hotwls13

Very Cool!! I'd like to see a mirror for the 550 to look down into the cases to ensure powder was dropped (mine sits too high for me to see).

^^^^^ I tried that way. It works pretty good. The canned air though is easier. As for cleaning behind the bench, just use a match.

Hey, where is this "22127 Universal De-capping Die"?? I can't find a price or where it's listed in his store?????

Der!! I'm an idjit. I was reading deswage and thinking dechamfer. I'm scratching my head trying to figure how or why you would want to dechamfer something. Then it clicked. I know about the super swager and that it is a separate manual step for us 550 folks.

Sounds good. I will definitely get the decapping die. As for the "one head - (lubing for sizing) size/decap, deswage, trim," is the deswage and trim two separate steps? I know about the 1200 trimmer, but the deswage step is cornfusing me. lol

??? I'm reloading .223 ??? As for the other comments, here is a little more info. 1. I guess the universal decapper doesn't mess with the sizing?? 2. How do you remove the lube from the inside neck of the case to avoid powder sticking? 3. I want/need the crimp due to these being primarily shot out of several different AR's (the action can cause uncrimped bullets to move in the cases) 4. I wouldn't be able to use a universal decapper AND the trimmer in my 550 (only 4 stations vs the 5 on a 650) without removing the crimp die. 5. I have a TON of LC .223 brass to process, just trying to find the most efficient way without buying a bunch more stuff.

I would think that the Trim, Chamfer and Swage steps would eliminate those problems. How do you guys remove the lube?? Use a towel one at a time?

I have a Dillon 550B setup for .223. I currently only have 3 dies in the toolhead (Powder, bullet seat and crimp). With all the brass prep involved with my .223 brass (most of it LC once fired) I think it's easier to do the brass in the folowing order: 1. Tumble 2. Lube 3. Deprime and Size (I am currently doing this on a separate Lee Turret press) 4. Tumble again to remove lube (this is for a shorter time) 5. Trim and chamfer 6. Swage (Currently using the C&H Tool and Die, but I'm about to order a Super Swager) 7. Put in 550B 8. Prime, powder, bullet, crimp Do you guys think it would better/faster to have a separate Toolhead for the Depriming/sizing? Or do you think it's probably just as efficient to use my Turret? I'm also trimming by hand currently (using the Lee handheld tools) but I plan to rig up a Drill Press to do this soon. Any other tips? I MAY add the Dillon trimmer 1200 at a later date, but it just seems cumbersome and one more Toolhead to setup.

I am new to my 550 and I have been dumping powder like crazy. I think I have it all fixed (got a proper #3 shell plate and adjusted the plate down tighter), but I won't know til my next reload session. Anyway, I was wondering what is the process of cleaning up or reclaiming all that dumped powder. The only way I found to get it all out of the press was compressed air. Anyway, any tricks or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Woohoo!! Got my replacement #3 plate (that was SMOKIN quick Dillon!) and it works perfectly. Cases go in and out perfectly AND come out of the plate after the crimp and drop right into the tray (before I had to fight with each case). Now if I can keep from dumping powder I will be a reloading fool!!! I still need to take the rounds I loaded up last night to the range this weekend before I do any more. These will just be zombie rounds so they don't have to be PERFECT.

Hopefully the new shell plate gets here soon. I think that is why I had like 5 dumps of powder this evening. It's my first time using the 550b. For some reason (like I said I think it's the shell plate) sometimes the case when going up to get the charge of powder is crooked and raises the powder dump and half the powder goes in the case, the rest everywhere else. What a PITA. Anyone have a cool way to reclaim/cleanup dumped powder? I tried using a small brush to get as much as I could out of nooks and crannies, but I would have to spray the area out with compressed air to get it cleaned. Good thing I'm reloaiding in the Garage. Anyway, each time this happened, I took out each case and pin set them aside, cleaned up, then put the cases and pins back. I was sure to watch the case getting the powder and it worked fine. Also, I was thinking it would be cool to have a mirror that points down into the case after the powder charge to make it easier to verify I didn't get an empty case.

That will teach ya...next time just call the guys/gals in blue they take care of us PERIOD! Yep, just got off the phone, they are sending me a new Shell plate!! The Blue Kool-Aid is GOOD!!

I'll give you guys a call tomorrow. I'll also mention the stained powder measure and rusted press arm. If I gonna have to send stuff in, I may as well send it all at once.

I just did a bit of work on the plate with some sandpaper. They all fit now. As for the LC brass, it is ALL once fired from AR's. Even the stuff I shot out of MY AR didn't fit in the shell plate. I went back out and tried a bunch of brass. Even some Winchester stuff was having problems (though not as bad). One of the slots on the plate was more forgiving than the other three. After I took some sandpaper to it, they ALL fit now. I'm happy to be moving forward again. This is all new to me (Dillon 550B) so I am taking it slow trying to figure it all out. PS, did the 45ACP caliber conversion kit come with the three little buttons? I bought my setup used, and they were nowhere to be found. No worries as I won't be loading 45ACP for a long time.

This is mixed brass, some that I have shot, some from other sources. I will do a more in-depth comparison of which brass works and which does not. The frustrating thing is lots of this brass has already been sized and primed by me on my Lee Turret, now I find that I have to alter the shell plate of the Dillon. It just seems like everytime I turn around there is another hurdle to getting these .223 rounds loaded up.