codemonkey001

i have an FNP tactical and my load works in it. here's what i'm using: 5.6gr W231 Precision Delta 230 fmj 1.265 OAL .470-.469 crimp i don't think the FNP likes anything that's long, i think WWB is around 1.27X. i do know that i've got 1 load for my double stack polymer pistols and my 1911's. i may have gone down as low as 1.260 OAL, i'll double check tonight. also, what factory ammo where you using that worked well for you? I would take OAL measurements from that. i was shooting Federal 230gr ball ammo through mine and it worked well so that's how i came about the length.

congratulations! be safe!

thanks, i think i'll stick w/ Win and Wolf being my go to choices.

but PD projectiles do have an exposed lead base. don't know if that matters or not though.

any particular reason for not liking Federal? this is for my own educational purposes b/c i personally have Wolf and Winchester, but a friend of mine is trying to get me to get on large order of Federal primers with him to split the hazmat fees and i was wondering why not use the Federal. thanks

the Small Rifle and Small Pistol Primers are $24.99 per 1000. i just wish they had this sale on Large Pistol primers too

i got in on this too. it was on small pistol and small rifle primers. great deal.

i use an RCBS scale i got out of the Rock Chucker kit. i also have a Chargemaster as well, but i always check first w/ the beam scale and compare w/ the electronic. i wouldn't depend on my Chargemaster alone.

calipers, don't forget to get one. and a primer flip tray. i think you're good after all that.

thanks you guys are always fast to respond, i really appreciate it. i didn't have this issue w/ my 45acp cases, so i thought it was strange. i will proceed. thanks!

hi, i'm getting ready to load for 9mm now. i'm setting up my Dillon carbide dies on my xl650 and i noticed that after running my 9mm brass through the sizing die, the Dillon 9mm dies give it a serious taper. it's a lot more than i've seen on any factory rounds. i can actually feel the taper. and after seating a bullet in the case, the round looks kind of like a dog bone where it tapers in the middle, but not as serious as a dog bone of course. is this normal? should i send back my sizing die? the rounds do fit easily in my Dillon case gauge. thanks

in your case, I would go 650.

the spare parts kit is handy isn't it?

that is a good idea. i do have two lock rings i can use. i do have an extra set of .45acp dies, that's why i was asking about it. i happened to purchase a set locally and then ended up buying a used press w/ some .45acp dies that came with it. so now i have two sets and was debating on selling one or keeping them both and setting them up, 1 for jacketed, and one for moly coated/lead.

i have one toolhead setup the way i like it, and i really don't want to mess it up. so i was thinking about playing with other types styles of projectiles, like testing some Bayou Bullets and plates bullets instead of using purely Precision Delta projectiles. its like having one test setup and one production. i was basically trying to find out, how people go about testing multiple projectiles while going back to load for competition. i guess i should just stock pile some ammo too so i don't have to worry about it.

i'd go w/ the Winchester. i happened to get several thousand that were once fired at a police range and it's nice.

i'm wondering if anyone has multiple toolheads set up in the same caliber. I was thinking I could set up 1 toolhead for 230gr FMJ and another toolhead for 200gr SWC and never have to worry about changing anything besides the toolheads. I'm thinking about doing the same thing for 9mm, getting one setup for 147gr FMJ for subsonic loads and then another for 115 or 124 for plinking loads. or am i being too lazy?

Thanks.. I didn't realize Dillon still had a round counter although I honestly never looked.. I saw an older Dillon on eBay a while back.. i managed to pick up a new round counter that was never used from a reloader in my area who didn't need it anymore. you meet some good people in gun stores when you're looking for powder.

honestly, i like them both. to me the green is brighter outdoors. i shoot my Ruger 22/45 w/ a green fiber optic front sight, and my Springfield Range Officer w/ a red fiber optic front sight. the green does seem a bit brighter to me outdoors than the red, but the read is just as easy to pick up b/c i use all black rear sights. i think the green may also look brighter b/c it has a thicker fiber optic rod but that could just be an illusion.

i vote for the Dillon 550b. here is my reasoning. if you really think about it, the Dillon 550b is just like a turret press, but instead of indexing the dies, you index a shell plate. you have all the control of a turret or single stage press, but the ability to work more efficiently. since the 550b doesn't auto-index, you can always stop and weigh your powder loads, seating depth, and crimp very easily. Also the 550b has the advantage of easily changing out priming systems, cheaper conversion kits, and ease of installing the conversion kits. a single stage press is great, and i would get one as a supplement b/c there are cool tools you can get for it like bullet pullers, swage adapters, etc. i quickly went from the kinetic bullet puller to the RCBS collet system on my Rock Chucker, i also use the Rock Chucker for swaging. my setup is basically like this now: RCBS Rock Chucker for processing 550B load development and 650xl for high volume loading.

that's a pretty cool mod. good job getting it to work. i may try something similar one day but i just purchased a Dillon round counter. the reason why i like a round counter is b/c i can keep track of how many rounds i have since i just throw them in ammo cans now. also it helps me figure out when i need to order more supplies w/o having to open up my boxes.

pistol is definitely easier b/c you don't have to prep the brass and trim it like you would w/ rifle rounds. but if you are using mil-brass (nato stamped) they're likely to have their primers crimped too and you will have to process them. but you won't have an issue w/ commercial brass. i got some brass from a police range in a trade and i noticed there were some that had crimped primers. i just threw them out. i started out w/ 45acp b/c i shoot it more, but i guess i could have started out w/ 9mm just as easily.

i just open the clamshell drum a bit and then let the cases spill into a small box.

my gf picked this up for me over the weekend. another re-labled Berry's unit. goes great w/ my Cabela's/Berry's tumbler. it's great for the money, i think the RCBS version is $15 more. i passed on the Dillon one b/c it didn't have a cover. i didn't know if it would send media flying once i got that thing spinning.

that doesn't seem like a bad deal depending on what it comes with. hopefully, it'll have dies, more than one toolhead and possibly other caliber conversions.