Dillon 550 .223 brass processing

[firefighter]

Hi all my fellow reloading friends who I am so appreciative of.

I'm really excited abut this, but reloading rifle cartridges is new to me so please give me some input before I get off course.

I am now starting to use my Dillon 550 to reload .223.
I just got my dies so I began adjusting them in the toolhead.
I have the resizing die adjusted so it sizes nicely according to my case gauge.
I have also found out that too much lube wrinkles the cases.

Here are just a few starter questions.
1--I'm using a lube pad. Just roll the cases on the sponge that is just lightly lubed? I mean, do you just do one at a time, or lay out like 10 and roll them, or do you lube a whole bucket and resize them all at once?

2--Do I need to lube the inside of the neck? And if so, how do you do it? Do I need a special brush or could a guy just use a q-tip with lube on it or something?

3--Using my new Dilon Swage, do I adjust it to swage just enough to radius the opening so the primer feeds in easily? The directions show a picture of what it should look like, but the picture sucks.

Thanks as usual guys!!

 

[MrM4]

Hi all my fellow reloading friends who I am so appreciative of.

I'm really excited abut this, but reloading rifle cartridges is new to me so please give me some input before I get off course.

I am now starting to use my Dillon 550 to reload .223.
I just got my dies so I began adjusting them in the toolhead.
I have the resizing die adjusted so it sizes nicely according to my case gauge.
I have also found out that too much lube wrinkles the cases.

Here are just a few starter questions.
1--I'm using a lube pad. Just roll the cases on the sponge that is just lightly lubed? I mean, do you just do one at a time, or lay out like 10 and roll them, or do you lube a whole bucket and resize them all at once?

I use a RCBS pad, and No.2 lube, add a generious amount of lube to the pad spread it around, work it in. Lube a fair number of case and set them in a CLEAN container, do let them sit for a days make sure and load them directly afterwards, this keeps them from collecting dirt or dust. I usally do 50-100 cases at a time.

2--Do I need to lube the inside of the neck? And if so, how do you do it? Do I need a special brush or could a guy just use a q-tip with lube on it or something?

NO, do not get any lube inside the case, you can foul part of the power charge if you get lube inside the case. There is no need to lube the inside of the case mouth.

3--Using my new Dilon Swage, do I adjust it to swage just enough to radius the opening so the primer feeds in easily? The directions show a picture of what it should look like, but the picture sucks. I use a Dillion Super Swag for my Cases,

Step 1
Seperate by head stamp ( if mixed ), failing to do this can result in over swaging of a particulare brand of brass while other may work well, trust me I learned the hard way.

Step 2

Swag a case, put in the loaded if its hard to get the primer in you didn't swag it enough, if it goes in supper easy you may have over swaged it, and the primer may fall out, again experance talking here.

It should take alittle pressure to seat the primer, carful not to shit your sell when you cruch 1 in the press because you didnt get it swaged enough and you try to force it.Thanks as usual guys!!

Im using the same set up as you, let me know if you got any question, good luck.

 

[hagar]

Get the Midway spray on lube, set up 50 cases at a time in a loading block, and spray them lightly, including inside the case neck.

 

[nayo]

1 Throw your lube pad in the trash and buy some Dillon rapid lube 5000

2 Yes lube the inside of the case neck this prevents the expander ball from stretching the case neck. this can cause the case to get stuck in chamber. I lube the inside of the case neck with a nylon 22 cal bore brush I keep the lube in a small cup and just dip the bore brush in the lube then work the brush in and out a few times of the case neck.

3 after resizing clean primer pocket then swage primer pocket just enough to allow you to seat the primer dont over do it then you can trim the case to the proper case length deburr inside and out

I hope this helps I have reload over 10k of 223 this works for me but it is a bit time consuming it takes me around five to six hours to get 1k of 223 loaded so i hope you are not in a rush!!! I have friends that skips a few steps to save time and there guns tend to hickup now and then with there reloaded 223 it never happends with my reloads. if you need more help i can pm you my number and will help you out over the phone if I can

 

[chili17]

I put all my cases in a loading block and then hose them down with hornady one shot on all four sides (i am sure some gets in the case neck), then size, then swage primer pocket, then trim, then squirt with carb cleaner and shimmy in a towel to get the lube off, then throw then in the case feeder.

 

[MrM4]

Nayo, do you ever have issues with getting to much lube inside the case with your method? I was alway tought to never get lube inside the case mouth.

Alway interesting to see how others do it, I never did care for the spray on lube personally.

 

[jarhead jim]

There's spray on lube that dries in minutes that works great for inside case mouths. I don't remember the name of it though.

Jim

 

[UZI SBR AWC]

I mix my own...

Spray, let sit a couple minute for alcohol to evaporate, and run.. large container, spray, mix'em up by hand, spray, size.

2oz bottle of RCBS lube and 1qt of 91% alcohol will go a long way.

 

[pcso112]

I grab a couple of handfuls at a time of 223 cases and just drop them into a Tupperware bin about the size of a large cookie sheet. Just enough to cover about 80% of bottom of the bin. I then spray a few pumps of the Dillon spray lube in the bin, shake and repeat two or three more times. After waiting a few more minutes I dump them straight into the case feeder. Two handfuls are roughly 100 cases. After I spray them down I refill the primer tube while I am waiting for them to dry. I have done many thousands of rounds this way and never had a problem. I have also had great luck with case life.

 

[nayo]

Nayo, do you ever have issues with getting to much lube inside the case with your method? I was alway tought to never get lube inside the case mouth.

Alway interesting to see how others do it, I never did care for the spray on lube personally.

I have had no problems with lubing the inside of the case mouth the expander ball seems to wipe most of the lube off. The lube seems to have no effect on the powder I have had a few seasoned reloaders laugh at me when I voiced my concern's over messing up the loads with to much case lube.
After years of doing it that way with zero problems I dont worry about it anymore.
As for the spray lube its all I use anymore it gets good coverage on the case and 10 times faster than then the pad.

 

[gunbunny]

Yep, Dillon spray lube and a large plastic ziplock baggie. Load the baggie, squirt a few pumps of lube depending on the number of handfulls of brass, close and shake like shake-n-bake. Works good.

 

[anm2_man]

I usually do large quantities of .223's in batches. I do sort prior to anything all brass that is military and shot only once into a separate batch which will require swaging. I always mark all of the brass on the base (after sizing, trimming, swaging) but before reloading. The marks tell me where the brass needs to be sorted to (shot 2x, shot 3x, shot 4x and shot 5x). I will recycle the brass after 5 loads.

For reloading, I (appropriated one of the wifes 12x18 cookie sheets) and usually fill the entire sheet with brass. I use Dillon's lube (Have been for years - seems to work the best), and spray all of the rounds in the sheet. I usually wait a couple of minutes and shake the tray and spray lightly this time again.

I let them sit for 15 min and then dump them in the case feeder.

I then de-cap, size and trim the brass. They then go into a corn cob mixture for cleaning in the vibrator and I leave it run for about 15 min. This seems to clean the cases pretty good, but you do go thru quite a lot of media.

As far as over swaging, yes it can happen. When I'm set up for the actual loading stage, if a primer feels very soft being pressed in, I remove the cartridge before filling with powder and take it over to my air compressor. I put a rag around the case bottom and give it a shot of 100lb's pressure (the air blower has a rubber nozzle that you can seal the case neck with). If the primer moves or comes out, the case is scrap, other wise its good to go.

Been doing this for years and haven't had a problem feeding my son's M16 and my AC556.

 

[firefighter]

You guys are the best.
You have never failed to help me and this time is no exception.

As you have read, there is a diverse way to lube cases.
I may have taken a bit from here and a bit from there, and now have a way that seems to be working for me.

I will tell you that (and this is just my opinion) the lube pad is a thing of the past. Wayyyyyyyy too time consuming. Spraying is the way to go for sure.

I tried what member UZI SBR AWC listed. I took a new 2oz. bottle of RCBS lube and mixed it with 32oz. of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. It worked awesome!!
The cases end up with just a very light film of lube and are not messy to touch.
I've resized 2000 cases now with no evidence of sticking or binding whatsoever.

Even though everyone gets used to a certain product and hates to fix what ain't broken. Here is a simple comparison:
$9.00 = 8oz.Dillon 5000 lube
$8.69 = 34oz. RCBS lube and 91% Alcohol.
Just something to think about if you use a lot of lube.

I also have my Dillon Swage adjusted to just lightly radius the opening and the primer installs just like any pistol primer does. No sticking or binding.

Again, thank you guys very much.
It's the knowledge you have that helps newbie reloaders like me do it right the first time without having to go over all the bumps in the road that many of you had to deal with when you first started.
I appreciate your time and generosity to help me.

 

[TexTenn59]

I mix my own...

Spray, let sit a couple minute for alcohol to evaporate, and run.. large container, spray, mix'em up by hand, spray, size.


2oz bottle of RCBS lube and 1qt of 91% alcohol will go a long way.

Is that 2oz per quart or pint (picture is a pint bottle)?

Thanks for clarifying.

Wayne

 

[firefighter]

Is that 2oz per quart or pint (picture is a pint bottle)?

Thanks for clarifying.

Wayne

2oz. of RCBS lube per 32 ozs or 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.

It works great and it's all I use.

 

[TexTenn59]

2oz. of RCBS lube per 32 ozs or 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.

It works great and it's all I use.

Thanks. I mixed it up based on 16 oz, seemed thick. I'll cut it some more.

Thanks again.

Wayne

 

[r]

MrM4,
I'll bet that you have never heard of RCBS case neck brushes (that go with RBCS case lube pads). These are to lube the inside of the case neck before FL sizing. I think most people that do a lot of cases FL size then tumble to clean and remove the lube, then skip FL sizing, when reloading, especially on a progressive. Once you forget to lube inside and stick a case in a FL sizing die, it reinforces the urge to lube inside the neck evn more.