Mastiff

So I am assuming (similar to the other gentleman's post), reloading is nothing more than a chore for you. Would it be fair to say that you reload only for 100% economic reasons? Or do you load odd calibers? I want to hear why reloading for you is tantamount to chewing tinfoil. It sounds painful. Dog

Ah, the ole ring indexer! A well known catastrophic breakage. Depending on how fashion minded you are, the ring can come in two colors: creme and black. If I recall, in order to snap a ring indexer, you gotta pull the handle pretty hard. Dog

So would I be correct in saying that you're buying and firing new ammo and keeping the cases? Or? Dog

Thanks Steve.

Can any of you recommend a book that has a good chapter or emphasis on cleaning, maintaining and disassembly and reassembling the Colt AR-15? Thanks. Dog

Full Auto, I hear you and you make some valid points. If you're sorting the head stamps and dumping the bad stuff it's fine. I just don't have all the time to do that, and what little time I have, I'd rather work with cases I know we're mine. Based on your usage, I go through just a fraction of that amount. Dog

I think there are more threads on case preparation and reloading techniques specifically on .223 than any subject on the reloading forum. I have been reading, responding and starting topics on .223 ad nauseum. I've given this a lot of thought. I think I'm going to sell all of the used 223 brass and not describe it as "once fired" even though that is the way it was sold to me and many of us that buy it. I just don't trust the once fired claims, but that's another topic for another day. I think I am going to take a different approach. Long before the craze I put away some new .223 brass that I thought I'd reload one day, sound familiar? I figure I'll know my own brass was really once fired and cycle them through the reloading process until it's time to say goodbye. My brass, rifle chambers, dies, XL650, tumbling, well you get the idea. I'm just tired of the junky mixed brass out there and the reloading inconsistencies I experience (and read about). And then there is the decap pins breaking on the crimped primers, the swaging, the primer pockets too large, how many times the case has been stretched and trimmed, etc. I suppose the guys who carefully sort out the head stamps and trash the culls on the used brass can do ok. I just don't have the time or desire to sort brass. Are there many of you that start out with new brass and never buy the used cases? For my bolt rifle, I do make new rounds on my Redding press, but the quantity I make on the single stage press is a tiny fraction of what I make for the AR using mixed brass. So, does this all make sense? Rant? Or just another useless New Year's Resolution (like eating better and exercising)? Dog

I neglected to say that I chamfer both the I.d and o.d. as well. I like the smooth edge and I also hate shavings around my seating station, so I think you are not OCD. I think I'll try reloading with out the expander (and with it too) as well. If it works fine, I'll be happy to eliminate the tool. I do not crimp. Dog

Uh, Steve, the assumption includes decapping - see #2. I remove spent primers with the $12 Lee miracle decap die. Dog

I'm not great with rifle reloading and still learning, but I think you have this absolutely Correct. I am using the Hornady OAL system and the actual chamber as my case gauge for my Browning .223 x-bolt, it's fussy about what it likes, otherwise the bolt will not close. For this rifle I am handloading Lapua brass, Reloader 7, CCI bench primers and Sierra #1400 bullets, OAL is 225 and it loves them. I do not crimp. I tried out the new ammo and the Browning today at the new Frisco Gun Club range in North Dallas and the rifle worked beautifully. Now if I can get the scope set up right, well, that's another story. The AR-15, at least mine, will handle a wider range of OAL. Every brass case, regardless of the rifle, the measurement that remains the same is the 1.75 trim and debur I.d. And o.d. I have to learn more about shoulder bumping, neck bushings, and more info. I bought the advanced reloading DVD and learned a bit, but I am wanting to learn more. I just keep reading. Dog

Exactly what I am thinking. If the trim die is a sizing die, why are so many guys using a FL die at station 1? This is the part I don't understand. Dog

I asked this same question on this forum. Mine is the 1200 and not the B unit. Yet, I bought it new in box, so I was equally perplexed. I decided to forget about it and use it. I just couldn't find any difference, has anyone asked Dillon? Typically whenever there is a letter, it means there was a change or an "up rev" as we used to say in my blueprint days. And when I say I just went ahead and used it, I am D- user after damaging my trim die on my first outing. Don't knock your self out, get the thing dialed in, read the instructions and enjoy. Also, there are a zillion threads on the 1200. Everyone has a different way of using it. I just started a thread on how I intend to use mine. Repetition of discussions on the same issues is very common on this forum. It's like telling my adult children the same story again and again. I call it a "ginkgo biloba" moment

From everything I have read, the RT sizes the o.d. of the neck too tight. So to open it up I have it opened up using the Ball only in a sizing die.

Give it another few months for the .223 thing to lose steam. As much as I like to see new folks getting into the hobby, I'd bet a lot of them didn't know exactly what they were getting into, especially rifle reloading. It's hard enough even after years of experience. Rifle reloading is not for beginners, at least in my opinion. I predict there will be a lot of 2nd hand machines and accessories on the market. Dog

1. .223 range brass mixed stuff 2. Decaped 3. Swaged 4. Cleaned I have the cases sitting in a bin. On the bench is all Dillon: Empty tool head RT1200 223 size/trim die FL sizing die Assume I'm going to use the finished rounds for my AR15 at the range, not competition. So here's what I would do: I will have only two tools on the tool head in this order: #3 RT1200 to size and trim, then in the #5 the FL die turned up to do the inside diameter of the neck and then fall into the bin ready to go on the reloading tool head. Done. Good or no good? Dog

This is a common breakage and it's a popular discussion. Happens all the time. The key thing to remember is not to bear down on anything that is screwed in on the Dillon. Things strip easy. Snug is good enough. Don't forget to clean the face of that piece and coat it lightly with grease. I've had mine replaced twice over the years. I have an extra hanging out. In fact, I keep a decent inventory of all of the little "stuff" that can ruin your day (or evening). Aside from the machine, Dillon sells a repair parts spares kit. Hope you won't need it, but when you do, you'll be happy to have it. I also read all of these threads and start a few in order to learn. Over time you hear common themes of various things that guys break. Some are bizarre and you scratch your head wondering how a guy could break a casting. But most of it is little stuff. I'll buy a few that don't come in the kit. When you have spring that decides it going to go someplace other than where it should go, you'll never find it. You only find it when it's no longer needed. At that point you have a new spare. You get the idea... Dog

It's hard to break an XL650 when you first buy one. It's easier to break them once you know, or think you know what you're doing. Dog

I agree. I go through more drug store readers than water, I have my cheap reading glasses everywhere in the house. Fonts like that make me skip the post. My first BE forum flame, I can't help it, it's hard enough to see.

Just use the proper shell holder instead of the collet with the rubberbands. Works great. Tried it out today. Thanks, sometimes its hard to envision the obvious.

Redding Competition 9mm Pistol Die set for your XL650. Dillon has them in their Blue Press booklet. There's a reason - they are excellent. Period Dog

Just type in collets in Sinclair search field. Or any other online seller I suppose... Dog

If you don't have a lot of pulling to do, the hammers work fine, although I'm not thrilled with the rubber O-rings that hold the collet pieces together. For volume, I am going to look at the other ones suggested in the thread. Dog

Merry Christmas to all! Dog

Therapy !!I shoot CAS every Saturday some place in Georgia and shoot out of state matches 8 times a year. I run through a lot of .38sp and 12g shotgun shells. Counting match and practice ammo I run through about 10,000 rounds of .38sp and 2,500 12g rounds. Having a 650 and caliber conversion kits helps. I also shoot a few other pistol and rifle calibers just for fun. I reload in order to be able to afford to shoot competition but even more than that, for me at least, its a therapy thing. My two kids, sons, have married and moved off about 50 miles from us and we have 4 grandsons....wonderful little balls of energy. I am also at the age, 59, where there is not much on TV that interests me and when there is something that I do like I just DVR it so I can run through the commercials. So I spend a lot of time in my basement reloading shop loading different ammo and shot shells, processing brass and shot shell hulls and even clean my guns occasionally whether they need it or not. If I don't have any reloading to do I'll take down some of my presses and do a little cleaning and lubricating. I've even been known to open up my gun safe, take out a gun I haven't "fondled" in a while and detail strip it and put it back in the safe. I have enough guns where I can do that once a week if need be . For me, other than when my grandsons are over at our house my best time spend is in my reloading shop........therapy! Now here is a man leading a parallel life with me. I don't know gacajun, but he appears to have a good understanding of mortality. You gave it away by explaining the DVR. See, guys like us don't have time or want to invest the time in watching commercials because we value time, not by the year or month, but by the hours and days. Great post, thank you sir.

Here's my plan, given I don't destroy the replacement trim die dillon replaced for me at no charge. Since I Decap, swage and clean first, I have my 1200 at station 5. Then I have the FL die partially turned down to do the case mouth with carbide ball only and I'm done. I start reloading I use cci srp, 1400 sierra bullet 53g and either win 748, reloader 7 or h335. Does that make sense?