Press and Die questions, will this work?

Redhook · February 17, 2002, 02:46 AM

1) I'm looking into reloading .308Win for accuracy and I'm trying to decide on my setup. My friend has a Dillon XL650 (for pistol) and a Redding Turret Press (for rifle). He claims that the best press for accuracy loading (with the added speed over a single stage) is the Redding. Is this true?

2) He also claims that he would never think of mounting his Redding Competition dies in the Dillon. He claims that the Dillon is not accurate enough as far as indexing and bullet retention. The Dillon will only mess up the dies and occasionally crush the brass. Is this true?

3) For my information, are the Dillon dies that come with a 550 or 650 capable of loading a match round?

-Red-

swampgator · February 17, 2002, 03:23 AM

The advantage of the Dillon is speed pure and simple. You didn't mention what type of shooting your friend does. This does have a lot of bearing on why he stated what he did.

1) Possibly:
If he is a benchrest shooter, and anal enough he weighs everything! Discarding anything outside of a preset parameter. Accuracy is his only goal. If he's loading hunting rounds then accuracy is a little less important.

While the speed of using a turret is a benefit, for true accuracy you want to weigh everything, so the loading process is going to be slow. Know that ahead of time.

2) Again Possible
As for mounting Redding dies in a Dillon, while I don't do it I'm sure there are those who do. The Dillon dies are designed with wide mouths to funnel the case into the die. Redding, to my knowledge aren't (prefaced by stating I don't own any Redding dies). So yes, crushing a case into the die is possible. I've done it using RCBS in the 550. As far the accuracy of the indexing, the shell plate can be tension adjusted, and in my experience, proper tension can alleviate misalignement.

3) Guess what, Possibly!
Some of the guys once tried to tell if there was a noticeable difference between ammo loaded on a progressive at a normal pace and hand loaded with the powder trickeled for each charge.
While the "hand" loaded ammo was more accurate, the general consensus was that it wasn't important enough to them to justify the time lost to "hand" loading. The deer that season also couldn't tell the difference. Press was a 550 using Dillon .223 dies.

clown714 · February 17, 2002, 07:48 AM

that's why i only use dillon dies.

slickpuppy · February 17, 2002, 09:35 AM

Redding's Pro Series dies are designed specifically for use with progressive presses. They work fine with Dillon presses.

As for your competition seating dies, they work in the Dillons, too. You will find that due to manufacturing tolerances on the press that you can get up to .005" of variance on seating depth. Most of that slop is due to the toolhead to press fit. You have additional variance possible even with the toolhead to die fit/screw threads - that could conceivably add another thousandth due to the very nature of how screw thread tolerances are specified.

Redhook · February 17, 2002, 08:08 PM

Sickpuppy,

I was not aware that Redding made a Pro Series "Rifle" die set for my .308win. If I am mistaken, please correct me.

-Red-

ryucasta · February 17, 2002, 08:58 PM

I have been using Reddings Competition Seating dies for years on my 2 650's and my 1050 with no problems.

Steve Smith · February 17, 2002, 09:36 PM

A Dillon will do a GREAT job of loading ammo, and will use ANY standard thread die made. The operator is responsible for making sure the system works, but jeez louise...the friggin' stuff works great. Try not to think too hard.

slickpuppy · February 18, 2002, 09:55 PM

Redhook,
I use the Redding Pro Series pistol dies. For rifle I use the Redding Type S full bushing dies along with the Competition Seating die in Dillon presses.

February 17, 2002, 02:46 AM	#1
Redhook Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2001 Posts: 254	Press and Die questions, will this work? 1) I'm looking into reloading .308Win for accuracy and I'm trying to decide on my setup. My friend has a Dillon XL650 (for pistol) and a Redding Turret Press (for rifle). He claims that the best press for accuracy loading (with the added speed over a single stage) is the Redding. Is this true? 2) He also claims that he would never think of mounting his Redding Competition dies in the Dillon. He claims that the Dillon is not accurate enough as far as indexing and bullet retention. The Dillon will only mess up the dies and occasionally crush the brass. Is this true? 3) For my information, are the Dillon dies that come with a 550 or 650 capable of loading a match round? -Red-

February 17, 2002, 03:23 AM	#2
swampgator Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Gatorville, Florida Posts: 619	The advantage of the Dillon is speed pure and simple. You didn't mention what type of shooting your friend does. This does have a lot of bearing on why he stated what he did. 1) Possibly: If he is a benchrest shooter, and anal enough he weighs everything! Discarding anything outside of a preset parameter. Accuracy is his only goal. If he's loading hunting rounds then accuracy is a little less important. While the speed of using a turret is a benefit, for true accuracy you want to weigh everything, so the loading process is going to be slow. Know that ahead of time. 2) Again Possible As for mounting Redding dies in a Dillon, while I don't do it I'm sure there are those who do. The Dillon dies are designed with wide mouths to funnel the case into the die. Redding, to my knowledge aren't (prefaced by stating I don't own any Redding dies). So yes, crushing a case into the die is possible. I've done it using RCBS in the 550. As far the accuracy of the indexing, the shell plate can be tension adjusted, and in my experience, proper tension can alleviate misalignement. 3) Guess what, Possibly! Some of the guys once tried to tell if there was a noticeable difference between ammo loaded on a progressive at a normal pace and hand loaded with the powder trickeled for each charge. While the "hand" loaded ammo was more accurate, the general consensus was that it wasn't important enough to them to justify the time lost to "hand" loading. The deer that season also couldn't tell the difference. Press was a 550 using Dillon .223 dies. __________________ www.afn.org/~guns

February 17, 2002, 07:48 AM	#3
clown714 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2001 Location: ga Posts: 395	dillon 650 that's why i only use dillon dies.

February 17, 2002, 09:36 PM	#7
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	This is BS. A Dillon will do a GREAT job of loading ammo, and will use ANY standard thread die made. The operator is responsible for making sure the system works, but jeez louise...the friggin' stuff works great. Try not to think too hard. __________________ Favor the X. Steve Smith NRA Life Member

February 17, 2002, 09:35 AM	#4
slickpuppy Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 1999 Posts: 928	Redding's Pro Series dies are designed specifically for use with progressive presses. They work fine with Dillon presses. As for your competition seating dies, they work in the Dillons, too. You will find that due to manufacturing tolerances on the press that you can get up to .005" of variance on seating depth. Most of that slop is due to the toolhead to press fit. You have additional variance possible even with the toolhead to die fit/screw threads - that could conceivably add another thousandth due to the very nature of how screw thread tolerances are specified.

February 17, 2002, 08:08 PM	#5
Redhook Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2001 Posts: 254	Sickpuppy, I was not aware that Redding made a Pro Series "Rifle" die set for my .308win. If I am mistaken, please correct me. -Red-

February 17, 2002, 08:58 PM	#6
ryucasta Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 431	I have been using Reddings Competition Seating dies for years on my 2 650's and my 1050 with no problems.

February 18, 2002, 09:55 PM	#8
slickpuppy Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 1999 Posts: 928	Redhook, I use the Redding Pro Series pistol dies. For rifle I use the Redding Type S full bushing dies along with the Competition Seating die in Dillon presses.