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Mr Bullet Feeder - Pistol: Seat and Crimp in 1 station or 2?


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I've always seated and crimped pistol in 2 stations using the lee FCD on my 1050.  Now that i have a mr bullet feeder, i'm thinking about giving a hornady seat/crimp combo die i have laying around a try so i can retain my powder check die.

 

I've never used a combo seat/crimp die, how are they?  I'm reloading mixed head stamp brass.  Or am i better off using 2 stations and losing the powder check die?  I was thinking about rigging up one of those cameras i see people use.

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I've never used a powder check and never felt like I needed one. Have you ever caught anything bad with it?

 

I did rig up a camera for the bullet drop station so I can see in every case before the bullet is placed.  I did it because it was cool, not because I've had problems with powder drops. And it hard to see in every case without it on the 1050. Cost less than 40 bucks and some zip ties

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With mixed headstamp I would ditch the powder check. I've done a lot of rounds both ways, it really is a little more consistent with 2 stations, not that I ever had any problems with 1. I watch the powder in every case on my match loads, so the powder check was redundant.

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650, not 1050 here, but the Hornady combo die has done great for me -- mixed brass with coated bullets in 9mm. No issues with scraping, if you get the bell adjusted properly. The only thing I have to watch is that a bullet drops out of the feeder die, everything is by feel.

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I haven't tried a combo die, nor do I use a powder check. I look into each case. It's tough on a 1050 w/o the camera, but not impossible, just uncomfortable. Try the combo die and see what you like, but I think separate stations for seating and crimping would be more consistent. 

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19 hours ago, armydad said:

I haven't tried a combo die, nor do I use a powder check. I look into each case. It's tough on a 1050 w/o the camera, but not impossible, just uncomfortable. Try the combo die and see what you like, but I think separate stations for seating and crimping would be more consistent. 

I rigged up a mirror. It's on an extension, and you can move it around in all sorts of positions. Zip tied to the case feeder supports. Works good without having to buy video stuff.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/telescoping-mirror-7361.html

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Separate stations also.  I ran myself nuts with my LNL trying to get 45ACP rounds that consistently gauged seating and taper crimp in same die.   i just set up a 1050 with Ammo Bot for 9 Minor, and doing it separately as well.  If you load lead or coated bullets, you really want to do it separately anyway.

 

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Using an Inline Fabrications light attached to the bullet feeder die I can easily see the powder level standing in front of my 1050.  The Uniquetek powder measure with N320 or N340 is very consistent.  I'm content with this approach to powder checking.

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59 minutes ago, RickT said:

Using an Inline Fabrications light attached to the bullet feeder die I can easily see the powder level standing in front of my 1050.  The Uniquetek powder measure with N320 or N340 is very consistent.  I'm content with this approach to powder checking.

 

I have the IF lights on my 650 and 550 and find them beneficial. I bought one for the 1050 but haven't put it on yet. When I looked at it, it didn't look like it would be much use. How do you like yours? I suppose I should give mine a go.

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4 hours ago, armydad said:

 

 

I have the IF lights on my 650 and 550 and find them beneficial. I bought one for the 1050 but haven't put it on yet. When I looked at it, it didn't look like it would be much use. How do you like yours? I suppose I should give mine a go.

My loading area is very well lit except for the left side of the 1050.  I could (and probably will) attach a clamp-on LED lamp to my bench on the left side, but the IF light does put the light exactly where needed.  Of course nothing beats the overhead IF light on an LNL press, but the 1050 doesn't lend itself to that sort of installation.

 

I wouldn't mind sitting, but even with an adjustable bar stool at 6' tall and with a 36" high bench I'd need another 3-4 inches to sit.  Might build a simple platform at some point.

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