What dies are folks using for 223

[anilson]

Hi all,

I have not done 223 in some time and will be setting it up on my 1050 soon.

Looking for die info and setup. Dillon trim die info helpful also.

I have a new redding two die set but will use whatever work the best.

Thanks

Adam

[legacy]

I have dillon carbide dies.

If you cant find any dies in stock go to amazon.com they have a surprisingly large selection of reloading supplies.

http://www.ch4d.com/ has 223 trim dies in stock if you need some.

[lugnut]

Just bought RCBS Full Length Sizing dies.... seem to be good.

[warpspeed]

RCBS Full Length Small Base Size Die

Redding Competition Seating Die - helpful when you load more than one type of bullet

Redding Taper Crimp

I trim on a Gracey Trimmer.

when I had a 1050, I sized and swaged tumbled brass on the press without priming or loading.

then trimmed the brass on the Gracey and tumbled all the lube and shavings away.

then back to the press to load replacing the size die with a universal decaping die to make sure flash holes were clear.

Edited October 9, 2013 by warpspeed

[rjacobs]

You will still have to prep brass on a seperate tool head even with a 1050. There is no way to get a trimmer on the tool head with all your loading stuff.

Also from what I have read(I dont have any experience) the competition type dies with the sliding sleeve may or may not work because they are longer than a typical die that doesnt have the sliding sleeve. This bums me out because I was hoping to be able to use a Forster Ultra seating die when I setup my 1050 to load .223. I saw somebody had machined down the sliding sleeve to make it shorter. Or maybe I am crazy and none of that is true.

[Mbauer67]

My set-up on my 1050 is as follows, it might be a little over the top but works perfectly.

Tool head one

1. Steel Dillon sizing die, size approx 75% of the way down the shoulder

2. Swags

6. Dillon trimmer, sizing depth set to required shoulder position

8. Neck sizer with carbide expander ball to set proper neck tension

Tool head 2

1. Lee universal recapped

2. Swagger again, just because I don't want to adjust the rod set-up

3. Prime

4. powder

5 powder check

6 Dillon seated

7 Dillon crimp

Works awesome and requires very little adjustment, just costs some $$$$$.

[razorfish]

My set-up on my 1050 is as follows, it might be a little over the top but works perfectly.

Tool head one

1. Steel Dillon sizing die, size approx 75% of the way down the shoulder

2. Swags

6. Dillon trimmer, sizing depth set to required shoulder position

8. Neck sizer with carbide expander ball to set proper neck tension

Tool head 2

1. Lee universal recapped

2. Swagger again, just because I don't want to adjust the rod set-up

3. Prime

4. powder

5 powder check

6 Dillon seated

7 Dillon crimp

Works awesome and requires very little adjustment, just costs some $$$$$.

What brand/model Neck Sizer die are you using on your Brass Prep toolhead?

Also are you using the Neck Sizer simply to clean up any edges left by the trimmer or are you also opening up/flaring the neck a bit for the bullet?

[mcracco]

I use Dillon carbide.

Maybe I am over simplifying but I run brass through the size/decap then swage and and pull the brass off at the swage station. Trim to length with Worlds Finest Trimmer and chamfer/deburr on RCBS Prep Center. Then process trimmed brass normally on the 1050.

[jayjay1]

I´m running a Dillon die set, but am not happy with the seating die.

Trimming and deburring, in one step, with a RCBS three-way-cutter, which runs pretty good for the price.

I´m curious if someone is running a small size die for calibrating (for an AR15), experiences?

How is it compared to a normal size die?

[Mbauer67]

My set-up on my 1050 is as follows, it might be a little over the top but works perfectly.

Tool head one

1. Steel Dillon sizing die, size approx 75% of the way down the shoulder

2. Swags

6. Dillon trimmer, sizing depth set to required shoulder position

8. Neck sizer with carbide expander ball to set proper neck tension

Tool head 2

1. Lee universal recapped

2. Swagger again, just because I don't want to adjust the rod set-up

3. Prime

4. powder

5 powder check

6 Dillon seated

7 Dillon crimp

Works awesome and requires very little adjustment, just costs some $$$$$.

What brand/model Neck Sizer die are you using on your Brass Prep toolhead?

Also are you using the Neck Sizer simply to clean up any edges left by the trimmer or are you also opening up/flaring the neck a bit for the bullet?

I use a another standard dillon sizing die that is backed off a little to not touch the shoulder. This die does knock off the sharp edges from the trimmer, but the real reason I use it is to set the neck tension because the sizing die on the trimmer leaves a little to much neck tension for my taste. I have also used a bushing type redding neck sizing die but honestly I like the dillon better.

Another thing I have done on the support rod/die on the swaging station is turned down the upper diameter on the rod so it does not flare the case at all, i usually only bullets with a boat tail like the 55 hornady or Sierra SMK's. But I have also loaded so of the hornady flat base bullets with out any issues.

[RiggerJJ]

As long as the bullet can be seated, I feel there is no such thing as too much neck tension. I turned down the swage hold down rod on my processing head to keep from flairing the case before trimming, but kept it intact and adjusted it to slightly flair the case on the loading head. That also removes any trim flash left after tumbling after processing. I also crimp slightly after seating to remove any trim flash that may be left on the outside, and to remove the flair. I also feel that doing any type of neck or body sizing after trimming will yeild inconsistent cases.

JMHO

jj

[Naka16]

I use the hornady dies to size and seat, then a lee fcd set on the light side

[rjacobs]

I´m running a Dillon die set, but am not happy with the seating die.

Trimming and deburring, in one step, with a RCBS three-way-cutter, which runs pretty good for the price.

I´m curious if someone is running a small size die for calibrating (for an AR15), experiences?

How is it compared to a normal size die?

The dillon size die for .223 is a small base die I believe.

[jayjay1]

The dillon size die for .223 is a small base die I believe.

Really, it is???

[thermobollocks]

I have an RCBS full length sizer, the X-die sizer as well that I've managed to get cases stuck twice, and two or three RCBS seaters floating around. I have the Lee FC die but I really only use it to impart a smidge of uniformity into the necks if necessary.

My only gripe about the RCBS seaters is that sometimes the tip of the bullet can get lodged between the die body and seater stem, then hork up the whole mess. Anyone know how to not have this happen? This is with basically any bullet -- Hornady 55gn FMJBTs, 69 grain SMKs, 75 grain Hornady HPBTs..

[rjacobs]

The dillon size die for .223 is a small base die I believe.

Really, it is???

yup. I dont think they advertise it as such, but I have read it a few times, most recently today somewhere.

[Doc Hunter]

My set-up on my 1050 is as follows, it might be a little over the top but works perfectly.

Tool head one

1. Steel Dillon sizing die, size approx 75% of the way down the shoulder

2. Swags

6. Dillon trimmer, sizing depth set to required shoulder position

8. Neck sizer with carbide expander ball to set proper neck tension

Tool head 2

1. Lee universal recapped

2. Swagger again, just because I don't want to adjust the rod set-up

3. Prime

4. powder

5 powder check

6 Dillon seated

7 Dillon crimp

Works awesome and requires very little adjustment, just costs some $$$$$.

What brand/model Neck Sizer die are you using on your Brass Prep toolhead?

Also are you using the Neck Sizer simply to clean up any edges left by the trimmer or are you also opening up/flaring the neck a bit for the bullet?

I use a another standard dillon sizing die that is backed off a little to not touch the shoulder. This die does knock off the sharp edges from the trimmer, but the real reason I use it is to set the neck tension because the sizing die on the trimmer leaves a little to much neck tension for my taste. I have also used a bushing type redding neck sizing die but honestly I like the dillon better.

Another thing I have done on the support rod/die on the swaging station is turned down the upper diameter on the rod so it does not flare the case at all, i usually only bullets with a boat tail like the 55 hornady or Sierra SMK's. But I have also loaded so of the hornady flat base bullets with out any issues.

I'm running an almost exact copy of this setup. It ROCKS! I use a Mandrel die from Sinclair as a neck expander to keep from messing with another size die. Works the brass a little less.

[anilson]

Keep the tips coming, Looks like i mite need one more tool head!

[Travtastik]

I have never thought of setting up 2 tool heads like that. Anyone do something like that on a 650?

[Mbauer67]

I have never thought of setting up 2 tool heads like that. Anyone do something like that on a 650?

Yes I had a simlar setup on my 650 before upgrading to the 1050. Works great

[gregshin]

Setup on dillon 550 station 1 thru 4.

Dillon resizing die

Dillon powder die

Redding match seater die

Dillon crimp die

[GuildSF4]

I have never thought of setting up 2 tool heads like that. Anyone do something like that on a 650?

Yes:

Tool head 1 = RCBS X-die station 1, Modified Lee Quick Trim in station 4, working on motorizing it.

Tool head 2 = Powder die, seater and crimp die.

[HighCountryStalker]

My only gripe about the RCBS seaters is that sometimes the tip of the bullet can get lodged between the die body and seater stem, then hork up the whole mess. Anyone know how to not have this happen? This is with basically any bullet -- Hornady 55gn FMJBTs, 69 grain SMKs, 75 grain Hornady HPBTs..

I use mostly an RCBS seating die and have never seen this happen but I keep my seating stem turned in pretty deep so I don't get any crimping from the die and rely on consistent neck tension. I wonder if that might help. I can't think how the bullet could get that far into the die and be tipped so far off center to jamb the way you describe.

[anilson]

Does anyone run a 650 tool head for size and trim and then a 1050 tool head for loading?

I cant see why this would not work. I have both 650 and 1050rl, would cost less to set up the trim toolhead on the 650.

[rjacobs]

Thats the way I would roll then.

You only really need 2 stations for brass prep:

full length size/de-prime

trim

650 tool heads are what, 30 bucks compared to a $190 tool head on the 1050.

On the 1050 you could set it:

universal de-prime die to punch media out of the flash hole(unless you use wet stainless, then skip this)

swage(or not if you dont need to)

prime

powder

bullet seat

crimp