Re: dillon quality ammo?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dave338</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thinking of moving up to a Dillon 1050 ,
But have some questions regarding quality of ammo ,
How accurate is the powder charge ?
Is it really a commercial grade machine
Is the trimmer good ?
So far been using a t7 and lab scales , but volume of ammo needed is getting bigger,
Will the Dillon produce the same quality .223 & .308.
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Can't speak for the 1050, but I have been using the 550B since the early 90s. With prepped brass and pre-filled primer tubes, I can put out 400+ .223 or .308 cartridges per hour without breaking a sweat.
Using ball powders, my Dillon powder measure consistently meters charges that stay within +/- 0.1 grain. I have not measured the consistency of primer setting depth, but I have never had a problem with high primers -- I do check for that because I shoot service rifles with floating firing pins, and a high primer is a good recipe for an accidental discharge.
I am not anal retentive about my ammunition, nor do I shoot benchrest. If you fall into either of those categories, a Dillon still gives you the option of mass producing cartridges of very good quality when needed, or going the slower "single stage style" to produce cartridges that are absolutely precise.
Your choice really depends on how much precision you need. My buddy uses a single stage press, and does every step very meticulously. I do most of my cartridges "progressive style" using ball powders. We have both shot my "progressive" cartridges alongside his "single stage" cartridges in his Palma rifle. Out to 500 yards, both types of cartridges shoot groups that are indistinguishable and well under MOA.
At longer ranges, cartridges loaded with hand-measured powder charges do better, as do cartridges using stick powder loads. But there is no problem modifying the progressive process to hand-weigh charges. Just remove the Dillon measure and put a funnel in the powder die. As each cartridge arrives at the charging station, weigh your charge and drop it down the funnel. You still save some time by having other cartridges going through the remaining stations as you load.
Two weeks ago I shot some practice groups with the Palma rifle at 100 yards using the progressive loads. They all measured better than 1/2 MOA. Day before yesterday, I shot three three-shot groups at 100 yards with a post-64 Model 70 hunting rifle in .30-06 using progressive loads. Again, all measured 1/2 MOA or better.
For my purposes, that's enough precision, and the Dillon progressive loads let me spend more time behind the trigger than at the loading bench. YMMV
