Gratuitous Poor Quality Phone Video of my Dillon 750 with Autodrive and some talking points.

[EricBu]

"You can't automate a 750, it won't hold up".

Seems untrue.....I've conversed with a dozen people doing this exact thing, one of them has logged 250K 5.56 mixed cases processed through his, with one broken index ring. So I took the plunge.

"You can't swage on a 750".

This is partially true. See above statement, 250K is a lot of processing. I can see how it might crack the frame over time, if you aren't careful. It's probably safer with the Mark 7 autodrive, as it sets the stroke, so you can't really bottom it out, which is what stresses the frame. The swage-it isn't the greatest swager...in my case it serves two purposes: Checks for ringers, and stops on small primer 45 ACP. However, as a first swage before the 5.56 and other crimped brass goes in my big press.....it's nice, basically = 2 swager passes. Now I almost never have any primer seating issues with the mil 5.56...primers seat perfectly, maybe get 1 out of a thousand that seat funky and need to be rejected.

"You'll void your warranty!" (you should read this in Ralphie's mother's voice telling him he'll shoot his eye out).

Yes, this is a fact, automation, and swaging void the warranty.

"Why did you do it? A CP 2000 or 1050 would be a WAY better choice?"

My cost on a 750 is 600.00. At this price point, I can break 3 of them before I've hit the cost of a CP2000/1050. And I had a spare 750 in a box. All I wanted was to process brass, so it made sense.

"Would you load on it?"

I wasn't planning on it, but for an experiment, I dropped a bullet feeder on it, and a powder sensor. Did 30-06. Did absolutely fine. So I may do some limited loading on it on things I can't do on my Mark 7 Revolutions, like 30-06. You can't seat and crimp in separate stations with this, and you need a short powder bar, and must use the DAA Mr Bullet Feeder powder funnel with your measure. But it will work.

Since March 1st I've done:

10K mixed headstamp mil/civ 223 with the RT1500 trimmer on it, decapped, swaged, trimmed, sized.
5K 40 S&W, decap, swage and size
~ 2700 45 ACP, decap, swaged, and sized. The swage also acts as a halt on small primer 45 ACP, clutch stops the machine so I can pull it. Which keeps it out of my commercial presses.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O0Qptxrf1NQ

 

[Austin Albright]

"You can't automate a 750, it won't hold up".

Seems untrue.....I've conversed with a dozen people doing this exact thing, one of them has logged 250K 5.56 mixed cases processed through his, with one broken index ring. So I took the plunge.

"You can't swage on a 750".

This is partially true. See above statement, 250K is a lot of processing. I can see how it might crack the frame over time, if you aren't careful. It's probably safer with the Mark 7 autodrive, as it sets the stroke, so you can't really bottom it out, which is what stresses the frame. The swage-it isn't the greatest swager...in my case it serves two purposes: Checks for ringers, and stops on small primer 45 ACP. However, as a first swage before the 5.56 and other crimped brass goes in my big press.....it's nice, basically = 2 swager passes. Now I almost never have any primer seating issues with the mil 5.56...primers seat perfectly, maybe get 1 out of a thousand that seat funky and need to be rejected.

"You'll void your warranty!" (you should read this in Ralphie's mother's voice telling him he'll shoot his eye out).

Yes, this is a fact, automation, and swaging void the warranty.

"Why did you do it? A CP 2000 or 1050 would be a WAY better choice?"

My cost on a 750 is 600.00. At this price point, I can break 3 of them before I've hit the cost of a CP2000/1050. And I had a spare 750 in a box. All I wanted was to process brass, so it made sense.

"Would you load on it?"

I wasn't planning on it, but for an experiment, I dropped a bullet feeder on it, and a powder sensor. Did 30-06. Did absolutely fine. So I may do some limited loading on it on things I can't do on my Mark 7 Revolutions, like 30-06. You can't seat and crimp in separate stations with this, and you need a short powder bar, and must use the DAA Mr Bullet Feeder powder funnel with your measure. But it will work.

Since March 1st I've done:

10K mixed headstamp mil/civ 223 with the RT1500 trimmer on it, decapped, swaged, trimmed, sized.
5K 40 S&W, decap, swage and size
~ 2700 45 ACP, decap, swaged, and sized. The swage also acts as a halt on small primer 45 ACP, clutch stops the machine so I can pull it. Which keeps it out of my commercial presses.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O0Qptxrf1NQ

Thanks so much for this post. I have pondered automating my 750 and you have given thoughtful answers I have been thinking about.
Brass prep is what was at top of my thought. I do have the 1500 trimmer and swage-it tool.
Using press to detect small primer pocket was something I never would have thought of.
Whoever came up with small primer pocket on 45 should be horse-whipped.

I've been using my 750 for over a year and have loaded over 20,000 9mm's and a few other so am comfortable with operation of machine
Again thanks for your post

 

[jmorris]

I actually played a bit with 650 automation but my interest was loading vs processing and switched over to one of my 1050’s, to keep things simple.

For processing you can get buy with a lot less though, you could get a Lee app for under 100 and their swager for another $50 and have a swager with a back up rod that works a lot better than trying to swage without and less tweaking of rims. They are stupid easy to automate too.



The 4 digit presses are easier because they do all the work on the handle down stroke, including priming so you only need to be precise on one end of the stroke, the other end you just need to get high enough the indexer can do it’s job.

 

[jmorris]

Whoever came up with small primer pocket on 45 should be horse-whipped.

I built this for my 45 ACP 1050.



Later, I built this stand alone one.

 

[EricBu]

I built this for my 45 ACP 1050.



Later, I built this stand alone one.

Man, I wish I had your skills! Very nice!

 

[ManFromMontana]

If you are swaging in stage 2, where are the primers/powder getting inserted?

 

[jmorris]

He is not loading ammunition.

 

[EricBu]

If you are swaging in stage 2, where are the primers/powder getting inserted?

Only processing brass on the 750. After processing, it goes back into the tumbler again. Then it's loaded on a Mark 7 Revolution. Benefit: Using prepped brass on the Mark 7 = dramatically higher speed (2500 rph), reduced stoppages, cleaner (no decapping debris), and since it's already sized, no sizing on the Mark 7, so no lube on the brass either, and skipping the sizing also reduces shell plate deflection, which just plane results in better ammo. Just speeds everything up, and reduces wear and tear on the 18K dollar press, and shifts the most strenuous part of the remanufacturing process onto a 600.00 piece of equipment that can be easily replaced. Also, with rifle stuff that I'm trimming, keeps the brass shavings off the loading press. Another kind of side benefit is that I do my brass processing while I'm doing maintenance on my mark 7's. Brass processing is messy, and I don't have to be glued to the machine to watch it, so it's easy to just let it run while I'm working on the other stuff. I fill the hopper, turn it on, and walk past every now and then and dump more brass in the hopper. This lets me do all the "messy stuff" at the same time, maintenance and brass. Let's me have a clean and uncluttered bench when it's time to start loading again.

 

[Austin Albright]

Only processing brass on the 750. After processing, it goes back into the tumbler again. Then it's loaded on a Mark 7 Revolution. Benefit: Using prepped brass on the Mark 7 = dramatically higher speed (2500 rph), reduced stoppages, cleaner (no decapping debris), and since it's already sized, no sizing on the Mark 7, so no lube on the brass either, and skipping the sizing also reduces shell plate deflection, which just plane results in better ammo. Just speeds everything up, and reduces wear and tear on the 18K dollar press, and shifts the most strenuous part of the remanufacturing process onto a 600.00 piece of equipment that can be easily replaced. Also, with rifle stuff that I'm trimming, keeps the brass shavings off the loading press. Another kind of side benefit is that I do my brass processing while I'm doing maintenance on my mark 7's. Brass processing is messy, and I don't have to be glued to the machine to watch it, so it's easy to just let it run while I'm working on the other stuff. I fill the hopper, turn it on, and walk past every now and then and dump more brass in the hopper. This lets me do all the "messy stuff" at the same time, maintenance and brass. Let's me have a clean and uncluttered bench when it's time to start loading again.

Interesting read.
I have trod this path too.
Back in the mid 1970's I purchased a Star reloaded. Took me a year to get it from time ordered. Talk about a kid on Christmas morning.
Still makes me smile when thinking back.

Anyway, after setting up on my heavy bench the fun began. I soon learned that sizing beforehand might be a good idea. I had purchased a Loritone lapidary tumbler about this same time. Was using ground walnut shells but didn't like the way small kernels would become lodged in the primer hold.

Bert Koll, guy who ordered my Star for me, turned me on to his secret formula for wet tumbling. One cup of concentrated lemon juice, one cup of 409 and a gallon of hottest water out of your tap. It was magic....

With the brass prep combined with cleaning, oh forgot started using imperial sizing die wax.
Had the world on a downhill slide. Would size clean and store my 45 acp brass in 50 cal ammo cans. Then when ready to load, fill about 15 tubes for the Hulme case feeder, which fed the Star and we were off to the races. Star was built to incredibly tight tolerances, so cleanliness was a must. Feeding her with nice shiny cases meant I didn't have to tear her down for about 10,000 loaded rounds.
I used to cast H&G 68 200 grain swc in the winter and load up my yearly supply on Star also.
My ammo shot so well that all my friends had me load their ammo and several ended up purchasing Stars too.
Don't think I have ever purchased another item that his brought me as much enjoyment as has that old Star reloader. Still have her. She has an honored place in my home until the good Lord calls me home.

Anyway your post reminder me of my journey and the evolutionary path it took. I might mention that in the mid 80's I was able to make a lifetime dream come true. A Auto Ordinance MIAI WWII Thompson. Star did a nice job keeping her fed for many years. Also providing unforgettable memories for those who shot her.
Unfortunately I no longer am her owner but what good times we had. Still remember wife giggling like a little girl shooting bowling pins.