Had my first squib…

My choices. Always a single stage for rifle ammo. As I've never encounter a powder-less or high primer-ed or misfire using my single stage. For pistol practice. I prefer my progressive press for that. Easy made. Lots of. {Maybe a inconvenience now and then >never a regret.} My self defense/carry ammo. Either single stage made or custom store bought cartridges. Never ever progressive made ammo do I tote concealed."Just a Rule I have and follow."
 
MarkCO said:
It is called a powder check die. I will NOT (and never have) loaded a single round on my Dillon 650 without one. The 650 is about 960K of my total, so that is a decent track record. :)
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So I presume that you don’t load any bottle neck rifle cases on a progressive press?
 
I gave up on progressive presses, used one for a couple years, loaded more "bad" rounds with it than I had in the previous decade
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That's why I choose and use a Dillon 550. manual progressive IMHO is the way to go
 
I gave up on progressive presses, used one for a couple years, loaded more "bad" rounds with it than I had in the previous decade
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Got to stay where you have the confidence and perfect results when loading. I have a Single Stage, Turret and Progressive on the bench. When I teach folks to reload, it takes me about 5 minutes to see if they are capable and where they should be if they are. Maybe half the people have been capable of running the 650 and turning out quality ammo. With a written procedure with check boxes, only one guy could not do it.
 
My choices. Always a single stage for rifle ammo. As I've never encounter a powder-less or high primer-ed or misfire using my single stage.
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If you don't look at each case (like me) in rifle, you still get squibs!

Attention to detail or lack there of (me) can be as squibby as a progressive.
 
A powder measure doesn’t forget to drop a charge of powder.
Either there is no powder for it to drop or an action was performed that allowed the case to pass by that station.
That usually happens when you run out of primers or a bullet goes on crooked or a case is crushed, etc.

For those that have difficulty dealing with a stoppage the best method is to clear all stations and deal with the partially loaded rounds at the end of the session.
 
That's why I choose and use a Dillon 550. manual progressive IMHO is the way to go
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Evidently not for everybody. I only load on a 750 and 550 currently. The 550 is the newer of the two presses and used for my precision rifle loads. I sold all single presses I've own after getting tired of pulling the handle 3x more than what is required on a 550. I also use a K&M Arbor press as well with a Wilson Seating die on some loads, like 6.5 Creedmoor.

I learned how to reload on a 650 around 11 years ago. I found it an easy press to learn on once I learned how it functioned. And I never had problems with the 650 or 750 that I bought later. Not squib loads on either of those presses. PThe Powder Check System is wonderful IMO. Those presses also produced .5 MOA loads with Dillon's powder system.

I have more problems with the 550 when dropping the powder manually with a Auto Trickler/Throw system. It's been a constant battle to not screw up dropping the powder manually with double drops or not dropping the powder into the case. I have trouble switching back and forth between the 550 and the 750. Thats partly because I've loaded way more ammo on the 650 and 750 over the years.

Hopefully the addition of the endo scope will help when the loading on the 550. I'll be able to see into the case with the endo scope if sitting while loading. If that doesn't work, I'll drop powder into cups then drop them for a final sequence. Before I was dropping the powder as a new case moved through the press. And missing a powder drip occasionally.
 
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ed308, agree. The cast majority of my ammo had been loaded on the 650. The little Lee APP is just for decapping before wet tumbling, and a little swaging primer pockets and sizing powder coated bullets.

The T7 gets the nod for working up loads or for those guns/times, I am only loading 100 rounds or less.
 
That's why I choose and use a Dillon 550.
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Me too. Sounds like we may have similar load styles. Except I may take it even one step farther. I consider brass reconditioning (size/decap, flair) and ammo loading (seat, crimp) as two completely different things - with a tumble in pins in between. I even prime and powder charge off-press.

That's the beauty of loading our own. It's one of the few places where we're pretty much free to do things how we like. I'll never disparage one who puts brass from the range in one end, and gets loaded ammo out the other. Most do it that way, and no doubt it works just great. It's just not for me.

I want to feel the primer seat by hand.
I want to see all the powder charges in a loading block at the same time.
I want my ammo looking like it just came from the factory.
 
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