Dillon 550 Question

[meangreen75]

Hello all. I'm just getting into reloading rifle after using my 550 for 9mm competition ammo. If anyone is using the 550 for rifle and has any advice, lessons learned, I would really appreciate the knowledge. I'm going to be reloading 300 win mag, 300 H&H and 6.5 CM.

Thank you in advance for any wisdom you can pass on.

DJ

 

[Nomad458]

I do bulk 223 and 308 rifle rounds with mine. Don't move nearly as fast so the powder has time to fall in to the case. Second I size and clean my rifle brass separately on a single stage press. It makes it easier and cleaner to load separately.

 

[jpd676]

I use my 550 for rifle. I use it as a "single stage" unit when loading for accuracy. I will size brass, then prime, then drop powder from a chargemaster and load the projectile.

 

[meangreen75]

I use my 550 for rifle. I use it as a "single stage" unit when loading for accuracy. I will size brass, then prime, then drop powder from a chargemaster and load the projectile.

Okay so you only use 2 dies on the 550?

 

[PopNFresh]

I'll deprime and clean, then lube/size and tumble then basically use the dillon to prime, charge, seat a bullet and crimp

 

[ARlife4me]

I reload for the 9, 300wm and creed, but no h/h. For range ammo I'll use all 4 spots (crimp on #4). For more prevision I work it more like a single stage. Sometimes skipping the 2nd stage for measuring every load. Depending on powder shape it's better to hand or electronic measure each load.

 

[PopNFresh]

dillon has a funnel adapter to turn your powder charge station into a drop tube, know a few guys that throw charge with a scale and dump into a powder funnel so they can use stick powders more consistently

and if you want more ocd you may find a floating tool head as well, used to use it on 308 on my 650

 

[Termite I]

I the way I reload rifle rounds on my 550's isn't the way Dillon intended them to be used but it works and is still faster than on a single stage press. I deprime on a Lee APP press then tumble in either SS chips or corn cob with Nu Finish. Then I resize and trim to length if needed. I run the cases in corn cob with Nu Finish again to get the lube off then prime the cases using a bench top primer, not the Dillon. For plinking ammo I'll use the Dillon powder measure with powders like TAC, ones that won't bridge and give inconsistent throws. For precision loads I use a V4 to measure the powder. I have two tool heads for each caliber, one for sizing the brass and another for seating the bullet and crimping if needed.

 

[meangreen75]

I the way I reload rifle rounds on my 550's isn't the way Dillon intended them to be used but it works and is still faster than on a single stage press. I deprime on a Lee APP press then tumble in either SS chips or corn cob with Nu Finish. Then I resize and trim to length if needed. I run the cases in corn cob with Nu Finish again to get the lube off then prime the cases using a bench top primer, not the Dillon. For plinking ammo I'll use the Dillon powder measure with powders like TAC, ones that won't bridge and give inconsistent throws. For precision loads I use a V4 to measure the powder. I have two tool heads for each caliber, one for sizing the brass and another for seating the bullet and crimping if needed.

Have you had problems with the Dillon primer on rifle brass?

 

[jpd676]

Okay so you only use 2 dies on the 550?

Yes. I'll de prime in the first station (then do the rest of my brass prep; cleaning, trimming...) and then have a seating die set up. I set multiple seating dies on each Dillon tool head, such as .308, .260, 6.5 Creedmore on one, .223 and 300bo on another, magnums on another. That way, I set the sizing die when I size, then remove it and my seating dies are set to length for multiple cartridges. I hope I explained that well...

 

[Termite I]

No, I just prefer using my RCBS bench mount. It takes a while to change the primer setup on the Dillon from small to large.

 

[meangreen75]

Okay so you only use 2 dies on the 550?

Yes. I'll de prime in the first station (then do the rest of my brass prep; cleaning, trimming...) and then have a seating die set up. I set multiple seating dies on each Dillon tool head, such as .308, .260, 6.5 Creedmore on one, .223 and 300bo on another, magnums on another. That way, I set the sizing die when I size, then remove it and my seating dies are set to length for multiple cartridges. I hope I explained that well...

Yes sir. Thank you. I was confused going from 4 dies to 2 (not including the powder die). I've also read that crimping is not always necessary with rifle rounds. I'm sure there are pros and cons, but I haven't put together enough info yet. With my 9mm, I always put on a very slight crimp.

 

[Baker Alvin]

No, I just prefer using my RCBS bench mount. It takes a while to change the primer setup on the Dillon from small to large.

That is why I own 2 Dillon 550's. I got very tired of switching primer tooling

 

[QuietTexan]

I have two heads: one for prep and one for loading. But this is blaster ammo only.

Whidden floating tool head is nice though, I shoot with several guys that prep brass on Dillons, but prime, charge, and seat off-press.