ramairbrc

I've used One Shot for over 10 years. I didn't use any lube for 45 reloads, but once I started with 40 and 38 Super, I found lube was necessary. Currently, I load 9mm on a 650. I tried mink oil for about 4 months, but I don't like the build-up on the powder die, so I just went back to One Shot... which is really One LONG Shot.

6" Eagle. I shot an Edge for several years, but then had a 6" top end made for it. Loved it.

Jmorris has the right idea about the low weight. I have a similar shelf setup and keep brass, tumbler full of media, bullets, etc. However, over the years the shelf has started to buckle, so when I took it out to flip it I also put to blocks of wood parallel to short legs just under the shelf level. I also find that plastic 40lb Kitty Litter buckets work great for brass. One for each caliber dirty and one for each caliber clean. And bring a couple to RO lost-brass matches, and they all fit under the bench and weigh it down.

I had for 20 years loaded 10k to 15k on it year after year. Traded for a 650 last year... and I miss the 550. I helped a friend set a new 550 up earlier this year. I love the 550. But, the 650 does crank'em fast!

I loaded 10k to 15k a year of 45 then 40 then 38 super then 40 for many years on a 550. I recently traded it for a 650 to load 9mm major, and really wish I had sprung for a 1050 due to the swager. Never needed it for the other calibers. But for 9mm, I would have difficulty seating a primer in at least 10% of of the brass. What a waste of time and primers.

That being said, I like the feel of the M&P Pro slightly more than the XDM. But I have not shot both side by side to compare. Have you considered frequenting a gun range which rents both and found a side by side? In the end, it's what makes you happy.

Thought about a second STI instead? I'd suggest a 6" Limited 9mm. Some of them look like the old fashioned Open guns with comps and iron sights.

It would be much cheaper to use the same gun, but 2 different barrels, one for each sport.

Do the Rules allow for you to have a bushing barrel fitted to your current 2011, or does it have a full length dust cover?

And purchase two sets of Grams spring/followers. Change all of them now, log the date. 6 months from now, or when you start having any mag feeding problems, change them all, log the date, and order another set. Lather, rinse, repeat.

As a Trubor owner, I'd buy either a Trubor or Grandmaster in 9mm. Shoot minor if you want, but when you get tired of Open you can resell it. If you custom build an Open gun for minor, then you have TOO much expense for less resale value. I do agree that the Steelmaster is sexier than the Trubor.

I don't have a spare $3,500 pistol "just in case. " But I found have a "magic box" full of parts. At least my buddies call it my magic box, because when something breaks on one of our guns, I likely have the fix!

So I see the point of this discussion as having this decision made NOW, before the next time you shoot this classifier, because you know that you'll see it again and having the decision made now will save time after the beep!

Work, not "erk"

5" gun with no holes, 124 great bullet, I use 9.3 gr of AA#7 and make 171 pf. If I back it down to 9.1, it makes 167 pf. Both loads erk the comp.

My two cents: if you want to improve your on target and transition splits, do several Bill Drills every time you go to the range. Say, after a competition or during the week practice. That will do two things, first help with decreasing split time; two, help with any potential trigger freeze. After several rounds of Bill Drill, you should double the distance to see your groupings, but return to original distance to finish.

RL550.

Good point. This happen to me at the IPSC Nationals last year:

I do too. I keep a box to the side of the reloading bench just for those

The other process uses a full sized resizer, instead of our standard resizer

And that went through the process, then again through my resizing and depriving die, and through the chamber check gauge, but not into battery!

It's Glock brass, plane and simple. Brass that has been fired in a Glock will occasionally develop a bulge at the bottom. I get about 10 of those per 1000 loaded rounds. I had one just this Saturday. .. fortunately it was the first round in the magazine and would not chamber so I was able to clear it BEFORE the beep. And I've had all my brass professionally deprimed, resized, and steel-pin tumbled, which has REALLY reduced the number. Often I would get 5 to 10 per 100 reloads. Made for some slow chamber checking sessions!

When I used to teach the Concealed Weapon course, that's what I called the hammerless revolvers, it always got a chuckle!