Which .308 Die Setup on a Dillon RL550B

[Scutter]

Okay, I would like a little help from the PAFOA crowd. Finally got a Dillon RL550B and would like to shop for 308 rifle dies. The rifles: Remington 700 SPS-AAC Tactical (lot of rolling hills and valleys for a thousand yard shot if we desire), CETME Sporter, and down the road, someday, a Springfield M1A. I can use the Dillon as a single stage as well as a progressive; so I'm not allergic to getting an extra toolhead if needed. I am also not scared to mix manufacturers if need be, so if you feel partison to a particular Hornady full length resizer and a Redding with a mandrel instead of an expander, I would be glad to hear it here. I Don't need to go crazy spending money, but I sorta feel for Hornady,Redding, LEE, maybe Forster route. I didn't mention your favorite? Hit that reply button and let me know! Fire away and thanks to all....Scutter

[sixstrings101]

Depends what your looking to do. If your looking to do volume rounds just shy of match grade, the dillon dies will serve you well. If your doing match grade ammo, i suggest getting a decent seating die forster or redding are great, and a neck sizer if your going to be shooting the same brass from your 700. The CETME will eat whatever you feed it but brass coming from it will need to be full length sized.

[Mabuz]

Sort of related, but have any of you guys had good luck using RCBS dies in your Dillons?

I've been kicking around the idea of getting a Dillon this year, but I have a lot invested in my RCBS stuff currently and would hate to have to buy another set of dies along with the new press.

[crnkit]

The Dillon dies are very well made. very close tolerence.
But I concur that for match quality seating get the redding or similar.
My 450 is 30+ yrs old and still performs perfect.
Good Luck

[Pkspawn]

Sort of related, but have any of you guys had good luck using RCBS dies in your Dillons?

No real reason to purchase more dies for a new press. The RCBS will work fine. I have a mix of rcbs, hornady and lee dies. They work in the press. But some are better than others, or are better with slight changes (like not using the o-ring lock nut with the lee dies).

The Lee dies are a little short. Saw no issues yet on the Dillon, and it was very close to running out of threads on a hornady lock and load AP.

With that said.. The dillon dies are made for progressive presses and some have a wider mouth opening to allow better feeding into the die. Also they are designed not to be readjusted all the time. Pretty much you setup a tool head and lock in your settings. Unfortunately not everyone wants to purchase a new toolhead for each caliber, or uses the same exact bullet or powder every time for each caliber. That is where the dillon dies tends to lack for me. I use a handful of different bullet sizes and powders depending what is available.

I love the RCBS lock rings, they seem to be better than the hornady. I just lock in the ring after its adjusted, so I can remove the die and later quickly return to that setting. The Lee O-ring is neat, but that o-ring allows the die to move. Prob by design for their presses. Same way the 550 toolhead moves.

[cephas]

One of the reasons I went with the 550 was being able to use the dies I had. Have not had a problem with RCBS dies in it. Good point previously made about wider mouth dies. Never held me up but seems I find seating easier with the wider dies especially with cast bullets.
Just me but when doing rifle I size and prepare cases on a single stage and finish off with the Dillon.
Afterthought, I use the seating die just to seat the bullets and crimp with the Lee rifle crimp die.

[MT1]

I've had great success with Hornady dies for my CETME. As a bonus you get a free (you pay shipping) box of bullets for each die set.

[Scutter]

Okay, now what do you think about using a universal decapping die? Would that make life easier specially if using once fired brass?