Precision rifle ammo on Dillon 550B?

[jelenko]

Dantherock,

Can you say what size targets you are engaging at each of the distances? I'm not familiar with the course of fire.

I do think it's fair to say that ammo requirements to engage 1" at 100 yards are different for 1" at 1000 yards.

Personally, if I had to engage 1MOA target [i.e., it's a miss if the bullet is more than 1 MOA from center] I would want .5MOA or less.

 

[Rpbump]

I deprime with a Lee hand held press. Use an RCBS 4 station power tool to
clean the primer pocket, bevel case mouth, and then clean/polish cases. I prime with a Lee priming tool. The cases are loaded 50 at a time with powder measured using a Ohaus beam scale. A differant Dillon insert is used for each caliber using full length die, Forster seating die and a Lee collet die for the crimp. Having a seperate insert for each caliber/rifle allows me to keep adjustments to a minimun. Runout and shot to shot accuracy is excellant.

Rpbump

 

[Danattherock]

Jelenko,

PRS, precision rifle series, generally involves 1-2 MOA steel out to 1000 yards. Varying positions, barricades, ropes, prone with bipod rarely, knee height, waist height, just awkward positions in general. An MOA at 100 as you say is about an inch. An MOA at 1000 yards is about ten inches. A 2 MOA target at 600 is about 12". And so forth. Not really difficult target sizes given the ranges, but the positions and time restraints make it challenging. Many matches have ten shots from varying positions required in 90 seconds. Or similar.


Dan

 

[riflewoman]

The biggest consumption of time in loading precision rifle ammo is case prep. when I shot high power rifle, the Dillon 550 hadn't been invented. I shot service rifle with usually range pickup LC match 308. I generally loaded in 500 or 1000 round batches. All on a rock chucker.

What took the time was the case prep. Sizing, trimming then cleaning took the longest. Trimming was the worst chore and was quickly automated using a drill press trimmer. A thumpers tumbler after a solvent wash took care of the cleaning. The cases were then separated from the media and cleared of any trapped media in the primer pockets. During this process the brass was handled as a bulk item. That is they were stored in a bin until priming.

When it came time to load it was relatively quick. The cases were primed on an RCBS bench tool then placed in loading trays. For 308 those were the bottoms of MTM 45 pistol boxes. Dropping powder was done on a standard powder measure by holding the whole tray underneath the drop and dropping the charge in each case. With a little practice you get very consistent charges. 4064 and 4895 were used. Each tray of charged was then visually inspected for anomalies like missed cases or inconsistent charges. Suspects were verified on a scale. Bullets were then seated.

This is just to show how you can load relatively large amounts of accurate ammo on single stage equipment.

For the OP, I'd suggest that you setup two tool heads one to prep and the other to load the cleaned prepped brass. However, if you have a choice still, the 650 would be a better machine for rifle ammo.

 

[Danattherock]

I bought the 550 specifically because it doesn't auto index like the 650. If only doing large volumes of one caliber, I would have bought a 650. Pros and cons as always, but the 550 is much better than the 650 in some regards.

I'm trying to streamline and speed up my reloading routine. I can do it all in one pass on 550, unless I choose to bump shoulders back with body die on Chucker beforehand. 150 rounds per hour seems reasonable. Compared to 100 rounds per 2.5 hours now. Substantial.

With Scott and others suggestions here, I am sure this will work out on 550. Clearly being done with great success by others. David Tubb and John Whidden to name two. There are some specific modifications to the 550 that will be of great benefit to repeatable priming and loaded round concentricity.


Dan
NC

 

[Rustystud]

I have exclusively load all my ammo on 550s for the last 20 years and on 450s ten years prior to that. Case prep is of utmost importance. I load Precision ammo as if the loader was a turrent press not a progressive press. I measure every powder charge on an electric scale.
Nat Lambeth

 

[skiutah02]

Dan, I should have an article published on accurate shooter in the near future describing how to make precision ammo with a Dillon 550. Send me a PM if you want an early copy.

Regards,
Scott

Scott, I was wondering when you were going to weigh in on this one. I'd like that article, if available. Thanks, Drew

 

[memilanuk]

The powder dispensing stage is where things get tricky, for me. I don't have a Prometheus (want, but its not in the cards for now), but I do have a Chargemaster... and a really nice GD-503 milligram scale.

I have a powder funnel that I got from Whidden years ago - they don't seem to offer them anymore, and didn't respond when I inquired about another one recently. Basically, take a Dillon powder die, with no insert, and get one of the pink MTM powder funnels. Turn down the square flange on the end of the drop tube, and the rest of it is an easy slide fit inside the the powder die body. It raises up when there is a case in the station, and doesn't extend down beyond the bottom of the die to interfere with operation when there isn't. Works pretty slick.

For stuff where it doesn't *need* to be weighed to the kernel, I find that my Chargemaster does pretty well. By the time I dump the charge, put the pan back, lower the ram, place a bullet in the case mouth, rotate the shell plate, insert a new case in station #1 and prime it, and raise the ram back up to lift the funnel... the next charge is within 5-10 seconds of being done. Take a breath, wait for it... and go!

For stuff where I have decided I *do* want to weigh stuff on the fancy scale... the whole dispense-trickle process interrupts the flow enough that it starts being a pain. So I removed that process from the flow entirely. I still do it, I just remove it from the flow. Instead, I weigh the charges in advance, and store them in plastic vials, similar to what some BR shooters use. With a couple trays of pre-charged vials sitting ready next to the 550... you can again zoom through the prime/charge/seat steps.

 

[Hollywood]

You looking for these?https://m.dillonprecision.com/mcontent/p/9/pid/23635/catid/3/RL_450_Powder_Die,

The correct one of these https://m.dillonprecision.com/mcontent/p/9/pid/25279/catid/48/Powder_Funnels

And this
https://m.dillonprecision.com/mcontent/p/9/pid/23633/catid/3/Plastic_Funnel

I use this setup with my charge master. Once you find your load you can adjust the speed of the charge master to get the quickest and most accurate drop from the scale.

Erick

 

[memilanuk]

You looking for these?

Not quite. Same powder die body, but using this funnel:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/613906/mtm-universal-powder-funnel-set-17-to-45-caliber

Like I said, the square 'flange' is turned off and it slides inside the die body, and fits over case mouths from .223 Rem to 6mm BR to 6.5CM to .308 Win (that I've used it for) without having to change anything.

 

[Hollywood]

With this setup the funnel dosent come in contact with the case at all only the insert that is locked in place with a set screw. No chance of the funnel getting bumbed causing missalignment.

 

[Danattherock]

Erick, what am I looking at here? ^^^^

The green. Curious to hear more. Thanks.

Not quite. Same powder die body, but using this funnel:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/613906/mtm-universal-powder-funnel-set-17-to-45-caliber

Like I said, the square 'flange' is turned off and it slides inside the die body, and fits over case mouths from .223 Rem to 6mm BR to 6.5CM to .308 Win (that I've used it for) without having to change anything.

Not sure how I can use a red funnel on a blue press. But thanks for chiming in anyway. Hah.

I ordered the floating Whidden tool head the other day and they said they are having funnels with long tubes made now, Custom Tools or similar, and within a few days will be offering them. Not sure how it compares, but another option. I may find a way to use my Satern funnel.

As for charging, pretty much gave up on volume, will weigh. Glen Zedekir helped me decide last night. With two Chargemasters, should move along pretty quick. Thought about picking up a Gempro 250 and Omega power trickler to finish them off, after throwing a half grain short. Not sure. Seems more precise though. May have some real world implications on the 700-1100 yard targets.


Dan
NC

 

[Danattherock]

Milanuk.

Thank you.

I just ordered 1,000 plastic 5 ml test tubes and six 50 tube test tube racks from Amazon. $60 total. One thing that's been giving me grief with my new project is that I load in garage, yet keep Chargemasters in house.

I get them out of cabinet near kitchen and on kitchen table charge cases, them take (usually 100) to garage and seat bullets. With using them on 550 that wasn't an option, like when using my Rock Chucker. So I had figured on carrying them out to garage.

I will charge 300 cases on my two Chargemasters at kitchen table, talking with kids, watching Fox News, and put powder in the test tubes. Having 300 tubes by the 550, 150-175 rounds per hour will be a breeze.

Dan

 

[Hollywood]

Erick, what am I looking at here? ^^^^

The green. Curious to hear more. Thanks.

The die is sitting atop a green primer flip tray.

 

[Hollywood]

This is the complete assembly.

 

[Danattherock]

Thanks man