RCBS cowboy expander die in Dillon 550c

[sv44]

I’m trying to incorporate an expander die in my 550c and curious how you folks set it up. Should I plan to deprime all my cartridges off the press and set it up in stage 1 or?
Thanks in advance

[15meter]

I've deprimed and sized 30-06 on the Rockchucker, then used a Lyman M-die in stage one. Never loaded pistol on the 550.

My Dillon Square Deal-b has an expanding, powder funnel for station two, I would think the 550 would work with the same belling/charging powder funnel for loading pistol calibers.

[sv44]

Thank you, it does but I’m trying to get rid of some troublesome leading with powder coated wad cutters sized to my cylinder throats. Thinking the case may be swaging them down more than I think (the powder coat has a slight ridge after seating -on the face of the bullet)

[wv109323]

Another option is to have an oversize powder drop tube made by one of our members. I think lathesmith makes them. You can have whatever size and length made you want.
Dillons stock powder tubes are too small for cast bullets. This way you can load as normal on the 550.

[wv109323]

Another option is to have an oversize powder drop tube made by one of our members. I think lathesmith makes them. You can have whatever size and length made you want.
Dillons stock powder tubes are too small for cast bullets. This way you can load as normal on the 550.

[gpidaho]

sv44: You'll need to get a larger expander. Powder coats main flaw is that is easily scraped. I expand to .001 under bullet size and use a generous belling. Scraped bullets =leaded barrel. Gp

[sv44]

To understand, if the bullet is sized to.430 with coating what diameter should I be expanding to to minimize coating removal? I’m Attemting to,contact lathesmith

[1hole]

Well. reloading is more an art than a science, especially so for working with cast bullets, so no one can tell you exactly what to do next. But, IF you lightly campher the case mouths AND bell the mouths enough to avoid scrapping off your bullet's coating, you should be fine with your present expander.

Or, and I think much faster and easier, is to get and properly use a Lyman "M" die to expand/bell mouths so the bullets simply can't get cut or scraped as they enter the cases. IMHO, Lyman's excellent "M" expander is how ALL expanders should be made for both cast AND jacketed bullets.

[Petander]

To understand, if the bullet is sized to.430 with coating what diameter should I be expanding to to minimize coating removal? I’m Attemting to,contact lathesmith

I would go for a .429/433expander. 433 being the flare part.

[sigep1764]

For rifle, I size and deprime off the Dillon. I use an NOE expander plug in a Lee Universal Expander die in station one. For pistol, I use a Lathesmith custom powder thru expander. Both work for their certain brass.

[sv44]

thank you all, contacted lathe smith and have ordered the funnels so i hope this helps- appreciate the advice