Processing brass in Bulk

[ar15barrels]

Why do you recommend the RCBS deprime die instead of the Dillon deprime/resize die from the 3-die Dillon set?

You answer your own question:

lube would still be needed to avoid sticking if I used a regular resize die instead of the deprime die

The lube should be removed BEFORE charging and seating.
You would not want to run lubed cases through the press on the LOADING cycle.

But if I measure instead of trimming, and presumably only need to trim every few reloading cycles, then I'd think that a regular resizing die would make more sense in station 1.

Again, you don't want to run lubed cases through the LOADING cycle.
This means that the sizing always happens on a separate setup than the loading so that you can get rid of the lube before loading.

All of this would be different if I had a progressive with more stations, but I got this RL550B from a friend for a good price, so four stations is what I have.

Not really.
The difference is that in a 5 station press, you have more room to put a support die and a neck expanding die across from the dillon trimmer.
This will support the shelplate platform so it can't bend as much during sizing.
That will give you more consistent headspace length.
On a 550, there is only room for 1 die across from a dillon trimmer and that should be the lube die.
The lube die should also be setup to support the shellplate platform against deflection.

[ar15barrels]

If you use #24 grit, Fine, media (crushed walnut hull from Harbor Freight, sold as "sand" blasting media) it won't get stuck in the flash holes and you don't need to use the decapping die a second time. They also sell the "regular" size media (I think it's #12 grit) for the same price and it's a lot cheaper than the stuff sold as reloading supplies. I've used both and can't tell any difference in polishing performance. Hint: Harbor Freight advertises in American Rifleman magazine and they almost always have a "20% off any one item" coupon in their ads.

You still need to expand the necks after using the dillon trimmer as a sizer.
It's NO extra work to also have the decapping pin run through the flash hole while the case is having the neck expended in the loading toolhead.

[383green]

It sounds like the Dillon sizing die from the 3-die set isn't useful on a progressive, then, if it needs lube but the lube should be removed before the remainder of the loading cycle. What's wrong with having the exterior of the case lubed during the loading cycle, though?

[ar15barrels]

Does putting brass in the progressive shell plate and turning it to pop out the deprimed brass really save that much motion vs. putting brass into a single stage and manually removing it after the cycle?

Yes.
Once you have your fired brass bin sitting in the right place, it's way faster decapping on a progressive because the decapped cases simply fall into the loaded ammo bin automatically.
The hand motion to pickup a case and place it in the shellplate is the SAME hand motion as when you are loading ammo.

You really can just skip the initial decapping and let the lube die do the decapping.
Then, swage your primer pockets AFTER they come out of the tumbler from having the lube removed and the burrs tumbled off.
Clean primer pockets contribute nothing to ammo quality/consistency and the primer pockets WILL be getting tumbled during the lube removal/deburring tumbling job.

[ar15barrels]

It sounds like the Dillon sizing die from the 3-die set isn't useful on a progressive, then, if it needs lube but the lube should be removed before the remainder of the loading cycle. What's wrong with having the exterior of the case lubed during the loading cycle, though?

The lube gets INSIDE too.
No good for the bullet or the powder.

Also, you need to take the lube off the case eventually.
So you can either wipe them one by one, or tumble the loaded ammo.
Tumbling loaded ammo may effect accuracy.

[383green]

Well, then I guess I might as will trim every time, and live with running each case through the press twice. I think that the primer pocket swaging should only need to be done once to remove the original primer crimp, though.

This thread has been very educational!

[ar15barrels]

Well, then I guess I might as will trim every time, and live with running each case through the press twice.

With the dillon trimmer doing the sizing, it's really not any more work to do it that way.

[JC Smith]

You still need to expand the necks after using the dillon trimmer as a sizer.

I use a Lyman M die to expand the necks.

[ar15barrels]

I use a Lyman M die to expand the necks.

That works fine too.
Using a standard decapping stem with an expander just gives the option of clearing flash holes in the same operation.

[383green]

Is this the combo that you recommend in station 1 for .30-06 neck expanding or previously resized and trimmed brass, ar15barrels?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/172544/rcbs-heavy-duty-depriming-and-decapping-die-27-thru-45-caliber

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/389683/rcbs-replacement-expander-decapping-unit-308-winchester-30-30-winchester-30-06-springfield

[ar15barrels]

Is this the combo that you recommend in station 1 for .30-06 neck expanding or previously resized and trimmed brass, ar15barrels?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/172544/rcbs-heavy-duty-depriming-and-decapping-die-27-thru-45-caliber

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/389...06-springfield

Yes.

[383green]

I don't think I'll ever reload enough .30-06 to break even financially on the equipment I just ordered, but nobody ever accused me of being smart.

[Gnzrme]

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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[vector16]

I load all by hand individually and get the grain down to a precise amount. I have repaid myself 1000 times over for the price of reloading vs the price of buying over the last month. For the 30-06 rounds I was paying $1.25 around to the store for Hornady and I am making the same stuff for $0.28 per round but its better powder, cleaner, more accurate, and fitted for MY rifle. I shoot a 3/4" group at 300 yards now vs what I thought was good at 2" at 300 yards.

[freonr22]

This thread was worth a 5 year bump