Press Mounted Trim/Reloading Setup for .223, .308, 6.5

[johngreen]

Looking for advice on my reloading setup and parts check. Have a Dillon XL750 and was planning on running one head for trimming and the other for reloading for .223, .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

Head #1:
1. Universal Decapper
2. ---
3. Dillon Trim/Size Honey Badger trimmer
4. ---
5. Expander Mandrel

Head #2:
1. Sizing/Depriming die (optional?)
2. Powder
3. Powder check
4. Bullet Feeder
5. Seating Die

Parts that I have already:
.223:
1. RCBS Small Base Sizer Die 223 Remington (11131)
2. RCBS Seater Die 223 Remington (11138)

.308:
1. RCBS Small Base Sizer Die 308 Winchester (15531)
2. RCBS AR Series Taper Crimp Seater Die 308 Winchester (15562)

6.5 Creedmoor:
1. Redding Type S Match Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set
2. Bushings

I do not have an expander mandrel.

Questions:
1. Bought the sizer dies, before I looked into trimming. Do I need them if I use a Dillon trim die every time? Can I leave the first station blank?
2. What parts am I missing, based on my setup?
3. Anything else you would recommend?

 

[gunsnjeeps]

I haven't finished setting up my 650 yet but tool head #1 is a sizing and depriming die in station 1 and the Dillon trimmer in 3. Works great. Only caution is that you have to have cases in both stations to get perfect size and trim. I set my trim die first because I had a batch of sized and deprimed brass from my T7 Then I set the sizing die and the trim die was 5 thousandths shorter. The case holder will flex some under the dies.

Tool head #2 will be a Lyman M die in station 1, then same as yours. I've been using Redding dies for all my rifle ammo.

 

[johngreen]

Nice setup. What do you mean cases in both stations? Why do you run the Lyman M die in the second tool head? Do you chamfer/deburr between trimming or just tumble?

 

[gunsnjeeps]

When I trimmed my first 300 cases I had sized and deprimed them on my T7. Traditional single stage style. I was trimming on an RCBS Trim Pro II electric trimmer. I decided to play with the case feeder and trimmer on the Dillon 650. So I set the trimmer up in station 3 and ran them through the 650 case feeder and the trimmer. Worked great. Then I decided to do another bag of 350 cases. So I got the sizing die out set it up and went to town. Started measuring a few and they were 1.745 not 1.750. The case in the sizing die shifts the shell plate just enough that you have to set the trimmer after the sizer then check both before you start running a batch. All of my brass is Mil WCC so I don't worry about checking it between years when I size it. Changing brass manufacturers between loads may change both the sizer and trimmer.

I was going to chamfer after trimming between heads and one of the guys I shoot with said the M Die will makes sure my necks are round when I load them and open up the neck just enough I can seat 77 SMK without chamfering. He preps all of his brass this way and loads for 200 and 300 yards on the Dillon then single stage loads his 600 yard ammo. He said his Dillon ammo shoots just as well at 600 but wanted to give his long line ammo more attention.

Unfortunately, I haven't got around to loading 5.56 on the Dillon, I loaded.most of the above brass 60 at a time for monthly matches. I'm setting up for .45 ACP for the weekend. Too much travel not enough shooting time. Then COVID hit and I quit traveling for work and the matches quit for a while.

 

[johngreen]

When I trimmed my first 300 cases I had sized and deprimed them on my T7. Traditional single stage style. I was trimming on an RCBS Trim Pro II electric trimmer. I decided to play with the case feeder and trimmer on the Dillon 650. So I set the trimmer up in station 3 and ran them through the 650 case feeder and the trimmer. Worked great. Then I decided to do another bag of 350 cases. So I got the sizing die out set it up and went to town. Started measuring a few and they were 1.745 not 1.750. The case in the sizing die shifts the shell plate just enough that you have to set the trimmer after the sizer then check both before you start running a batch. All of my brass is Mil WCC so I don't worry about checking it between years when I size it. Changing brass manufacturers between loads may change both the sizer and trimmer.

I was going to chamfer after trimming between heads and one of the guys I shoot with said the M Die will makes sure my necks are round when I load them and open up the neck just enough I can seat 77 SMK without chamfering. He preps all of his brass this way and loads for 200 and 300 yards on the Dillon then single stage loads his 600 yard ammo. He said his Dillon ammo shoots just as well at 600 but wanted to give his long line ammo more attention.

Thanks and that is good to know. I read that somewhere else about chamfer and trimming. That's good to hear.

Dig your sig.