive machines are folks who just don't one own one and two are too closed minded to even invest in one and try.
There's been many folks mentioned here that loads dprecision ammo on progressive presses with great success Tubbs is sone and Whidden be another.
I also own an AR that will shoot 1/4" at 100 yards as well and on good days it'll shoot in the .1's and all that ammo is loaded on a Dillon 1050 completely automated.
This is five shots at 200 yards from my AR loaded directly from the 1050
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
Hand primed and hand charged doesn't sound like progressive to me. Really not much benefit over a single stage press at that point. Last time I'll ask "why bother". Instead of suggesting that those of us that don't use a progressive don't own one, I'm guessing maybe it's the other way around. Maybe those using their Dillon don't own a Forster Coax or Wilson dies and an arbor press. I own progressive, standard single stage, Forster Coax and arbor with Wilson dies. In general, using the same brass, same bullets, etc side by side the Wilson inline seater out performs all other presses and dies. Same goes for the Wilson neck sizing dies.
Why not just do one additional pass on a coax or arbor press. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but I'll bet 9 out of 10 times a coax or arbor press with hand dies will produce more consistent OAL and concentricity than any progressive press and give the reloaded much better feel when it comes to neck tension.
Your really not "fully using" a Dillon progressive press if you're hand priming and hand charging your rounds.
Why not just do one additional pass on a coax or arbor press. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but I'll bet 9 out of 10 times a coax or arbor press with hand dies will produce more consistent OAL and concentricity than any progressive press and give the reloaded much better feel when it comes to neck tension.
Your really not "fully using" a Dillon progressive press if you're hand priming and hand charging your rounds.
Obviously you missed the part about Tubbs and Whidden both shooting and breaking records using fully automated Dillon progressive presses and the fact I load my 223 on a 1050 and posted the group of what it's capable of shooting. Recently I attended a shoot at a friends and I was hitting Tums at 300 yards with Dillon loaded ammo. Again it has been proven by national champion shooters and I'd love to compare concentricity of my loaded rounds with yours. I have inlign dies and arbor presses as well and I am as anal on my loaded rounds as anyone who competes at a high caliber match or even fun shoots. If I wasn't confident using my Dillon I wouldn't be using it. Now as for presses in my stable I have a coax press a redding T7 2 Dillon 1050s and 4 650 and one 550 and three arbor presses. So I would think my knowledge of what I own and use and my history of shooting competitions should speak well for itself.
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
Whatever. I've had enough of this. Once again one or two(even 3) hardly makes a rule. Pole 500 or 1,000 match shooters and see how many reload on a Dillon. Guessing 5-10% would even be an overestimation.
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
In general I don't like to see new or inexperienced reloaders steered towards progressive presses. I believe every reloader should start with a single stag press to safely learn the basics and to learn how important "feel" is in precision reloading. Also, you are much less apt to have an issue when using a single stage press than you are when using a progressive press. Anyone that's used both knows that's a fact. The more functions you have going on with one throw of the lever greatly increases the opportunity for something to go wrong or even just "not quite right". Plus, most supposedly using their Dillon aren't really using there Dillon to completely load their ammo. Their not using the Dillon powder measure and most aren't even using there Dillon press to seat their primers.
This topic is like asking can a Volkswagen beat a Mercedes AMG. Sure I guess it's possible, but it's far from the norm and I'd put my money on the AMG any day. The numbers speak for themselves. I stand by my last statement that saying even 5-10% of the match shooters out their use a progressive press for their match ammo is probably an overestimation.
This topic is like asking can a Volkswagen beat a Mercedes AMG. Sure I guess it's possible, but it's far from the norm and I'd put my money on the AMG any day. The numbers speak for themselves. I stand by my last statement that saying even 5-10% of the match shooters out their use a progressive press for their match ammo is probably an overestimation.
I think what we miss is the discipline they are used in……. you can use them in one that doesn't require .1 accuracy. Just check the size of the 10 ring and the X ring on a given discipline and it will answer the question. To use the progressive press for any bench rest competition it will not be competitive. You will have to answer the question disciplines as i do not shoot them any more.
The 10 ring at 1000 is 7" and the X ring is 3", i don't think you will find one Dillion used ……….. jim
The 10 ring at 1000 is 7" and the X ring is 3", i don't think you will find one Dillion used ……….. jim
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