AbitNutz

Well...when you use a bullet feeder it really likes to have an M-Die 2-step style expander. As far as working the case, the M-Die expands it less than the bullet going into it, no? The M-Die is at .449-.450 and the bullet is at .452. I'm just playing with the EGW die to see what it does to the lower part of the case.

Nope, at this time it's 45 acp...which I load to 45 Super levels (185 gr @ 1350 fps). Station #1 EGW undersize sizer die (which I'm testing and may be adding to the additional force needed) Station #2 Lyman M-die...Love this thing! Perfect expansion and then belling and easy to set up. Station #3 L-n-L Powder measure, no expansion, just funnel drop. It doesn't leak and seems to throw as accurately as the Dillon. Station #4 GSI bullet feeder seating die/stem Station #5 Lee FCD carbide taper crimp...prob going to change back to a Dillon. I had to give up my powder check station, OUCH! but with the loads I'm using, double charging would overflow badly. So now you see that every station is contributing some work. Also, it' not possible to use the M-die with the Dillon measure because the Dillon needs to be at station #2 because that's where the arm is that clips on to the actuation rod.

So my particular Dillon powder measure leaks anything close to fine grained powder all over. That, combined with my deep desire to go back to using a Lyman M-die has caused me to try the Hornady case activated powder measure. The leak is gone, powder throw is as good as the Dillon and I have my M-Die station..only issue I have is that the lever is heavier to operate. There are a couple of reasons I think. Every stage is now doing something....no more powder check loafing about. Also, the powder measure now has a spring on it and I'm lifting the entire measure an inch or so on every stroke...I think it all adds up to a heavier lever that I have to get used to.

I have a Master Caster...wonderful tool. The bullets I cast I coat with Hi-Tek bronze and I'm very happy.

Are you familiar with the 650? Station #1 is where the primer seater is. The decapping die must be located in there. If you don't decap on the downstroke there's no place to seat the primer when prime on the upstroke.

I'm not sure that's the only reason. The M-style dies do a nicer job of expanding the case and not just belling the case mouth...and if you're loading cast bullets, that's a big deal.

This is most depressing. I'm changing over to a Hornady powder measure on my Dillon 650. I'm not a fan of the Dillon powder measure enough for me to try something else. Now I find out that the P/M I'm going to apparently dissolves. It always puzzled me why the entire reloading world used drum type powder measures and DIllon used a sliding bar that no one else uses....now I have to duct tape it. When I was going my research I found a video where the drilled and tapped 3 holes and put set screws in them to hold it on. I thought that was a little odd...now I know why.

On my 650 I'm thinking about changing to the following order: #1 Size/decap/prime #2 M-Die #3 Powder charge #4 Seat bullet (GSI toolhead) #5 Crimp

I like the universal decapping dies. I have a Lee with a 3rd party decapping pin that is absolutely unbreakable and i was just curious if I could continue to use it. It's really an solution without a problem.

So there is no way to breakup the sizing and decapping operation into 2 separate steps....?

Can someone explain this to me? I have a 650 with a GSI toolhead...I'm likely getting a 1050. I was looking at this die layout and I'm not sure I understand. Sorry if this seems dumb... Station #1 Case loads Station #2 Universal decapping die. Station #3 Expander/primer swager...Does the expander/primer swager have to be in station #3? Station #4 ? Station #5 Powder measure Station #6 Bullet feeder Station #7 Bullet seater Station #8 Crimp If station #2 is a universal decapping die and station #3 is expander/primer swager...where is the case sizer? Or does the title saying "processed brass" mean it's been sized?

I have used the M-Die and I really like it. I too use the Hi-Tek coating on cast lead. I have a 650 with a GSI bullet feeder. The bullets run great through it but I'm thinking things may be improved a bit by separating the powder drop and case expansion and using an M-Die. I'm really paranoid about giving up the powder check station though. I realize that I'm not likely to get a double charge because 2 drops of the load I use would overflow the case. I could get a squib though...

I'm not really familiar with 1050 stuff...yet. I assume the swage hold down die expands the case mouth? It does seem like the drum style powder measures that RCBS/Hornady/Redding...etc use do seem to have the edge in consistency. It is more difficult to blow yourself up using a self indexing press but I expect I could manage it...However, it is true that all the folks using Mr. Bullet feeders don't seem to worry too much about it. Anyone use one of those mirror widgets to bankshot a look into the case?

Well, I also use the RCBS lockout die. What brought this up was the use of the Lyman M-die for cast bullets...it does a sorta unique two step approach to expanding the case neck specifically for cast bullets.

If using a 650, does anyone ever bell the case mouth on one station and then load the powder on the next, separating the two functions? Of course, you'd have to give up the powder check...not a great idea...but I'm curious if anyone sees an advantage to this.

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Really? 3-grains? I didn't know that...

I'm kinda curious how well this is going to work...I wonder if it will be smoother than the Dillon? Everyone complains about the new style Dillon's not being as smooth as the older, non-failsafe version. Let's face it, it is kinda herky jerky. I do look forward to it not leaking fine grained bal powder all over the place... This is supposed to be their best powder measure Hornady makes (for whatever that's worth) so I expect it to be reasonably accurate. The Dillon I have tends to drift a bit more than I'd like. I set it for 10.5 grains of Power Pistol last night and it drifted from 10.3 to 10.7 using the extra small powder bar. It keeps me from pushing the loads on some things... I suspect that being being bounced around atop a progressive loading machine isn't the best environment for a powder measure to produce the most consistent loads. I guess it will be a learning experience.

I always used the Dillon powder check before it went crazy and died. Now I use an RCBS lockout die and like it better than the Dillon. It doesn't have the sensitivity of the Dillon powder check but it definitely will detect a squib or double charge. On a 45 acp case if loaded with 10 grains of powder and it gets 15 grains, it will detect that...but detecting down to a grain or two? No, I wouldn't trust it to detect that. I guess I'll fix or get a new Dillon powder check. I hate it when I blow myself up.

So who makes the best taper crimp? Or doesn't it matter? I have heard that the Lee carbide FCD is not a good thing as it can actually swage down the bullet. Also, how do you handle expanding/belling the case when using the EGW undersize, sizing die? Do you need to do or have anything special done to the expander die/funnel? Wouldn't a normal size funnel defeat the undersize sizing die?

I may be nuts (go figure) but I'm going to try a Hornady benchrest powder measure on my 650 to handle the microscopic ball powders. The Dillon leaks so much that I get more on the press than in the case. I was able to get the entire pile of Hornady equipment (I hope) for not a lot more than what I wasted on a plastic powder bar that was supposed cure this issue. I've already pulled the trigger on this, so to speak, so any help, words of encouragement or prayers will be greatly appreciated. I have a ton of drum powder measures and they all perform well. The Hornady benchrest seems to be a nice unit. How it works with that Rube Goldberg linkage is another question entirely. I've read that the L-n-L people are quite happy with theirs and once I try it I'll never go back...rrriiiggghhhhtttt. I'm not a great fan of mixing apples and bowling balls... Watch...This will be like crossing the streams. I'll have a 650 primer explosion that will set off the powder measure and it'll be like the water heater explosions on Myth Busters.

Well...not so much. On their contact page they only seem to respond to emails...and I sent them one...no response yet.

What do I need to have a case activated Hornady benchrest powder measure on a Dillon press? I've seen the linkage some kind of case activated lower assembly, also a bushing? and then the PXT expander? I'm lost... 1. Hornady benchrest powder measure 2. Linkage? 3.? Have no damn idea

I get that...but the press I'm doing this to has a couple of things going for it. It's dedicated to loading 45 acp only with Power Pistol, of which a double charge will overflow the case. I actually use powder check die station, I know many folks don't. I don't use the Dillon powder check alarm but I do use an RCBS lockout die. I find that locking up the press a bit more positive. Truth be, I always had fits getting that alarm to work to my liking. I have no desire to blow up a good gun but the action of the 650 is just too abrupt; powder escapes the case and makes a nice mess far too easily. I've smoothed out the shell plate as much as possible with one of those bearings but it's still not enough. I'm hoping that if I do a retrograde on the powder measure it will alleviate the problem.