70
•
When a straight wall cartridge is fired, the case expands in diameter to take up all the available space in the
chamber and seals in the propellant gases. When a bottleneck case is fired, the sides, neck and shoulder expand
and the case stretches to take up all the available space in the chamber, again acting as a gas seal. After being fired
the cartridge case “springs back” so the case can be extracted from the chamber. The case does not return to its
original unfired dimensions. Therefore, the case must be sized. Sizing of the straight-walled rimmed or rimless
case “squeezes” the case back to its original diameter so that it will fit in any firearm and hold a bullet. A bullet
will fall through the mouth/neck of an un-sized case. In full-length sizing of the bottleneck cartridge, the case body
is” squeezed” back to its original dimension, the case shoulder may also be pushed back, and the neck is reduced in
diameter so that it will hold a bullet. Full-length sizing in general, allows the reloaded cartridge to be fired in any
firearm of the appropriate caliber. Setting up the Sizing Die for a bottleneck case requires a higher level of
precision than for straight-walled cases. Threading your Sizing Die down to the Shell Plate WILL NOT properly
size bottleneck cartridges! It is imperative to have a Head Space Case Gauge for the cartridge you are reloading. A
case gauge is roughly a “chamber” in a piece of steel with a high/low limit step at the base to check the headspace
of your brass as well as a high/low limit step at the case mouth to determine the proper trim length—again, it is not
a chamber gauge! Chamber gauges are sold by Dillon from EGWguns.com. See below.
•
Available Case Cages from Dillon (Note-- other calibers are available from Wilson in Dillon’s Blue Press.)
Caliber
P/N
.233 Remington
13254
.308 Winchester
12867
.30-06 Springfield
12679
.380 ACP
15160
9mm Parabellum
15161
.38 Super
15158
.38 Special
15159
.357 Magnum
15163
.40 S&W
15164
10mm
15162
.44 Magnum
15165
.45 ACP
15166
.45 Colt
15167
.45 GAP
12672
Cross Section Typical Dillon Rifle, Rimless and
Rimmed Pistol Headspace/Case Gauges
Typical EGW “Multi-Round”
Chamber Checker
Summary of Contents for RL550C
Page 44: ...44 9 4 Powder Measure Conversion refer to the Exploded View below ...
Page 60: ...60 15 RL550C EXPLODED VIEWS AND PARTS IDENTIFIER 15 1 Complete Assembly Exploded View 1 ...
Page 61: ...61 15 2 Frame and Lower Assembly Exploded View 2 ...
Page 62: ...62 15 3 Toolhead Assembly Exploded View 3 ...
Page 63: ...63 15 4 Platform and Components Exploded View 4 ...
Page 64: ...64 15 5 Primer Feed Assembly PN 20263 no Operating Rod Exploded View 5 ...
Page 65: ...65 15 6 Powder Measure Assembly ...
Page 66: ...66 15 7 Primer Early Warning System PN20302 Rod and PEWS Kit PN14497 PEWS Alone ...
Page 75: ...75 18 RL550C TEMPLATE FOR DRILLING MOUNTING HOLES IN BENCH ...