.223 on Dillon 550

[MA5177]

I have a Dillon 550 and need some advice on procedures for loading .223

A lot of my brass is crimped and it's a much bigger pain I found out to load .223 than my standard handgun calipers. I'm thinking of buying a separate tool head to just run a sizing/ escaping die in. First I would tumble then lube then run through sizing decal die. After that I would swage then trim to length if necessary. After that load as normal without sizing stage

Is there an easier way of doing it?

[boomer135]

I set up 2 tool heads for my 650. One for sizing. Prep brass as necessary. The second tool head I put a universal decapping die in station #1 to remove any media I may have missed stuck in the primer pocket.

Tool head 1- .223 sizing die
Tool head 2- decapping die, powder drop, seating die, crimp die.

[tmorse]

That is pretty much how I do it for necked rifle brass.

[jimmykan]

Get a Dillon 1050 press or Super Swage tool.

[AandO]

1050 aside.

The only benefit of having to mess with a crimp is the knowledge that you are truly dealing with OFB.

And yes, that knowledge is priceless...............

[bender152]

First I would tumble then lube then run through sizing decal die. After that I would swage then trim to length if necessary. After that load as normal without sizing stage

That's pretty much how I do it.

My .223/5.56 brass is resized and decapped on a single stage press. Stage 1 on the Dillon is used strictly for priming. I don't even have a resizing die in it.

[milotrain]

I run two tool heads. If it's range brass or once fired I use two sizing dies so that I'm not working too hard on the first and making sure I hit my oversized run on the second.

I prime by hand, I don't even prime on the dillon, but that's just because I can fill a lee priming tool faster than a dillon priming tube.

Loading is done with a powder charge station (st2), and a bullet seater (st3) and that's all.

[MA5177]

Thanks guys, now how about trimming? What's the easiest and cheapest way? What about those type that fit on a drill ?

I don't have a swager but I use a pocket reamer in a cordless drill. Works pretty good

[sghart]

Thanks guys, now how about trimming? What's the easiest and cheapest way? What about those type that fit on a drill ?

I don't have a swager but I use a pocket reamer in a cordless drill. Works pretty good

I would think that depends on how many pieces at a time that you want to process and how much you want to spend.

I size and deprime my brass on a single stage. I then trim the cases that need it on a Lee Deluxe Quick Trim.

I then use a Hornady small primer pocket reamer to remove the crimp. This is a nice little tool that has a threaded shank on it for use in brass prep stations. What I did was buy a 8/32 coupling nut to screw onto the Hornady tool to protect the threads. I then chuck it into a drill motor and process my cases.

I typically do 100 cases at a time and it goes pretty quick.

I then hand prime with a Lee Ergo prime and finally I load them on a Dillon 450 or a Lee Pro 1000.

If I did 1000 or 2000 cases at a time like some of the ironmen on this forum then I would definitely look for a better way. Those guys have my respect. For the volume that I load and shoot my system works for me.

[dragon7]

Easiest way to trim is with a Giraud trimmer. Pricey up front but the time and consistent trim is worth it if you're prepping cases in bulk. Tried bench mounted and drill mounted trimmers and they just take so much time and effort. The Giraud works like a giant pencil sharpener. Very fast. I've trimmed 400 .223 cases in an hour.

[MA5177]

Moral of the story..... May be cheaper to buy AR .223

[boomer135]

giraud also make a Tri-Way trimmer. They are $100 I use them to trim, chamfer, and deburr in one step.

Easiest way to trim is with a Giraud trimmer. Pricey up front but the time and consistent trim is worth it if you're prepping cases in bulk. Tried bench mounted and drill mounted trimmers and they just take so much time and effort. The Giraud works like a giant pencil sharpener. Very fast. I've trimmed 400 .223 cases in an hour.

[boomer135]

once you're set up you have all the gear. It's cheaper to reload. Especially if you shoot a lot.

Moral of the story..... May be cheaper to buy AR .223

[gbarbo001]

Easiest way to trim is with a Giraud trimmer. Pricey up front but the time and consistent trim is worth it if you're prepping cases in bulk. Tried bench mounted and drill mounted trimmers and they just take so much time and effort. The Giraud works like a giant pencil sharpener. Very fast. I've trimmed 400 .223 cases in an hour.

Roger that. To defray the cost, I went in halves with a gun buddy and we share our Giraud.

[tmorse]

Just received a WFT trimmer from Little Crow Gunworks. it is far nicer than the Possum Hollow trimmer I was using. the WFT is pretty good depending on the volume you are doing.