Ok so here is the situation:
I have a newly purchased dillon 650. I have been loading pistol ammo on a progressive for some time, but am new to progressive rifle reloading. I was hoping someone might be able to drop some knowledge on the differences (or extra steps) in going progressive with .223/5.56 loads for my AR platforms. IE: a friend casually mentioned trimming the brass… how do you accomplish this with a progressive loader?
I tumble clean my cases then lube and size them on my single stage press. Then tumble again in clean media to remove the case sizing lube and trim cases(as needed)
Then I run them through the progressive to prime, charge, check charge with powder cop die, seat bullets and then crimp using a Lee Factory Crimp die.
I’m pretty new to progressive reloading myself but this seems to work well for me.
Loading 5.56/ .223 involves several extra steps over loading pistol caliber cartridges. As has already been mentioned to you, .223 rifle casings have to be trimmed to length, as they stretch after firing.
In progressive press volume, the quickest way to accomplish that is with a power case trimmer. Dillon sells their Rapid Trim 1200B power case trimmer which attaches to a tool head on the reloading press.
Another popular alternative is the Giraud Trimmer: http://www.giraudtool.com/
You’ll also need to remove the crimp from the primer pocket on the brass before you can seat a new primer in a separate operation after decapping. You can do that with a tool like the Dillon Super Swage 600: http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25263/catid/8/Super_Swage_600
I have loaded .223 on my Dillon 650. (I now do it on my Dillon 1050) Once fired .223 casings make two trips through the press. On the first pass through, I set a toolhead up with only the decapping/ resizing die, and the Rapid Trim 1200B. Casings come out of the press decapped, resized, and trimmed to length. I then tumble them again to remove the case lubricant and swage the primer pockets using the Super Swage 600.
I finish loading them on the second trip through the press.
Dillon ran an excellent article on .223 reloading on a 650 in the Blue Press a couple years ago. You may be able to find that article in the archives here:
You could set up a second tool head for your 650 to size and trim all in one step.
I load on a 1050, but size on a single stage press; while still lubed I run them through a Dillon electric trimmer mounted on a spare tool head on my 650. The Dillon is backed off a bit so (for me) it’s a trimmer and not a size die. Not necessarily the best way, just the way that I do it.
You may need to debur after the first trimming, probably not needed after that.
I tested the Lee FCD against a taper crimp die using 77gr SMKs loaded for an SPR. For me a very light taper crimp proved to be more accurate than the FCD.
I load 55/62 grain training ammo on the 1050. I load 75/77 grain on the 650 (mainly so I don’t have to screw around with the 1050 
For both I have an extra toolhead on the 650 that decaps on station 1, does the size/trim with the Dillon trimmer on station 3, and then has a Lyman M die on station 5, adjusted up so only the initial stem enters the neck, in order to slightly expand the neck back out since the full length expander ball is not being run through on the size.
Then I have a normal toolhead with another decap on station 1 and then your normal progression. The station 1 decap on the second toolhead is to just poke out any media that may get stuck since I clean the brass after the size/trim pass to get the lube off.
I am investigating the RCBS X-Die that supposedly eliminates the need to trim. Have not really started it yet – just thinking and investigating.
I actually have started decapping my 9mm on a separate toolhead from my normal loading toolhead as well. With the Dillon “spring loaded” decapping pin in the sizing die, when a primer is crimped in there is sometimes a bit of a sudden “sproing” when the primer slips out and you get a little jerk on the toolhead. This sometimes spills powder since 9mm is a small case and unique type powders are 2/3 full or so.
I will have to try both. I have the FCD on the 55/62 grain but have not installed my second on on the 75/77 th yet. Will try both. Thanks for the info. See if I get the same result as you (probably the hold back is me and my shooting, not the ammo )
10-4 on the “me and my shooting, not the ammo” part - shooting itty bitty groups is not my strong point. I ran them side by side on two different days from the bench, just to see what all the fuss was about.
I’m interested in hearing your results.
I will report back eventually. It will be a while before I get back to this sort of loading and shooting. Being self employed with small kids and doing home school keeps me busy. Hopefully later this summer. I have 2500 Sierra 77gr SMK and thousands of PRVI 75 gr waiting to go.
I’ve taken RESIZING/DECAP completely OFF of my Dillon 550.
I bought a Hornady LNL classic single stage for resizing EVERY caliber I reload. For Rifle, I also TRIM (if necessary), Neck Size, and Prime the brass OFF of the Dillon.
It’s slower and more methodical, but my ammo quality is better and I have less fits since there’s less to jam up on the Dillon.
Is there a reason to not just use a separate toolhead on the 550 to resize/decap? Cheaper than buying a whole new press.
“I am investigating the RCBS X-Die that supposedly eliminates the need to trim. Have not really started it yet – just thinking and investigating”
It does not eliminate it it just prolongs the need for it. I have them for my M1A and the directions state you must trim brass new brass or once fired brass. Then using the X dies it bumps the shoulder back like another .003 compaired to what you would get with a standard die so they grow slower. Alowing you more reloads before trimming
Eguns- I’ve been using the Xdie with great success over the last 4-5 months. After the initial resizing and trimming, it makes progressive reloading of my 223 much easier. All of the trimmed brass is kept separate from the newly acquired brass. I have a lot of 223 brass. So I only have reloaded some of this Xdie brass 2-3 times. But, so far things look great for the Xdie.
Did you see this? https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=56470
I am getting ready to do the same but I have a 550. I also have a single stage so I will have to alter things a bit. Or sell and upgrade.
Actually there is a physical block in the die so that it cannot grow past a certain point.
Thanks guys for the in-depth posts. I am finishing up suring up the bench surface and then im off to the races. The video tutorial off of the link posted above really helped. Brass prep seems to be a bit more of a pain than pistol but still within reason. Cant wait to start putting profuse holes in paper.
As was already mentioned get a second tool head and decap/size in station one and then trim in station 3. The dillon electric trimmer is really slick once you get it set up correctly.
Then take all of that brass and tumble the lube off.
Then on your tool head for powder, seating, and crimp(if you do any) put a universal de-capping die in station one to knock any media out.
Works good, lasts a long time. I dont know why guys who own dillon press’s mess with single stage for sizing/de-capping and then trimming, just get a new tool head for 20 bucks and set it up as your prep head.
The filth from the decap is compeletely off the 550. Thus I have to take it apart less often.
I used to decap on a separate toolhead, but I like moving some wear and tear onto another machine. Having the Hornady Lock N Load classic single stage is VERY handy for small misc reloading tasks because a caliber change takes 4 seconds instead of several minutes on the 550. A separate press enhances the Dillon for me.
I don’t want to remove the tool head from my 1050 every time I process a batch of brass - too much tweaking involved. I could resize on the 650 since I have the trimmer mounted there, but I prefer to size in a Redding (cam-over) turret press. It all depends if you are looking for speed or a little more precision.
Since the trimmer resizes anyway why do it an extra time?
I don’t blame you for not doing it on a separate toolhead on the 1050…
Like someone else also mentioned, I have the trimmer backed off so it does not resize.
I’m not confident in the neck tension on the Trimmer’s sizer for heavier (75-77) grain bullets, not to mention it does not have an expander ball. Also, I prefer the cam-over ram on the Redding press. This assures me the resizing step is both complete and consistent.
I don’t recall ever having a failure due to a fat case despite sizing just enough to clear the top of my case gauge. And I know from personal experience that some rifles will drive heavy (reloaded) bullets back into the case if given the chance. My primarily load is the 77 SMK.