Help with loader choice please!

[bug_eyedmonster]

Hey All,


I'm still relatively new to loading, I currently load pistol rounds with a Dillon 650XL, but want to get a new single stage loader for rifle rounds. I know I can load some sizes on the 650, but have heard from some about prepping cases, trimming, etc, and that loading with the 650 would not be as consistent. I plan to load .308, 7mm rem mag, and .338 Lapua. I already have a digital Dillon scale, but if that's not going to work, please let me know. All input is welcome, thanks in advance for your time folks!


Jerry

[rcslotcar]

I have been loading 7mm rem mag and 45-70 on a RCBS Rock Chucher for 30 years. I recently bought a Dillon 650 xl. I load all my pistol loads (9mm,38,357,40,45acp 44mag 45 colt and 223) on the Dillon, I still load the large rifle cal's on the single stage press as I like to examine these in every stage and measure every charge. The Dillon scale will work perfect. If you haven't yet, look on ebay for items that can smooth out the action on the Dillon. These will keep down the "snap" that can spill powder. Enjoy the time you reload don't rush things. Keep records of your loads,after 30+ years I've forgoten some info.

[Dark Mod]

Rock Chucker would be a pretty good bet.

I went from the lee Breechlock Challenger straight to the Forster Co-Ax and completely skipped the RCBS line of goodies.

If you don't mind spending a few hundred bucks on a single stage, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Co-Ax, its the finest single stage press ive ever used.

[CGT80]

Use the 650 for your rifle ammo. It will make great ammo, if you do your part, and it doesn't sound like you are doing any serious accuracy work yet.

If you want to go all out, get a toolhead and electric dillon trimmer to size and trim your rifle brass. If needed, swage on the dillon 600 bench mounted tool. Then tumble the brass and run it through a second toolhead with a universal decapping die in the first station to knock any tumbling media out of the primer pockets.

I use a 550 for my rifle ammo. I size on the first toolhead, tumble, trim with a cts electric trimmer, swage, then run it in the 550 again to load it up.

Loading single stage really sucks, even if it is for limited quantities, as you have easily 5 times the amount of work. If you like slow and tedious, or are into extreme precision shooting, then it might be for you.

I shoot lever rifle silhouette (30-30 with my own cast boolits) and 3 gun and use the 550 for my competition ammo. We shoot to 110 yards for lever gun and 170 yards for 3 gun. I run hornady 55 fmjbt bullets for my AR 15. For my use, the dillons are perfect. For 9 and 40, I use a 1050 press.

I don't know if the 650 does 7mm and 338. Maybe you are planning to do precision work with those in mind. If the 650 won't do it, I would consider a turret style press and do some research on them. I don't know much about precision loading, except that it is slow. I used to load on a hollywood single stage turret press. I bought kits for my 550, even for the stuff I don't use a ton of.

[popeye4]

I've also got a Rock Chucker I've had since 1977, it still works fine. There are many fine single stage presses out there. I also have a Dillon XL-650 that I use for pistol rounds; I tried using it for bottleneck rifle, but it really doesn't save much time to do so (you can load good ammo with it). As you noted, case prep for bottleneck cartridges involves several steps that occur off the press and I find I can charge a case (with the Harrells powder measure) and seat bullets (with the RC) as fast as I could with the Dillon. I load for a gas gun so that case prep work (for .308 and .223) is critical to keeping my face intact.....

[AG166]

I 2nd the Rock Chucker. You could almost use it as a boat anchor it's so heavy and well-built. I've had mine for a few years and load most of my rifle hunting cartridges on it. If I'm just recreational shooting, I load my other rifle and pistol cases on my Dillon 550. Never had an issue with either of them.

[Mot Mi]

I will vouch for the rock chucker as well. Loading on the 650 is only for pistol rounds for me. Rock chucker has been consistent as you have stages to prep before loading and with redding type s or comp dies it puts it on a greater level of QC.

[AandO]

Hey All,


I'm still relatively new to loading, I currently load pistol rounds with a Dillon 650XL, but want to get a new single stage loader for rifle rounds. I know I can load some sizes on the 650, but have heard from some about prepping cases, trimming, etc, and that loading with the 650 would not be as consistent. I plan to load .308, 7mm rem mag, and .338 Lapua. I already have a digital Dillon scale, but if that's not going to work, please let me know. All input is welcome, thanks in advance for your time folks!


Jerry

I replaced my Forster Co-Ax position on my Bench with a Dillon 550BL about a year back. I've not looked back in making that decision.

The 550 allows for manual indexing forward and back. I've got two Digital Powder throwers that count the rounds being made. I've also got a RCBS 1500 scale to weigh each round made as a confirmation that there is powder in each round. Once you get the routine down you can produce 300+ rounds an hour of 308 ammo.

I also have two Dillon 650's one of which is set up for processing 223 Brass.

I've got a Dillon RT1200 which Dillon no longer sells. Think they changed it to the RT1500 and raised the price as well.

Ebay always has page after page of Dillon eguip/parts. I bought a Swager set up on Ebay that screws into the Primer Tool Hole in Station #2. Works very well. I can produce between 12 and 13 hundred pieces of processed 223 an hour on that set up.

[Cowboy T]

Got a buddy who loads his 7mm RM, 300 RUM, and 338 RUM on his Dad's old Rockchucker. Come to think of it, he reloads *everything* on that old Rockchucker. He does do precision loading and typically gets 1/3 MOA from any of his rifles.

Since you've already got the Dillon 650 for your high-volume stuff, I think a good single-stage, or a Lee Classic Turret, would be a good bet for what you're looking for.

[bug_eyedmonster]

I have been loading 7mm rem mag and 45-70 on a RCBS Rock Chucher for 30 years. I recently bought a Dillon 650 xl. I load all my pistol loads (9mm,38,357,40,45acp 44mag 45 colt and 223) on the Dillon, I still load the large rifle cal's on the single stage press as I like to examine these in every stage and measure every charge. The Dillon scale will work perfect. If you haven't yet, look on ebay for items that can smooth out the action on the Dillon. These will keep down the "snap" that can spill powder. Enjoy the time you reload don't rush things. Keep records of your loads,after 30+ years I've forgoten some info.

Did you by chance have the name of the parts that prevent the "snap"? I always feel like I'm shorting rounds when I load, there's powder all over the place sometimes. I've only been loading 9mm, .40, and .45 and have all the loads written down so far.

Jerry

[bug_eyedmonster]

Got a buddy who loads his 7mm RM, 300 RUM, and 338 RUM on his Dad's old Rockchucker. Come to think of it, he reloads *everything* on that old Rockchucker. He does do precision loading and typically gets 1/3 MOA from any of his rifles.

Since you've already got the Dillon 650 for your high-volume stuff, I think a good single-stage, or a Lee Classic Turret, would be a good bet for what you're looking for.

I replaced my Forster Co-Ax position on my Bench with a Dillon 550BL about a year back. I've not looked back in making that decision.

The 550 allows for manual indexing forward and back. I've got two Digital Powder throwers that count the rounds being made. I've also got a RCBS 1500 scale to weigh each round made as a confirmation that there is powder in each round. Once you get the routine down you can produce 300+ rounds an hour of 308 ammo.

I also have two Dillon 650's one of which is set up for processing 223 Brass.

I've got a Dillon RT1200 which Dillon no longer sells. Think they changed it to the RT1500 and raised the price as well.

Ebay always has page after page of Dillon eguip/parts. I bought a Swager set up on Ebay that screws into the Primer Tool Hole in Station #2. Works very well. I can produce between 12 and 13 hundred pieces of processed 223 an hour on that set up.

I will vouch for the rock chucker as well. Loading on the 650 is only for pistol rounds for me. Rock chucker has been consistent as you have stages to prep before loading and with redding type s or comp dies it puts it on a greater level of QC.

I 2nd the Rock Chucker. You could almost use it as a boat anchor it's so heavy and well-built. I've had mine for a few years and load most of my rifle hunting cartridges on it. If I'm just recreational shooting, I load my other rifle and pistol cases on my Dillon 550. Never had an issue with either of them.

I've also got a Rock Chucker I've had since 1977, it still works fine. There are many fine single stage presses out there. I also have a Dillon XL-650 that I use for pistol rounds; I tried using it for bottleneck rifle, but it really doesn't save much time to do so (you can load good ammo with it). As you noted, case prep for bottleneck cartridges involves several steps that occur off the press and I find I can charge a case (with the Harrells powder measure) and seat bullets (with the RC) as fast as I could with the Dillon. I load for a gas gun so that case prep work (for .308 and .223) is critical to keeping my face intact.....

Use the 650 for your rifle ammo. It will make great ammo, if you do your part, and it doesn't sound like you are doing any serious accuracy work yet.

If you want to go all out, get a toolhead and electric dillon trimmer to size and trim your rifle brass. If needed, swage on the dillon 600 bench mounted tool. Then tumble the brass and run it through a second toolhead with a universal decapping die in the first station to knock any tumbling media out of the primer pockets.

I use a 550 for my rifle ammo. I size on the first toolhead, tumble, trim with a cts electric trimmer, swage, then run it in the 550 again to load it up.

Loading single stage really sucks, even if it is for limited quantities, as you have easily 5 times the amount of work. If you like slow and tedious, or are into extreme precision shooting, then it might be for you.

I shoot lever rifle silhouette (30-30 with my own cast boolits) and 3 gun and use the 550 for my competition ammo. We shoot to 110 yards for lever gun and 170 yards for 3 gun. I run hornady 55 fmjbt bullets for my AR 15. For my use, the dillons are perfect. For 9 and 40, I use a 1050 press.

I don't know if the 650 does 7mm and 338. Maybe you are planning to do precision work with those in mind. If the 650 won't do it, I would consider a turret style press and do some research on them. I don't know much about precision loading, except that it is slow. I used to load on a hollywood single stage turret press. I bought kits for my 550, even for the stuff I don't use a ton of.

Rock Chucker would be a pretty good bet.

I went from the lee Breechlock Challenger straight to the Forster Co-Ax and completely skipped the RCBS line of goodies.

If you don't mind spending a few hundred bucks on a single stage, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Co-Ax, its the finest single stage press ive ever used.

It seems like the Rock Chucker seems to be the consensus so far. I do plan to load more for precision, these rifle rounds are what I hunt and shoot at the ranges with, so accuracy is important, not so much quantity. I'm still unclear about this whole sizing and trimming issue. When would they be necessary?



Jerry

[3RDGEARGRNDRR]

338 lapua? good luck with the bank account.
maybe a triple beam and a concentricity gauge to boot

[CGT80]

Sizing is always necessary, at least neck sizing so that the neck is ready for a new bullet. I use range brass and don't want to try to keep my brass separate, so I always full length size (except for 460 mag brass). Neck sizing is so that the bullet fits the brass properly and full length sizing will make sure the case fits the chamber, both in diameter and in shoulder placement.

I assume you size all of your pistol brass. It is similar with rifle brass. I found on my 460 brass that full length sizing makes it smaller than needed and can damage the brass. I shoot this brass in only one revolver. I size the top half of the case so that the part that houses the bullet is consistent in size, the rest fits the chamber just fine. Precision shooters may do the same, as they will only shoot that brass in one rifle and it has been fire formed to fit the chamber already. It is more consistent to use the brass that is fire formed than to fully size it each time, and it means less stress on the brass from resizing. 460 brass costs about 65 cents each, so I try to take care of it and I always get my brass back. 223 brass is all over the place for free, so I don't care how long it lasts or if I get the same brass back, and my accuracy is plenty good with run of the mill brass that is fully sized.

Rifle brass usually grows in length when you size it. The standard is to trim 10 thousandths under max case length after sizing. Practices vary. I use a trimmer that works like a pencil sharpener, so I run all my rifle brass through the trimmer. If it is long, it gets trimmed. If it is not too long, the cutter hardly touches the mouth, but I know it is in spec. Some people measure every case and only trim when they get too long.

Loading for precision shooting will vary from what many of us do here for general plinking and competition shooting. I care about speed, quantity, and quality/consistency (to a point). Precision shooting will start with the quality and consistency, and speed probably won't be a factor. I only clean primer pockets on my 460 brass, and that is just because they get pretty fouled and it makes a difference with getting a good seat on the new primers. For this, I will deprime and size, then wet tumble with stainless pins rather than clean each pocket. A precision shooter may clean with stainless and then use a uniforming tool on each pocket as well.

It sounds like some books, videos, or detailed forum posts might help you out with a game plan for precision shooting and reloading. Castboolits is a forum that has a lot of great loading info. Some of those guys really go after the precision and many of them do it with cast boolits. That forum is much more detailed than this one for that info. A precision shooters' forum would be good, if you can find one. Calguns is more of a general reloading/shooting forum with a California theme, and you get a sprinkling of people who are into the more specialized or focused parts of reloading.

308 should be a great cartridge to get you into rifle reloading and shooting. You can make up light loads that are cheap and soft to shoot, use cast boolits (they can make some nice groups on paper) for economy or the challenge, go with j words for hunting or longer range work, and paper patched lead bullets are said to be very accurate and can be pushed like a jacketed bullet. The components are readily available and more affordable than the big stuff like 338. You could shoot 308 for 7 cents per round if you really want to, or do some high end hand loads. 30-06 is where I started with rifles and they were bolt guns.

OP, I don't recall reading if you are already shooting factory ammo in the listed rifles or if you are just getting into shooting rifles all together. If you aren't already doing precision shooting, or rifle shooting, you may want to get together with some people who do and observe or shoot with them. Watch a precision shooting match, in person, and see how they do it. I have seen videos where some even load their ammo right behind the line, during the competition. Most shooters are willing to share info.

Shooting the lever action competition has lead to meeting people who also cast their own bullets, and who know much more about the different sights and rifles used for that type of shooting. Same thing happened in the pistol competitions. I learned about the guns, modifications, the ammo and the presses that different people liked to use. It was better to go to events with like minded people and learn, than it was to do everything on my own. Every time I start to think I know a lot about shooting and reloading, someone brings up a topic that I don't know much about. Some of it doesn't matter much to me and other parts of it have really caught my interest, but I didn't know about it until I read on forums or saw it in person. Asking here and being part of this forum is great (I spend the most time here) but keep looking for new sources of info as well, including actually getting out on the range with some like minded people.

Good luck, and have fun!

[John Browning]

Rock Chucker. Learned on my dad's, have my own, both still cranking out rounds decades later. 100 percent happy with mine, and much nicer than other Hornady and Lee presses.

[rcslotcar]

Stopping the "SNAP" Look up ebay # 321399781658, These parts really slick up the press. There are other parts like sent primer systems too. There is also a setup to swage the primer pocket, I have one but haven't used it yet. I bought it after using the rcbs system for a 2 weeks doing 9mm and 45acp nt brass. The 650 is a great machine!