Buying a Mark7 Evolution in 223 - ultimate die pack or not?

[erwos]

Bonus this year was very good to me, so I am buying a Mark7 Evolution in 223 so I can finally mass load 223 blaster ammo. I have a Dillon 650 already churning out 9mm, so I am pretty familiar with how progressives work.

 

Does it make sense to buy the ultimate die pack? Or should I try sourcing all this on my own? Sorta attracted to the idea of being able to tell Mark7/Lyman that I'm using their dies if I need support, but if the dies suck, maybe that's not the way to go.

[MNJoel]

I process my brass separate from loading...with an auto drive  I had existing dillon dies, so I used those where I could. 

 

Process 1

Lubed cases - Deprime, swage (with hold down),resize without decap,  trim, lyman m-die

 

Clean brass

 

Process 2

Lightly lubed cases - hold down in swage, hold down in prime station, m-die again (just in case), powder drop, powder check, bullet, seat, crimp (if needed). 

Edited December 8, 2020 by MNJoel

[BiknSwans]

2 hours ago, MNJoel said:

I process my brass separate from loading...with an auto drive  I had existing dillon dies, so I used those where I could. 

 

Process 1

Lubed cases - Deprime, swage (with hold down),resize without decap,  trim, lyman m-die

 

Clean brass

 

Process 2

Lightly lubed cases - hold down in swage, hold down in prime station, m-die again (just in case), powder drop, powder check, bullet, seat, crimp (if needed). 

I have switched to a two pass process too, and feel much more comfortable with its use.  I just read in the newly released Mark 7® Evolution Press User Manual Version 2.0 that they strongly recommend using a sizing die rather than a hold down die in the priming station.  I was planning on using a hold down die there, but am thinking now that I might not.  I'm loading 9mm only.

 

Is the hold down die in the priming station working well for you?  Does the case always center itself properly?

 

Also, I bought the Ultimate Die Pack back in March when Mk7 had switched from Lee dies to Redding and Mighty Armory dies, and they are very nice.  To use the Lee FCD, I would have had to put the lock nut on the bottom of the toolhead. and that wouldn't have played well with the lighting system I use.  I'm sure the Lyman version of the dies will be excellent too.

[MNJoel]

Sorry, I botched my last post... in probably the worst spot. 

 

Quote

I process my brass separate from loading...with an auto drive  I had existing dillon dies, so I used those where I could. 

 

Process 1

Lubed cases - Deprime, swage (with hold down),resize without decap,  trim, lyman m-die

 

Clean brass

 

Process 2

Lightly lubed cases - hold down in swage, resize die in prime station, m-die again (just in case), powder drop, powder check, bullet, seat, crimp (if needed).

 

[erwos]

Well, in the end, I bought their dies. I'll figure out brass processing after I've gotten it set up for just loading 223. Thanks for the help!