CROB

I've been running 3.4 gn Comp under hardcast cast lead 124gn conicals with polymer coatings. They perform very similar to plated bullets. Very soft but cycle reliably in my Glock and 1911 pistols. It smokes a bit, but no signs of pressure so could go up a little. I'm going to try some MG 124gn CMJ shortly. Once my 4lb bottle is gone I may have to experiment with Winchester Super Handicap. Rifle powder is back, albeit $$$ but pistol powder is still like unicorn poo!

I've had a 1050 since 2006 and I've had primer crush issues a lot. There is a checklist I run to get it sorted, which I can post, but since you are working on the swage aspect there is one key thing you might want to check, What I found is that the "amount" of swage is far less critical to primer seating that what happens to the shell plate. I've tried all the different things to ensure the primer is sitting in the slide correctly (although the mention of a new slide is interesting...). I put a video camera the primer area so I could see it go past on the slide (used a bore scope adapter) and it was always square and correct. So that meant the primer was tipping as it went into the case. The important part is that the shell plate can't move when you swage. It must remain absolutely still vertically as the swage rod comes up and the backup rod comes down. You need to wind the backup rod down far enough to support the inside web of the case as the swage rod comes up. Watch closely as you lower the handle, the case rim will move up a little in the shell plate. But it MUST NOT make the shell plate move up. It if does, by any amount (and 0.001 is any) you will have primer seat issues because the case won't stay square to the primer and it will tip. Once I got this adjustment correct and went from 4-5 crushed per 100 cases to 1 in 1000 or better. I have 9mm, 38 Spl, 32 S&W Long, 223, 38 Super and I knew they couldn't ALL have warped plates, as soon as I got this right, they all stopped crushing primers. And cases that don't need swage (like 32 S&W Long) still need this set correctly if you are using the backup/expander rod, as downward pressure seems worse than up.

As you have a Uniquetek micrometer you could try this (and it wont cost you money!) For most of my powders, using the Small Powder bar, the micrometer is about 5 marks = 0.1gn (roughly). So work out what the lightest charge you want to load is, for example 3.8gn and max say 4.5gn. Then work out what the UniqueTek bar has to be on for 3.8gn and 4.5gn = maybe a 15 click spead on the dial. Divide up the difference into reasonable steps "OF THE MICROMETER" not the weight. Dial the starting load, throw a few rounds and put the powder back in the measure, then load your test rounds. Dial the next setting, discard a few throws, then do your test loads. Keep going until you have them all. Finally, weigh the last throw from the measure to make sure you didn't goof up. You don't really care if the load that works is 3.93gn or 4.07gn, you just need to know what to dial the powder measure to. I record the micrometer settings for all my loads, and once the powder has settled in the measure, they always throw the same. When I change loads, I check the powder is roughly what I expect, but rely on the micrometer to give me the same as last time. Obviously some powders throw more consistently than others.....

I have been having 38 Special feed problems since I got the 1050 - very frustrating. I setup the press for 9mm, and after sorting out the primer feed (polish that primer feed until you see your face in it) it was great. Several thousand rounds later I changed back to 38 Special and jam-o-matic! Turns out my 1050 shipped with the large (L stamp) casefeed plunger. I thought the shellplate was grabbing the cases, but with the bigger plunger the cases tip a little and bind. 357Mag jams less than 38Spl, but I am having a jam every 6-8 cases - compared to non-stop 9mm this is hard to take! I'm waiting for my replacement. There are a few buckets full of 38 cases waiting for me......