RL1100 - Can I use the "Short Trim Head Die" required for 300 B/O to also trim 5.56 or 308 brass or is this a NO-NO

[Sigarmsp226]

Brass Trimming and Forming Experts - If I want to have the capability to trim 5.56/223 and 308 brass AND also be able to convert 5.56/223 brass to 300 B/O brass can I just purchase the RL1100 Short Trim Die Toolhead needed to make the 300 B/O brass and also use it to trim my 5.56/223 and 308 brass (knowing a tool head die re-set up required when I change calibers)?

 

My intent would be to run all rifle brass through a 2 pass (cycle) process:

 

First Pass - Swage, Resize, Trim process cycle using the Short Case Trim Tool Head (using this one tool head for all three calibers - if that is possible) knowing I would have to re-set it up for each different caliber.

 

Second Pass - Final loading cycle (pass) using a dedicated pre-set up for that caliber standard RL1100 tool head.  

 

Guidance and Feedback is appreciated....

[Sigarmsp226]

Well an expert from Dillon Precision called me back and answered my question above from where I called yesterday and the rep I spoke to said he needed to get this answer from someone with more knowledge on the subject.
 

The answer is NO - you should not use the Short Head Die ToolHead for trimming 223/5.56 or 308 brass. The short head die tool head is made specifically for trimming 223/5.56 to 300 B/O as well as trimming a couple of other cablers (223/5.56 and 308 were not included in those other calibers). 

Edited August 19, 2022 by Sigarmsp226

[Blacktail 8541]

Well I guess I have been doing it wrong for a long while as I use mine for .223 and .306 with no problems at all.

[Sigarmsp226]

12 hours ago, Blacktail 8541 said:

Well I guess I have been doing it wrong for a long while as I use mine for .223 and .306 with no problems at all.

Blacktail - Thanks Sir for chiming in and challenging what Dillon told me. I did buy a short trim head toolhead but have not yet purchased my RT1500 trimmer.

If this is not a stupid idea my thought was to set up the following:

 

1> Set up the short trim die toolhead as a dedicated toolhead for converting LC 223/5.56 to 300 B/O with a Full Length resizing and a Lyman “M” die on this toolhead also after the trimming

2> Set up a dedicated standard toolhead for trimming 223/5.56 (Have an extra standard toolhead not in use) with a Full Length resizing die and a Lyman “M” die on this toolhead also.

3> Set up a  dedicated standard toolhead for trimming 308 brass (Have another extra standard toolhead not in use) with a Full Length resizing die and a Lyman “M” die on this toolhead also. 

 

These three separate tool heads, that I already have, would share one RT1500 trimmer.

 

Thoughts on why this would not work?  Each trim die will have a locking set bolt so once I set each of these it will be easy to move the trimmer from one toolhead to another toolhead.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2022 by Sigarmsp226

[Abbey]

I use the short trim head for all trimming - just like the guys from Dillon recommended to me some years ago. 
 

I don’t see how it could be a problem. If the short toolhead is OK for converting 5.56 to .300 blk (I.e. lots of trimming), why wouldn’t it work for just light trimming of 5.56 to 5.56 (in spec)?

 

Fwiw, I have 1 trim toolhead with FW arms decapper, FW arms swage backer, then swap out the trim die and Lyman m-die depending on caliber. 
 

Apart from that, I have a dedicated 9mm loading toolhead, dedicated.223/5.56, and a 3rd loading toolhead that I change out multiple calibers (but is usually setup for .308)