223 on 650

[randy01]

Hi,

I want to start loading .223 on my 650. What setup should I use. 1 or 2 toolheads? Size on single stage?

Never loaded rifle rounds on a progressive you see

[Intel6]

It is really the preference of the shooter. I personally load my .223 semi-progressivly on my 650 because I don't like getting loaded ammo with case lube all over it. I size/decap and then polish off the lube and then I have cases that are ready to load or swage the primer pockets and then load.

If I didn't have a 650 with a case feeder I would probably do it different.

Neal in AZ

[n2ipsc]

There are probably as many different opionions and approaches as there are Forum members

I personally use two different approaches, depending on whether I'm loading new/processed brass, or fired/range brass.

For fired/range/unprocessed brass, I have one 650 toolhead with...

• Redding small-base sizing die, station 1
  Dillon Rapid Trim 1200B Case Trimmer, station 3
  Redding neck-sizer, station 5
  

I process lubed cases through this setup and tumble them clean.

For new/processed brass, I have a second 650 toolhead with...

• RCBS decapping die, station 1 (pokes any tumbling media out of the flash hole)
  Normal Dillon powder measure setup, station 2
  KISS bullet feeder, station 3
  Redding competition seating die, station 4
  Lee factory crimp die, station 5
  

Hope this helps!

[Ground Loop]

There are probably as many different opionions and approaches as there are Forum members

I personally use two different approaches, depending on whether I'm loading new/processed brass, or fired/range brass.

For fired/range/unprocessed brass, I have one 650 toolhead with...

• Redding small-base sizing die, station 1
  Dillon Rapid Trim 1200B Case Trimmer, station 3
  Redding neck-sizer, station 5
  

I process lubed cases through this setup and tumble them clean.

For new/processed brass, I have a second 650 toolhead with...

• RCBS decapping die, station 1 (pokes any tumbling media out of the flash hole)
  Normal Dillon powder measure setup, station 2
  KISS bullet feeder, station 3
  Redding competition seating die, station 4
  Lee factory crimp die, station 5
  

Hope this helps!

Thanks for posting that! I'm thinking of going to a very similar setup (minus the KISS for now). The decap-only die in the second toolhead makes a lot of sense.. no lube needed. I was thinking of keeping a size die in there to neck-size, but that's better done on the first toolhead.

I am so bad about keeping my processed brass separate from range brass that I end up reprocessing all of it all the time.. might as well make a system that's good at that.

[uscbigdawg]

Keep in mind you can fire 223 a while before it needs to get trimmed. Basically, I'm in the KISS group.

- Start with all the brass processed (crimp removed and trimmed if necessary)

- XL650 w/ Dillon standard dies where they're supposed to go

- Load and go w/ Dillon Case Lube (I do have a powder checker, but that's me being anal)

- About 100 rounds at a time, you can throw them in to the Dillon small tumbler to get the lube off

(YES TUMBLING LIVE AMMO IS OKAY)

From there, seperate from media, case gauge and then box 'em up!

Rich

[benos]

Keep in mind you can fire 223 a while before it needs to get trimmed. Basically, I'm in the KISS group.

Rich

+1.

I never trimmed rifle brass until it was too long to chamber (after being full-length resized).

That is especially true if you start with a lot of brass that's been "batch-prepped" so it's all the same OAL. Keep it all on the same number of firings, and just keep reloading it.

Also note that Dillon sells a Universal De-capping Die that's similar to Redding's die. (That may save you a shopping stop if you're buying everything else Dillon.)

This is a common scenario... You've got a big batch of 223 brass, of unknow/mixed origin. And you want to get it all to the same length before loading it the first time to shoot in your AR.

So set up 2 Toolheads (on a 550, 650, or 1050).

Toolhead One, Station one: Universal De-capping Die; Station 3: Rt 1200 Trimmer.

Tumble clean. Then remove primer pocket crimps (if necessary) with Dillon's Super Swage 600 (unless you're luck enough to have a 1050).

Toolhead Two, Station one: Empty, or Universal De-cappping die (for media in primer pockets). Then set the rest of the stations up for normal reloading.

Note that there was no neck sizing in the above scenario. (Because the RT 100's Trim Die full-length resizes, but of course it cannot neck size while it's trimming.) Especially if you will load boat-tail bullets (which it seems like many are these days), it won't matter. You'll just end up with a little "extra" neck tension on the bullet. Also many flat based bullets can be loaded even w/o inside chamfering the neck after it was trimmed with the RT 1200.

be

[S-Hurt]

N2IPSC .... sounds like you have a pretty nice set up! I'm new to reloading 223 with my Dillon 650 and might just copy off you!