What would your choice be for dies on a Dillon 550B for 223 ?

[Tommy]

Just a thought I would throw out, if you had your choice of the all of the various dies available for a Dillon 550B to reload 223 rounds to be used in an AR (Wylde Chamber), what would be your ideal "tool head" set up for this press?

Station 1. Redding Full Length sizing, Forster, etc.?
Station 2. Dillon Powder Funnel
Station 3. Redding Bullet Micrometer Bullet Seating ?
Station 4. Lee Factory Crimp or ?

What would your choices be? Let the games begin ....
;D ;D ;D

 

[jonbearman]

I would definitely go with the dillon carbide sizer as it has been modified for smooth feeding in the press.The other thing would be your choice as a redding micrometer top seater would be fine etc. I bought the dillon sizer and it was a smart move and straightness is great with this type of sizer.You still have to lube the cases with the carbide sizer as there is too much surface contact to not use the lube.

 

[Rustystud]

Get a floating tool head from John Whidden and Whidden Gunworks.

The Dillon Carbide sizer and deprimer will work but you may want to grind off about .040 off the bottom. To insure sizing in the web area.

I like using a Redding or Forester Competition Seater die.

I use a taper crimp die in the final station.

I use a Dillon Powder funnel die with a funnel on top. I measure powder with a RCBS Charge Master to the .1
There is no substitution for god case prep.

Nat Lambeth

 

[joed49]

Easy choice for me as I loaded .223 on a 550b. I'd spring for the Dillon dies. I've had problems with the decapping pins coming loose on RCBS dies in progressives. Tried the Dillon dies and the problem went away.

 

[Rookie]

I use a Lee FL sizer in a RCBS Big Max to deprime and resize, then a Gracie to trim before Forester BR sizer & seater in the 550.

 

[Hoser]

For 223 I use Dillon carbide if run through a gas gun. For a bolt gun I use Redding bushing size dies.

Station #2 I use a Prometheus Powder measure.

Station #3 is a Redding or Forster competition seat die.

Station #4 is left empty as I do not crimp.

You cant se it that well, but my 550s are on the far right of this pic.

 

[Forum Boss]

I would put an RCBS LOCK-OUT Die in Station #3 and your Seater Die in #4.

The Lock-Out die will stop the press from cycling if the powder charge is off by roughly 0.4 grains or more. They require some finesse to set up the first time, but they really work.

Please Watch this video explaining set-up and use of Lock-Out die on Dillon Progressive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egs5GWG_Prc


If you need to taper-crimp or roll crimp (because ammo will be used in a gas gun) you can easily do that later on a single stage.

I am NOT a fan of the Lee Factory crimp die. I have seen very poor quality control, dies WAY out of spec, and I've seen these dies do more harm than good. (Specifically I've seen the collet with bad burrs, the edges of the collet "fingers" not round and not uniform, resulting in necks that are deformed out of round.)