Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Talk about your 450b reloading experience, ask questions, etc...

Moderator: MudBug

Forum rules
Please try and keep it safe!

This information is the responsibility of the community, not the forum. 450bushmaster.net is not responsible if you blow yourselves up.

Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby mcb » Sat Apr 08, 2017 8:39 am

New member her. Glad I found this forum. I have a 20-inch 450 Bushmaster upper kit on the way. I have a lower that is nearly ready to go too. I have a bunch of once fired brass I got off a buddy and want to be ready to load up some ammo for the new gun once I finish it.

I have a Dillon 650XL Reloading press that I have loaded many thousand of rounds of a variety of pistol cartridges on. I see Dillon sells a 450 Bushmaster Conversion Kit (shell plate, locator buttons, powder funnel, etc) but they do not currently sell Dillon branded 450 Bushmaster dies. So I was hoping you guys could recommend a good set of dies, especially dies that work well with a progress 650XL press.

I was also wonder about case prep. It been awhile since I loaded rifle cartridges. I remember a lot of lub, setup, trimming, neck expanders etc with bottle neck rifle cartridges. With my pistol loading I have always just cleaned the brass in my tumbler with a little liquid Turtle Wax mixed in with the media. The brass come out shiny, clean, and slick. Combine that with a Dillon carbide sizing die I have never had to use any lubrication to size pistol cartridges. I also never trim my pistol brass to length. Will that trick work with 450 Bushmaster? Seem plausible since its a nearly straight wall cartridge that looks more like a over grown pistol cartridge than a rifle cartridge. Any tips, trick and advice her would be appreciated!
User avatar
mcb
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:22 pm

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby mcb » Sun Apr 09, 2017 7:38 pm

Well it took awhile for my post to get approved in the mean time I found a set of the Hornady dies (4 dies) on sale at Midway. For better or worse that it was I am starting with.

I could still use the advice on case prep. Should I be lubing ever case or can I get away with my tumbled with a little Turtle Wax trick.
User avatar
mcb
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:22 pm

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby Al in Mi » Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:45 am

Hornady about the only game in town for dies so far.

Personally I'd lube, and for your 650, Hornady One Shot might be a good option.
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby Jim in Houston » Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:52 pm

After cleaning (I use a Frankford Armory tumbler with walnut shell media and their case prep fluid), lube the cases with One-Shot before you size them, then chamfer and bevel the case mouth and clean out the primer pocket. No other case prep is required. I don't know about using Turtle Wax, but just be sure there is no ammonium in it. That can weaken brass in a cases.

I don't measure and trim the cases, but others might do that.

You will not need the third (expander) die, and do not roll crimp the cases with the seating die. Put on a taper crimp with the crimping die (#4).
Life Member, Texas State Rifle Association; Patron LIfe Member, NRA
User avatar
Jim in Houston
 
Posts: 1072
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:55 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby mcb » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:08 am

Thanks guys, I am impatiently waiting for all my various orders to arrive so I can start reloading. I have about 300 pcs of brass cleaned ready to load once the dies and conversion kit shows up.

I still have to pick out what bullets I am going to use. I have a bunch of 230gr FMJ that I am going to work up a plinking load with. For hunting I am probably going to try the Barnes 275gr TSX or Hornady 300gr XTP/MAG. I already have some H110 so I will start with that but I am going to see if I can get some Lil'gun too.

Any other bullets or powders I should try?
User avatar
mcb
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:22 pm

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby Al in Mi » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:48 am

I use 1680 with those 300gr XTP mags, I seat them out farther and I'm a bit above book, but no typ pressure signs and very accurate.
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby Hoot » Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:50 pm

mcb wrote:Thanks guys, I am impatiently waiting for all my various orders to arrive so I can start reloading. I have about 300 pcs of brass cleaned ready to load once the dies and conversion kit shows up.

I still have to pick out what bullets I am going to use. I have a bunch of 230gr FMJ that I am going to work up a plinking load with. For hunting I am probably going to try the Barnes 275gr TSX or Hornady 300gr XTP/MAG. I already have some H110 so I will start with that but I am going to see if I can get some Lil'gun too.

Any other bullets or powders I should try?


Consider the 200gr Barnes XPB. Faster, flatter shooting, less recoil and most importantly the same frontal area as the 275. They mushroom like a dream over Lil Gun:

Image

Yielding:

Image

And that's if you hit no bone. Imagine if you do!

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby mcb » Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:01 am

Thanks for the recommendation Hoot. I will try a box of those bullets a try if I can.

It sure seems like Lil-gun is the powder of choice for 450 Bushmaster. An overwhelming number of the loads I have found have use Lil-gun, spanning 200gr to 300gr. Hopefully the local Cabelas has some in stock so I don't have to order it online.
User avatar
mcb
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:22 pm

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby Hoot » Thu Apr 13, 2017 11:11 am

mcb wrote:Thanks for the recommendation Hoot. I will try a box of those bullets a try if I can.

It sure seems like Lil-gun is the powder of choice for 450 Bushmaster. An overwhelming number of the loads I have found have use Lil-gun, spanning 200gr to 300gr. Hopefully the local Cabelas has some in stock so I don't have to order it online.


Lil Gun, while an acceptable powder for the 275's, is not in its "happy place". You might do better with your H110. There's also W296 or 300MP which are very similar to H110. I tested 275's with Lil Gun about 5 years ago and it did ok but lately, newer batches of Lil Gun seem to run faster than it used to, hence the recommendation to go to the next slower powders.

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Recommend dies for reloading 450 on a Dillon 650XL

Postby mcb » Mon Apr 17, 2017 8:00 am

Saturday afternoon I hit Cabela's up for the last supplies I needed, primers, powder and some more bullets (no Barnes unfortunately I will have to order some online).   I setup my reloading press Saturday night.  I loaded the Hornady sizing, seating and crimping dies into a Dillon tool head.  Use the Dillon 460 S&W expander in the power station (this is the only Hornady die I did not use).  Got all the dies set and the powder drop setup.  For this first batches I am weighing every charge to give me a good initial data set.

The first load was Lil'gun (32.0, 34.0, 36.0) under a 240gr XTP/MAG.

Image

This week I am also going to load up Lil'gun under some 230gr FMJ (plinking ammo hopefully) and then some H110 under some 300gr XTP/MAG.  Hopefully the upper kit shows up this week while I get the last of my test loads made up.

Although I did not use it for this test batch I did get my case feeder running with 450 Bushmaster cases. The small rifle plate slots where the perfect length but the cases where getting pinch against the side of the hopper. I took a large course file and cut the notches about .050 deeper. I had to also move the steel exit protector closed some to make sure all the case fell head first into the feed tube.

Image

http://imgur.com/pQkZ0v4 (<-animate GIF of case feeder being tested)

Also someone up thread recommended Hornady One Shot for case lube. Thanks. I picked up a can when at Cabela's and glad I did. My Turtle Wax trick works good with pistol cases and carbide sizing dies but was really sticky in the full length 450 Bushmaster sizing die. A little bit of one shot made sizing much easier.
User avatar
mcb
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:22 pm


Return to Reloading for the 450b

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests