Reloading for a M1 Garand on a Dillon RL550

[dcbridgwater]

Hello,
Hope everyone had safe and happy holidays.
I started thinking the other day that I should start reloading for my M1 Garand, I have reloaded pistol cartridges for a few years now and still have all my fingers so it is time to start on rifle. I have a Dillon RL550 press and I had a few thoughts I would like to run by the experts.

1. From what I read the best powder for the Garand is IMR 4895 but I have been told that it will not meter well from the Dillon measure. So my thought was since my brass will already be sized and primed, I could get a Hornady Lock-N-Load powder measure with Case Activated Powder Drop and put it on
station 1.

2. Since it will be hard to look in the case to verify powder charge, I will get a Dillon Powder Check put it on station 2. I will have to drill a hole in the tool head but it looks like it might fit. If not get a RCBS Powder Checker for station 2. Then proceed with the Dillon seat and crimp dies in station 3 and 4.

3. Do the RCBS Lube Dies work or are they more of a pain then they are worth?

Thanks for your thoughts, if this plan is stupid please verbally abuse me as you see fit.,Dale

 

[45ACPUSER]

Well, with pre processed and primed cases you should be ready to go. I think you need to trail and error loading with IMR4895 before buying extras. Keep the powder measure full, and have a consistent operation will contribute to consistent powder throws.


I see no reason to use a powder cop, in any incarnation. Watching the operation of the press should be sufficient.....

I know that I love Imperrial Die Wax applied by me when sizing rifle brass. Lube dies are expensive and if overfilled can leak......

 

[Slamfire]

1. From what I read the best powder for the Garand is IMR 4895 but I have been told that it will not meter well from the Dillon measure.

There are some real anal people out there who don’t shoot enough to know that charge weight is not that critical for Garands. In my Dillion, IMR 4895 will throw close to a half grain. But I don’t care, I am not loading maximum charges and my ammunition shoots well. I use my Dillion 550 to dump the powder and seat the bullet on my match .223, 308 and 30-06.

I shot this in December, it was extremely cold, but I still won the match. (Only Garands were eligible) This is with that "awful" thrown IMR 4895. Shoots good enough for me.





I don’t size on my Dillion. I don’t like getting lube over the thing. I size with a Redding T-7. Used to use a Lyman T-Mag, before that an RCBS Rockchucker.

I have friends who load .223 match brass on a Dillon 650. That thing has a press mounted trimmer. Your Dillion 550 only has four stations, you will need to trim before you dump the powder and seat the bullet.

I highly recommend that you use a cartridge headspace gage, like a Wilson, size to gage minimum.



My match Garands have much tighter chambers than GI, brass fired in GI chambers will stick in a commercial chamber if not sized with a small base die. Since I have a number of 30-06’s, small base sizing increases ammunition interchangeability between rifles.

There are a couple of issues with small base dies. You need to set them up with cartridge headspace gages or you will set the shoulder back too far. And you need to use Imperial Sizing Wax or RCBS Water Soluble lube. Spray on lubes are not lubricative enough for small base dies.

You should also clean the primer pockets, ream to depth is a good idea, and seat all primers by hand. You want to visually inspect all primers to verify that they are below the case head.

I recommend you use the least sensitive primers you can find. This excludes the most sensitive primers on the market Federal. I am using CCI#34 as they are “mil-spec”.

My favorite 168 grain load is 47.0 grains IMR 4895. I won’t hurt a thing to cut that down a grain or two. Just don’t increase the load.

 

[loadedround]

I have never had a metering problem with either 4895 in my Dillon powder measure in my 20 years of loading on a Dillon.

 

[45ACPUSER]

Another key to setting up sizing operations for rifle rounds is to have cases in all 4 or 5 stations as it applies to both the 550 or 650. The same goes for other die stations.