Greatest time savers for progressive reloading?

[Sincerd]

I'm in the process of setting up a room and the first thing on the list is getting cheap, 223/9mm ammo with the least amount of effort. Trying to get it up and running to justify the cost of more reloading shit. You guys know how it goes.

I can always make more money but short on time, so things like the rt1500 or giraud have my interest.
I've also heard a few different tricks, such as tumbling live rounds to remove lube(maybe not the best idea?).

I have a lock n load with bullet and case feeder.

Anyway a few questions.

1. Could anyone give me some ideas of die configuration if running an rt1500 or giraud.

2. Any other equpment to help to save time? Tools, equpment or dies must have?

3. Any steps or techniques that can be skipped or may not be needed when accuracy is not the top priority?

 

[Wildfire1550]

For 223 I run in two passes
Tool head 1 has the decapper, 1500 trimmer with sizing die, also have uniquetek swagger

tool head 2 I prime, powder and seat

hope that helps

 

[Stavey]

The rt1500 in my opinion sucks . I couldn’t sell it fast enough. Buy a Giraud it will chamfer/debur/and trim all at once.

 

[Codiekfx400]

For 223 brass send it to msarmament. They will size trim decap remove crimped primer pockets clean and ship it back to you for about 4 cents. Then fire up the giraud and chamfer and debur the case mouths. All that’s left is primer powder and bullet. I do mine on a single stage with a lee powder thrower. On a single stage I can Giraud prime powder and seat a bullet in about a hour. The biggest reason for doing it single stage is I’m cheap. And after I throw the powder and the brass is all sitting in the load tray I take a little flashlight and inspect every case for the proper powder charge.

 

[Wildfire1550]

I have both the Rt and the Giraurd. I think have their place. I use the dillon for large amounts of non precision ammo. I can crank out an a ton of 3 gun 223 on the 650 with the RT. It is the perffect setup for 3 gun

That being said the giraurd is superior in every other way. If I could only keep one it would be the giraurd

 

[LawnMM]

Try an RCBS X die and skip trimming altogether. I'm working my way through firing #8 on about 400 pieces of 223 brass, trimmed it once according to X Die instructions and haven't since.

Not saying I'd load match ammo that way, but practice? You betcha. Any shortcuts that get me on the range more and standing at the bench less I take.

 

[waveslayer]

Make sure you get the Mr. Bullet feeder to speed things up. RT1500 is fine for bulk reloading

 

[Sincerd]

Yes still stuck between setting this LNL up for 223 and getting a 750 with swage it for 300 blk or maybe save up another month and just get a 1050/rl1000 for bulk. Seems like it since I'm not as invested in the equipment as most people. It might be a good idea to go for it

 

[45cal4life]

Dillon RF100 primer filler. Dump primers in, hit the go button and go back to pulling the lever for a few rounds. Primer tube is filled

 

[Stavey]

The mr bulletfeeder is nice, but the Dillon trimmers leave a square edge with burrs. Probably ok for plinking ammo but it drove me crazy.

Yes still stuck between setting this LNL up for 223 and getting a 750 with swage it for 300 blk or maybe save up another month and just get a 1050/rl1000 for bulk. Seems like it since I'm not as invested in the equipment as most people. It might be a good idea to go for it

1050 doesn’t have a free parts replacement warranty like the others. Dillion considers it to be a commercial machine. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Sincerd]

Yea I've heard that. I've heard estimated 1m rounds before servicing should be needed. That's more then me or the kids would ever pump out

 

[Stavey]

Good point , That being said I have Zero experience with the 1050. I do have a old 650 with maybe 100k on it . I’ve found that even parts that you wouldn’t think would break do at times.

 

[Sincerd]

I've heard lyman m die after dillion trimmer. You think that would help?

 

[memilanuk]

I've got a FFB Honey Badger setup (like an RT1500 on steroids, using a Bosch 1617 router motor) on a 550 tool head for .223 Rem stuff. I'd have to check to be sure, but I think I have a Mighty Armory decapper in station #1, the Dillon trim/size die in station #2 (or 3), and a Lyman M die in station #4. The second tool head has another decapper die in station #1, powder die in station #2, seater in station #3, and a Lee factory crimp die in station #4

The trimmer setup is very (very) cramped on a 550 tool head, probably much less so on a 650/750 setup. Seems to work well enough for AR ammo, haven't tried it with anything I really consider 'precision' yet. The idea is that you set the M die to just 'kiss' the case mouth, not really enough to count as 'belling' it, just enough to a) knock off the burr and push the sharp edge out of the way so it doesn't scrape the bullet base when you go to seat. Then the factory crimp die, set with a very light crimp, just enough to smooth the case neck back down, more so than actually to 'crimp'.

In between sizing and seating, I throw the lubed/sized/trimmed brass in the tumbler for 20-30 minutes to get the lube off. That's also the reason I have a decapping die in station #1 of the second tool head - to knock out any media that might have gotten hung up in the flash hole.

Like I said, I haven't really tried this out with anything I'd consider 'precision' ammo yet. I have considered maybe using a setup similar to above, but using a regular carbide expander die instead of the M-die - and then a quick trip thru the Giraud to chamfer/deburr the mouths. Eventually, when I get a 750, I'd like to look at this more - even if I don't really shoot the kind of volume to really 'need' it.

As an aside, if a person wanted to automate the trimming, there are people working on setting up the AMP Mate case feeder setup with a Giraud trimmer. I'm thinking that a 750 set up with a case feeder, one tool head to decap, size, possibly trim, and expand the brass, then the above AMP Mate + Giraud to trim/chamfer/deburr, then back thru the 750 with a second tool head to prime, charge & seat would be my 'dream' setup for now

 

[TimK]

I've been working on my process for years. I'm now loading precision ammo on a Dillon 550. I weigh the charges individually on an auto trickler. Loading times are down to 2 rounds a minute.

Here's the process:

Clean
Anneal
Trim on the Giraud. I have them make me shell holders for fired brass.
Lube
Load
Tumble off the lube

One pull of the handle per round. SD's in the 4-9 range, excellent accuracy.

The Giraud trimmer is the bomb. It takes about 5 seconds to trim a case. So is the auto trickler. It's fast enough to throw 2 charges a minute easily.

 

[clcustom1911]

Get a multiple primer tubes and primer tube filler of some kind. Whether is be a child eager to learn/help, or whatever. Filling primer tubes sucks. I fill 5 at a time when I'm doing 5.56, or 9mm loading.

 

[Sincerd]

I'm thinking dillon primer filler but not sure its compatible with lnl or not. I really starting to want a 1050/1100. Setting up autp swager seems like a pain without dedicating a machine.

That giraud setup looks really cool.

Mr Bullet feeder seems like no brainers vs lnl bullet feeder. Hornady lacks alot of compatibility.

You get into this thinking of buying one press to do it all and quickly realize you want one per cal. Sounds like silencers...

1050 for 223/300 blk?

Lnl for 9mm since I've already got pistol bullet feeder.

And...use what 550 or 750 for 6mm cm match ammo? I've got a chargemaster.