Loading 308 on Dillon 550?
- Thread starter JJE
- Start date
I have a 550 and reload 308 but not on the 550. I reload 308 on a Redding T7 for a couple of reasons. Volume measures don't do all the well with stick/extruded powders like 4064 and volume measures don't do all that well when they are being jiggled while reloading. If I were only plinking with the 308 the Dillon would be great but when reloading for the best accuracy the T7 with a beam scale and trickler works best for me.
Ironman308
Gold $$ Contributor
Nettle is correct. I have used the 550 for reloading the 308 for many years. Use a scale for your powder. I will throw powder for AR 15 spray and pray loads but never for accuracy.
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memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
Easily done on a 550, with two tool heads.
Step 1: Anneal
Step 2: Tumble clean
Step 3:
Tool head #1:
Station #1, decapping die of choice. Something like the Mighty Armory PUA die with the 'flicker' to make double-damn sure the primers don't stick to the decapping pin and jam things up is a good choice.
Station #2: F/L bushing sizing die; decapping pin not needed.
Station #3: Mandrel die like the Sinclair die body, with their .30 cal carbide 'turning' mandrel (0.306" diameter)
At this point, the brass is annealed, clean, decapped, sized, and expanded.
Step 4: Trim/chamfer/debur. I use a Giraud, you do you.
Step 5: Whatever other brass prep you think you need (cleaning primer pockets, brush necks, whatever)
Step 6: Tumble lube off
Step 7:
Tool head #2:
Station #1, decapping die of choice, to make sure flash holes are clear after tumbling
Station #1a, prime (on press)
Station #2 Dillon powder die with a funnel in place.
Station #3 Seating die
If for some reason you want to crimp (for whatever reason), you can always stick it in station #4 of toolhead #2. If you're not comfortable with priming on press, you can always do it with the device of your choice at whatever point seems appropriate.
If you have something like an AutoTrickler + FX120 scale setup nearby, you can get a pretty good rhythm going between placing a bullet in the charged case @ station #2, rotate the shell plate, insert a case @ station #1, raise the ram to decap, seat the bullet, and dump the charge. Then lower the ram, prime that case, place the bullet in the freshly charged case @ station #2, rotate, rinse, lather, repeat.
If you use a ball powder like 2000MR or StaBall Match or very fine grained powder like 8208XBR - all good powders for .308 Win - you might find thrown charges to work just fine.
Step 1: Anneal
Step 2: Tumble clean
Step 3:
Tool head #1:
Station #1, decapping die of choice. Something like the Mighty Armory PUA die with the 'flicker' to make double-damn sure the primers don't stick to the decapping pin and jam things up is a good choice.
Station #2: F/L bushing sizing die; decapping pin not needed.
Station #3: Mandrel die like the Sinclair die body, with their .30 cal carbide 'turning' mandrel (0.306" diameter)
At this point, the brass is annealed, clean, decapped, sized, and expanded.
Step 4: Trim/chamfer/debur. I use a Giraud, you do you.
Step 5: Whatever other brass prep you think you need (cleaning primer pockets, brush necks, whatever)
Step 6: Tumble lube off
Step 7:
Tool head #2:
Station #1, decapping die of choice, to make sure flash holes are clear after tumbling
Station #1a, prime (on press)
Station #2 Dillon powder die with a funnel in place.
Station #3 Seating die
If for some reason you want to crimp (for whatever reason), you can always stick it in station #4 of toolhead #2. If you're not comfortable with priming on press, you can always do it with the device of your choice at whatever point seems appropriate.
If you have something like an AutoTrickler + FX120 scale setup nearby, you can get a pretty good rhythm going between placing a bullet in the charged case @ station #2, rotate the shell plate, insert a case @ station #1, raise the ram to decap, seat the bullet, and dump the charge. Then lower the ram, prime that case, place the bullet in the freshly charged case @ station #2, rotate, rinse, lather, repeat.
If you use a ball powder like 2000MR or StaBall Match or very fine grained powder like 8208XBR - all good powders for .308 Win - you might find thrown charges to work just fine.
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100% doable, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. @memilanuk outlined it nicely. Here's a playlist of Dillon videos that may help visually as well.
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memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
One caveat... I use Uniquetek's toolhead jacking system to 'freeze' the toolhead in place, making it essentially solid to the frame. Then the dies are floated in their holes, using lock rings from Whidden that have holes in them to match up with the roll pins in their tool heads. I know people argue back and forth that with how the Dillon tool heads normally move around in the frame that you don't need to freeze the head and float the dies. I'm in the camp that the odds of all four holes being coaxially aligned is remote at best. Maybe with the nicer Whidden or Armanov tool heads, but not the stock Dillon. Letting each die align as needed in its own hole seems to work for me.
Before doing a complete tool head set up for your 550 try throwing some 4064 trial charges and checking them with your scale. If you are happy with the accuracy of the Dillon 550 measure (and Dillon makes a great measure) go for it. The functions rest of the press can hold it's own with any other press.
Loudenboomer
Silver $$ Contributor
I don't load big stick powder's for rifle cartridges with the Dillon. Plenty of ball powders will give good results thrown on the 550. Believe it or not. Dillon thrown AA2460 is just as accurate as trickled Varget In my TRG 21 308. YMMV
memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
Doing two separate tool heads separates the actions requiring force (sizing/expanding) from the action requiring feel (seating).
Taking the bottom of the shell plate to a flat surface with some 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper can usually do some good as far as flattening and making that part more consistent. Like a lot of things, it's entirely possible to go overboard and thoroughly make things worse if you get too enthusiastic / ham-fisted about it.
TBH, I'm not convinced flattening the shell plate does as much for sizing / seating as freezing the tool head and floating the dies.
If you can find one there are versions of the plate indexer that have a recess machined and a bearing installed, so you can snug the plate down more and still be able rotate it. Just don't get a cheap plastic one (Uniquetek).
Taking the bottom of the shell plate to a flat surface with some 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper can usually do some good as far as flattening and making that part more consistent. Like a lot of things, it's entirely possible to go overboard and thoroughly make things worse if you get too enthusiastic / ham-fisted about it.
TBH, I'm not convinced flattening the shell plate does as much for sizing / seating as freezing the tool head and floating the dies.
If you can find one there are versions of the plate indexer that have a recess machined and a bearing installed, so you can snug the plate down more and still be able rotate it. Just don't get a cheap plastic one (Uniquetek).
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
When you get to seating the bullet part of the operation, simply pull the case dump the powder on a scale. Then trickle up to your weight. Dump the powder back in the case and seat the bullet.
If you have your measure set to throw just under the desired charge, trickling up is quick and only minimally slows the process.
If you have your measure set to throw just under the desired charge, trickling up is quick and only minimally slows the process.
Barman54
Silver $$ Contributor
Ok My Turn
I'm an Ol' M1A Shooter, VIA Highpower shooting.
1st Press I ever bought was a 550 in '86.
Did everything on it, broke the "Crank" on it 3 times, 3rd time I sent it back to Dillon for Rehab.
Then I bought a Lee single Stage, and C clamp it to my Bench as needed.
I use the Lee for Sizing and Primering now.
I double Nut the Die, to hold the setting, when I remove it.
Steps
1st time Fired .308 Brass, run it through a 30.06 SB Die 1st,
Decaps it, gets the Base done.
Then I run it through the S/B .308, it will set the shoulder.
Lube Imperial, Wax, and Home made brew, Lanolin, and Alcohol.
Just Too many steps processing .308 in one step, easier on the Press, and BP.
Tumble, to remove Lube, trim on the Gracey.
Final Polish different Media.
Prime on Lee.
Mark the Heads for that Lot, using a Sharpie, my system.
Then I will Charge on the 550, using a Load Block, using a Digital scale, for EACH Shell, check with Flashlight, then seat on the 550.
I use IMR 4895/4064.
Not driving 200 + miles for a Match and Blame the Ammo.
So, Yes you can Load .308 on a 550
My .02
Barman54
Out
I'm an Ol' M1A Shooter, VIA Highpower shooting.
1st Press I ever bought was a 550 in '86.
Did everything on it, broke the "Crank" on it 3 times, 3rd time I sent it back to Dillon for Rehab.
Then I bought a Lee single Stage, and C clamp it to my Bench as needed.
I use the Lee for Sizing and Primering now.
I double Nut the Die, to hold the setting, when I remove it.
Steps
1st time Fired .308 Brass, run it through a 30.06 SB Die 1st,
Decaps it, gets the Base done.
Then I run it through the S/B .308, it will set the shoulder.
Lube Imperial, Wax, and Home made brew, Lanolin, and Alcohol.
Just Too many steps processing .308 in one step, easier on the Press, and BP.
Tumble, to remove Lube, trim on the Gracey.
Final Polish different Media.
Prime on Lee.
Mark the Heads for that Lot, using a Sharpie, my system.
Then I will Charge on the 550, using a Load Block, using a Digital scale, for EACH Shell, check with Flashlight, then seat on the 550.
I use IMR 4895/4064.
Not driving 200 + miles for a Match and Blame the Ammo.
So, Yes you can Load .308 on a 550
My .02
Barman54
Out
What’s the secret for getting perfectly consistent shoulder bumps on the 550? I sure can’t. No matter what lube, dwell, annealing, nothing. It would be awesome if I could incorporate it in the process but I want perfect sizing.
Barman54
Silver $$ Contributor
Size with a 30.06 Die 1st, then your .308 Die.
Just too much to do in one step
Barman54
Out
memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
Never had an issue.
Barman54
Silver $$ Contributor
Me Neither, I only do it the 1st time, after that just the SB .308 Die.
Barman54
Out
I don’t have a Dillon, but I load .308 Winchester on a Hornady Progressive and use the Hornady powder drop with a baffle.
I use Hodgdon Benchmark powder, which looks to me about like like H4895 with the kernels cut in half. It meters pretty well.
If I get a crunch, I dump that charge and the next one just to be sure, but i only get a crunch in about 1/100 charges.
I run the drop a dozen times before I start, give it a good jiggle to get all the grains uh, aligned or whatever, and check weight on the beam scale whenever I feel like it.
I load one cartridge at a time on the progressive, and in two stages :
(decap and resize)
wash/dry/anneal/trim/prime
(powder, powder cop, and seat)
I only feed one case at a time through the progressive.
My loads are for informal competition and hunting, I suppose. Though I take care to make accurate loads for my own gratification, I’m not a BR guy, so my methods may not be up to your standards.
I use Hodgdon Benchmark powder, which looks to me about like like H4895 with the kernels cut in half. It meters pretty well.
If I get a crunch, I dump that charge and the next one just to be sure, but i only get a crunch in about 1/100 charges.
I run the drop a dozen times before I start, give it a good jiggle to get all the grains uh, aligned or whatever, and check weight on the beam scale whenever I feel like it.
I load one cartridge at a time on the progressive, and in two stages :
(decap and resize)
wash/dry/anneal/trim/prime
(powder, powder cop, and seat)
I only feed one case at a time through the progressive.
My loads are for informal competition and hunting, I suppose. Though I take care to make accurate loads for my own gratification, I’m not a BR guy, so my methods may not be up to your standards.
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snert
Silver $$ Contributor
I load M1A and non critical 308 bolt gun loads on my Dillon 550. I use Redding dies, imperial and do all my sizing on the press. I use H380 and 155 gr Palma and am holding minus MOA to 500 yards in the bolt gun. I find that the 550 throws fine ball perfectly...I use the H380 on 308 and Exterminator in 223.
Is it as "tight" as my T7 loads? No, but the difference isn't enough to care.
Is it as "tight" as my T7 loads? No, but the difference isn't enough to care.
Hoser
Gold $$ Contributor
I load everything from 17 Mach IV to 338 Lapua on my 550s.
#1. FL resize and prime.
#2. Powder.
#3. Seat.
#4. Empty unless it is precision gas gun ammo and then it is a Redding body die.
I use an Autotrickler or Prometheus to dispense powder. A tuned Dillon powder measure will get pretty damn close, but not quite good enough for ammo being shot past 600 yards.
Below is 338 Lapua ammo. This ammo was used the following day to win an ELR match at NRA Whittington NM.
#1. FL resize and prime.
#2. Powder.
#3. Seat.
#4. Empty unless it is precision gas gun ammo and then it is a Redding body die.
I use an Autotrickler or Prometheus to dispense powder. A tuned Dillon powder measure will get pretty damn close, but not quite good enough for ammo being shot past 600 yards.
Below is 338 Lapua ammo. This ammo was used the following day to win an ELR match at NRA Whittington NM.
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