Can anyone learn me on brass prep / case trimming on a Dillon 550?

[Gregor.Samsa]

I decided to pick up a Dillon 550 to load in volume for pistol and gas gun use. My goal is to make consistently good ammo without going overboard into the OCD precision realm. I also am not a corner cutter. I’ve been trying to perform my due diligence on setup etc. and it seems as though to process your brass in a reasonably quality oriented manner, you’d almost have to bifurcate the brass operations from the cartridge loadIng ops. I’ve sern many use two different tool heads which seems logical. The part I’m getting hung up on is when/ how to case trim with the Dillon. I’ve got a Redding hand crank trimmer for my single stage processes, but this would be massively inefficient for bulk ammo production. Could you help me understand how best to accomplish the following in a Dillon 550? Seems like it’s almost a single stage operation and not that much more efficient.

“TOOL HEAD 1”
1. Decap.
2. Tumble.
3. Swage primer pockets.
4. Anneal
5. FL sizing.
6. run through mandrel
7. Trim

“TOOL HEAD 2”
1. Prime.
2. Powder.
3. Seat.
4. Crimp

Is there anything I’m missing?

thank you

 

[Gustav7]

1.) Get rid of the decap step before tumbling if you're just doing bulk ammo. just that many more arm movements to only gain maybe a little bit of cleanliness, etc.

Are you wanting to Anneal every time? If so, then I would get your dirty, fired brass. Then tumble it, then anneal it, then go to toolhead #1.

So it would look like this for Rifle:

1.) Tumble Brass (if dirty)
2.) Anneal (if applicable)

3.) Tool head #1
-Deprime/resize (in 1 or 2 steps however you like)
-Mandrel
-(if you buy the Dillon RT1500, you would also trim on this toolhead)

4.) Tumble all your lube off (This is where I polish for precisions rnds)
5.) Swage pockets (If applicable) This is a one time thing if you're reusing the same brass
6.) Trim... I recommend the Giraud Tri-way trimmer. Its trims, chamfers, and deburs in one step and is easy to use. Theres also the Trim-It-2

7.) Tool head #2
-Prime (I also mandrel again here to help with brass springback differences)
-Powder
-Bullet Seat
-Crimp (if applicable)


For Pistol... skip all that shit. One toolhead, no trimming, no fuss.

1.) Tumble the brass if dirty (I don't do this often)
2.) One toolhead does it all. Easy Peasy

 

[Lightning8]

I load bulk 223 on a Dillon 550

1) Step one tumble dirty brass then lube brass with spray case lube
2) Step two is a Dillon 550 tool head with a Lee 223 full size and deprime followed by an older Dillon 1200 trimmer - that is all on this stage
3) Step three is tumble again to remove lube, brass shavings, burrs, etc
4) Step four is load on Dillon 550 - first station empty but primes, second station Dillon 550 powder drop with TAC or WC844, third station Lee bullet seat, fourth station Lee factory crimp.

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Thank you. I'd like to consolidate to 1 toolhead if possible, I just couldn’t see a way to do that without skipping trimming.

 

[Gustav7]

Thank you. I'd like to consolidate to 1 toolhead if possible, I just couldn’t see a way to do that without skipping trimming.

you can trim initially to 1.74” and use an RCBS X-die. Honestly at 1.74” trim, you could use a regular Die. I doubt you’d have to trim for At least 3-5 firings.

I use an X-Die and a one tool head setup for my Bulk .223. I was giving my precision setup on my first reply. Powder is H335 dropped with a Dillon Poweder measure. I also use a Lee Factory Crimp for bulk stuff

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Cool. I’m leaving the precision loading for my bolt guns and single stage. I’d like to Produce consistent and quality ammo however, just not looking to get nutty about it. Thanks

 

[Gustav7]

Cool. I’m leaving the precision loading for my bolt guns and single stage. I’d like to Produce consistent and quality ammo however, just not looking to get nutty about it. Thanks

I think that’s completely possible. I run mixed headstamp brass though so obviously that’s not going to net as good of accuracy, but 2moa isn’t hard to achieve even with mixed headstamp. Most of my bulk brass is LC so it’s normally a little more accurate than that. But it’s reliable and good ammo, especially in my gas gun. If you run better bullets, and stick with the same brass, it’s very possible to get 3/4-1moa ammo on a one tool head process. Obviously a good barrel is required too.

I use the bulk Hornady 55grFMJ-BT. It works very well for its intended purpose

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Perfect. Thanks! This is exactly what I’m looking for.

 

[ruebarb]

The 6.5 guys have a great article on how they load precision ammo on a 550, their website is down at the moment.

 

[ruebarb]

Great Write-up on accurizing the Dillon 550

You are being redirected...

 

[ruebarb]

BTW, you can make precision ammo on a 550 for a bolt gun, I moved from a single stage to my 550 for all my 6.5CM

My last Chrono - 10Rds, AVG 2791, HI 2798, LO 2785, SD 4, ES 13

I don't go crazy, mixed lapua brass.

Clean
Anneal
Head 1 Decap, Forester honed FL size, Neck Mandrel
Clean
Trim with a Trim IT II
Lyman case pre center
Head 2 Prime, Powder, Seat

I've made a Case Feeder and Bullet feeder to move even faster

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Thank you!!