Dillon 550b for rifle reloading

[StraightShooter]

I am looking to get a dillon 550b to reload pistol and rifle ammo. I understand everything for the pistol ammo but not for the rifle. If you have a sizing/decapping die on stage one, Powder funnel on the next, bullet seater/crimp on the third, then what goes in the fourth stage? Do you just leave it open?

[rksimple]

I have the seating die 3rd and a separate crimp die last. If you have a seating die that does both, leave 4 empty.

[StraightShooter]

k, thats what I thought. Is there any benefit to having the seating crimping die separate. Probably just more adjustability? Thanks

[ar15barrels]

k, thats what I thought. Is there any benefit to having the seating crimping die separate. Probably just more adjustability? Thanks

Easier adjustability.
Better consistency.

[30Cal]

The crimp that you get with a seating die is a roll crimp. OK for leveractions, but useless for everything else. I only crimp leveraction and revolver handloads. Everything else, semi-auto, bolt action, gas operated rifles-->no crimp.

[CSACANNONEER]

The crimp that you get with a seating die is a roll crimp. OK for leveractions, but useless for everything else. I only crimp leveraction and revolver handloads. Everything else, semi-auto, bolt action, gas operated rifles-->no crimp.

That's funny, I thought that every military around the world used crimped bullets in all their ammo. Do you know something that no one else does? I have always heard that crimped bullets are needed in semi and full auto weapons to keep the bullets from overseating themselves or working free of the brass. I always crimp everything unless it's a target load that is going to be shot from a single shot gun (or, at least loaded as a single shot). If ammo is going to be in the magazine while the gun is being fired, there's a good chance that the bullet can move in the brass unless the bullet is crimped.

[StraightShooter]

That's funny, I thought that every military around the world used crimped bullets in all their ammo. Do you know something that no one else does? I have always heard that crimped bullets are needed in semi and full auto weapons to keep the bullets from overseating themselves or working free of the brass. I always crimp everything unless it's a target load that is going to be shot from a single shot gun (or, at least loaded as a single shot). If ammo is going to be in the magazine while the gun is being fired, there's a good chance that the bullet can move in the brass unless the bullet is crimped.

Thats what I thought. From what I understand if you dont crimp them in a semi auto the bullets can get pushed into the case causing a serious overpressure issue.

[rksimple]

A light taper crimp on semi auto pistol ammo is a good thing. I crimp most of my 223 blasting ammo with a Lee FCD. Had a couple setbacks (with winny brass) that luckily caused the rifle to FTF. Now I crimp most all of it except for match ammo.

[30Cal]

That's funny, I thought that every military around the world used crimped bullets in all their ammo. Do you know something that no one else does? I have always heard that crimped bullets are needed in semi and full auto weapons to keep the bullets from overseating themselves or working free of the brass. I always crimp everything unless it's a target load that is going to be shot from a single shot gun (or, at least loaded as a single shot). If ammo is going to be in the magazine while the gun is being fired, there's a good chance that the bullet can move in the brass unless the bullet is crimped.

I don't have to meet a 30 min submergence to 1 ATM req't nor do I need to need to support 60lbs of force on the bullet tip. All my ammo is made using the same press on the same sets of dies. I'm not getting ammo from all sorts of subcontractors where I would need a thorough set of specs to ensure everyones stuff was A-OK. Besides, it's a blue moon when a cannelure puts my bullets at a close to optimal depth (and even then cannelures are often in different places from one bullet to the next).

With a correctly sized expander ball (neck ID), no crimp is necessary for any of the gasguns I own (M1's, M1A, M1 carbine, AR). Setback upon chambering is nil (<0.005"). If bullets move, your sizing die isn't right. I have owned a die where the expander ball was oversized.

Roll crimp works fine for revolvers and leveractions. I'd use a taper crimp or FCD for everything else if I wanted to crimp.