Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 31

Thread: How to integrate an RCBS single stage with the Dillon 550?

  1. #1

    How to integrate an RCBS single stage with the Dillon 550?

    Specifically, this RCBS "special" kit. I bought it and then a very generous gentleman gifted me a fairly pimped out Dillon 550 and some other other things appeared in the mail (along with the usual letter bombs and hate mail but seriously, we have an awesome community here!). I have never reloaded before and I'm just now getting spare time to get it all together.

    I've been watching videos and have the Dillon about 95% assembled. I want to reload for 9mm, .223, .300blk, 22-250 (later down the road), and .308 (later down the road, not a priority). I have dies for all but .308 and 22-250.

    I have enough toolheads to dedicate one per for 9mm, .223, and .300blk. I have powder, brass, bullets, and primers for those as well. I do not have a good tumbler (just a crappy small rock tumbler) but I do have a nice, heated ultrasonic cleaner. I also have a digital caliper. I have WFT trimmers for .223 and .300blk. All I need now (as far as I know) is some plastic boxes for my soon to be loaded ammo...I think.

    I have not opened my RCBS kit yet. How should I integrate it with the Dillon 550? I assume my first step is to deprime and then throw the brass in the ultrasonic, correct? Should I just start out with 9mm or just learn the hard way on a rifle cartridge and do .300blk? I am leaning towards .300blk simply because I can shoot suppressed on my property and I haven't gotten a pistol suppressor yet.

    #Dillon550

    #RCBS

    #SingleStage
    Last edited by LittleLebowski; 04-12-2017 at 12:56 PM.
    #RESIST

  2. #2
    Member SecondsCount's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Utah, USA
    I use my single stage press all the time and I have 4 progressive presses. I had a Lee Challenger, then moved up to the RCBS Rockchucker I got at a swap meet and used for a long time, and now I have a Forster Coax.

    Reloading for 300BLK would only be a little more difficult than loading for the 9mm, and would save you a ton of money over factory loads. Berry's is making a plated 220 grain bullet now.

    The Rockchucker is great if you want to make small batches. It is also good for sizing/depriming your brass before running through the 550. Before I got my 1050, I would tumble then lube and size/deprime 223 on the single stage, measure case length and trim if necessary then wash in hot soapy water to get rid of the lube, let dry overnight and then run it through the 550 for priming, powder, and bullet seating.

    I have been making subsonic 223 loads with 3.0 grains of Clays with a 55 FMJ. It isn't super accurate (a little over an inch at 54 yards on a calm day) but is fun and cheap at $0.11 each. It won't run an AR but I shoot it in my 16.5" Remington Tactical so Mrs. SC and I get to practice with the rifle and not disturb the neighbors.

    Also, Dillon sells complete caliber conversion kits for the 550B but you don't always need to buy the complete conversion. You can purchase the kit for 223 and then get the powder funnel for the 300BLK and that will cover the both calibers. Same with the 308 and 22-250 conversion.
    -Seconds Count. Misses Don't-

  3. #3
    Site Supporter CCT125US's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    I find a single stage is great for load development as you can make minor adjustments easily. They can then be duplicated on the 550. If you wet clean, (ultrasonic, stainless) it is a good idea to deprime first as it lessons the possibility of dampness in the primer pocket. I use stainless and dehydrate, so that adds a step, but have never had an issue.
    Taking a break from social media.

  4. #4
    I would either 1. use the single stage with a Lee Universal decapping die, or 2. use it with a rifle specific sizing depriming die when appropriate, and a Universal every other time.

    1. would allow you to decap before cleaning, which I am a big fan of.

    2. would allow you to do 1., plus trim your rifle brass as needed, before running it through the 550.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter JM Campbell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Texas
    Quote Originally Posted by SLG View Post
    I would either 1. use the single stage with a Lee Universal decapping die, or 2. use it with a rifle specific sizing depriming die when appropriate, and a Universal every other time.

    1. would allow you to decap before cleaning, which I am a big fan of.

    2. would allow you to do 1., plus trim your rifle brass as needed, before running it through the 550.
    This is exactly what I do.

    I will load 308 soon on the RCBS.

    FYI for 300blk:
    18gr IMR 4227 with Speer 125gr TNT bullets and Wolf 556 prumers make a pretty accurate cartidge.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
    AKA: SkyLine1

  6. #6
    I should say, since I'm a little ocd about certain things, I prefer to universal decap my rifle brass, then clean it, then resize it. Extra step, but it makes me happy. After all, clean brass is much more important than a clean gun :-)

    Also, this would allow you to just buy the one Universal die, run all your brass through it, clean the brass, then start in the 550 with resizing, as intended...if you don't need to trim at that point. Brass prep is a pain...
    Last edited by SLG; 06-12-2016 at 10:16 AM.

  7. #7
    Hokey / Ancient JAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Kansas City
    I don't know if you have any bolt guns, but if so I found that neck sizing reduced groups by 40% in .223. That would be something that works a lot better on the RCBS.

  8. #8
    Member Sal Picante's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    SunCoast
    For the 9mm, honestly, there isn't much that you'd do with the RCBS.
    If you were shooting .40, then you might consider push-through-sizing with an RCBS GRX or a "Gizmo" die, but if it is 9, just load it on the 550.

    For the rifle stuff, I dunno... For decent practice AR ammo, 2 toolheads on the 550 (de-prime size, trim) and (fill, seat, crimp) will get you a fair number of rounds in a hurry...

    Maybe consider the single stage for specialty 223, .308, 22-250 precision loads.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by SLG View Post
    I would either 1. use the single stage with a Lee Universal decapping die, or 2. use it with a rifle specific sizing depriming die when appropriate, and a Universal every other time.

    1. would allow you to decap before cleaning, which I am a big fan of.

    2. would allow you to do 1., plus trim your rifle brass as needed, before running it through the 550.
    It's arriving today. A whopping $15
    #RESIST

  10. #10
    OK, I still haven't mounted the RCBS yet.

    That being said, I finally got everything all configured on the 550, tested my powder throws ten times, checked case gauge, and checked my COAL, and nervously touched off my first ever reload in my back forest (safe, legal, have a hill as a backstop). 9mm once fired, CCI small pistol, 4.2gr of Titegroup, 1.15 COAL with a light crimp.

    There is no way this would have been possible without some extreme generosity on the part of a few forum members. I am deeply, deeply thankful to you and you know whom you are. I hope to someday pass on your generosity to another shooter. I was just reminded that I need to tumble after reloading in order to remove the case lube, I plumb forgot about that but otherwise I'm set for reloading! I do have a little rock tumbler, I might just use that with whatever media I buy for now.

    Last edited by LittleLebowski; 06-19-2016 at 04:34 PM.
    #RESIST

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •