Single stage press for .223 case prep?

[bufit323]

Great job on the HOA; I went out to Thibodaux this past week and Guy stomped my back side (10% of match) and Jeff also nudged me (2 Match Points). I am a bit rusty, but I attribute the whooping to the excellent progress made by these other folks. . . .come on, I take a couple of months off and when I come back everyone is shooting like GMs! Good on them, no doubt!

I have experienced the same thing regarding the 0.1 - 0.2 grain variation in .223. I always thought I was crazy, but I have witnessed that at the range of 200 yards, the variation does not cause much vertical stringing (though I am seeing a 30 fps standard deviation in my loads). I suspect that if we push that range out to 600 yards, we would see more pronounced evidence.

I tried to improve the dillon 550 powder measure by adding the micrometer and polishing all the surfaces and I am pretty happy that it is throwing Varget with about .2 grain range on 223. I just started messing around with 308, and the variation there seems to be larger.

I am beginning to think that it is an uncertainty in terms of percentage. When reloading 9mm with 4.1 grains of N320, a 1% variation is less that 0.1 grain, not even noticeable on my scales. When messing with 223, 1% is around .2 grains. By the time you get up to 308 and are putting 45 grains in, if you are varying 1%, you are off by nearly half a grain.

That is why I am interested in improving my drops some.

On your being anal, don't sweat it, I am the same way (engineer); everything on my desk is at right angles all the time!

[Hank Ellis]

-snip-

I am beginning to think that it is an uncertainty in terms of percentage. When reloading 9mm with 4.1 grains of N320, a 1% variation is less that 0.1 grain, not even noticeable on my scales. When messing with 223, 1% is around .2 grains. By the time you get up to 308 and are putting 45 grains in, if you are varying 1%, you are off by nearly half a grain.

-snip-

+1

Thought about that post on the way to work this afternoon. Two hours on the interstate and I came up with the same conclusion. Or put it another way a 1% variation in powder charge in a 5" gun on a battleship can probably be measured in kilos. Whereas a 1% variation in powder charge in a .22LR is down to the individual grains of powder.

Still, getting throws within 0.1gr for .223 can't hurt.

[jmart]

For 150-200 rounds/month, a Lee trimmer pilot chucked into a drill will work well enough. You'll need to chamfer and debur, do that while the case is still chucked in the drill. And get the cutter with the ball grip, your wrist will thank you.

Any decent SS will work fine, Lee's Cast Classic is every bit the equal of a RC at a better price. Or try a Lee Turret Press (but I still like to batch process my cases between resizing and trimming, for that a SS works better).

But a 550 w/two toolheads, including a Dillon Trim Die/motor, is the cat's meow. Just not sure if it's warranted for your quantity though, it's a bit overkill, but it will be convenient.