Going progressive when and how are you guys trimming

[Wjesswheel]

i have about 4000 rounds of 223 to load up been doing 223 in the past on my single stage and it’s alotof work. Are you guys sizing on a single stage and then trimming and then switching over to the progressive, or using a Dillion 1200 on your press with suction to trim (which seems a little loud) kinda like to listen to the radio. Or is there some other option I don’t no about?

 

[memilanuk]

Currently I do it like this on my 550:

tumble
anneal
lube
size/expand {tool head #1)
tumble
trim/chamfer/debur (Giraud)
decap(clear the flash hole), prime, charge, seat (tool head #2)

I'm working on setting up to use a powered trimmer, either the Dillon RT1500 or similar. Most of the process should be similar, but tool head #1 would be: size/trim, expand, and there would be no separate trip thru the Giraud.

Opinions seem to vary as to how much actual burr is left with the Dillon trimmer, and how much it gets knocked off by following it with an expander due like the Lyman M die, and the subsequent trip thru the tumbler to remove the lube.

Some even go so far as to adjust the M die down to where it just kisses the case mouth, creating a tiny flare. In theory it should move make seating flat base bullets (common for this kind of loading) that much easier, along with displacing any residual burr out of the way during seating. Adding a very light taper crimp, just enough to tuck that tiny flare back in, rather than to actually *crimp*, should finish the job.

Sounds great... but I haven't gotten around to doing the full meal deal just yet. Turns out the space on top of the 550 gets a little cramped when you throw a trim die on there... probably a job better suited to a 650 or above. Not saying that it won't work, just that you need to get a little... creative

 

[Dusty Stevens]

https://www.dillonprecision.com/rt1500-electric-case-trimmer_8_8_26196.html

 

[BenPerfected]

90% of my brass is 6 Dasher. I stopped trimming brass 3-4 yrs ago but still lightly chamfer inside & out after each firing. Can you measure any accuracy benefits from trimming? My brass is like jewelry, but at least it looks nice.
Ben

 

[GWY]

I resized on a single stage and them tumbled (walnut/corn cob) the lube off. Any cases needing trimming was then trimmed on a separate trimming tool (I used a Gracey).

At this point, I would take the cleaned, resized brass and use my Dillon 550B set up as follows;

Station #1; Priming. I also had a decapping die at this station to remove any tumbling media which might be in the flash holes

Station #2; Powder charging

Station #3; Bullet seating

Station #4; Left open/inactive

 

[powderbrake]

For my 223 and 22-250 which I do on a Dillon 550 (neck sizing only with Redding competition dies with TiN bushings, I trim first in my Giraud trimmer. If the cases are really dirty, then I tumble in corn cob, then trim. Yes I know, Giraud recommends you trim after sizing, but it works fine on the fired cases, and the trim is short enough that any lengthening from sizing is still within parameters.

AFTER I TRIM, and BEFORE I process, I Tumble AGAIN. This is to remove the brass dust, shavings etc., which I found to leave scratches on the necks when neck sizing.

Then I process normally, decapping,sizing and priming in station 1,
powder dump in station 2, bullet seat in station 3.

Yes I know, nobody neck sizes only these days, but I still do. These two calibers are shot only in their specific guns, have a reserved batch of cases used only in that gun, and generally shoot in the 1/4 to 1/2 MOA range. I don't do any lube, as they are slick from the tumbling, and the TiN bushings don't need lube, although occasionally I will wipe a small bit of oil on a case neck.

For my 223 general plinking, with mixed brass, with my bolt guns or my AR, I trim first, tumble, lube with Dillon spray lube, and process with the Dillon 550 with another set of dies which has a full length sizer. I wipe the loaded rounds with a solvent on a bath towel to clean off the lube.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Since I'm retired now I never deprime on the Dillons anymore. I just don't want the grit in the priming area of the press. For those 223 cases I use a Skip Otto trimmer.

 

[JSH]

On large batches I do it in stages, one thing at a time. I use 38/9mm ammo trays to hold brass 50 at a time. Also gives me an idea of how much I have to a certain point.
Tumble
Sort into trays (50)
Trim if need be
I also decap a large majority on a RC single stage, just got a coax, AR ammo is FLSB, bolt guns a different approach
I hand prime batches of unknown brass. Some odd primer pockets out there any more it seems.
Brass I have loaded before gets primed on the Hornady progressive.
Charging powder, depends on what powder and how much I am using. The progressive can and will throw powder out as it moves around.

I often use my progressive as a turret, just depends on what I am doing. Other times and situations it all goes through a single stage press.

If I am in a hurry, I don't mess with it. I have skipped matches because I didn't have ammo loaded. That is my excuse for multiple guns. Always have a back up, even if it's not your favorite.
My gpa always said with his accent "the hurrier I go the more behinder I get".

 

[Dusty Stevens]

To most on this thread a couple single stages would be faster. The stuff i load on a dillon is to be fast not to do every extra step i can think of. I put brass in one end and get ammo out of the other. The only times the pins come out is to fix a screwup not to do another step

 

[The German]

Not being a precision shooter, that's what I do with my .223 reloads:
1. Lube
2. Resize and deprime on singe stage RC IV (yes, the dirty brass, I clean the dies afterwards)
3. Stainless steel pin tumbling
4. Trim with LEE Quick Trim (hand drill driven)
5. Stainless steel pin tumbling to get the shavings out

 

[mgunderson]

Would like to use a progressive. Just need a power trimmer to use in the second or third hole with a 3 cutter. A stage to clean the primer pocket would be ideal too.

 

[danny]

i have about 4000 rounds of 223 to load up been doing 223 in the past on my single stage and it’s alotof work. Are you guys sizing on a single stage and then trimming and then switching over to the progressive, or using a Dillion 1200 on your press with suction to trim (which seems a little loud) kinda like to listen to the radio. Or is there some other option I don’t no about?

Personally, I would not completely load progressively for rifles if the intended firearm is an autoloader. I have loaded mostly for autoloaders in my time and check resized cases with a case gage before they get charged. I have all too often seen errant cases that did not size to within SAAMI spec. when the majority of others did. You should really be using a primer pocket safety tool (uniformer) to make sure that your pockets are of the correct depth to take a primer at the proper depth. The depths can change as a case is loaded over again multiple times. I would suggest a modified progressive approach where you use already sized and gaged caes that have been primer pocket uniformed.

Danny

 

[Erud]

I stopped trimming cases a couple of years ago. I only shoot one cartridge, and with a sizing die that is matched to my reamer, my cases just don’t grow. I still chamfer & deburr as needed, typically every few firings.

 

[riflewoman]

If you’re doing this on progressive.. I recommend setting up a 550 with two toolheads.

First toolhead: Decapping die, open, Dillon Rt1500, Sinclair Expander die with appropriate mandrel.

The expander die is required as the RT die sizes the neck too much to seat a bullet. The Sinclair die is available from Brownells. If you need to run a longer hose and put the vacuum in another room. Ordinary 1 inch plastic tubing works for extension hose.

Second toolhead: decap die if you media tumble and prime, powder charge, bullet seat, open.

Between the first process, you’ll need to chamfer in and out and primer swage if your using crimped primer brass.

 

[Hector]

If you’re doing this on progressive.. I recommend setting up a 550 with two toolheads.

First toolhead: Decapping die, open, Dillon Rt1500, Sinclair Expander die with appropriate mandrel.

The expander die is required as the RT die sizes the neck too much to seat a bullet. The Sinclair die is available from Brownells. If you need to run a longer hose and put the vacuum in another room. Ordinary 1 inch plastic tubing works for extension hose.

Second toolhead: decap die if you media tumble and prime, powder charge, bullet seat, open.

Between the first process, you’ll need to chamfer in and out and primer swage if your using crimped primer brass.

i have about 4000 rounds of 223 to load up been doing 223 in the past on my single stage and it’s alotof work. Are you guys sizing on a single stage and then trimming and then switching over to the progressive, or using a Dillion 1200 on your press with suction to trim (which seems a little loud) kinda like to listen to the radio. Or is there some other option I don’t no about?

I use a Gracey Trimmer. Have loaded 1000's 0f .223-22-250 and .17 Fireball. Sent once fired cases to Gracey, and they made special dies for trimming once fired cases. Have trimmed over 10,000 cases, and works like a dream. Use Lee collet die. Lee made a special Collet die for Fireball. I have never had to trim a second time. Once in a great while one won't fit, so I run it through a Redding body die. For Full Length resizing I use a RCBS X Die. Have been doing this for years and it works for me.

 

[Rsadams]

Agree , with most on resizing on the single stage first , so you can run them through the dry tumbler to get the sizing wax etc off... Then trim etc and check all the brass prep work... My sizing die is already setup for my single stage exactly were I want them for rifle.... Then switch to the 550 for primers , powder , seating and then a light crimp since all my .223 is for an automatic...

On my big Rifle stuff I plan on just staying with my single stage... But many load everything on the Dillon , it's more than capable , after loading they wipe down the loads with alcohol to remove the sizing oil/wax....

 

[Bc'z]

I prep all my brass as I normally do.
Tumble dry, resize, trim if needed, chamfor, clean pockets.
I do this in batches of 100 as that's how many primers fit in a tube.
After I'm all prepped and primer tubes are full I can cycle thru 3-400 rounds and hour.
I leave station 1 open as sizing is already done. Set seater up for seating only, lee factory crimp die in last station.

 

[JimSC]

I trim after every firing on the theory that a change in the length of the neck will affect how much of the bullet is being gripped by the neck and therefore will cause a change in neck tension. I keep a Wilson set up for each cartridge with a power attachment and do a light chamfer and deburr. It may or may not show on target but takes less than a minute per case and I have the time.

Even the .223 I use in my AR's gets sized and trimmed after depinning in one step. Cleaned then then trimmed before seating the primer, adding powder and the bullet seated on the progressive during final loading