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Help me Gucci up a Dillon

SteveOak

SteveOak

Gold $$ Contributor
My next door neighbors' sister had 'fallen on hard times' and moved in with them. The husband mentioned his sister-in-law was looking for a job and had experience as an administrative assistant. The place I work is very much technical, aerospace R&D, and I didn't know of anything and didn't have much hope. Then the admin from my department left for another company and I submitted a referral for the sister. I just looked at my pay history and there is a stub for $1,000, taxed up no less so that is the net.

I have been planning to buy a Dillon to load for my AR so I have been looking at Dillons and accessories. There is quite a bit more then when I had Dillons before so please help me Gucci it up with accessories you find to be useful, helpful, and/or beneficial to reloading safely, efficiently and consistantly.

My goal is to load Hornady 68gr BTHP Match bullets and LC brass, CCI-450's and TAC. No other components, no other cartridges. I have a significant supply of each. Looking for consistant MOA or better accuracy at 200 yards in quantity.

For starters, a Dillon 550C.

What else?

Thanks!
 
I shoot that and I load on a 550. I have the tool set, two bins, a powder measure, and a big black anodized mount (not sure if it is Dillon but it lifts the loader up off the bench. I have one tool head.

I elected to deprime MIL brass on a single stage in a Redding depriming die (universal) then pop off the crimp with a Dillon swage. I then clean the brass and I use Imperial lube on the body, and Redding dri-lube on the neck. I use a Redding SB 223 FL sizing die, a Redding seat die with optional micrometer seat stem (standard). I do not crimp, but have a Redding taper crimp die should I need it.

TAC and other fine ball powders throw well. I use the electronic buzzer that warns of primer nearing empty.

For trimming I use a WFT and a cheap electric drill. I use hornady chamfer tools (two) and mount them in Sinclair universal chamfer tool holders that adapt to a drill. I have two drills (cheap ones) already to go with the chamfer tools in them, and switch drills, not tool ends. I use quart and pint paint buckets from Lowes to keep track of brass prep, with blue painter tape (it pulls right off easy) and a marker on the bucket to remind me of what the bucket holds or needs done.

The only thing I wish I had knocked is a light string and a maginfying glass or means to look down in the case easily before seating a bulllet, in case it didn't drop a full charge. I check every tenth round and with TAC find it is dead nuts 99% of the time.

I also use this set up in 308. I shoot 155 Palma and H380 and it holds 1/2 MOA in a Remington Varmint Special.

I don't think Gucci is necessary. Spend your cash on primers
 
I load my precision 223 ammo on a 550B and get good results. Brass is sized, deprimed, trimmed, and crimp removed before loading on the 550.

It is setup as it came originally. Station 1 has a Mighty Armory mandrel sizing die along with the Dillon priming mechanism, 2 has either the Dillon powder measure or a funnel to pour in pre-measured powder, 3 has a seater, and 4 has a taper crimp die setup for a light crimp on AR loads.
 
DiffEQ said:
Dillon 750 plus their dies for the 223.
Click to expand...
The 5th station on the 750 enables one to use a powder check. Not Gucci, but it could well save you from a squib load which would likely leave a bullet stuck in the barrel. If the BCG cycles, or you manually charge/fire another round, at a minimum the barrel is destroyed. That’ll cost you a lot more “Gucci”!

Check out UniqueTek for a rather comprehensive selection of Dillon “Gucci”! I’ll strongly recommend a Skylight kit if you decide on a 550. The overhead tool head LED light will make it easier to see powder in the case.

 
snert said:
I shoot that and I load on a 550. I have the tool set, two bins, a powder measure, and a big black anodized mount (not sure if it is Dillon but it lifts the loader up off the bench. I have one tool head.

I elected to deprime MIL brass on a single stage in a Redding depriming die (universal) then pop off the crimp with a Dillon swage. I then clean the brass and I use Imperial lube on the body, and Redding dri-lube on the neck. I use a Redding SB 223 FL sizing die, a Redding seat die with optional micrometer seat stem (standard). I do not crimp, but have a Redding taper crimp die should I need it.

TAC and other fine ball powders throw well. I use the electronic buzzer that warns of primer nearing empty.

For trimming I use a WFT and a cheap electric drill. I use hornady chamfer tools (two) and mount them in Sinclair universal chamfer tool holders that adapt to a drill. I have two drills (cheap ones) already to go with the chamfer tools in them, and switch drills, not tool ends. I use quart and pint paint buckets from Lowes to keep track of brass prep, with blue painter tape (it pulls right off easy) and a marker on the bucket to remind me of what the bucket holds or needs done.

The only thing I wish I had knocked is a light string and a maginfying glass or means to look down in the case easily before seating a bulllet, in case it didn't drop a full charge. I check every tenth round and with TAC find it is dead nuts 99% of the time.

I also use this set up in 308. I shoot 155 Palma and H380 and it holds 1/2 MOA in a Remington Varmint Special.

I don't think Gucci is necessary. Spend your cash on primers
Click to expand...
Thank you for the detail. Very nice!

I am thinking more technical Gucci with accessories you find to be useful, helpful, and/or beneficial to reloading safely, efficiently and consistantly, rather then bling Gucci.
 
rwj said:
The 5th station on the 750 enables one to use a powder check. Not Gucci, but it could well save you from a squib load which would likely leave a bullet stuck in the barrel. If the BCG cycles, or you manually charge/fire another round, at a minimum the barrel is destroyed. That’ll cost you a lot more “Gucci”!

Check out UniqueTek for a rather comprehensive selection of Dillon “Gucci”! I’ll strongly recommend a Skylight kit if you decide on a 550. The overhead tool head LED light will make it easier to see powder in the case.

Click to expand...
Thank you for the explination for using a 750. I size, deprime and prime seperately so I have an extra station when using a 550. I don't running lubed cases through the process and never got right with the idea of leaving it dirty nor tumbling loaded cartridges.

The UniqueTek has a lot of Gucci accessories!

The light looks like a winner!

@DiffEQ too. Mathematician?
 
Some things I have done to my 550s improve consistency and accuracy. I load all my long range ammo up to 338 Lapua on my 550s using a Prometheus and Autotricklers to dispense powder.

Pull out main shaft and base plate. Have a gunsmith put the two in a lathe and have them take a few skim passes to be sure it is 100% true.

Armanov and Whidden floating die toolheads.

JW primer track bearing plate.

LED light kits. The Double Alpha is the best toolhead mounted light I have used and the KMS is the best press mounted lights I have tried.
 
SteveOak said:
Thank you for the explination for using a 750. I size, deprime and prime seperately so I have an extra station when using a 550.
Click to expand...
Not really. As you are depriming and resizing separately, you wont need/use the first station on an 550. However, only the second station on a 550 can be used for priming. The remaining two stations are typically used for; 1) bullet seating, and 2) crimping. Thus no station for powder checking. Though I would not recommend, you could use a combined seating/crimping die (Dillon does not offer one).
 
Hoser said:
LED light kits. The Double Alpha is the best toolhead mounted light I have used and the KMS is the best press mounted lights I have tried.
Click to expand...
I have the DAA magentic powder check on my 750 and love it. Was going back and forth between Inline Fab's LED light or the DAA, and decided the DAA seemed a better option. Your comments sealed the deal! ;)
 
rwj said:
Not really. As you are depriming and resizing separately, you wont need/use the first station on an 550. However, only the second station on a 550 can be used for priming. The remaining two stations are typically used for; 1) bullet seating, and 2) crimping. Thus no station for powder checking. Though I would not recommend, you could use a combined seating/crimping die (Dillon does not offer one).
Click to expand...
"Only the second station on a 550 can be used for priming"?

or

The second station on a 550 can only be used for priming?

I prime with an RCBS bench primer.
 
Hoser said:
Some things I have done to my 550s improve consistency and accuracy. I load all my long range ammo up to 338 Lapua on my 550s using a Prometheus and Autotricklers to dispense powder.

Pull out main shaft and base plate. Have a gunsmith put the two in a lathe and have them take a few skim passes to be sure it is 100% true.

Armanov and Whidden floating die toolheads.

JW primer track bearing plate.

LED light kits. The Double Alpha is the best toolhead mounted light I have used and the KMS is the best press mounted lights I have tried.
Click to expand...
Thank you @Hoser

I don't have access to anyone with a lathe. Are there alternatives? What about the bearing kits?

Floating tool heads are better than the Whidden machined tool head?

A machined head of either type would have advantages over a cast head but it is still installed in a cast slot and not securely held. What about the toolhead clamp kit?
 
I have had a 550 for 30+ years and love it.
If I were starting from scratch, I would definitely go with a 750. Five stations gives you more options. Options are good.

Accessories I really like:
LED light through the top.

Inline Fabrication quick change mount and riser.

The Dillon primer flip tray seems overpriced, but I love it.
 
SteveOak said:
"Only the second station on a 550 can be used for priming"?

or

The second station on a 550 can only be used for priming?

I prime with an RCBS bench primer.
Click to expand...
… kinda defeats the reason for buying a progressive press… best wishes to you!
 
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