OK, now what?

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

Think I'll go with guage. Pronounced gwa-zhey. Should add an air of sophistication methinks. :cool:
 
Think I'll go with guage. Pronounced gwa-zhey. Should add an air of sophistication methinks
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Careful, to make a point I used the phrase "In the Intercourse of man" and the bosses boss wanted to know where in the H&#%$ that came from. I reminded him there was a town/place in Pennsylvania with that name and most people think it is a place where everyone goes to have intercourse. Then there are tourists that giggle ever time they drive through that area and see the signs.

The town got the name back in the days when verbal communications was considered ‘the intercourse of man’. There were a few other words they wanted me to consider changing; I didn’t. It was not long after that no one laughed when they saw someone get hurt.

F. Guffey
 
In the grand scheme of things gauge or gage, don't mean squat. (but my auto-spell checker does not recognise gage).

Tool catalogs of today speak to today's tool users, not necessarily the schooled, professional tool users. BS? grow up!
 
So; as for me? I go to the eighteenth edition of the MACHIENST HANBOOK and turn to page 2208. I find in the index gage and gages with no reference under gauge to see gage. And then I turn to another book about gages and the title includes ‘GAGING’, it was printed in 1951.

To be fair and objective I keep digging and then, finally I come too two copies of books by John L. Hennant, the first and third editions. And there it is a drawing of a head space gage in a drawing of a chamber and written on the gage is “GO” HEAD SPACE GAUGE. The title is “THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO PRECISION RIFLE BARREL FITTING.

And then I check my 10 volume set of HAWKINS ELECTRICAL GUIDE copyrighted 1917, under G there must be 10 references to gauge, In the old days the old guys would start a sentence with “According to Hawkins…” etc..

F. Guffey
 
Turtlhead, I am also located in PHX and load .223 on a Dillon RL 550B. If you would like some help starting up I would be glad to assist. I didn't have a reloading mentor and learned from Internet videos and reading. It can be done. PM me if you would like some assistance.
 
OK, back to the question at hand...

The 'Short Stick' powders (Benchmark) work OK through the Dillon powder dropper, the 'Long Stick' powder doesn't meter so well...
The longer, thicker 'Sticks' don't break off well to give you a clean break/drop with Dillon (and several other charge bar powder droppers).

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is spray can case lube.
I'm real happy with Hornady 'One Shot' case lube in my Dillon presses.
I throw my brass in a cardboard box, shoot them with lube, give them a good back and forth shake to wipe lube from one case to another,
And just run them. Nothing more.
You don't have to get them sloppy wet, the shake evens out the lube on the cases, and they run just fine with little or no hydraulic dents in the case necks.

Start a little wet and back off on the lube a little at a time, when the dents stop, you have the right amount of lube.

One little addition to the press that is REAL handy,
A spent primer catcher with 'Clear' Tube (eBay).
This lets you VISUALLY confirm the primer dropped clear of the brass.
Once you get the primer punch set up and rolling, it's not a huge deal,
But in the start, you will want to get a visual on that primer dropping free.
You CAN listen for it to drop into the Dillon catch can, or you can pull the catch can off and look for EACH primer while setting up and learning to run the press...
I find the adapter and tube MUCH easier to work with, trash can under the bench catching the primers. That little catch can fills up QUICKLY.

When it comes to the 'Crimp' on the bullet...
'Normal' crimp is accomplished with a lip in the die rolling the end of the brass neck against the bullet.
Unless you cut each brass EXACTLY the same length, that roll/taper crimp won't work.
Short brass won't get crimped enough, Long brass will over crimp, often crushing the shoulder of the brass, you will wind up with a 'Flair' where the lower shoulder should be...

Lee makes a 'Factory Crimp' die that stops the issue entirely.

Not everyone crimps, but if you do, results are much more consistant with the Lee die than the roll or taper crimp dies.
 
Ordered a copy of Lyman's 50th but it's on backorder and they're not expecting any until the 9th.

Am thinking I will wet tumble my brass as I already have some of that equipment.

And am reading about having a dedicated decapping / sizing press. Maybe an inexpensive Lee.
 
A little, cheap Lee 'C' press and 'Universal' decapping die is handy if you want the primer pockets cleaner.
Single work is slow, but the primer pocket is clear to get at least partly cleaned when you vibrate or tumble.

The good part about a 'Universal' decapping die is it will decap anything you have laying around, just change the shell holder and you are off to the races.
You don't jam everything up in your progressive press when you hit a Berdan primed case.
 
I should know better than trying to have a "discussion" with Guffy, kinda like wrestling with a pig in the mud, he likes it and I just get dirty... :rolleyes:
 
Start off by loading in batches where you perform only one step on an entire batch. For example: size and de-prime all your brass for one batch before moving on to the next step. The repetitive nature of the step will teach you a lot about the specific things you want to be mindful of before moving on to the next step.

Get some Imperial Die Sizing Wax for resizing your brass, best stuff on the market and easiest to use. It's now marketed by Redding.

Welcome to the addiction.
 
Thanks, flashhole. I plan on doing that.

Ordered a simple Lee single stage, universal decapping die, shell holder and 2 extra breech locks. Figure I can decap the brass before wet tumbling. Then bring the sizing die over from the Dillon and size on that station. You'll have to tell me if I'm missing something. :)
 
FWIW, After 30 years I still reload like Flashhole recommends. I have lots of sized, primed, ready to charge cases for nearly all my reloads. :D
 
I like that idea, also.

Have been busy researching and buying. I need a few more things before getting started: A drum and SS tumbling media, a swager, case trimmer, and components.

Going to go through a friends 5 gallon bucket and pull out all the .223 brass he's been saving of mine. He doesn't reload, just saves brass for some reason.
 
Dillon is local to me and after doing some reading and seeing the press in person I bought an rl550b. Also got a flip tray, case gage and dies for .223.
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That silly flip tray! Back in the dark days midway through the reign of King Bill of Arkansas, I thought to dabble with Dillon and their "No BS" guarantee. So I mail ordered one of those flip trays. It wouldn't flip a primer! So I called them, and informed them that their flip tray doesn't flip primers!

They told me, well, it's not supposed to! I'm making it too difficult. You pour out your primers, fill the tube with the ones facing the right way, and use a tweezers to turn over the remainder, and continue filling the tube! See how simple it can be?

Undeterred, I said, "but it is called a "Flip Tray!" Implicit in the name is that it will "flip" primers, which this one most definitely would not do. After my warranty claim was rejected, there was much grumbling and no joy in Mudville that night...

I called BS on that one!

Years later, maybe 2005, during the last years of the reign of King George the Dubya of Texas, after I purchased a Super 1050 kit with all the trimmings, I mentioned that "flip tray" to them over the phone. They replaced it with one that flipped primers.

A Warranty delayed is no Warranty at all. ;)
 
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Well I hope my flip tray isn't one of the defective ones...

Sorted the bucket of brass and ended up with what I would guess is about 600 pieces. Pretty happy about that.

The tumbler and media is on the way. Picked up some Dawn and Lemishine at the store.

Will stop by Dillon this week for their swager. That just leaves the case trimmer. Thinking about the Giraud cutter.
 
I appreciate that. And I'm sure I will have questions.

Picked up the swage at Dillon today and got some advice about my shell plate not spinning well. It's smooth as butter now. Really like this press a lot.
 
Turtle, you are located between 3 of the best action clubs in the country. Rio Salado, Ben Avery and South Mountain. Show up to one of the many matches they have every Saturday and Sunday, and tell them you are looking for a shooter to help you setup your 550. It will only take about 10 minutes, and you will be pulling the handle making good ammo. There is no substitute for hands on experience, and you can't get that from reading manuals or watching U tube videos. I see you already have offers from some local reloaders.
 
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