New single stage or use my 550b for reloading .223?

[l98ster]

Hi everyone,

Im thinking that I might start loading .223. I currently am using a dillon 550b for my pistol loads. Although the 550 can handle the rifle loads, it is fairly expensive for the complete conversion.

I dont plan on shooting 223 all that much, so high volume is not an issue. I plan to shoot maybe 100 rounds / month.

Question, should I get a single stage, a conversion for the dillon, or just buy factory ammo for the ammount that I plan on shooting?

-George

[Kevin Rohrer]

If you are shooting 100-rounds a month, adding the conversion kit and carbide sizing die for the 550 is the way to go. At some point you might decide to load bunches more at one time (they don't spoil with age).

If, however, you might eventually decide to branch out into other rifle calibers, go with a single-stage--or better yet, a C-H 4-station press that gives you either a semi-progressive, or four single-stage presses.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...g/IMG_0200.jpg

[l98ster]

Kevin,

Thanks for the input! Good looking setup you have there. How much was that?

Anyhow, the reason I ask is because everytime I buy a conversion for the 550, it cost me over 200 bucks!

Dies = $60
Top end = $95
Conversion shellplate & buttons = $43

With tax, that is a little over 200 bucks! I dont mind doing that for my pistols because I shoot 500 rounds per week, so the convenience of a quick change is great.

But with the rifle, should I spend the 200 on the conversion of the 550, or go with a Lee single stage which is less than 100 bucks. Also, even at 100 rounds a month, should I just buy factory??

I do not intend to get into any other rifle calibers. I am going to be picking up an AR for 3 gun shooting. 223 should handle that just fine.

Then again, shooting is basically an addiction, so who knows where this is going to lead!!!!!

-George

[dmazur]

I went with a 550b conversion for reloading .30-06, instead of a single stage. The 550b can easily handle reloading bottleneck cartridges.

I'm assuming the $200 includes a powder measure. For a fair comparison, you should add up the cost of the single stage press, hand primer, powder measure, loading blocks, etc. In other words, every thing you will need that won't be available if you move "off" the 550b. I think it is going to be very close to $200.

I believe one reason why Dillon recommends the 550b for folks who will be reloading rifle is that it is so easy to remove the case from Station 1 and do side operations like trimming, chamfering, removing excess lube, etc. and then resume using the press for remaining operations. From what I understand, this isn't as easy with auto-indexing presses, including their 650.

If you're not going for benchrest accuracy, including things like neck turning, hand seating primers and powder trickling, you'll probably be happy with using the 550b.

On the other hand, if you are trying to build "match" ammo, you might be better with a single stage press, or using very few of the 550b's features.

As far as factory ammo goes, I understand the cost is around twice that for reloading, so you can calculate how long it takes to pay off a $200 investment in equipment. If you assume $0.50 per round savings, 400 rounds would hit break-even in 4 months. Definitely pays for itself in a year.

The only other factor that could enter is that you might not want to be bothered with the additional preparation required for bottleneck cartridges. There's case lube, a case trimmer, chamfer tool, a primer pocket swager (if you're reloading military brass), and a cartridge headspace gauge to set up the resizing die. This makes reloading quite a bit "fussier" than reloading pistol rounds. If you are a low volume rifle shooter, this might be more hassle than you want, even if it saves some money.

[Farmland]

There are ways to cut your cost using the 550. I have the 650 and really it was only a few dollars for the conversion.

1. RCBS dies
2. Used existing tool head and powder measure.
4. I just happen to have the needed shell plate from reloading another cartridge that takes the same shell plate. ( same as the 380 which I have the kit for.)

1. I only needed the powder die and the inserts for the case feeder tube. You wouldn't necessary need the case feed tube for your 550.

I might have missed something. I did end up buy another tool head that I use as a floater for calibers I do not reload a lot of. Thus you don't have to reset your dies for the ones you reload often.


For some reason I size & deprime my 223 brass on a Lee Single Stage. That reason might be that I trim them all after this. In addition I hand prime.

I then run them on my 650 for the powered charge, bullet seating and crimp. I often do runs of just 100 and it works real smooth.

Everything is slow until you get to the 650 then your are done in an instant when doing such a small run.

In any event there are many options to lower the cost for using your 550.

This is a 550 interchangeable chart that may help you.

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillo....html#550cross

[bbqncigars]

a cartridge headspace gauge to set up the resizing die

I've never used a headspace gauge to adjust a die in 44 years of reloading, and I'm a former machinist. Adjust the die so the brass chambers in the gun, as per most reloading manuals.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Good looking setup you have there. How much was that?

The press was $265, the auto primer was $57, and the Lyman 55 was around $70 (the prices for these vary to a great deal).

[COSteve]

I've never used a headspace gauge to adjust a die in 44 years of reloading, and I'm a former machinist. Adjust the die so the brass chambers in the gun, as per most reloading manuals.

That works OK if you only have a single firearm in that caliber as you are forming your cases for a specific chamber, not for any firearm in that caliber. If you have multiple firearms in the same caliber like many of us do, then a Dillon or Wilson case gauge is a necessity.

[RWNielsen]

I have a 650 that I use for 357, 44 & 45acp. Caliber conversions are spendy especially with a powder check, tool head w/ powder measure and case feed plate. I bought a 308 rifle and decided to try a single stage first. I shoot about 100 rounds a month through the rifle. I bought the Lee Anniversary Breech lock kit (>$100) and a set of RCBS competition dies. The dies won't work on a progressive (extended shell holder). I use the powder measure to get close and trickle up. I can make 100 rounds in about an hour that are pretty consistent.

I went ahead and bought the stuff for my Dillon but it doesn't like extruded powders too much and varies +/- .2g or worse. Fine for blasting ammo but not so good for accuracy. I find that by just having a single stage bolted to the bench I tend to use it more than I thought I would.

It's one thing to sit down and crank out 500 rounds of 45acp and quite another to size, hand prime, trickle and seat 20 rounds of .308.
I like the process. YMMV

[dlb435]

I load 223 on my Dillon 550b. It's much faster and easier than using a single stage press. All you need is the shell plate, pins, tool head and powder dies. An extra powder drop with charge bar is nice but you don't really need it.
I didn't include dies because you'll need those either way.
FYI - I'm getting my 550b set up to load 45 ACP. While I'm getting all the Dillon parts together I'm reloading on an old CH press. It's just cheaper to set up the CH press and trouble shoot my reloading before I move on to the Dillon.

[demigod]

That works OK if you only have a single firearm in that caliber as you are forming your cases for a specific chamber, not for any firearm in that caliber. If you have multiple firearms in the same caliber like many of us do, then a Dillon or Wilson case gauge is a necessity.

I completely agree. Plus, if you're running something like an AR where you have to snap the extractor over the rim, and have the tension of the ejector pushing on the case, how good of a reading are you getting.

A case guage lets you check your min/max case length too. There's no downside to having one.

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by Kevin Rhorer

. . . adding the conversion kit and carbide sizing die. . .

I don't think he'd want a .223 carbide die for low volume. You don't get out of lubing with carbide for bottleneck rifle cases because they are full-length contact instead of just the ring used for straight wall cases. As a result, a case will stick in them just fine without lube.

[bbqncigars]

You might want to look into an RCBS X die for sizing your .223. I've been using one in my 550B for loading 7.62 x 51 for my FALs and such. Initial case prep was a bit of a pain, but no more trimming needed in over 12 loadings of the same milsurp brass.