Loaded my first .223's

[mugsie]

OK guys - I loaded my first batch of .223's last night. I'm using a Dillon 500B and had loaded only handguns prior. After reading through numerous threads, I decided on the sequence I'd use for the bottle neck cases. I picked up a second Dillon tool head for $13, and screwed in the decapping die. I lubed the cases by squirting them down with a home made lube (lanolin and alcohol). I placed the tool head into position and decapped, they went like a dream. Super easy, in fact much easier than the 9mm I had been doing. I expected all kinds of effort to be used but there was virtually none. When they were all decapped and sized, I took them out and tumbled the lube off. Now I switched tool heads, and placed the one with the powder, seating and crimping die in the press and proceeded to load normally. The station one did the priming, and the balance dropped the powder, seated and crimped.

After this exercise, I actually see no reason as to why I shouldn't do this all in one operation. In my experience, the lube never affected the powder on any of my other reloads, so why not decap and size, powder drop etc as a normal progressive is supposed to do? It would save one extra step.

Anyway, it was fun, as all reloading is. This week I take them to the range and we'll see how they shoot.

 

[BigSoundRacing]

Congrats !!

I'm about to start reloading .308 on a Dillon 650 with the case feeder. I'm considering to conduct two passes as you initially described, so that I can check and trim the cases after the FL resize.

 

[Idano]

mugsie,

The only recommendation I would suggest is add a Universal Decapping die when you start to reload before you reprime. The Universal Decapping die will clear the flash hole of any media left over after tumbling.

Tell me how you mixed up your case lube. I am considering using this recipe I pulled from the net but forgot the web site and didn't write it down

Source Unknown
Spray Lube
The spray-on case lubes are probably the best thing to happen to reloading in years. You can make your own spray case sizing lube in bulk by mixing liquid lanolin and 99% isopropyl alcohol. (While you can (kind of) use 91% isopropyl alcohol, its higher water content causes the lanolin to settle out and it must be shaken frequently during use. The more common 70% isopropyl "rubbing alcohol" will not work at all as its water content is much to high.)
Liquid lanolin, which is a refined lanolin oil with the solid fats removed (the reason why solid anhydrous lanolin doesn't work well in this application) is available from health food stores and sources specializing in ingredients for cosmetics. You want to get pure liquid lanolin without additives. Online sources include VitaGlo (http://www.vitaglo.com/7730.html) and Select Oils (http://www.selectoils.com/item--Lanolin-Liquid--SO-LanolinLiquid.html).
I just recently discovered that my local Safeway store carries 99 percent isopropyl in their drug/cosmetic isle for $0.99 for a 16 ounce bottle. Ninety-nine percent isopropyl alcohol is also available from many large paint stores (used to some finishes), some electronics stores (it's used for cleaning electronics) or local industrial chemical suppliers.
A solution of 1 part liquid lanolin and 4 to 5 parts parts 99 percent isopropyl alcohol (4 oz of liquid lanolin to16 - 20 oz of isopropyl) works well. When mixing you may find that the lanolin mixes better if you warm both the alcohol and lanolin in a bath of warm water to about 105 - 110 degrees F before mixing. DO NOT WARM EITHER OF THEM OVER AN OPEN FLAME! Once the solutions are warm, pour together, mix thoroughly, allow the mix to cool (mix occasionally as it cools) and store in an air tight container to prevent water from being absorbed by the isopropyl.
For a spray bottle you can use an old commercial spray lube bottle or an old pump hair spray bottle that has been thoroughly cleaned. To apply the lube, spread the cases in a single layer on a clean surface (those disposable aluminum oven liner trays are great and prevent the wrath of your chef when it is discovered that the cookie trays were used) and lightly and evenly spray the cases. Allow the cases to sit for a couple of minutes, roll the cases around and lightly spray again. Wait until the alcohol has evaporated (about 5 minutes) and start sizing. Properly lubed cases will have a slightly greasy feel to them without feeling slimy. One of the advantages of using sprayed on lanolin as a case lube is that, in the quantities used, any residual lube has no effect on powder or primers.

Does this sound like your recipe, if not let me know what you are using. I go through a lot of Hornady one shot and at $7.00 a can I don't mind risking a $14 dollar die to find something that works just as good at a fraction of the cost I am in.

 

[Idano]

BigSoundRacing

I have a Hornady AP with the case feeder similar to your 650 and didn't like the idea of gumming up my feeder and tubes with lube so I deprime on my Rock Chucker with an optional case kicker. It certainly isn't as fast as my progressive but there is no clean up and I can run at about 300-400 rounds an hour.

By the way I hope your guys are using the RCBS X-Die; it saves you from re-trimming your brass.

 

[mugsie]

Here's the link

Here's the link for the lube as well as several other products. I tried the lube and it's great - never tried the others so you're on your own.

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

 

[Idano]

mugsie,

Thanks, was the site where I found my recipe. I just mixed up 20 ounces and it smells and feels exactly like my Hornady 1-shot case lube. Looks like I may have a two year supply now.

 

[layusn1]

Shoot, I gave up and bought the RCBS lube Die #1...decapps and lubes the cases and they are ready to go to the next station. My original evil master plan was/is...I have a 3 station Lee Pro 1000 so...station 1 the lube decapper die, station 2 the resize die and station 3 an RCBS trim die. Then I could put the other 223 turret on and station 1 for powder drop, station 2 for bullet seating and station 3 for the Lee FCD. OK, now you can shoot the messenger and tell me what a horrible time wasting idea that is and that I should just get the x-dies and not worry about the trim die and then I may as well just do the case prep on the single stage....lol

 

[Idano]

Well you still have a good plan just use the X-Die in station #2