Reloading 10mm in Dillon 550b

[Palladan44]

Been reloading with the 550B for many years.
Have had outstanding success with many calibers. The most problems ive had are with the 10mm.

When seating, no matter what i do, the bullet sits in the case slightly crooked, leaving an obvious bulge on one side. It doesnt affect the round as far as specification, it still is in spec and still cycles and fires fine. Just cant figure out why it happens. Some may tell me, if it cycles and fires fine then why worry about it? But im a bit of a perfectionist and like my reloads to look flawless. Again, pick on me for it if you wish.

Secondly, when crimping, the crimp produces "brass dust" or "chaff" or whatever youd like to call it. It eventually galls up the crimp die where i have to clean it every 50 or so loads. It also gets in the revolving shellplate and makes its way back to the reprimer stud, sometimes leaving a dent in the back of a primer after repriming (like a grain of powder also can do. Ive replaced the die, and same thing happens. Case lube has little to no affect. I have no issues with other calibers with this. Only thing i can guess is the machine marks in the carbide die act like ridges in a file. Cant think of any other reason for this annoying, but not deal breaking phenomenon.

 

[dredd]

I have had great luck loading the 10mm on my Dillon.
I use Lee Dies.

Your Dies are all I can think of off the top of my head.

I would want my ammo to come out the best it can, the same as you.

 

[gudaki]

Lock your seating die down with a case and bullet in it (should do this in all stations). For the brass shavings you might back the crimp die off a little. I've experienced both problems in the past and these suggestions corrected them.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

Lock your seating die down with a case and bullet in it

Great advice.
I also seat and crimp in separate stations.
When seating, I have the die screwed right down to the crimp
area and then back it off 1/4 turn.
After seating a bullet to correct OAL, the die is locked down with the round in place.

Shavings from crimp (taper?) die would make me think brass has not been chamfered
or excessive crimp.

JT

 

[PO2Hammer]

Seater stem not matching the bullet profile?

 

[Palladan44]

I do put a case in die to lock it down per dillon instructions. I definitely do not overcrimp, as ive backed it off until its not crimped enough, and the problem persists. Also have used the 2 different seater stems with no change.

Like i said, the finished round still meets spec, actually still rattles around and spins in a chamber, so its fine. Just not perfect looking like other chamberings ive loaded.

Im going to try a LEE crimp die (on the way from ebay, brand new, 29$ shipped)
I may get another seater die, looking at a Redding.

 

[cfullgraf]

Some things to look at and try...

Chamfer the inside of the case mouth. It takes off the square edge that might be shaving some of your bullet. It is a one time thing to do if you never trim the cases.

Also, deburr the outside of the case mouth to remove any burrs on the case mouth from the manufacturing process. Again, a one time thing.

Increase the flare on the case a little to give the bullet a better platform to sit in while you are raising the case into the seating die. The bullet will not tip as easily as it is seated. Don't go overboard as it will affect case life a bit.

I prefer to crimp in a separate step from seating that is difficult on the 550 if you are loading from fired case through loaded round. You just do not have enough stations.

I assume you are taper crimping, you only need to crimp enough to remove the flare. Case mouth tension holds the bullet in place, not the crimp on a round that head spaces on the case mouth.

I hope this helps.

 

[Palladan44]

Some things to look at and try...

Chamfer the inside of the case mouth. It takes off the square edge that might be shaving some of your bullet. It is a one time thing to do if you never trim the cases.

Also, deburr the outside of the case mouth to remove any burrs on the case mouth from the manufacturing process. Again, a one time thing.

Increase the flare on the case a little to give the bullet a better platform to sit in while you are raising the case into the seating die. The bullet will not tip as easily as it is seated. Don't go overboard as it will affect case life a bit.

I prefer to crimp in a separate step from seating that is difficult on the 550 if you are loading from fired case through loaded round. You just do not have enough stations.

I assume you are taper crimping, you only need to crimp enough to remove the flare. Case mouth tension holds the bullet in place, not the crimp on a round that head spaces on the case mouth.

I hope this helps.

I understand and agree with all that youve said.
The chaff or galling comes from the crimp die shaving or grinding off brass from the lip of the casing. Ive used minimum belling, and strive to just remove the belling on the case so it chambers in my guns and headspaces properly, which it does.
I find it strange that this does NOT happen in 9mm, 357mag, 45ACP, or 44Mag. I believe the toolmarks from manufacturing process inside of the carbide crimp die act like a file and create this chaff/galling. My next step is to ask Dillon. Theyre a great company and stand by their products

 

[noylj]

Bullet seating crooked:
1) get a seating stem that actually fits the bullet. I like them to contact low on the ogive and NOT contact the meplat at all.
2) get a Hornady seating die. They come with a sliding sleeve that helps to keep the bullet aligned as it goes into the die.
3) flare the case mouth more or, possibly, get a Lyman M-die.
Crooked bullet seating is the main reason Lee came out with their factory crimp carbide size ring.
Brass chafe is due to reloaders NOT chamfering their cases when they first get them (lightly inside and out) or after trimming (bottleneck cases only).
Brass chafe at the expander die is due to lack of chamfering, but also due to over cleaning of the case and removing the natural dry lube soot in the case neck. Suspect it is also the reason so many have to lube the neck interior of bottleneck cases, as they have lost the soot that took care of that job.

 

[roval]

Some things to look at and try...


I prefer to crimp in a separate step from seating that is difficult on the 550 if you are loading from fired case through loaded round. You just do not have enough stations.

I hope this helps.

the last station in 550 b is for crimping, 1st size and deprime, 2nd belling/expanding and charging, 3rd seating 4th crimping.

some calibers i do get brass dust with crimping. i think more with roll crimps. so it may be more related to the interplay between the amount of belling and the degree of crimping.

 

[rfwobbly]

I'm going to try a LEE crimp die (on the way from ebay, brand new, $29 shipped).

For $29 you're getting the Lee Factory Crimp Die which can cause issues of its own. Be very careful in your FCD setup.

For my money, I'd rather have the Lee Taper Crimp Die for $13. Less trouble, more predicable results.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016834814

 

[Palladan44]

For $29 you're getting the Lee Factory Crimp Die which can cause issues of its own. Be very careful in your FCD setup.

For my money, I'd rather have the Lee Taper Crimp Die for $13. Less trouble, more predicable results.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016834814

Darn. I was unaware

 

[cfullgraf]

the last station in 550 b is for crimping, 1st size and deprime, 2nd belling/expanding and charging, 3rd seating 4th crimping.

It depends on if you want a powder cop system on the press. But yes you can separate seating from crimping if you don't use a powder cop system.

 

[Herman B]

...leaving an obvious bulge on one side.

In the same or different place on the brass relative to the die? Try seating halfway, inspect, turn the round 180 deg, fully seat, inspect.

...when crimping, the crimp produces "brass dust" or "chaff" or whatever you'd like to call it. It eventually galls up the crimp die where i have to clean it every 50 or so loads...

Needing to clean with such frequency denotes a distinct problem. May even shorten brass life. Using a black Sharpie, coat the areas in question to determine where the shaving occurs. Is it symmetric or asymmetric? Same or different location? No experience with Dillon dies but machine marks shouldn't cause cleaning every 50 rnds. I have a raft of Redding dies for seven cartridges - no complaints.

If you get nowhere with the many suggestions and as this is unique to one cartridge, I'd measure/assess the critical dimensions and alignment of the shellplate, toolhead and die holes. Compare to others you have. Good luck chasing this down.