30-30 On Dillon 550B....new prospect

[Palladan44]

Been loading pistol calibers on my Dillon 550B for years....Ive never loaded any rifle calibers of any kind on this machine.

I'm entertaining the idea of it, but am looking for any general information on this endeavor....I know it's not as simple as getting a caliber conversion Kit +dies and away to the races....or is it?

I understand the brass needs to be trimmed, and the crimp rolled into cannelure of so no setback occurs in the magazine.... (I roll crimp .357 Mags. for a few different reasons)

Any input from other loaders of .30-30 WIN on a Dillon 550B would be appreciated [I've got plenty of manuals and I read them, please don't respond: "Get a manual and read it!"]
Thank you

 

[EricBu]

I presume you're loading hunting rounds? If you're loading for that rare .30-30 bolt gun and looking for MOA accuracy, use a funnel in the powder station instead of the powder measure. If you're looking for "minute of lever gun", the powder measure is good to go, you'll need the large bar. You'll also have to choose a powder that meters decent in a measure. When loading rifle on the 550, I am very OCD with getting the tension on the shell plate just right. I loosen the set screw, put a piece of brass in each station, and tighten the plate retaining bolt down until there is zero play in the plate, but it can still rotate freely, the tighten set screw. Try and load all the same headstamp brass....there is a wide variety in rim thickness with .30-30....so you'll get shell plate wobble, or it won't turn if you change up headstamp sometimes....and you'll have to readjust.

You didn't mention bullets...if you're loading for a lever, make sure you choose a bullet intended or safe for tube magazines.

Trim to in accordance with your load data if they are out of spec. Unless you're using that Hornady lever gun round, then you've got to follow their directions. I don't flare my .30-30 unless I'm loading cast. If you are using a cannelure bullet, crimp into cannelure, medium, basically the same as you would for .357. Neck tension is more important than crimp for preventing setback.

 

[CryptKeeper5]

I have the same 550B and it's really pretty much as simple as that. No esoteric art required...just the conversion kit and a set of dies really. As mentioned, of course you want round nosed bullets and will need a large charge bar but that's really about it. I personally use a LEE factory crimp die on the cannelured bullets but so long as you keep good neck tension it's not required from my experience.

 

[nofendertom]

When I load rifle cartridges on my 550b I use it as a single station press.

 

[22250Rem]

When I load rifle cartridges on my 550b I use it as a single station press.

.... Same here. And I also do .30-30 among others on it. In fact; It's currently set up for 30-30 as I type this. Putting together some hunting loads for this fall.

 

[blue32]

For bottle neck rifle cartridges with cast / jacketed
1. lube
2. resize / deprime.
3. take out and trim if needed (if not proceed to station 2)
4. powder drop with supplied caliber conversion powder through die if using jacketed (if using cast, I remove case and drop powder by hand for the whole batch and use Lyman M die in station 2 to bell case after charging off press)
5. bullet seating
6. bullet crimping (to either remove bell or more to actually crimp depending on cartridge)
7. remove lube

To keep everything moving along I always enter a case in the first station even if I've batch charged every case after doing the previous steps. Just remember to manually index the the correct number of times.

 

[bihj]

Kit and dies are all you need. I do check case lengths, but I only trim when they are long.

 

[Laphroaig]

How many rounds do you shoot? If its not at least 4-500 per year I don't think its worth the extra cost of a conversion kit and powder die to set up the Dillon. Now if the Dillon is your only press that's another story.

 

[Palladan44]

Great input. Thanks all.
I don't shoot nearly 4-500 per year, probably more like 50 rds.....but that can change pretty easily. More ammo will equate to more firing naturally.
I'm going to go for it.

 

[Soonerpesek]

When I load rifle cartridges on my 550b I use it as a single station press.

Same......

I also don't use the auto powder measure, I use a funnel and the AT500 powder die.....
For what it's worth to ya....