[whiskeytango]

I've started shooting F-class recently so I'm looking to crank out some .308 rounds in some sort of quantity. I load my .308 on a single stage at the moment and we all know what speed is like with that. My question- should I stick to the single stage route, or will I be able obtain the same "precision" with the 550. I'll resize and decap on the single stage, but I'd like to run my 550 like this-

Station 1- universal decapper to knock out the flash hole
Station 2- dump powder with either a dillon powder thrower or an RCBS, I haven't decided yet
Station 3- seat bullet
Station 4- ferry dust for better shooting

I'm not one for weighing every charge, uniforming primer pockets, and all the stuff that goes into benchrest load development. I'd rather spend my time shooting as opposed to preforming laborious tasks at the reloading bench. Once I can outshoot my gun/ammo combination, then I'll move on to more things to improve my load. Oh, and I'm shooting 155 grain Palma's (the older one's) with a Federal LR primer and 46grains of Varget.

Thanks guys.

[prreed10]

I am curious as well.

[rrflyer]

I've seen some guys do it but they've used a RCBS chargemaster to weigh the charge and then drop it in.

[steel1212]

I load both 223 and 308 on my 550. I do the exact same thing for both in 2 setups.

First tool head:
Station 1: Size/deprime
Station 3: Dillion trim die and trimmer

Second Tool head:
station one: Open
Station two: powder
Station three: seat
Station four: lee FCD

I don't shoot bench rest competition but if I did I think I would put a little more effort at the bench. I might not for practice loads but for match loads I would have every piece of brass weighed, powder charge weighed, primer holes uniformed and clean, good primers etc. Thats just me. With that being said I only have a 300 yard range so I don't know what works past that. Bobby Kiegans and some of the others might be able to help you some.

[dcbridgwater]

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This post has been edited by dcbridgwater: 20 November 2009 - 02:01 PM

[whiskeytango]

I guess I should have added that I'm shooting this in a bolt gun so a crimp is not necessary for me.

ETA- My trimming is done with a Giraud as well.

This post has been edited by whiskeytango: 19 November 2009 - 10:11 AM

[benos]

Many years ago Mike Dillon did a test. He loaded a hundred rounds of 223 - to a benchrest shooter's standards. (One a single stage press - trimmed, cleaned primer pockets, reamed flash holes, turned the necks, weighed each powder charge, etc.)

Then he loaded 100 rounds on a 550 w/o doing anything other tumling the brass, and running it through the press.

Then with a very accurate bolt gun, he grouped both batches of ammo at 200 yards. And there wasn't any difference in group size between the two batches of ammo.

Back in the days of the Masters, I loaded super tack-driving 6.5 BR ammo on a box stock 550 with standard Redding Dies. I could consistently shoot 10-shot groups at 100 meters under 1.5" - out of position (creedmore).

The absolute most important thing for accurate rifle ammo - you must find a bullet that your rifle's barrel likes. Then you can play with powders a bit.
be

[Rufftytuffty]

Yeah i've loaded about 2,000 of 308 with my 550 having no issues at all.

175 Gr Sierra Match
42 Gr Varget
Winchester brass
Winchester primers

As i'm using the RCBS X-dies this eliminates the need for trimming and i'm able to achieve 10 reloadings for new winchester brass.

After 10 the necks tend to get a little hard and start spliting and i get a couple of primers dropping out, which i find when cleaning it.

As far a accuracy the ammo is more accurate than me using a DPMS LR-308.

~Mike

[Craigar45]

I load all my 308 on my 550. I do prep my brass on my Redding T7 first though. Size, deprime, trim with Giraud, then into the 550 it goes.
Station 1: Size die backed way out. Just hits the neck a bit.
Station 2: Dillon powder measure. Be sure to give it a good long pause at the bottom of the pull- there is a lot of powder to drop!
Station 3: Redding competition seating die.
Station 4: Redding crimp die (I think...)

If you are really paranoid about accuracy, throw out the first three- I usually get a fractional difference in OAL and powder throw until there is a case in every station. But I do mean fractional.

I also did a comparison with loads from my 550 against my T7. No difference I could see, but I am no bench-rest guy.

Dont be shy. Load 'em up.

C

[Joe4d]

I load 3006, 243, 338, 45/70 just like I would any other pistol round, I too did a weighed charge single stage VS just running cleaned brass through the 550 in 3006 I couldnt find any difference in group size even with the little differences in charge weight. I dont see the reason for extra steps. Powder and bullet type and OAL have more effect than anything else.

[whiskeytango]

Well, when my press gets back from Dillon... I'll be loading up some .308. I expect them to shoot just fine.

[gm iprod]

If the brass has been through my rifle before I just neck size for bolt guns, Redding Neck Size Die, then Dillon Seater only in Stn 3. For Autos I run the Dillon Carbide Sizing Die Stn 1, Powder Die (Win 748 at present) Std Dillon Seater. Never needed to crimp die for my rifle, but we install it for a freinds ammo. Not sure why the difference, but it is there.

If new to me brass or requiring processing, trimming and primer pocket reaming (eg right now I have 20K 223 Speer RHT brass that needs decrimping.

I have a spare toolhead to size and trim on stns 1 and 2. Dillon Full LEngth Sizing die stn 1, RT1200 stn 2. Then I run the brass through a Super Swage. I usually do 1000 at a time and that is sorted for a few months.

Then run through the neck size set up first time. Once trimmed and swaged never needs doing again.

All brass is tumbled and lubed before use.

[laportecharlie]

Before I knew any better I loaded all my 308 ammo for my M1A on my 550. I didn't have anything else. When I got other equipment I never got more accurate or more reliable ammo than I got on that 550