Dies for my new Dillon XL750?

[R1_Demon]

Hey all,

 

Ok, I'm probably having a brain fart, but I'm hoping someone can help me out.  I previously owned a Hornady LNL press a long while ago.  I never really got to use it and had to sell it.  Long story short, I was able to buy a new Dillon XL750 with casefeeder.  It's for .45ACP, but I bought the 9mm conversion kit for it, along with an extra toolhead and powder die for the toolhead.  I'm hoping to set one up for .45ACP (later) and 9mm (now).

 

Now, my question...what dies do I need to produce 9mm Luger ammo?  I looked up some info here on some good dies to use with the Dillon and here is what I came up with and ordered, but I'm making sure I didn't miss anything or need something else.

 

Sizing/Decap - Lee #90548 9mm die

Powder Thru Expanding - Lee #90580 9mm die

Seating - Redding Competition Seating Die - #55172 9mm die

Crimping/Debelling - Lee Taper Crimp Die - #90780

 

Is this all I need to run 9mm on the new Dillon XL750?  Why would I need (per Dillon) the Dillon powder die that comes with it?  Or do I not need the Powder Thru Expanding die from Lee?  By the pictures (I'm on my way to pick up the press now, so I don't have it in front of me) on the Dillon site, it looks like the Dillon powder die only holds the powder measure and fills the case with the charge.  That's why I got the powder thru expanding die by Lee because I figured I needed it just to expand/bell the case.

 

Any thoughts on me missing anything?  it looks like there are 5 positions on the toolhead, so I'm guessing the following:

#1 sizing/decap die

#2 Powder Thru Expanding die

#3 Dillon powder die (to charge case)

#4 Seating die

#5 Crimp/debelling die

 

Sound about right?

 

Sorry for the noob questions.  I just want to make sure I get everything I need and not buy stuff I won't need. That's why I bought the dies separately instead of in a kit because I didn't want the seating and crimping action in one motion/die for better QC.

 

Thanks!

Mat

[Youngeyes]

 it looks like there are 5 positions on the toolhead, so I'm guessing the following:

From this statement it looks like you need to read up on how to use your press. I would suggest posts here and YouTube. There are many useful videos. Don't buy anything until you get a broader knowledge base. There are many threads here on using the Dillon presses. The dies for the 750 are the same as the 650. Here's a start..

[belus]

The Dillon powder station is usually station #2 on the 650/750 and it will do the belling and charging. You do not need a powder through expanding die. Dillon knows what their presses need and you should trust their advice. They're easy to get on the phone and candid.

You will have an empty die location that could be occupied by a powder check system or a bullet feeder.

 

Please spend a couple hours reading the manual and start with only one case at a time until you're comfortable. You'll be able to make a lot of good (or bad) ammo quickly.

https://dilloncdn.com/manuals/dillon-xl750-manual-english.pdf

[R1_Demon]

Thank you both. I will go over the manual and the YouTube videos to ensure proper operation. 

[OleGreyGhost]

@R1_Demon

 

Do you sell everything when you got rid of the press?  By any chance did you keep anything, like the reloading manuals? 

 

If you do not have much experience reloading, the reloading manual will be your best friend.  Lee, Lyman & Hornady all have excellent articles about safe reloading that can be applied to a .

 

Not to scare you, but I hope you are mechanically inclined.

 

10 hours ago, belus said:

Please spend a couple hours reading the manual and start with only one case at a time until you're comfortable. You'll be able to make a lot of good (or bad) ammo quickly.

This is the best advice you will get.  Plus some other gems in his post.

 

Where belus says one case at a time, do not use the auto case feeder as part of the learning process.  Just hook up the drop tube & manually fill with cases.  When you become more experienced & confident with your press, then you can use the auto case feeder

 

If you belong to a rifle club,   ask around & try to find a mentor...

 

 

[mveto]

You got some good info above, one thing I will add is to purchase the Alpha Dropper from shooting sports innovations, it is by far the best powder funnel available. 
My set up is:

Station 1: Redding pro series sizing die

Station 2: Powder 

Station 3: Bullet feeder

Station 4: Dillon seating die

Station 5: Redding Crimp die

 

https://shootingsportsinnovations.com/alpha-dropper-powder-funnel/

[HesedTech]

Dies:

 

Dillon size/decapping.

MBF or Alpha powder funnel

MBF 

Dillon or Hornady seating die.

Dillon taper crimp die. 
 

That’s all you need.

 

Lee dies work, but Dillon dies are designed to work with their progressive presses. 

 

Don’t seat and crimp with same die unless you have no other choice. 

[R1_Demon]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I had an older reloading manual, so I let it go with my last press. However, I still have my ABCs of reloading book (I think put out by Lyman?). I’ll go over that book again and buy the latest reloading manual. I am also going to be reading the press manual cover to cover as well. I guess I jumped ahead of myself by posting first. 
 

I am quite mechanically inclined and usually research things to death before trying them. This is no different, hence why I put up the post to ask questions. As mentioned, I guess I asked questions before reading first. I plan to go one round at a time until I know exactly how things perform and what does what. I am in no rush. 
 

I’m trying to get into the local gun club here but the wait list is 1-2 years. So I’m waiting on the list. 
 

Again, I do appreciate the tips and information. 

[R1_Demon]

Also, the reason I asked about the dies is because all of this is very expensive. I didn’t want to just buy any dies and find out there are better ones I should have bought and then have to purchase them again. I’d much rather buy what I need to begin with. 
 

It can be confusing when you see four die sets and then three die sets and such. That’s why I asked here because I know you all know your stuff. 

[SnipTheDog]

For pistol, it's hard to beat Dillon carbide dies.  There are others, but start simple and Dillon's will do 99% what you want.  As you get more experience with reloading, then branch out to whatever your heart and wallet desires.

[R1_Demon]

Thanks. I will try that.

[OleGreyGhost]

9 hours ago, SnipTheDog said:

For pistol, it's hard to beat Dillon carbide dies.  There are others, but start simple and Dillon's will do 99% what you want.  As you get more experience with reloading, then branch out to whatever your heart and wallet desires.

+ 1 on that.

 

If you have any questions, there is always someone here to help.

 

Also, on the Dillon site there is a knowledgebase & a support forum to find additional help where even the Dillon techs chime in.

[RGA]

Dillon dies are ok but the only annoying thing in my book is that you have to adjust the whole die-body of the seater die when you want to change seating depth. Other vendors only require manipulation of the seating stem while the die-body stays in place. Especially annoying if you switch bullets often like I do. (If you only load one type of bullet so you have to dial in the seater only once, than it's not so bad.)

Edited September 6, 2020 by RGA

[SJBriggs]

7 minutes ago, RGA said:

Dillon dies are ok but the only annoying thing in my book is that you have to adjust the whole die-body of the seater die when you want to change seating depth. Other vendors only require to manipulation of the seating stem while the die body stays in place. Especially annoying if you switch bullets often like I do. (If you only load one type of bullet so you have to dial in the seater only once, than it's not so bad.)

+1 Especially when developing loads with different types of bullets. Redding and Lee seating and crimping dies are way easier to adjust. If you want to save some time, I would consider either of those two. Additional +1 on the Alpha Dropper.

[Michael303]

I don't have experience with many dies but I did just go through this process myself for my 1100 and figured I'd share what I went with based on hours of reading here.

 

Lee U sizing die (a lot of people like this over the standard Lee sizing die)

Lyman M expanding die

Mr Bulletfeeder funnel (Alpha dropper would be a good choice too)

Redding Competition Seating Die

Lee Factory Crimp Die

 

By no means is this the ideal setup for your press but these are all dies worth considering.

[belus]

@R1_Demon Do you have a powder bullet combo picked out yet?

I think you should choose a low density pistol powder like Universal, Unique, 700X, or Red Dot. Starting out it's good insurance to have a load that fills more than half the case by using a fluffy powder. If you accidentally double charge the overflowing case will alert you before you put the bullet on it. It's good practice to always look into the case after the powder station which is why you'll see many pictures on this forum with strategically placed mirrors or endoscope cameras and tablets.

A new reloader here recently posted his experience blowing up his gun with Titegroup due to double charges. This was also on an auto-indexing press like the 750. Titegroup is a classic economical powder, but one which can get a new reloader into trouble pretty easily too.

 

[R1_Demon]

I appreciate the info by everyone. I also appreciate the powder recommendation. Since I’m not reloading yet for competition, I agree that the suggested powders would be a good thing so I don’t double charge or could tell if I do. 
 

I’ll be reloading 9mm and .380 Auto/ACP at this time. I may end up reloading .45ACP later as well. 
 

But the main thing I want to do is setup and reload 9mm until I get comfortable with the process and all is going well. The. I will considering changing calibers. 
 

Anyone have a preferred reloading manual?  Is one company better than any other or should I just pick any one as long as it is the current edition?

[OleGreyGhost]

My suggestion for the Dillon dies was to keep it simple if the Op needed help/support as in his post he related he is just starting out again.

 

When I got my Dillon 450 press, over 35 yrs ago, I already had the die sets for the calibers I was loading.

 

Dillons' regular die sets were $34.95.  Didn't make sense to me to purchase the Dillon Professional Carbide Dies at $168.75 at that time.

 

Like others, along the way, he can pick up specialty items to enhance his reloading as he gains experience.

 

@R1_Demon

Any of the three listed in my previous post will do.

 

Enjoy....

 

 

 

 

 

[ML123]

I am just starting out too and have some of the same questions as the OP.  I am still gathering/researching stuff to load both 9mm and 223.  I ordered a Lee APP press to re-size and decap/swage brass.  If I do this on the APP press do I still use a re-size die on the loading progressive press or would I start with a powder charge die?  If I have a 5 station press and do not need a re-size/decap die will I be able to run both a powder check and bullet feeder die along with Powder charge, seat and crimp for my 5 stations?

 

I haven't decided on a progressive press yet but it will be a Hornady or Dillon. 
Thanks for useful info the Dillon video was pretty informative. 

[R1_Demon]

For 9mm, I ended up getting Lee carbide dies. Was all I could find in stock. I also got a Redding comp bullet seater die. 
 

For .380ACP, I got a Redding die set. Again, all I could find. The press came with the .45ACP setup, but no dies for it, of course. I will look into those dies later. Again, no rush. Just have been doing a bunch of reading and video watching for now. 

[RGA]

Lee dies are fine. Did you get the Lee 3 or 4 dies set? The 4 die set includeds their factory crimp die (which I think is excellent).

 

My 9mm set up (Dillon 650) is very similair to Michael303's listed a few posts above.

 

Lee U (undersize) sizer

Lyman M die for expanding

Powder

Redding competition seater

Lee factory crimp die.

 

For 45ACP I run the same setup with the exception that I use a Dillon sizer.

 

 

 

 

[OleGreyGhost]

@R1_Demon,

 

I am also using Lee dies in my .38 cal setup .  For bullet seating I modded the press to accept the Lee bullet feeder kit & then Lee FCD.

 

Now changing over to .223 cal.  So I have to remove the bullet feeder kit.  Will be using the Redding micrometer seating die in its place.  Manually inserting bullets.

 

For your first project, why don't you change the press over to 9 mm, so you can get familiar with the press....

 

 

 

[OleGreyGhost]

19 hours ago, ML123 said:

I ordered a Lee APP press to re-size and decap/swage brass.  If I do this on the APP press do I still use a re-size die on the loading progressive press

 

If the press progressive press you order does not do swaging, then you made a wise purchase.

 

As far as resizing, you are just starting out.  Do not complicate the process.  Learn the basics with your main press.  As you gain experience, then you can experiment with refining your reloading process.

[belus]

On 9/7/2020 at 7:41 AM, ML123 said:

 I ordered a Lee APP press to re-size and decap/swage brass.  If I do this on the APP press do I still use a re-size die on the loading progressive press or would I start with a powder charge die?  If I have a 5 station press and do not need a re-size/decap die will I be able to run both a powder check and bullet feeder die along with Powder charge, seat and crimp for my 5 stations?

 

I haven't decided on a progressive press yet but it will be a Hornady or Dillon.

If the brass is already resized you don't need to do it again. I process brass in one step and reload in another, but still keep a sizing/decapping die present in the loading run just in case a errant piece of unsized brass makes it through.  Once you're in a reloading groove, it's frustrating to stop and troubleshoot, which is why the Dillons are so well loved on this forum: they're generally lower fuss.

You won't be able to put the powder die in station one on the Dillon 650/750 because the case will not yet have a primer. I believe this is true of all 5-station presses, i.e. very press design expects the first station to resize and decap the case.  You could switch the order of operation on the manual 4-station 550, but thinking about that makes my brain twist like learning how to juggle did.

I think the powder check die concept is over rated. A large component of this game is about learning to use your eyes quickly. Apply that to your reloading and look at your cases to make sure they have powder.  I've never doubled charged a case (thanks to low density powders), but I have made a squib or two. Those have come from auto-indexing presses where I was distracted by troubleshooting some other function and unwittingly advanced the shell plate. I've never made a squib on the 550 because nothing happens unless you do it. The agency makes it a little slower but the simplicity makes it safer, imo. I'm regularly evangelizing the 550 on forums as the best value and most flexible press on the market.

[belus]

21 hours ago, R1_Demon said:

Again, no rush. 

This is a good attitude to take as you learn to reload as well. The press is already efficient and that's fast so you don't have to be.

You can find people racing to pull the handle in many videos. This is always after unshown and thorough overview that everything is working as expected, and the pace is rarely sustained beyond the 15-20s that those videos ever show.