556 on Lee Classic Turret Equipment List

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WVsig

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So I am looking to start loading 556/223 on a Lee Classic Turret. I am already loading 45 ACP/9MM/38SPl so I have manuals, scales etc...

This will be the first bottle neck cartridge I will be reloading. Here is the list I have created. Please let me know if I am missing something.

-Trim-It II (3-Way Trimmer) Looking to go powered so it takes less time.
-Lee Ultimate 4-Die Set 223 Remington
-Dillon Model 600 Super Primer Swagger (Have a line on one used)
-4 hole Turret (already have the press)
-Rifle charging die
-New Lee Drum powder measure
-L.E. Wilson Case Length Headspace Gage 223 Remington maybe Dillon 13254

and of course bullets and powder. I am looking to use Hodgdon H335.
 
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I would throw in a lee auto drum and rifle charge die. Need some lube too, i would recommend imperial case wax. H335 is a good powder.
 
The only thing I can add to you list would be a chamferring tool for inside the mouth and to remove burrs on the outside of the mouth after trimming.
 
The only thing I can add to you list would be a chamferring tool for inside the mouth and to remove burrs on the outside of the mouth after trimming.
It is my limited understanding that the RCBS 3 Way cutter sizes deburs and chamfers. Will add the other items to the list.
 
A chamfer tool is not very expensive and is useful for other tasks than just deburring after trimming.

They are great for breaking the inside edge of the case mouth so that it does not shave the bullet on seating. Great to do on new cases that have not needed trimming yet.

I use it to remove the crimp in the primer pocket and to provide a little chamfer on the primer pocket for making priming easier. I've never had luck with swaging the primer pocket with a light duty press.

I'd get one of the special built swaging tools for removing crimps but I do not fool much with once fired military cases any more so not worth the investment for me.
 
a hammer and punch, for when a case sticks in the sizing die $#!&!

Got those covered.

Lee tube of toothpaste case lube

How do you plan on priming cases?

How do you plan on dispensing powder?

Got lube!!!

Lee Safety prime already on press.

Powder will be a Lee Drum powder dispenser on press.
 
Looks good to me EXCEPT you should use a case gauge if you're loading for semi-autos. Wilson/lyman type. If you're verifying proper shoulder setback in another way then fine, but the wilson gauges are quick and easy. Loading blocks may be useful for keeping things straight, but since you'll have to do the "progressive" part of loading on a turret in at least 2 separate stages, you may not need them in this case.

I charge rifle generally with my Redding powder measure but otherwise the rest I do with the LCT.

You'll have to deprime/size (yes, use good lube, NOT HORNADY ONE SHOT), tumble or wipe off lube (tumbling is easier IMO), gauge/check setback and resize any that don't pass (repeat lube/size/clean), then primer swaging/uniforming/cleaning if necessary/desired, then trimming/chamfering (the 3-way RCBS is a good call IMO; I use one), then you can load progressively on the LCT starting with priming. Since the primers are deposited while the ram is up, I put a lyman universal decapping die in position 1, to make sure there are no kernels of tumbling media in the flash holes. Prime, then complete the charge/seat/crimp as usual.

Let us know how it goes; I found .223 loading to be a PITA personally. Particularly the sizing. I basically buy factory now and save brass/components for the next Obamascare if needed.
 
Let us know how it goes; I found .223 loading to be a PITA personally. Particularly the sizing. I basically buy factory now and save brass/components for the next Obamascare if needed.

I hear you. I am really debating if I should just keep buying $.30 a round 223/556 which seems to be around more and more these days. I figure with the added equipment I will be out about $275. I can recoop the cost of the equipment with about 2,000 rounds of ammo without accounting for my time which I have.

My thinking is similar to yours. Get the equipment know how to do it and recoop my initial investment if I feel like it is too much of a PITA save brass and go back to buying. Learned a new skill and have a backup plan. LOL
 
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You will need the powder thru die for rifle. It is not in the 4 die set.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/79...ng-22-caliber-and-larger?cm_vc=ProductFinding
$12 Midway USA.

I like using the Universal decap die for .223, especially if I am dealing with brass that still has crimped in primers.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/13...riming-and-decapping-die?cm_vc=ProductFinding

5.56 brass can be a pain, I would reccomend ordering a couple spare decap pins for what ever die you plan on using to deprime the cases. I went a long time with one then messed up two in a row. You don't want to be dead in the water or end up paying $5 to ship a $3 part.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/27...ng-and-decapping-die-pin?cm_vc=ProductFinding

You have a way to trim cases but if you have a lot to trim I really like my Worlds Finest Trimmer for .223/5.56. Not cheap but money very well spent IMO.
You can get the WFT for less that the Trim Pro.
It chucks up in a 1/2" drill (I use my Harbor freight 1/2" hammer drill set on non hammer but ant 1/2" drill should work), Once adjusted you just run the drill stick the cases in it with one hand and done in a flash.
I don't even bother using the guage to see if they need trimming, I just run them all thru the trimmer, faster that way.
http://www.littlecrowgunworks.com/wft.html
There is a video on their site.

I have not used my new autodrum on .223 yet but it looks like goodbye to double disks.....

I think I might start a poll to get people responses.


There is a video on the site.
 
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I think it depends what you are doing with your rounds.If just plinking with 55 grainers you might just buy factory,if your shooting heavier bullets hand loading is the way to go.
 
I have had great luck using a lee turret press on 223. I use an auto disk for dispensing powder and lee case trimming cutter. I mix the lube with water, pour in a baggy, pour in the brass and shake, pour out on a newspaper and let dry, have not had a stuck case yet. accuracy has been a lot better then the lake city I bought.
 
Riser for the powder die. I use one between the charging die, (which you listed) and the LCT press. I like to use the standard decapper, get a few pins for it and your .223 size/decap dies. If I recall, they are different from each other.

I like the little can of imperial sizing wax for lube.

Russellc
 
you will need the powder measure riser. If you are loading for an AR I would not get the lee 4 die set. The collet sizing die and crimp dies are pointless for an AR, and I do not like lee seating dies. I would set my press up with a hornady new dimension full length sizing die, redding small base body sizing die, long rifle charging die with riser and auto disc, and hornady new dimension seater.
 
You don't need the collet die for the AR but the 4 die set is not that much more.
Never can tell when you might need it.
I use the Lee sizer for my AR and Mini 14 and am happy with it. I don't see any need for a "special" small base sizing die for my use.
While the Lee seater is not in the same class as a Redding Micrometer seater it works well for me.

Yes the pins for the universal decap die and the normal .223 sizer are different.
The .223 pin is shaped to expand the case mouth the universal pin is not.

Forgot about the riser, oopppsss. You need one.

I did start a thread of the WFT so you might want to take a look at it if you haven't purchased something to trim the cases with yet.

I like Dillon spray on case lube but everybody has their favorite.
There are some good lubes and some not so good case lubes out there.
 
Looking at your list, there are a couple of things I would change:

"-RCBS Trim Pro Case Trimmer 3-Way Cutter 22 Caliber
-RCBS Trim Pro-2 Manual Case Trimmer"

I owned the powered version of the above, including the three way cutter. I was never happy with the accuracy nor quality of cut of the trimmer. I got rid of it and now own a Dillon power trimmer. (And please note I am NOT a big Dillon fan. I bought the Dillon trimmer used.) I found I did not need the "three way" if the quality of the cut was good.

Also, when you have a lot of .223 brass, manual trimming gets TEDIOUS. So you may want to consider a power trimmer.

Final thought: If you want to stay with a manual trimmer, look strongly at the Forster, LE Wilson and CH4D trimmers. I have the Forster and it comes with most of what's needed to trim the standard calibers in the starter kit.

"-Lee Ultimate 4-Die Set 223 Remington"

If you want the best accuracy you can get, you might want to consider getting the Forster premium seating die, especially if you're reloading for High Power rifle. The Forster is a better design than the Redding and won't break if you're loading compressed loads for long range High Power competition sometime in your future.

"-RCBS Primer Pocket Swager Combo 2 "

I've had just about every variety of the on press swagers you can buy, including the RCBS one. None of them worked just right. I finally gave up and bought a used Dillon. Works great and I was able to process thousands of 223/5.56 brass without any drama. Again, I'm not a Dillon fan, just tried most everything else out there and they've got the best product in this situation.

"-Lee 4 Hole, Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Turret"

I owned one of these and it's an excellent press. If you tune it, set it up right and use all it's options correctly, you can produce 200 rounds/hour fairly easily and if you get the ergonomics right and have ever been a production operator, you can get 250-300 rounds out of it. But you'll be working hard at 300 and have to be very focused. I only sold mine because I had need to load thousands of .223 and .308, so I needed a progressive. I miss it. It's one of the truly economical and good all around presses out there. You might also want to consider buying a Lee Classic Cast single stage as a companion press. I guarantee you'll find uses for it and reloading rifle is a two stage process - 1. Brass sizing & prep, 2. priming, powder, bullet & seating.

"-Rifle charging die
-New Lee Drum powder measure"

You should be aware you can also use an RCBS or Hornady case activated powder drop and an RCBS Uniflow powder measure. Uniflows have been around a long time and are fairly easily acquired used. The case activated powder drops have been around, but people tend to not sell them much, so you'd have to get that used. The Uniflow is an excellent powder measure.

"-L.E. Wilson Case Length Headspace Gage 223 Remington"

Look also at Dillon and Ch4D for case gauges.

"and of course bullets and powder. I am looking to use Hodgdon H335"

For bullet and powder selection, think about what you are going to do with the cartridges you make. That will point you in a direction to find your components.

I hope this helps you.
 
I find the small base sizer improves reliability slightly in auto loaders but its certainly not necessary. Another nice thing about it is that if you use it as the first step it is much easier to full length size and greatly reduces the chance of sticking a case in your sizing die.
 
Great input guys a lot to think about. I am mainly looking to produce plinking rounds and as I get better will stretch it out a bit. These days I shoot mostly 200 yards and under which is why I have stuck with factory ammo. I am not sure that my volume justifies a Dillion trimmer or other electric trimmer unless it is one of the drill type setups.

It really is coming down to a volume issue. I shoot about 200-400 rounds a month so not a high volume but it can add up. Still trying to determine if it will be worth the extra effort.

One thing I see as a major advantage is that with handloads I will be able to vary the bullet 50gr, 55gr, 62gr etc vs what is cheapest which is usually 55gr.
 
Shooting the bullet grain you want,is one of the beauties of hand loading.I can make 69,77,80 grainers for much less than factory ammo.I would think more accurate as well, although I wouldn't know since I don't buy factory ammo.
If your shooting that much per month,it might benefit you to buy a trimmer.I have a Worlds Finest Trimmer. If I was buying now,I would buy a Trim-It II or Giraud,since I trim and chamfer.
 
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