Dillon Rifle Sizing Dies (.223 & 30-06) Lack of adjustment

[TBP]

I have drunk the blue kool aid and have been a Dillon user since 1986 but lately have

not been having such good luck with their .223 and 30-06 sizing dies. My problem is

that I just finished a large run of .223 and for the life of me could not get the sizing die

to size the brass so that it is about halfway between the upper and lower rail of the case

gauge. The very best I can do is to almost have the sizing die touching the shell plate

and then the case will size out where it is just about even with the outer rail on the case

gauge. Talk about no sizing die adjustment, this is it. So today after I changed over

the 550B to do some 30-06 I run into exactly the same thing with the 30-06 dies. Both

of these dies are relatively new and the .223 sizing die is the carbide one to boot. I

talked to technical service and they suggested that if the sized brass 'fit' my rifle then

is is OK. That was the last thing I expected to hear since I cannot tell how 'well' the

brass fits my rifle except that it chambers and extracts. When completely loaded

I can then say a few prayers and touch of a round or two to check out how well it

fits but that is not my preferred method of checking fit. My question to the forum

is this: Has anyone else experienced this lack of adjustment in Dillon rifle sizing

dies and if so, have you a solution?

[GentlemanJim]

I have to run my 223 die down all the way against the shell plate.

Jim

[Big Bore]

I have to run my .223 die down tight onto the shell plate. I've heard alot of problems with this same issue lately. I haven't had any issues with my Dillon .308 die.

Edited December 11, 2008 by Big Bore

[D.Hayden]

There's been talk on here quite a bit about this.. I cam over.. I run it to the shell plate, then lower it, and add 1/8 of a turn

[TBP]

There's been talk on here quite a bit about this.. I cam over.. I run it to the shell plate, then lower it, and add 1/8 of a turn

Thanks, I'll give this a shot. You would think this problem, with this much notoriety,

Dillon might, just might, think of doing something with their die set to alleviate the problem.

Clearly their die set does not perform to the criteria that they publish with their case gauges

and that would to be set the sizing so that the base of the case is halfway between the

upper and lower rails on the case gauge.

Edited December 12, 2008 by TBP

[SingleStacker45]

get the RCBS case Mic. That gives you a more precise measurement. I use the dillon guage to check loaded rounds but nothing more since I got the RCBS.

RCBS Precision Mic

[Ground Loop]

get the RCBS case Mic. That gives you a more precise measurement. I use the dillon guage to check loaded rounds but nothing more since I got the RCBS.

+1 for the case mic, for sure! Otherwise, you're just guessing.

Then you'll find that the Dillon dies are really just too damn long. To get them to size, you have to do two things:

1) Smash them into the shellplate. Don't be shy! Think of how much pressure the press is under with Real Brass in there, and then realize a little cam-over kiss on the shellplate doesn't really hurt anything. You have to do this in order to even approach spec-headspace length. I find 1/8th turn past contact is still too little. Won't size enough, and a few LONG cases will sneak through to ruin your shooting day.

2) LUBE. In a big way. I was amazed to find that with my miserly Hornady OneShot spray, I was getting +0.005" over where I needed to be. When I used the Dillon Lube spray in anger, the same die setting was getting me -0.002"! I was surprised to see lube have that much impact. If it takes two hands to pull the handle down, and you're pulling a stuck case every 100rds, you're not using near enough lube. So now I grease them up like a hot muffin.

I asked around here and a few people have actually taken a grinder/sander to the Dillon die to make them a more appropriate length. If I keep fighting this, I will do the same.

I called Dillon to ask about this very thing, and the advice they gave was to keep cranking it into the shellplate until I got the size I wanted. The whole frame will flex some under actual use, so it's not contacting as much with brass in. Mmmkay, so there's the word. Have no mercy on your shellplate.

Also, all the pressure on the frame will knock your seating depth back a bit. So you have to dial that back in to compensate. Then those rounds you load with no brass under the size die will be seated deep.

Dillon? How about having a second look at the length of the .223 die?

[RiggerJJ]

Yep, same thing here, but not to the extent of really smashing the die into the shellplate, mine is as far as it will go without flexing the frame. BARELY makes guage, but all cases are the same, even without random positions populated. I called Dillon, they sent me a second die, (the one I am using) and it was just slightly better than the original. Dillon does need to look this over and adjust the length of the carbide sizing die...

Lube is very definately your friend, just be aware that OVER lubing will put funny little dimples in your cases...

I also have to bump the shoulder with a neck die so all rounds chamber in all my ARs. but the only culls I get when guaging loaded rounds are primer related, not case size related.

jj

Edited December 16, 2008 by RiggerJJ

[High Lord Gomer]

I just started reloading .223 on a 550 and originally brought the Dillon resizing down all the way down to the shell plate. After checking with a Dillon case gauge, I had to raise it back up a little as it was resizing the shoulder down too low and I was getting cases at or near the minimum.

Edited December 17, 2008 by High Lord Gomer

[TBP]

I just started reloading .223 on a 550 and originally brought the Dillon resizing down all the way down to the shell plate. After checking with a Dillon case gauge, I had to raise it back up a little as it was resizing the shoulder down too low and I was getting cases at or near the minimum.

Are you using the standard .223 die or the carbide .223 die and what case gauge are you using?

Edited December 17, 2008 by TBP

[el pres]

Just grind a little off the die face.. hand held grinder will do 0.002-0.003

worked for me !!

[3GunF1Guy]

Thats what I did. Just grind a little off the bottom of the die. Now it fits my 223 chamber and pushes the sholder back to the perfect place for my rifle.

Scott

[High Lord Gomer]

I just started reloading .223 on a 550 and originally brought the Dillon resizing down all the way down to the shell plate. After checking with a Dillon case gauge, I had to raise it back up a little as it was resizing the shoulder down too low and I was getting cases at or near the minimum.

Are you using the standard .223 die or the carbide .223 die and what case gauge are you using?

Oops, turns out I'm using a Lee Die. Dillon case gauge, though.

[TBP]

Dillon replaced/repaired both of my sizing dies (.223 & 30-06).

They now seem to be working fine.

Edited January 3, 2009 by TBP