Questions on loading 223 on a progressive machine

[Jethro]

I know there are guys here (M16 for sure) that have loaded lots of 223/556 on a Dillon progressive. I plan to be buying a Dillon 550 here soon, mainly for loading pistol, but would like to load 223 (and maybe some other centerfire rifle) on it as well. Carbide pistol dies require no lube, but how do you guys handle the lube issue when loading bottleneck rifle cases?

Also, any other tips/tricks to a guy new to loading on a progressive machine? I am a very experienced loader, been loading 30 years, lots of precision rifle. Just new to the progressive thing.

[M16]

I do mine in two stages. Resize/deprime. Then clean and trim if necessary. I usually hand prime as well. Remove sizing die. Then crank them out. Not the fastest way just the way I do it.

[Jethro]

OK. I was thinking along the lines of deprime with universal decapper, clean/trim in the next stage, then lightly lube with a alcohol/lanolin mix and crank them out. But obviously I have never tried that since I don't even have my machine yet.

I know there are guys who crank out ammo for their precision rifles using a progressive for PRS style shooting, I'm just not sure exactly how they run their system.

[M16]

I've used Hornady One Shot before and loaded in one stage. It worked fine. I'm just picky about primer seating and want every one to be just right. I keep enough inventory on hand ready to go so time isn't a factor. Most of the glitches on a progressive are priming related so I just eliminate that problem. I do use my progressives to prime handgun ammo and load in one stage.

[Jethro]

Sounds good, I appreciate your input on it. That helps.

[cattlelackranch]

Questions on loading 223 on a progressive machine

Trimming is the killer for me.

I still haven't figured out which way I want to go. A couple different options I've contemplated.

1. Giraud trimmer. Trims, chamfers and deburs in one step.

2. Another tool head with a size/decaping die in station 1. Dillion trimmer in station 2 or 3. Then run them through a power station to chamfer/deburr

3. Get little crow gunwerks worlds finest trimmer and run on my drill press. Then chamfer/ deburr

My wilson hand crank trimmer is about to wear me out.

Then you gotta swage them.

I usually do all the brass prep in stages. When I'm done with all of that then I tumble in media. After that then I hit em lightly with hornady one shot and run them through the 4 stations on a Dillion 550.

If I was serious about shooting a lot of the AR then I would invest in the 650 or 1050.

Edit to add:
I do the above on new to me once fired brass. Subsequent reloads I check a handful of overall lengths in that batch and as long as they aren't getting close to max length then I just tumble and run through the press.
I keep them in lots of 500 and keep them separated from other lots I'm running.

[SOLID EAGLE]

Trimming is the killer for me.

I still haven't figured out which way I want to go. A couple different options I've contemplated.

1. Giraud trimmer. Trims, chamfers and deburs in one step.

2. Another tool head with a size/decaping die in station 1. Dillion trimmer in station 2 or 3. Then run them through a power station to chamfer/deburr

3. Get little crow gunwerks worlds finest trimmer and run on my drill press. Then chamfer/ deburr

My wilson hand crank trimmer is about to wear me out.

Then you gotta swage them.

I usually do all the brass prep in stages. When I'm done with all of that then I tumble in media. After that then I hit em lightly with hornady one shot and run them through the 4 stations on a Dillion 550.

If I was serious about shooting a lot of the AR then I would invest in the 650 or 1050.

Edit to add:
I do the above on new to me once fired brass. Subsequent reloads I check a handful of overall lengths in that batch and as long as they aren't getting close to max length then I just tumble and run through the press.
I keep them in lots of 500 and keep them separated from other lots I'm running.

Get the Giraud trimmer. You will soon forget the price you paid and smile everytime you need to trim.

I've done mine both ways. In two steps on a progressive and on a single stage. I've found it's almost just as fast on the single stage with a lot less hassle.

[TacticalCowboy]

Dillon lube works well. I put a toolhead with only the sizing/decapping die installed and run them through. Then I check the length against a caliper set at max SAAMI length. Trim the ones that won't fit through the caliper. Prime and charge on the press.