Kimberdude

Just ordered my swager, have been borrowing one. found this post on You tube, thought you might enjoy it. would be a timesaver!!

Shot my first IDPA match last weekend. Shot my daily carry gun, a Kimber CDP compact, 7+1. Out of 41 shooters, took 4th. So what is the problem? Don't really care what everyone else is shooting, this is the gun I carry, this is the gun I shoot every single week in practice, and from the stats from last week, it shows. Draw consistently, shoot accurately, reload quickly, good scores.

I do seperate by HS, have found the Blazer brass very difficult to seat a primer in, so it gets thrown in the recycle bucket. I seperate mainly to always have the same brass in a batch to reload. Other than that, range pickup is free brass, and what doesn't pass inspection gets $$ down the line from recycle.

I have hundreds and hundreds of .380 reloaded with Red Dot, 3 grains behind either a Speer 88gr JHP or a Hornady XTP JHP. Pretty snappy loads, haven't chronoed them, shoot them in a FEG .380. Thinking that would work pretty good in your pistol

No such thing as a dumb question, I have learned so much on this forum without even having to ask a question, and to the questions I have asked, never a bad answer. Learned so much, had my 550 set up and running rounds within 30 minutes due to almost a feel of experience gleaned from those on this site......keep asking those questions! So I won't have to, lol.......

Problem resolved with help here and Dillon CU....found couple very minor things added up to problem, first the bracket that holds the primer feed tube needs to be touching the press frame, and be VERY straight. Mine had a small gap and was not square to press, which put acutuator rod out of alignment with rollers and slide. Quick alignment and wala, works great. Also was suggested to put VERY small amount of light grease( not oil) on actuator rod where it inserts and pivots on primer tube mounting bracket. Not a single hitch in my git a long, loaded 170 rounds in 20 minutes, if I were coordinated would have been faster! Thanks everyone!

Finally got 550b up and running, having a consistent problem. Primer will only be on cup on every other stroke of ram. Very consistent, kinda irritating, screws up concentration and sequence for sure. I have made sure feed tube has more than 50 primers in it, so not low, primer cup is in perfect position, no problems with seating the ones that do get there. Do I need more weight possibly on the follower? Off to chono some loads, look forward to all your knowledgeble answers....

I was living in Anchorage AK when that AWACS went down, knew one of the folks on it. On my way to work and saw the smoke column, over the AFB couldn't be good. I have been all over Elmendorf AFB, seen the propane cannons working to no effect, geese are within 25 feet of them when they fire, the geese never even raise thier heads from eating to see what the comotion was. At the small (largest float plane base in North Americo) Lake Hood area the city put hogs out on the islands the geese lived and nested on, and guess what???? NO MORE GEESE! The they raffled off the hogs at the end of the year, egg fed, must have been yummy. Hopefully the pilot of this plane will get a very hefty bonus, he has earned it.

I am in agreement with Duane, a draw from holster, concealed or not is a practice thing, not a Oh My Gosh, real Secret Decoder Ring kinda thing. Its like anything else having to do with handguns.....slow to get smooth, build the muscle memory, speed comes with doing it. Nothing an instructor can do for you in a 16 hour class that you cannot do every day in your home for a few minutes at a time for free. Just draw, and draw again, and again and again. Start without a concealing garment, then when you are comfortable with that, put a coat or shirt or whatever over it and start again drawing. You will find that different garments will affect the draw anyway, so you technique will change with whatever you are wearing. I dont recommend spending any hard earned $$ on an instructor to learn your draw, use the instructor for tactical SHOOTING instruction. We shoot every week doing defensive pistol drills, and I honestly can't say we ever even practice a draw, its just part of the whole package.

Thanks for all the input. I am working 12 hour graveyard shifts for next 2 months so not much time for shooting , works great for being out of ammo. Also means i have lots of time to read up on forum searches. I have decided to load a number of LSWC, I happen to have Unique powder on hand and have read much to its lead load popularity, and also load a number of 200gr LRN, vary the OAL from 1.25 to 1.26 and see what happens. I thank you all for you knowledge and the willingness to share. Hopefully someday I can return the favor.

I shoot a Kimber CDP II 5" and Wilson Combat mags exclusively. what would I have to watch for in mags to shoot the LSWC? My pistol has not found a food source yet it wont shoot excepting a batch of Fiocci that was way to short, my bad on that one for not catching the difference in OAL. I am pretty sure my pistol is from factory with 22lb? spring, I have not made any modifications to it other than CTC grips and a magwell, would that be too strong of a spring for some of the lighter LSWC loads?

I am new to this forum and to reloading. I shoot a 1911 and have exhausted my supply of ammo. I do not shoot competition but still shoot 2000 rounds a month on average. I am beginning to reload, have a semi progressive and a Dillon 550B, and this is the question I have. I have never shot a LSWC thru my gun, always been jacketed HP or LRN, did not think a SWC would cycle and load properly. Is there any loading tips for LSWC vs LRN for reliability? Does the LSWC cycle reliably in a 1911? I would very much like to take advantage of shooting lead over jacketed due to the price difference, and even more would like to be able to use less lead as in smaller grain bullets found with the LSWC. Any suggestions? Michael

I do not shoot competition, but still manage 1000/rnds per month in my .45. On my bench you will find a Ponsness Warren semi progessive next to a MEC shotshell reloader, and those next to a Dillon 550. With the toolheads being switchable, I can load volume of the handgun cartridges I shoot the most(.45, .38. ,9mm, .357, .223) with the Dillon, and use the semi progessive for the smaller batch stuff like .44, .380 and .32.

My first post, and my $.02! I am a Kimber owner, the only mods are mag well and CTC grips, as I do not shoot competition, CCW only. I have fired many thousands of rounds and never even one hiccup on the part of the gun, a few on mine! Reliability is paramount when you bet your life on it. I will never hesitate to carry this weapon, and it cost $1025.00 NIB. Oh, model is CDP II, 4". IMHO can't go wrong with a Kimber.