Progressive press for rifle ammo???
I have a RCBS Pro 2000 and I want to start stock piling some .223 and .308 ammo. Would you feel safe loading rifle ammo on a progressive press like this one.?.? I've always used a single stage press for rifle ammo. I'm not looking for ultimate accuracy out of this ammo...
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Go for it. I use a Dillon 550 for my semi-auto ammo. 0 -
If you are using a powder that measures consistently, sure. I load my 223 and 308 that I shoot for plinking on my Dillon 550B. My 223 loads shoot 1/2" groups or better consistently at 100 yards. If I load powder like Varget I prefer to measure it with my RCBS electric powder measure as it is not always consistent enough for me. 0 -
Simple rule.
Ball powder yes!
Stick powder no!
Plenty of good ball powders for 308 (obviously 223 as well) to give you consistent loads but with 4895 I can get as much as one full grain up or down (rare as it may be) on a Dillon 550 but only 1/10th a gr variation with ball powders.
Most ball powder loads call for magnum primers but I have used regular LR without any problems (You might save a little powder with magnum as it takes less to reach similar velocities).
Wulfmann0 -
It would be nice...However in my opinion there is too much case prep in loading rifle ammo. And if your going to prep (size and trim, deburing etc..)before you load on a progressive...then what is the point? Trimming should always follow sizing...New Winchester 223's I just bought required trimming as they were all over the place in the OAL! I use a C&H four station "H" press for rifle. 0 -
Semi auto rifle and Bolt are two different things.
However, I can only remember re-trimming cases one time (after about 30 firings for one batch of WCC 308) in the last 15 years.
Unless 223 were way out of whack I would not bother trimming them the first time but with brass becoming so valuable I may rethink that (I have always picked up so much at the range I rarely shoot the same brass even twice but range pick up is all but a thing of the past)
308 and 8MM are different in my bolt guns.
I FL size them (first time)and trim them and after that neck size only so there is little case prep and no lube required for neck sizing (I occasionally put a little model railroad fine graphite in the NS die).
I do not shoot anything but 223 in semi-auto so prefer doing the 308-8MM on Rock Chuckers with 4895
Wulfmann0 -
If a Dillon 550 is good enough for the USAMU Palma Team; why not? 0 -
Ecc;
I don't know about your particular press but as for using the progressive for loading accurate ammo,just as the others have said I would not hesitate.
I do load my BR ammo which is the ultimate in precision on a single stage Sinclare. But my brother, son and myself all load our individual rifle rounds on the same Dillon 550 and have done so for the last 15 years.
Loading 222 Rem Mag, 223, 22-250, 204 and 257 Roberts. The three of us have loaded in excess of 13,000 rounds in the past 10 months all calibers and our accuracy is very, very good and consistant.
Good luck
Kenny0
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