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Precision Loading on a Dillon XL750?

S3th

Indecisive
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 14, 2018
2,107
1,646
Greensboro NC
Recently I sold most of my reloading equipment to my cousin to get him into reloading. Majority of those items I no longer used as I had upgraded them. However, I no longer have a press (RC IV) and have been wanting a Dillion XL650 since I started reloading. Now with the new XL750 and ready to purchase a new press, that is the direction I am looking to go.

Goals:
Brass Prep
Precision Rifle Reloads
Bulk 2.23/5.56 & 9mm Reloads

With the XL750 only being $140 more than the 550c, I don't see a purpose in going that route. Feel free to talk me into it if you feel it is a better route.

I am not worried about having inaccurate precision reloads as I can float my dies/tool head, use quality dies & manually weight out charges. The major question is... when actually loading, do I simply have several empty stations?

Example: for .223/5.56 & precision reloads
Tool Head 1:
1- Universal Decapper
2- FL Sizer w/ no bushing or expander ball
3- Mandrel
4- Empty
5- Empty

Tool Head 2:
1- Empty
2- Drop powder & prime
3- Empty or powder check
4- Seat Bullet
5- Empty or crimp

Would this be correct or am I thinking about this wrong?
 
Thanks for the detailed reply, @reubenski - do you only trim your 6BR/6GT when they need to be trimmed?

Do you prefer loading precision on the 650 or 550?
 
When Dillon came out with their 450 I bought it and never mounted it. Just too busy with work. Dillon came out with the 550 so I sold my 450 and when I went to order my 550 Dillon announced changes on their 550 and upgraded it to the 550B. I bought one and used it for decades.

I think in 2014 I bought 2 Dillon 650s, (one in small primer & one in large primer), and sold my 550B. I really liked the 650s over the 550B. Unfortunately I had to sell them when a family crisis came up and I had a health issue. Now I reload with a MEC single stage press but I will have a new 750 on the way in the very near future.

I started reloading when I was 10 years old with an RCBS C-Press and I am now 68. I am still learning from reading these forums about reloading.
 
@reubenski well with all of that said, it seems the 750 will work great for my application. 9mm/223 will be used with their powder measure and throw flake/spherical powders so there shouldn't be much of an issue. Any precision loads will be used with a powder die, funnel, and manual weighted charges from my Chargemaster Lite.

Do you use Whidden floated tool heads or simply use the o-ring float technique? (or neither lol)
 
I do all my brass prep and priming for all my precision loads on a Dillon 650. I powder and seat bullets for all my cases in front of the TV with a K&M arbor press LE Wilson bullet seaters and Autotrickler. This set up allows you to do load development while you are at the range as long as you prep and prime the number of cases you need at home. Truly a time saver.
 
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Thinking about finally getting into the progressive game, time has been eating me up.

For those that trim on your case prep tool head, do you chamfer afterwards or just roll with the straight cut?

I saw a write up somewhere on using extra powder dies in empty die positions to just kiss the shell holder and balance force out. Anybody do that Or something similar?
 
I load everything in a 550. For 6.5 and 308 I use mine like a single stage press.
 
I have always used a single stage press with my Dillons. I always deprimed on the single stage press before cleaning.

I never resized rifle cases on my Dillons. I take an extra step and resized all rifle cases on my single stage press before trimming and reloading on my Dillons.

I am currently using a MEC Marksman for depriming, loading match & hunting rifle ammunition. I don't use my Dillons for hunting and match loads.

I trim my 30-06, 308, and 556 on a Giraud Trimmer and all other brass is trimmed on an L. E. Wilson Micrometer Case Trimmer.
 
Why as far as what operation?

I decap on the single stage press to keep my Dillons from getting dirty and my primer pockets get cleaned.

I resize my rifle brass on the single stage press because I trim them to length after I resize them.
 
I have done it that way on a 550 and my two 650s.

I do run the 556, 30-06 and 308s on the Giraud. If they need trimming the Giraud does it. If they don't then the Giraud doesn't cut anything off.

Right now I only use my Wilson Trimmer for my 6.5 CMs. I am planning a new 6mm ACR build so I will use the Wilson to trim them. I don't see that happening for 6 to 9 months.
 
What kind of lube do you use in that one pass scenario and do you have to take care not to get excess in the case?
 
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Am I missing anything to reloading 6.5 Creedmoor, .223/5.56 & 9MM?

I already have 6.5 Creedmoor Dies & Universal Deprimer for both tool heads.
 
I plan on getting the Roller Handle from Inline down the road. The strong mount is Inline's mount just sold on Dillion's website too.

I currently use the Lee universal decapper so I'll get replacement rods/pins to go with it.
 
I plan on getting the Roller Handle from Inline down the road. The strong mount is Inline's mount just sold on Dillion's website too.

I currently use the Lee universal decapper so I'll get replacement rods/pins to go with it.

I would recommend getting the mount system from Inline and getting his quick change system, especially if you have two presses or plan on getting a second press at some point. You can also get quick change systems for all sorts of other stuff that work on the same mount, like a vice, case trimmer, etc.

Also, you have two powder measures listed, the press comes with one if i'm right. I'm assuming you were gonna use the powder measures for 9mm and bulk/comp .223?

The roller handle is a great investment lol, substantially better than the standard ball handle.

Heres my setup with a two die system on my 550 for precision .223/6.5cm....
 

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@Gustav7 one powder measure is for .223 and the other is for 9mm. For any precision loads, I will hand drop on the press. Which it looks like you don't even use a die for?

You mandrel while seating vs. when doing brass prep?
 
@Gustav7 one powder measure is for .223 and the other is for 9mm. For any precision loads, I will hand drop on the press. Which it looks like you don't even use a die for?

You mandrel while seating vs. when doing brass prep?

No I don't. I already had the MTM funnel kit which was super cheap. I shaved off the corners on the last piece that attaches to it, and it slides down into the die hole on the toolhead perfectly, but is stopped by the 4" drop tube piece. 75% of the time the shell comes right up and lifts it up straight. Sometimes I have to readjust it, but either way, I leave the ram at the top, grab my pan and hold the funnel and drop the powder. I don't get any bridging of powder obviously with this method and it seems to work great for me. Leaving the ram at the top also helps stabilize the neck of the case on the mandrel and "seems" to give me more consistent neck tension... it definitely doesn't hurt.

I've read a few different places about variations in brass spring back. Right now, I use the mandrel on the prep toolhead AND the seating toolhead. On the prep toolhead I'm running pretty quick, and then the brass sits for a long time. This could allow brass spring back to effect different cases differently, so then I use the mandrel 10sec before seating as well and this seems to give very consistent neck tension and doesn't allow enough time for any lagged brass springback.

Just my take on it all. The dual chargemasters work great. The Chargemaster Lite is factory and runs great, the Chargemaster 1500 i've messed with settings ALOT and have gotten it to throw very fast, and very consistent with XBR 8208 and H4350.
 
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@Gustav7 and you don't "float" anything either? Have you noticed any significant runout not using a floating tool head or orings?
 
@Gustav7 and you don't "float" anything either? Have you noticed any significant runout not using a floating tool head or orings?

It’s clamped and floated. I’m using Armanov clamped tool heads with floated dies. They’re made very similar to the Whidden/Uniquetek floating/clamped, but you can float any of the 4 die positions.

So what I do is, leave the tool head loose, run my normal process until there’s a case in the two positions that are being used. Seat my bullet and leave the ram at the top, and lock the tool head into place. Then the tool head is locked into the same position each time with cases in each die, but each die (in this case the seating die) is floated so it can center and adjust itself as needed. I don’t measure runout but seating depth consistency is really good so far. I’ve only done a few hundred rounds with this method.

I attached a picture of the armanov tool head. Much cheaper than the Whidden/Uniquetek combo, and I like it so far. As to whether it actually makes a difference, not sure yet. I do plan on making a few hundred rounds this way then a few hundred the standard way and see what difference there is
 

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@Gustav7 thanks for sharing! Let me know what you find out. I'll look into those toolheads.

Ya no problem. If you have any more questions or wanna video chat to see the process or something just PM me.

I'm not sold on the toolheads yet. I can see where they may benefit ... IF ... the normal setup is not producing consistent results on target. Its the same discussion between a powder measure and something like an AD120 setup... sometimes it makes the difference, and sometimes it doesn't.

I can say, without a doubt that my reloading "form" or the physical manner in which I work the press and all the other components, is one of the biggest factors thats helped me produce better ammo.

I've also fiddled with the priming system a little, mainly the cup and position of the cup rod thing. I flattened and honed the bottom of my .223 shellplate, which gave it a much tighter fit which gives me less case wobble in the shell plate slots.

Another thing I accidentally started experimenting with was the type of lube I used on the main shaft. Some lubes have a little more friction, some were "stickier" or thicker. Some were too thin and got dirty quick or used up. The lube I use on it now makes it slide like glass and you can really "feel" everything better, specifically bullet seating and primer seating.
 
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I have used Royal Purple on my Dillon 650 Shafts. Why, because my son's use Royal Purple in their performance vehicles and I take their empty cans and drain the remaining RP into a small glass jar. It works well.
 
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Loading precision ammo on a Dillon progressive??? Noting precise about that and it cant be done.
 
You guys were right with inline fab. I thought Dillion sourced their strong mounts from Inline Fab, lol.

Now, is the Inline Fab worth the extra 40%~ price increase? Does the strong mount wabble, etc?
 
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You guys were right with inline fab. I thought Dillion sourced their strong mounts from Inline Fab, lol.

Now, is the Inline Fab worth the extra 40%~ price increase? Does the strong mount wabble, etc?

100% Yes. Get the quick change system...NOT the single mount for the Dillon. The quick change system isn't much more and its a legit system that sets you up for the rest of your reloading days.

He can custom make quick change plates, and also has a ton of plates in stock for various things, not limited to presses alone.
 
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Does the strong mount wabble, etc?

Forgot to answer this one for you. The mount itself is very solid and well built. Some things are going to have an impact on "wobble", but the mount is the last thing that will wobble in this situation.

I would make sure you through bolt the mount on your bench.
If you don't have 2+ inches (thats a guess) of solid wood under where your press or mount sits, that can have an effect as well. I made a basic frame top for my bench, but I ran 2x4's on end side by side for the width of my press/mount, plus a 1.5" thick doubled plywood on top of that. So the mount gets through bolted about 5-6". The plywood top is also screwed into the 2x4's below it in a lot of places to help reinforce it.

I also lagged my bench to my wall studs. Its a smaller bench, but its solid now lol.
 
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Ya, I only trim when required.

I transitioned over to the 550 a couple of years ago from a turret press for my precision rifle cartridges. Except 223, I've always loaded them on the 650. I got a hair up my ass to load a competition 6mm cartridge as quickly and easily on as I do 223 on the 650. So I started with 6GT hoping to use StaBall. I bought the Redding BR30 powder measure and mounted it to a Dillon powder die. In the end 4350 was working better for me so I just started dropping it through a funnel from the Autotrickler. Then I decided to try 6BR, thinking that a cartridge most likely to have a wide, flat node would be the BR. Plus I could use a very throw-able stick powder in it, 8208. Unfortunately I haven't found a flat node in velocity but my SDs are 9 - 15 on any given day so I just roll with it. I just purchased a 6.5mm bullet feeder conversion and I'm waiting for it to come in. I spoke to Double Alpha about developing a 6mm conversion and they said the 6.5 kit works for 6mm. Im going to revisit StaBall in the GT and hope to get fully auto with the RCBS case driven auto throw.

So, to answer your question about which press I prefer. I guess it would be the 550 for it's simplicity but the 650 is awesome when you get it all figured out. You just need to find the right combination of powders, cartridge's, bullets and whatnot to get it's full functionality.
Which conversion kit do you use for 6GT since it's not listed on their website. Will 6 creed kits work?