How much case prep for AR-15 223 ammo

[Jeremybj]

Afternoon to all.

I am looking at a Dillon 650 progressive press to make loading 223 and 40 a little easier. I might be doing some "bulk" 308 reloading for my M1A also.

My question concerns mainly the 223 and 308 ammo. When I load ammo for "precision" for my bolt gun I size, trim, chamfer, debur, and clean the primer pocket. On the Dillon, to keep things moving quickly, basically I would omit those steps.

My brass is typically once or twice fired 223 from an AR with no military crimp. The 308 is once fired out of my 700P sniper rifle.

For that type of situation can I get away without the case prep or is it absolutely necessary?

 

[rdinak]

You asked so this is my method-


Deprime and size on forster coax using redding small base seating die. ( yes there is spirited debate on the use of small base dies for the AR15 but I use them)

trim in the giraud

then i take the processed brass and run it through my 550 at warp speed. I use ramshot tac because it meters very well through the dillon powder measure.

 

[Jordan1911]

For that type of situation can I get away without the case prep or is it absolutely necessary?

You will always need to FL size your brass and keep it trimmed. (FL for AR)

For bulk 223, you should be ok not cleaning the primer pockets, chamfering, and deburring. But if you trim the case, you'll need to chamf-debur.

I loaded some .223 brass about 3-4 times without cleaning the primer pockets or the necks and it all shot fine for bulk AR ammo. Use your brain though, don't force primers and visually inspect the brass.

There are some really good methods and tricks to make things better and easier though. Using stainless steel media tumblers completely cleans the brass inside and out. This is also a super effective method for the precision reloading you mentioned. Dillon makes a power trim die that FL sizes, trims, chamfers, and deburs all in one step. It just requires one station on your press. Many other methods also, these are just two that worked well for me.

Not sure if you have your heart set on the 650, but the 550 is also a really great press. I have both, and think both are fantastic. The 550 is just easier to use if you are switching calibers a lot or just loading a small number of rounds. I have personally found I use the 550 more because it is so simple. The 650 does load ammo really fast though!

I also read a review of the Hornady progressive press the other day and it looked really nice and had some features the Dilllon did not.

Best of Luck!

 

[Jeremybj]

I guess I was looking at the 650 purely for speed.

Would it be possible to get a 550 to get me going on the Dillon gear, then later if I find the need to use the 550 for sizing/depriming then run the second stage as with the Dillon trimming die then swap over to the 650 for loading?

I guess I wasn't really thinking of the 550, but I don't do super huge volumes of ammo, and price is aways a factor for this guy. Really thought I feel like the Dillon is the way to go over the other brands just because of its track record and it basically costs the same if you are talking about the 550.

 

[Jordan1911]

Here is my method for reloading bulk .223 ammo with the 550. Sounds like it is similar to what you are describing.

I have 2 tool heads. The first is dedicated to brass prep and the second for the actual reloading process.

The first tool head has a decapping die in station 1. Then in station 3, sits the Dillon power trimmer. Brass does need to be lubricated. I use the Dillon spray with cases spread on a cookie sheet or something similar.

Then, I tumble the brass to get the case lube off. Dry or wet tumbling will work. Be sure to check primer pockets for any stuck media, a toothpick works pretty well to dislodge any remaining in the flash hole.

Finally, after the brass is out of the tumbler, I install the second tool head in the press which consists of three dies. Station 1 is empty as the brass has already been sized, but is used to prime the brass. Station two drops the powder. Station three seats the bullet, and station four houses the crimp die.

I think you could apply this same concept to a 650. I've also used the Dillon power trimmer on a single stage press and it worked just fine.

 

[George63]

tumble in media, lube, progressive load, tumble again to remove the lube - not much way to get simpler - I have done more than 50K bulk 223 that way

 

[damoncali]

I trim if needed. No other case prep. Not worth it for an AR, which is going to beat the brass to hell anyhow.

 

[Pinecone]

tumble in media, lube, progressive load, tumble again to remove the lube - not much way to get simpler - I have done more than 50K bulk 223 that way

If there is no primer crimp, this is what I do.

But with crimped primers (I have a LOT of once fired mil brass), do the two tool head methods.

Tool head One has:

Station 1 - Lee Universal Decapping Die
Station 2 - Dillon Sizing die - I remove the priming stem, so the primer is not fully out at station 1, it can drop free here.

Tool head Two

Set up like a normal head, but without a sizing die.

Station 1 - Empty
Station 2 - Powder measure
Station 3 - Empty (but could put powder check here)
Station 4 - Seating die
Station 5 - Lee Factory Crimp Die

 

[George63]

If there is no primer crimp, this is what I do.

But with crimped primers (I have a LOT of once fired mil brass), do the two tool head methods.

Tool head One has:

Station 1 - Lee Universal Decapping Die
Station 2 - Dillon Sizing die - I remove the priming stem, so the primer is not fully out at station 1, it can drop free here.

Tool head Two

Set up like a normal head, but without a sizing die.

Station 1 - Empty
Station 2 - Powder measure
Station 3 - Empty (but could put powder check here)
Station 4 - Seating die
Station 5 - Lee Factory Crimp Die

or a 1050 does crimped primers one pass through

 

[Pinecone]

Yeah, if you have a 1050.

You going to have one shipped to me?

 

[George63]

Yeah, if you have a 1050.

You going to have one shipped to me?

no, but I would run it on mine for say 25% of the brass

 

[pmclaine]

There is a company making a swager for the 550/650 presses. There is discussion on the Brian Enos forum concerning same.

The real value of prep on a progressive is using a Dillon RT1200 rapid trim. Theoretically you wont need to chamfer/debur after using it but I find the cut so square and sharp that I end up doing both of those steps on a Hornady 3in1 case prep unit.

You can avoid the those steps if you slightly bell and crimp. Others have experimented with mandrel dies to iron out and sharp edges that could shave a jacket.

If you want speed and bulk ammo you are proceeding in the right direction for precision ammo you may want o slow down and add a step or two.

 

[Pinecone]

no, but I would run it on mine for say 25% of the brass

Are you set up for 9mm? I have a good bit of mil 9mm brass, enough that I could take that deal.

 

[George63]

Are you set up for 9mm? I have a good bit of mil 9mm brass, enough that I could take that deal.

can do that - will pm info