freakshow10mm
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Posts posted by freakshow10mm
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I used to load on a LCT and upgraded to a 550 at the time (2006). World of difference. It's a steep learning curve on the Dillon, you'll pick it up in the first few sessions. The manual index isn't as bad as some complain about, you just have to find a cadence to maximize speed. The LCT isn't a press for a 500rd loading session. I think it's better suited to small runs like 100rds of something you don't shoot a lot of. I loaded a lot of 10mm on my LCT when I had it.
The Dillon powder measure is much more consistent than the Lee. When I had the 550 and currently with my 1050, using W231 or similar shaped powder, I'm on the dot every time. Set it for 4.9gr and it's always 4.9gr.
Once you learn the way of the 550 you will get more accurate and better quality ammunition than the Lee, but it will take a bit of time to get to that point. With anything new, you just need to put your time in.
My biggest hang up that has drawn me to consider the Hornady LNL or just not to chnge has been the manual index of the 550 but it truly sounds like a non issue when you get used to it.
The way I loaded on the 550 for maximum speed is when pulling the handle to size, etc I would use my left hand to grab a bullet. When I bring the shellplate down and push forward to prime, I look at the charged case in station 2, then set the bullet on top. I advance (index) the shellplate once I get the bullet on there as my right hand grabs a case and sets it on the shellplate, then pull the handle to size, etc as my left hand grabs another bullet. That is the most efficient economy of motion for loading on the 550 that I have found. I started my commercial reloading business using a 550 and got fast real quick.
Basically when you are working the handle, your left hand is grabbing a bullet and when you aren't working the handle, your left hand is indexing the shellplate and right hand is grabbing a new case. The 550 does have a case feeder now, but it seems it's not as reliable as the 650 or 1050 feeder. Those presses were designed for a case feeder. The 550 feeder was an afterthought.
Really the progression to a progressive (no pun) press has to do with whether a case feeder will be utilized or not. If it's not in the cards then the 550 is the choice for you. It's also the best if you are going to load several hundred rounds at a time of a handful of cartridges, as the conversion kits are cheaper than the other Dillon presses. There is also interchangeability that suits a wide variety of cartridges. The 9mm and .40 plate and buttons are the same, so just buy one conversion kit and get a powder funnel for the other caliber. Now going from 9 to 40 is just a swap of the toolhead and no need to mess with the shellplate. 223 will have it's own and the 45 will too. If you want to add the .308 to your mix, it uses the same shellplate and buttons for the 45, so just get a 30 caliber powder funnel.
If you want a case feeder, then I'd look at the 650. You can start without the case feeder and add it later. With the case feeder, you can load twice as fast as the 550 so your loading time will be cut in half. Figure an hour to load 500rds on the 550 takes a half hour for the same on the 650 with case feeder. Another way is if you have that hour per caliber scheduled anyway, you can load 1,000 rounds of each caliber and load every other month.
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Great videos! Thanks for sharing.
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Disconnector or the sear spring might be the culprit.
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I used to load on a LCT and upgraded to a 550 at the time (2006). World of difference. It's a steep learning curve on the Dillon, you'll pick it up in the first few sessions. The manual index isn't as bad as some complain about, you just have to find a cadence to maximize speed. The LCT isn't a press for a 500rd loading session. I think it's better suited to small runs like 100rds of something you don't shoot a lot of. I loaded a lot of 10mm on my LCT when I had it.
The Dillon powder measure is much more consistent than the Lee. When I had the 550 and currently with my 1050, using W231 or similar shaped powder, I'm on the dot every time. Set it for 4.9gr and it's always 4.9gr.
Once you learn the way of the 550 you will get more accurate and better quality ammunition than the Lee, but it will take a bit of time to get to that point. With anything new, you just need to put your time in.
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A few of the shooters I sponsor have me load them to major.
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Glad to hear everything got worked out.
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10mm Auto should be between 1.250 and 1.260 OAL. I have a 10mm 1911 that I've shot JHPs, LSWCs, TCs, RNs etc in and none gave me problems.
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For that money, you'd be ahead to buy a handful of 1050s and a good amount of components.
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This doesn't appear to be about an armorer. This seems to be a personal gun.
Um, no. This is about a 2011 for duty carry meaning in the official capacity of a police officer in uniform. It is to replace his issued Glock 22.
The armorer comes up because the department has to maintain the weapons their officers carry. The liability risk involved in letting an officer maintain their own weapon is huge.
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Order more of what you need to justify the cost of shipping. You'll take it in the pants for small light orders and make out well for dies, conversion kits, etc.
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The 1911 in police work means a nightmare for the armorer. I hate Glocks, but I'd rather carry a Glock on duty than a 1911. Simple, rugged, and easy to work on. Keep in mind you get a bunch of officers carrying different guns, there will be magazine compatibility issues. It's extreme but it might happen that you run out of ammo and need a comrade to toss you a magazine. You'll be up the creek when a G22 mag comes your way and you realize it won't work in your 2011.
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Until your skills outperform your equipment you are better off spending the gun money on ammo and training. That said, if you just want some cool new gun, I'm all for it.
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Check the rounds as they come off the press. Press is automated. When I have a busy week, I have help for inspection and packaging.
Pretty sure this process can be automated. I'm interested in hearing about what automation you have for your set-up, or anyone else's set up for that matter.
I have to imagine you (or people in similar situations as you) could use a cement mixer to tumble.
How do you handle cutting the cases down? Doing that by hand has to be a time-eater and there has to be a better (read: robotic or automated) way. I know you said "on press" elsewhere in the thread, is that with an RT 1200/1500-style cutter?
Forcht chain drive on my 1050. I also have a bullet feeder.
Cement mixers aren't as efficient as vibratory tumblers. I buy polished brass and only tumble to remove the lube and final polish. I've used a cement mixer before and it didn't work out as well as one would think.
I have a Dillon 1500 trimmer I use on a processing toolhead. Doing it by hand is much faster than automation.
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The seater die has a crimp function in it so it's done in one step. Basically, set the OAL first, then back out the seating stem and turn the die body down until you get the crimp, finally turn the seating stem down until it stops. Now your die will seat and crimp in one step.
Some prefer to seat and crimp in separate dies. It is really personal preference. Some say you get more control and consistency with separate crimp die. I use a separate crimp die out of convenience and because I use a Redding competition seating die that has no crimp function.
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Yeah, website says they use liquid Xlox, which is the same as the Lee alox. It's a commercial lubricant for industry applications, but Lee and others use it as a bullet lube. It works OK but if not applied correctly, it will cause leading. There are much better lubes out there and speaking as a former commercial bullet caster, I'd never dream of selling bullets lubed with alox. Strikes me as bush league.
Probably the best option is to find a local caster and have them run them through a lubrisizer and lube them with traditional lube. They will have to have a sizing die .001" over your actual bullet diameter so it will only apply lube to the grooves and not size the bullet. It will work harden the bullet surface and cause leading.
If you don't have a lot of them, toss them in the recycling bin and buy some bullets with traditional lube from a well known company like Missouri Bullet, S&S Casting, Meister, Falcon, etc. Personally, I prefer Missouri Bullet and have used them in my commercial ammunition for years.
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Sounds like the lube isnt holding up.
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I will look into CO Bullets when I get home to a computer.
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Size, hardness, lube, and powder all have an effect. I need more info to help. Also where in the barrel is the leading?
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That seems pretty slow. Did you chrono any recently or just from the last time you had to buy some? How long ago was that?
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So that would take a Class 6 FFL and ITAR (even though you don't ever expect to ever export outside of the US)?
I would send a PM to freakshow10mm and Doug Carden (Doug C).
I think both have been dowm that road already and IIRC, both are out of the business.
I'm still in business and have been since 2006. I am wholesale only now.
But yes, 06 FFL and ITAR registration.
As to the topic, yes Camdex is junk. If you want a used Camdex, call Precision Cartridge and all their Camdex machines are in storage. Ammo is loaded on AmmoLoad machines. They are much, much better made than Camdex. AmmoLoad's parent company is Howell Machine.
Camdex is a household name, but if I were to buy a commercial loading machine (let's face it, the 1050 is not what I would call "commercial grade") I would buy AmmoLoad over Camdex without thinking. Camdex makes better supporting machines than they do loading machines.
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Not that I can tell.
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Check the rounds as they come off the press. Press is automated. When I have a busy week, I have help for inspection and packaging.
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I'm experimenting with a 225gr LSWC long loaded to 1.180.
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9 major with coated bullet
in 9mm/38 Caliber
Posted
They don't smoke. Accurate as any other bullet.