zdog

I have an extra shell plate. I think I will swap it and give things another try. zdog Changing the shell plate did not help. I guess I need to stop by Dillon's store in Phoenix and have a chat with the folks there. I have been trying to call tech support for the last week and they haven't been answering their phone. zdog

I have an extra shell plate. I think I will swap it and give things another try. zdog

Sorting the brass is a good idea if I am trying to improve the repeatability. I think I will do that for the next batch I try out. Thanks, zdog

If you have the money and plan on being in the shooting sports for awhile get the 550. If I had a chance to do it again I would buy the 550 instead of the SD. I was only interested in pistol reloading since I had all the stuff to do rifle reloads already. I don't know if I got a lemon or not but I am very glad that Dillon has the no BS warranty. After reading the above posts I think I may be expecting too much from this press with regards to accuracy. COL (cartridge overall Length) consistency is important but within limits I guess. Good luck, zdog

Yes the dies are clean. The SD is less than a precision machine IMHO. Right now I believe that the irregular surface of the PD JHP may have something to do with it as well as any variation in the different stations of the shell holder. zdog

After re-reading your post the light bulb turned on. +/- .004 turns into .008 which is what I am experiencing. zdog

I would be happy with that number as well but unfortunately it is not to be. I have been thinking about numbering the slots in the turn table to see if they correspond to differing COLs. I know "turn table" is not the correct term but doesn't appear to be a high quality part. Anyone happen to know why Dillion isn't answering their phone these days btw? zdog

Yes.....and I am trying to track down the cause. Not much luck on any 9mm that I shoot. XDm, CZ75 and BHP. Do folks that use a 550 or such notice the same variation in COL I wonder. zdog

I have been working on improving the repeatability of my XDm 9 without much luck. One of the things I have noticed is that while reloading PD 124 JHP bullets that the COL is varying as much as 7 or 8 thousandths. I have tried both seating dies that came with the press with no real improvement. Is this creating a problem with accuracy or am I just being anal? Thanks, zdog

Would you mind telling us your load data for a round that will do 3 inches at 50 yards. That is something I would like to see. zdog

Tell me more about the movement when you press down on the barrel hood. I have a XD9 5 inch that springfield changed the barrel on for me and it has what I consider a lot of movement. The XDM9 that I just bought from Springer has some movement. Is this going to affect accuracy? Thanks, zdog

Maybe there is hope.....nice target. zdog

I shot some test loads today with an overall length up to 115 today and my results were much better. Thanks for the feedback. zdog

Thanks for the info everyone. I found that with the pd 124 jhp I start touching the lans about 116 oal. I did a few tests with 115, 114,113 and 112 and found that the 113 and 114 were the best. Now I need to start working on the powder and for sure I need to use the same brand of brass when I do so. I haven't even shopped for powder yet so I don't know what availability is with the cazyness that is going on. I did try some wst and thought that was a little snappy compared to the wst. I did a batch of 10 rounds for each length and shot 5 through a 5 in XD and 5 through my 5.25 XDm but did not notice a large difference.. More work to do obviously. zdog

Thanks for the response. I am acutally looking for information from folks that may be shooting the pd 124 jhp through a Xdm 5.25 9mm . I have 6 thousand of those little jewells to use up. zdog

I have been shooting this pistol for a couple of months now and am not happy with the accuracy (repeatablity). I know this is not the reloading forum but could someone give me a hint on oal and powder charge using pd 124 jhp for this particular pistol. I am getting a 2in group from a rest at 6 yds with a oal of 1.085 and 4.7 of wsf. Second question.... This is a pretty stiff load for minor, about 135 or so, and I wonder if going down to a 16lb recoil spring would help with the muzzle flip a little. I talked to the folks at Springer, where I bought the gun, and they basically said not to fool with the recoil spring if the gun was functioning ok. zdog

I agree....that is why I have decided to go on a crusade to improve the repeatabilty of my reloads. Yes it was with my reloads and I think I did try some factory 9mm also. I guess the route to go unless I hear different is to try some different oal's and then start adjusting the powder load from the most repeatable oal. I have a 1972 9mm HP that is currently in the shop for an over haul. What recipe do you find best for your HP zdog

Hi Jack, Don't say that very loud in any airport these days btw. I am a SS shooting uspsa. My shoulder quit hurting at night after I quit shooting my 1911 and starting shooting production with my XDm 9. My primary goal now is to find maximum repeatability and meet minor power factor. The other criteria you mentioned are currently second to finding repeatability. I have yet to find a 9mm load that will come close to matching the repeatablilty of my 1911 at 6 or 10 yards and since I am shooting minor now I need that repeatability to be there to because of the scoring penalty. I have not been satisfied with the repeatability in my 5 inch XD9, my CZ75 SPO1 or my XDM9. I keep hearing folks descibe these pistols as tack drivers but I have yet to see that. Why do you suggest starting at the maximum oal on the 9mm? I know that is where the maximum repeatablility usually is in a 308. Does the same hold true with a pistol round such as the 9mm. zdog

Could someone give me the short version on how to come up with the most accurate (please read accurate to mean repeatable) load for 9mm using 124 pd jhp bullets? I guess the question I have is should I start with trying different overall lengths first and after finding the best oal then go to powder charge? I am currently using 4.7 WSF with an oal of 1.085 but I also have WST, W231, Unique and Clays I could use. With my current load I am getting about a 2 inch group at 6 yards. I am shooting a XDm 5.25 btw If anyone has discovered the magic combination using pd 124 jhps in the XDm 5.25 I would be glad to buy you lunch the next time I run into you if that works if you were to share. zdog

Check this link out. It is obvious that it took quite a bit of force to get the barrel on. http://www.mossbergowners.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3668&p=54469#p54469 I'm going to get my dremel out. Thanks for the hint.

Ya....that happened to me too. I couldn't find the problem with the mags not dropping. Sometimes they did and sometimes they did not. I finally put my pistol in the frig for a while when the wife wasn't looking and sure enough the two mags that had been giving me problems would not drop free. I beat on them with a number 5 hammer and now they drop free when its cold. Sorry I can't send a picture but I used a Brownell's one inch brass/nylon hammer....used the brass side of the hammer. I gave it a couple of medium strikes between the mag catch hole and the top of the magazine....that would be the front of the magazine at the very top. Don't hit the very top edge but rather a flat strike covering that 3/4 of an inch or so. Take your pistol out of the frig and give it a try. Don't send me a bill if you screw up your mag please. zdog zdog What manner of beating did these mags receive?

Ya....that happened to me too. I couldn't find the problem with the mags not dropping. Sometimes they did and sometimes they did not. I finally put my pistol in the frig for a while when the wife wasn't looking and sure enough the two mags that had been giving me problems would not drop free. I beat on them with a number 5 hammer and now they drop free when its cold. zdog

Hi all, Is there an easy way to reduce the mag release tension? These old hands had a hard time today when it was just a tad chilly in Wickenburg. Second question. I noticed that when my XD came back from Springfield for a new extractor last week that there was an area in the chamber that looks like a flaw in the metal. It is about 3/16 x 2/16 and next to the feed ramp. It almost looks like a bad casting. It is not deep but you can feel it with a pick. I thought it was a carbon build up to start with but it is shiny in the flaw area. Zdog

Shame on Dillon then. zdog

If the rounds would not go through the case gauge they did not meet spec or you had a bad case gauge. Were you unable to adjust the Dillon die enough so that he rounds would go through the case gauge?