Quirk

I bought a 5" FDE model with the thumb safety and shot it side-by-side with my original IDPA SSP/USPSA Production tuned M&P Pro 9. For competition, the trigger still needs tuning. Yes it's better than the original stock M&P and that isn't saying much. It could be acceptable for a self defense gun I suppose. I was too impatient to wait for the non-safety 5" model, and maybe if it comes out I will remove the safety and plug the hole and then it would be indistinguishable with the as-yet-unreleased non-safety version of this pistol we all expect to see 'soon'. It does shoot better, there is no doubt. Less flip, feels lighter with same load. I don't know how much each of the changes contributes to this feeling, tho. I.e, How much of this is the steel chasis in the frame, the lower bore axis (by, say 1-2 mm at most I'd estimate), and the absence of the beavertail which allows you to get higher on the gun....I don't know. But it shoots better. I actually thought I'd dislike the safety but I might keep it after all...riding it like I do some of my SA comp guns. Q

I gave up awhile back on this for same reason. I'll try again with heat and pay attention to the direction....can't recall what direction I tried at first. Anyone have advice on where to buy quality durable punches...what I should look for to ensure it's the a properly strong punch not some cheap crappy soft metal...like I obviously had from Ace....I think strong language along was enough to make it bend... Q

Considering buying a 2.0, but wondered if anyone had hands-on confirmation that the Apex barrels will fit in the new guns? Also, I could not get an answer from S&W online (email) customer service about whether a non-thumb safety 5" model is coming out. (basically a 2.0 version of the current M&P 9 Pro) Seems odd that the only 5" model out is a flat dark earth with a thumb safety, but I assumed more were coming, and this was just the first. What I received was a fairly impersonal few sentences that didn't really answer my question and sounded like a stock reply to any question. No human involved here, reads like. Can't really see the harm in them admitting "yes, that's coming, but don't know exactly when" or such. Dear Customer, Thank you for your e-mail and your suggestion regarding Smith & Wesson or Thompson Center products. For 164 years, Smith & Wesson has manufactured high-quality, innovative, firearms for professionals and consumers alike. At this time we don't have any further info on what products are coming in the near future but we consider customer input a valuable resource from which to draw on during the decision making process. Please watch our website and Facebook pages for new product announcements. Your comments are being forwarded to the Marketing Department and appropriate Management Team for review and consideration for future production. Thank You for choosing Smith & Wesson / Thompson Center products. Have a great day.

no idea, but that's exactly why I have concluded I'm better writing checks than handling a file! I have never accidentally written too much on a check! I had a friend who tried working on his pistol...filing the sear and a few other things....and it went full auto on him. He's just writing checks now, too... Q

Thank you for the replies. Sorry I didn't explain...its for IDPA SSP. I have Apex parts in one gun, works ok. But I need to keep the stock trigger for the SSP gun. No 'external' (obvious) alterations. i have watched a few videos and read techniques on DIY trigger jobs. I just don't have that much time, interest or skill to commit to doing it myself. The folks at ATEi seemed helpful and I'll probably give them a try...unless other proven gunsmith trigger job options are suggested? Q

This is another request for recommendations given that I have been unable to contact Burwell to do my M&P. I had them do a gun in September of 2014 and it's great. But I've tried off and on now for months without replies to my emails to them, about doing a 2nd gun. I'd like a more or less identical set up, but expect that will be impossible with a totally different gunsmith. Which I accept now, given that I don't have a choice. I'd read here about ATEi (in Michigan) and Ortiz Custom Guns (Pedro Ortiz) in Georgia, both as reasonable choices for a comp level trigger in an M&P 9 Pro. Any others? Thanks Quirk

Thanks for replies. I will try to find some confidently crimped 9mm brass and fine tune it that way. Might be screwed up too far now, it does deflect up the shellplate at the swage station... Q

Would like input from anyone with confident expertise on how deep the swage rod should be on the 1050. I cut a few cases (these were purportedly surplus mil brass with crimped primer pockets but I've found most in this lot actually were not crimped...I deliberately bought them from on online vendor so I could use them to set up my swaging station properly. Oh well. The first few pics are with swage rod set a bit low, the last 2 are with it set a bit deeper. Which is correct/best, or what change do you recommend? <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/darkrayz1/embed/slideshow/"></iframe> Thanks Quirk

I had this problem with my RL100 also. While I have it easy - I live near the store, and took it in to be fixed... - my issues were just as the primers entered the space under that plastic cover. There is a certain degree of tightness for that cover. Too tight and it seems to warp a bit and create that flipping effect. Same if too loose. Some also have added a thin layer of superglue on the underside, which when dry serves to reduce the space under there and prevent the agitated primers from inverting. You can buy a new plastic cover piece, too. There is also that left-right adjustment but that mainly determines the aperture to let primers into the space or not. My issue actually was the vibration was awry because of the motor mechanism. The primers were popping up and down too much rather than just vibrating. Q

Never had this problem on my 1050 when using the Dillon decap/resize die. What caliber are you reloading (I have no idea if that is relevant, tho)? My tangent question is why 'sharpening' the end of the decap pin would help? Wouldn't that make it more likely to pierce the primer and thereby stick to the pin? Q

I have a Mark VII also and my true rounds per hour is about the same as yours. But that's not counting all the time spent upstream dialing in the adjustments to permit that steady rate (bullet topple, case wiggle, powder splash, etc etc). I'm convinced that the break even point on rounds/hour with a Mark7 is a lot longer than most folks think. It is certainly easier on the joints tho, watching the press cycle rather than pulling the handle.... Q

Well I called first thing in the AM today - timed the call exactly for opening - and did succeed this time, and so I think I'm 'in' at this point. Thanks everyone! Q

I originally tried the combo seat/crimp and didn't like it. Very inconsistent OALs. Most experienced users seem to conclude that seating and crimping (de-belling, really) are best done separately. I'm sure some here will disagree. Good discussion of the taper crimp for 9mm at http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=78873.0 if you opt for a MBF then I suggest you forego the powder check station at station 6 and instead visually look at the case in station 6 just before the MBF deposits the bullet. It's generally visible from the handle pull position if you lean a bit, and your press is not too high. That's your powder check each round. The Dillon case powder check apparatus is generally a nuisance, very temperamental...IMO. Some position mirrors to look more straight into the case to see the powder. With 3.7 gr Titegroup it migh be low in case and hard to see, but with 5 gr Unique you'll see it easily.... The Lee FCD is not ideal for 9mm. It can swage cast bullets. You just want to de-flare the mouth, and for that the Lee taper crimp die or the stock Dillon crimp die is better. From what I see, you either hate the FCD or love it. Again IMHO...

I'll keep trying but their system won't let me leave a message anywhere....at any extension so far... ill try calling first thing in AM

have that problem too. This technique - youtube video below - helps cull those cases out of your stock. This is a forum member here, also, works great. you can see the 380 cases when you look across the top of the brass at eye level, and pluck out the 380s with a small hemostat tool or such. Also, with my 1050 and MBF loading 9mm, while the 380 case that does sneak in gets primed, the MBF won't deposit a bullet on that shorter case so that is immediately evident and I cull the case then. Yes, I have wasted a primer by that point. Yes, you need to be paying attention. But the method above minimizes this. Q

Just looking to see if my problem is unique. I've been trying to order a custom upper from JP. Can't use the online rifle builder for this. I did get an email reply from a manager who basically said "call and try to talk to someone" but when I do call, none of the voicemail extensions actually work or allow me to leave a message. I tried from several phones, and over 3 week period I've tried calling about 20 times. If this is b/c they are so screaming busy, that's great. I can't believe this is an indication of business failure...from when I hear they are doing great. Just curious if anyone else has had this problem. I'll keep trying I guess... Q

A zombie thread, this....re-awakened. waiting to hear the Mark 7 users report their real-life rounds/hour....

If it's a new 1050 that rubber hose piece on the primer slide has been upgraded to brass. I believe if you send it in they will upgrade you for cost of shipping.... Also this you tube video is a good visual on the 1050. It's titled How to disassemble a Dillon 1050. About 10 min long... Q

If not done you should also disassemble the primer assembly, clean everything. Crushed primers will leave residue All over...

cleaning the cases less is obviously less work....if that works then you are fixed... another option is to put a tiny tiny amount of imperial sizing die was or comparable product on the powder funnel. When I had that problem I'd put an tiny amount on my fingers, (I mean barely enough to even feel on your finger) and roll it onto the powder funnel every 2-300 rounds. Reduced that sticking tremendously. Never any prob with function. i recently started using armor all wash and wax in my wet tumbling recipe. 1 tbsp added to the lemonshine and a small amount of Dawn. The armor all coats the brass slightly, which serves two functions. It is a mild lubricant and helps reduce that sticking on the powder funnel, and reduces the tarnish that begins hours after you dry the brass. That second issue is purely cosmetic obviously. The lubrication feature I notice doesn't last a long time, so if you want the lubricating benefit then load the brass within a few days of cleaning it...again it helps a little, not a ton. awhile back I 'polished' my MBF funnel and it didn't look different or reduce sticking at all..... hornady one shot spray lube purportedly leaves no residue and does not affect function, and is another option. Never tried it. q

A primed brass made it into my case feeder and detonated when I deprimed it on my 1050. 1st and only in about 100k.

M type die is an m die clone plug that fits in the lee universal flaring die set. Made by NOE Bullet Moulds. I use this, then a separate flaring stage using either the MBF funnel or depending on bullet, the Lee Universal flaring insert. Echo above uses m die at swage step but I process separate from loading and wanted to keep swage function station intact. http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=89&osCsid=oc7kddhedij1e982to9okqb5v6 the Lee Universal Case Expanding die is more accurately renamed as a flaring die and is cheap on Amazon. MBF funnel alone for both purposes works fine for most but some Bullets esp coated lead (esp oversized lead bullets in an undersized case) need a few thou more expansion to prevent shaving or even inadvertent swaging of the bullet by the case itself. The m die or NOE insert plugs that mimic the m die function can provide this extra expansion. Too much and you'll get setback tho so have your calipers ready... Q

I use the MBF. I use an M-type die and flaring die earlier in the process (process and loading are different runs) so case is properly prepped. Waiting on the mythic combination M-die/swage backer rod die coming 'soon' for that station on the 1050. For 9mm I use the dwell to pause at top to let any jiggling subside before the die comes crashing down. Toppling is not a huge problem, actually, I've found a rhythm that works for each of the various bullet types. That said, I do observe that index speed reductions - while clearly slowing the plate motion on observation - don't actually decrease the apparent amplitude of that case/bullet jiggle at the end of indexing. Let me get a video up to demonstrate - and watch in slo mo, also - before I stick my neck out any more on this. And...what rubber band mod? The only rubber band I have is the one I no longer need to prevent a U-trap in my MBF feeding spring.... Q

Have Mark 7 system on my 1050. Tried both the stock shell plate and the FFB shell plate. The FFB plate clearly has less jiggle and subsequent bullet topple. It's my impression, however, that index speed changes don't really help reduce bullet topple any more. In fact it seems that the index speed adjustment slows the plate in the middle of that change from station to station, but the slower it is, the more jiggle there is when it reaches the next station. In short, I'm experiencing is MORE bullet topple with SLOWER index speeds because the way the system controls the speed changes, apparently. Anyone else noticed this? I will try to video this....tonight... Thanks Q

I have a 550b and 1050. The 1050 now has a MBF and a Mark 7 system. This rocks. But, to be honest, if you load <1000 a month, if it was me, then get a 650. More than that, yes the 1050 might be worth it, esp if ALL you do is one caliber like 9mm. But I will say - and this is just my experience -the 1050 is a more finicky machine and it takes time to learn the personality of your machine. Some of the gurus here will torch that comment, but I'm not someone with natural proclivity for these things. Took me some time, and yes some of that learning curve was a frustrating press lock-up in the middle of a session. If you are mechanically inclined, great. I had a primer system jam frequently for the first 10-15k rounds, and took the thing into Dillon, cleaned, etc multiple times. Dillon just shrugged and said to try a different brand primer. The problem eventually slowly went away on its own, and now it's flawless, for all primers. I attribute it to the break in period of any complex piece of gear in the home. The 1050 has more moving parts, that's why it's potentially 'better', but that means possibly more to go wrong. Took me over a year to really understand the entire machine well. But once it's broke in and such, it rocks.