Will this work for loading .223?

[bottom shelf]

I've been loading pistol rounds for about 10 years, but never rifle. Forum searches turn up very different opinions on the differences between loading rifle vs. pistol.

I'm using a Dillon 550 for pistol, and would like to use it for .223. My brass is deprimed before cleaning, so the pockets are nice and clean. Can I just lube them, resize them, clean them,and then trim them all? Then just use the progressive press as usual letting it do the priming (in the resizing die), powder drop, and seating?

Will I have problems with sticking cases if they are not lubed but have been previously resized?

Is there anything else I am missing here? I do know that I am restricted to ball powder if the press is going to drop the charge. Is there a common ball powder for .223? Maybe AA2230 or AA1680?

What say the experts?

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Somewhere in your process you'll probably want to trim, chamfer, and de-burr your rifle brass. What I do on my Hornady LNLAP is clean all of my brass first, just a 20-30 quick tumble to knock any big gunk off. Then lube it and resize/deprime it. After that trim/chamfer/de-burr/remove primer crimps (if it needs all that). Then run it out the rest of the way on the progressive,...seat primers, drop powder, seat bullets, and crimp. Trimming and removing primer crimps are what really makes reloading bottlenecked cartridges on a progressive more challenging than running straight walled cartridges.

 

[Cheetos]

I use my Dillon 550 to load .308 progressively. I deprime on a single stage, clean the brass with lemishine/dawn. Then I lube, resize, trim, and clean primer pockets, then tumble in crushed walnut to remove lube. Once I get a couple hundred cases ready I load them up on the Dillon. I do, however, weigh each powder charge on an electronic scale at station 2, just to make sure but it still goes way faster than using just the single stage.

 

[bottom shelf]

I see. Thanks, that's good information. But tell me, how do you prime on the progressive? Do you just remove the die from the priming station?

 

[NCsmitty]

Can I just lube them, resize them, clean them,and then trim them all?

I do not have a Dillon, but I would think that yes, process the brass as you mentioned, remove the sizing die from the progressive and go for it.
There is a bunch of ball powders that work well in the 223, and a popular one is H335, just not sure about it's availability in these times. A2230 is a good powder too, and there are some new powders that I have not used.


NCsmitty

 

[Cheetos]

I see. Thanks, that's good information. But tell me, how do you prime on the progressive? Do you just remove the die from the priming station?

Yes remove any die from the first station.

 

[cfullgraf]

Will I have problems with sticking cases if they are not lubed but have been previously resized?

Is there anything else I am missing here? I do know that I am restricted to ball powder if the press is going to drop the charge. Is there a common ball powder for .223? Maybe AA2230 or AA1680?

What say the experts?

If the cases are already resized, no need to resize them again. But, if you do, you should lubricate them.

I prefer to clean my cases after deprimming and resizing them. Get the lubricant off them and for rifle, I get to trim them.

I use a single stage for resizing rifle, but on my Hornady L-N-L, when resizing handgun cases, I just install the size die and the mouth expander die. (Yes, with handgun, I clean cases between sizing and loading, my preference).

When loading on a progressive, I leave the resizing die off the press and let the cases pass through that station. Then you can prime, charge and seat the bullet as normal.

Of course, the L-N-L makes that easy but on the Dillon, just leave the dies so that you can spin them in and out or buy a separate die plate.

I load rifle cartridges on my RCBS Pro2000 and I spin the dies in and out instead of buying additional die plates.

I like AA2230 for my 55 grain 223 Remington loads but many other powders are good as well. AA1680 is probably too fast a powder for 223 Remington.

 

[gahunter12]

Your Dillon RL550b will work great for .223. I load my .223's on my RL550b also. I have 2 tool heads for .223. One has just my resizing die, and the other has my powder measure, seater, and FCD if I choose to crimp. By having my resizing die on its own tool head I only have to touch each case once while resizing. I just let the ride around, and dump in the completed round bin. When I load I place a case in station one, and raise the ram like normal, prime, and rotate. This allows me to load without changing my normal routine.

My steps:
Clean
Resize/deprime
Swage (crimped cases)
Trim, debur/chamfer
Clean
Load

 

[bottom shelf]

All right, guys, that's the exact information I needed. I think I'm good to go as soon as my Dillon order gets here. Thanks for all.

One last question: Is there one powder that stands out head and sholders above the rest for .223? If not I'll go with AA2230, but if there is a majority on the matter, I'd like to follow it.

 

[kerreckt]

Your best powder choice is what shoots most accurately with your rifle. That often will vary dependent on ...projectile used, charge weight and such. I think that AA2230 which I believe is the same powder as X-Terminator is an excellent choice. I have very good result using it and H335. There are many others I have had good results using but those two are excellent choices....IMHO. Good luck and best wishes.

 

[MtnCreek]

Is there one powder that stands out head and sholders above the rest for .223?

If you start loading match type bullets, take a look at IMR8208. It meters well in a Dillon.

 

[gahunter12]

It's good to stay with ball powders like AA2230, and H335 since they meter very well in Dillon powder measures. I load with H335, AA2230, AA2200, Benchmark, and BLC2. My favorites are H335, and AA2230. Benchmark is a short cut extruded powder that's also very accurate in a Dillon PM.

 

[howlnmad]

Being that the 550 is a manual progressive, there's no reason that you can't load 223 on it.

My prefered powder is H335 with 55 grn bullets.

 

[rskent]

My favorite with light bullets is H335.
And it seems to be somewhat available right now.

 

[2ndtimer]

It's good to stay with ball powders like AA2230, and H335 since they meter very well in Dillon powder measures. I load with H335, AA2230, AA2200, Benchmark, and BLC2. My favorites are H335, and AA2230. Benchmark is a short cut extruded powder that's also very accurate in a Dillon PM.

I would add Ramshot TAC and Winchester 748 to this list. And buy any of them you can find. Good Luck!