Progressive Reloaders Verses Single stage Reloaders

[RockyRandy]

So this is my question, How accurate can you get with an auto loader (one pull of the level equals one shell) verses doing everything in steps. The problem I see is powder charge.
Please educate me on this.

 

[victor3ranger]

Oh lord, you better go get some popcorn ready

 

[Hydra6]

A number of PRS competitive shooters use Dillon 650/750 to load very good target ammo - they weigh the powder charges on a digital scale (some very $$$) and drop the weighed charge the rest is progressive.

George Gardner has a video of making 6GT target ammo with a Dillon 650 or 750 using the Dillon Powder drop and Winchester STABALL 65 (ball powder).

If you try to use the powder drop like a Dillon, may need to find a ball powder that flows smoothly.

I load my 223 trainer and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with TAC (flows like flour). I load 65CM practice and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with Winchester STABALL 65. I have loaded 6BR practice and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with AA2520. I just got some Winchester STABALL MATCH to try in a Dillon 550.

 

[RockyRandy]

A number of PRS competitive shooters use Dillon 650/750 to load very good target ammo - they weigh the powder charges on a digital scale (some very $$$) and drop the weighed charge the rest is progressive.

George Gardner has a video of making 6GT target ammo with a Dillon 650 or 750 using the Dillon Powder drop and Winchester STABALL 65 (ball powder).

If you try to use the powder drop like a Dillon, may need to find a ball powder that flows smoothly.

I load my 223 trainer and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with TAC (flows like flour). I load 65CM practice and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with Winchester STABALL 65. I have loaded 6BR practice and match ammo on a Dillon 550 with AA2520. I just got some Winchester STABALL MATCH to try in a Dillon 550.

This is where I had my biggest question as to how can you get the powder charge accurate. Thanks for answering that for me.

 

[nksmfamjp]

This is where I had my biggest question as to how can you get the powder charge accurate. Thanks for answering that for me.

Hornady makes an adapter that is a die station with a funnel. Then you just get a dispenser running to keep you in premeasured powder!!

 

[RockyRandy]

Hornady makes an adapter that is a die station with a funnel. Then you just get a dispenser running to keep you in premeasured powder!!

Good to know, I have an auto trickler that I use and like.

 

[Dean2]

Used a Dillon 550 for loading 22H, 17 FB, 221 FB (22H and 221 FB used Lil'Gun for powder) and 223 for high volume gopher shooting. The Dillon powder measure drops pretty accurate powder charges as long as you use Ball or small extruded powder (335, Benchmark etc). Would not load target ammo for competition that way but it was plenty close enough for varmints. Loads would do 1/4-1/2 MOA out to 400 yards.

 

[RockyRandy]

Used a Dillon 550 for loading 22H, 17 FB, 221 FB (22H and 221 FB used Lil'Gun for powder) and 223 for high volume gopher shooting. The Dillon powder measure drops pretty accurate powder charges as long as you use Ball or small extruded powder (335, Benchmark etc). Would not load target ammo for competition that way but it was plenty close enough for varmints. Loads would do 1/4-1/2 MOA out to 400 yards.

Do you have to use Dillon dies or will Hornady or RBCS work?

 

[marksman1941]

I have an Hornady ammo plant with the powder drop. I've never chased benchrest accuracy, but it keeps my .308 around 3/4 moa shooting Benchmark powder.

The only thing I've found is that resizing on the press isn't worth it. Dillon may be different, but I've found I prefer to resize on my Redding, trim and chamber, clean the lube off, and then run it through the progressive for priming, powder drop, and bullet seating.

 

[Dean2]

Do you have to use Dillon dies or will Hornady or RBCS work?

I used what I had, which are predominately Redding, but no reason RCBS won't work. I use a bushing neck die (no expander ball) as brass is only used in one gun per cartridge. If you don't have bushing dies you can get a carbide sizer button/expander ball for your neck die so you don't have to lube the necks inside, or out.

P.S. I agree with M1941's comment, if I had to lube and FL size I would do that on another press. I wouldn't like handling lubed cases on a progressive.

 

[FrogFire7]

Hornady makes an adapter that is a die station with a funnel. Then you just get a dispenser running to keep you in premeasured powder!!

That's exactly how I do it. I'm not at the level of precision a lot here are, but the powder charging technique isn't what's holding me back

 

[Axl]

How much ammo are you shooting per week? I have a Hornady ammo plant that I load handgun and 6.5 Grendel and 223 for AR's. The Hornady powder dispenser works well for the powders I load with it, but I wouldn't use it for the large kernel rifle powders. For all my other centerfires I load on single stage RCBS R.C., Forster Co/ax, and a K&M arbor press. For these I weigh my powder with a Auto trickler V4.

 

[chav0_12]

I load some pretty consistent ammo for my 6.5 Grendel on my Dillon 550 using extruded small powder. The only thing that I was cautions of was case length, I sized a few and measured, they were still short enough. I may have chamfered and debarred. I can't remember, but I probably did. When setting the powder measurer I was weighing charges and they were all at least with in 0.1gr of where I wanted to be, with most being dead on. When working with something like that having a bigger node that can go from say 26.7 to 27.0 would be ideal.

Now, some of the other stuff I load, it'll never see a progressive, but I'm running large sticks of powder through those so I wouldn't be confident in the Dillon to measure those out very well.

 

[Dean2]

I load some pretty consistent ammo for my 6.5 Grendel on my Dillon 550 using extruded small powder. The only thing that I was cautions of was case length, I sized a few and measured, they were still short enough. I may have chamfered and debarred. I can't remember, but I probably did. When setting the powder measurer I was weighing charges and they were all at least with in 0.1gr of where I wanted to be, with most being dead on. When working with something like that having a bigger node that can go from say 26.7 to 27.0 would be ideal.

Now, some of the other stuff I load, it'll never see a progressive, but I'm running large sticks of powder through those so I wouldn't be confident in the Dillon to measure those out very well.

Spot on in my experience.