Tips for bulk 223 on XL750

[JMCCRACKEN1214]

I just sold my 550c to pick up a new 750 with the case feeder to handle the bulk stuff better.... Ive got a few questions for you guys with more experience than myself.

 

Ive got 5 gallons of range 223 brass that I've cleaned, trimmed half of it.. I ordered a 3rd tool head to just throw a decapping die in, and run through the brass to decap it all and then swage so that I dont run into hang ups with primers not seating.

Some of the necks are dinged, so I cant chamfur that stuff until its been sized... Just seems like Im missing something to make this a little easier?

 

Is it fine to then spray ONE SHOT on everything, dump it in the hopper and start loading ammo?  Will the lube cause isssues on loaded rounds? 

 

Just trying to figure out the best way to go about doing this. Im used to doing all of this on a single stage.

Edited August 15, 2022 by JMCCRACKEN1214

[VortecMAX]

There are so many "right" ways to do it, that I will just tell you how I do it.

 

I decap and swage manually in a separate operation (on a single stage).  This allows me to "feel" when a primer comes out too easy so I can check it with a swage gauge.  I swage cases that need it on a DIllon Super Swage.  It also allows me to keep the dirty brass out of my Dillon.  Then I wet tumble the brass in stainless pins.

 

I run a Dillon electric trimmer on a separate toolhead.  The first station has an oversized expanding mandrel to open any case mouths that might be dented or squished.  I use a homemade lanolin/alcohol lube.  I slow way down as each piece of brass reaches the cutting area of the trimmer.  This makes the cuts smoother and more uniform.  Once finished, I tumble in corn cob with a drizzle of 50/50 mix of Nu-Finish car polish and mineral spirits added.

 

My other toolhead has a carbide expanding mandrel (hand polished) in station one.  The rest is pretty standard.

 

EDIT:  I forgot to mention, I don't chamfer the inside or outside of the cases.  This has not caused me any issues.  The corn cob polish takes off any dangling brass shavings and leaves the cases "good enough."

 

Automating the decapping process would be faster, but the range pickup I use needs a closer inspection that I cannot do on the Dillon.

 

Like I said, this is how I do it.  I don't claim it to be the best way.

 

Mike

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by VortecMAX

[dansedgli]

Similar to mine. 

 

I wet tumble clean.

 

1st pass I size and deprime. Swage it in station 2. Trim in 3, M die to open the neck in 5. 

Wet tumble the lube off. 

2nd pass I use a universal decapper to make sure the case is empty in 1. Prime in 2, powder in 3, seat a bullet in 4, very slight crimp in 5 to knock any burrs off. 

 

 

 

[JMCCRACKEN1214]

I learned this morning that I’ll have to use the separate head to size. Sizing and then trying to drop powder on a lubed case makes a mess.

[HesedTech]

On 8/15/2022 at 4:03 AM, JMCCRACKEN1214 said:

Ive got 5 gallons of range 223 brass that I've cleaned, trimmed half of it..

I hope you trimmed the length after sizing the brass. Sizing changes the length.

 

With 223, and all my rifle brass, I decap, size, trim and then clean in water tumbler. Then I do the loading pass (yes two passes) with no lube at all. I neck size with a NOE plug die in Station 1 (550 and 1050) to help get a slight bell for the bullet to sit in.

 

Yes you could do it in one pass, but the trim step will be missed.

[Boomstick303]

18 minutes ago, HesedTech said:

I neck size with a NOE plug die in Station 1 (550 and 1050) to help get a slight bell for the bullet to sit in.

 

In using this die, does it create shaving?  I seem to get shavings using the Dillon die for this purpose.

[HesedTech]

55 minutes ago, Boomstick303 said:

 

In using this die, does it create shaving?  I seem to get shavings using the Dillon die for this purpose.

I use this plug with the Lee Universal expander die body to his it.  https://noebulletmolds.com/site/shop/bullet-casting-reloading/expanders/expander-plug-rifle/226-x-222-exp-plug/ I tried the .228x.224 plug thinking spring back of the brass would be an issue, however in general it was too loose of a bullet fit.

 

I also polish the plug and the answer is; except when the cutter leaves an edge of brass its does not shave the neck. 

 

The reason I use the neck expander plug is because with field brass the thickness of the metal varies enough to cause slight differences in seating pressures. It also puts a nice bell to set the bullet in.

[Boomstick303]

Thanks.

[AKJD]

On 8/15/2022 at 6:31 PM, dansedgli said:

Similar to mine. 

 

I wet tumble clean.

 

1st pass I size and deprime. Swage it in station 2. Trim in 3, M die to open the neck in 5. 

Wet tumble the lube off. 

2nd pass I use a universal decapper to make sure the case is empty in 1. Prime in 2, powder in 3, seat a bullet in 4, very slight crimp in 5 to knock any burrs off. 

 

 

 

Pretty much exactly what I do.  I wet tumble and dry in a food dehydrator.  Between passes I dry tumble in walnut.  Love being able to Swage on the press.  Glad I didn't listen to all the naysayers on the Swage-It die.  I've process over 15000 rounds this way without a problem. 

[Chills1994]

On Lake City brass which has been twice fired…

 

Or civilian brass with no primer crimps….

 

And I am fairly certain that all the case lengths are going to be under 1.760” long, I can get by with S.Pa.R.R.

 

Single

Pass

Rifle

Reloading

 

On a 650:

 

station #1:  universal decapping die

 

station #2:  Redding S style sizing die with a neck bushing (I’ll be back later with the size.  I am using a neck bushing die instead of a conventional re-sizing die with an expander ball so that the neck or mouth doesn’t get stretched out, and it increases the COAL).

 

Station #3:  Dillon Powder Measure , retrograded with the springs

 

station #4:  redding microsdjustable bullet seating die

 

station #5:  empty

 

(when I get back to my reloading shop later on today, I will take a closer look at my SPaRR toolhead, just to make sure that is how I have it set up.  Do NOT be surprised if I edit this post again.  The Dillon Powder Measure might be in station #4 and bullet seating might be in station #5 .)

 

I tumble the lube off the cases.  Or I will dump the cases in a rubbing alcohol soaked terry cloth towel.  Then give them bowling ball polishing treatment

 

Then I weigh each round on a digital scale since I wasn’t able to visually confirm powder in the case.

 

I will also case gauge every single round.

 

If your cases start out shorter than 1.760”, then you do NOT need to trim.

 

Let me say that one more time….

 

If your cases start out shorter than 1.760", then you do NOT need to trim.

 

Let that sink in.

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Chills1994