cautery

Your welcome... for what, I'm not sure, but I'm glad to keep you company on the road to reloading for rifle... competently.

I'm going out to shoot my rifle tomorrow to get fired cases for analysis.... But I noticed something today that is WEIRD. I was setting up my Redding sizing die to get it close (pending tomorrow), and I used my Redding Instant Indicator (set up to minimum SAAMI specs using the supplied gauge) to check the amount of sizing. <long story omitted> I ran a cleaned/fired case in the indicator that had not been decapped or sized and discovered that it BARELY met the MINIMUM SAAMI specs for headspacing... Is this unusual for military brass that has been fired? To process this brass, I guess I'll set the die to the point just prior to touching the shoulder so it sizes the body, decaps, and runs the neck expander through the mouth. ???

I don't know about unreliable ignition, but SAAMI specs only give a TOTAL of 0.010" between minimum and maximum headspace from the DL. So personally, I would reject any case that headspaced more than 0.010" from the measured headspace on MY chamber. As you are going for multiple gun reliability, I would set the measurement at 0.010" max based on the seepest chamber I had...

Holy crap.... Thanks man. That guy is a fricken reloading tool designing savant. Not only is his tumbler desgn pretty awesome... (I grabbed the thread here, the ar15.com thread, and his website... have to read 'em all when I have spare time), but his annealer design is pretty amazing too.

Look slike a heack of a load there... was the suspension bottomed?

If I DO go to wet tumbling, it's gonna be in a big way... It'll be something along the lines of the 40lb machine from STM... Only way it makes sense for me is to do big batches...

My work on the Dillon Powder measure to make it work reliably with Varget is looking promising... Hopefully, I'll have an answer for sure within a week or so.

You're quite welcome... 1) Dillon will still supply the springs for the older type powder bars if you call and ask for them... 2) Once you have an example of one or two, you MIGHT be able to save some money by sourcing them locally at Ace Hardware (or similarly equipped hardware store)... Dillon is reasonable on the price, but unless it's with another order, the shipping will drive the per piece price up a bit. 3) I don't have the Arrendondo small powder bar w/ micrometer, but I'm sure it is a quality part. NOTE: Arrendondo ONLY makes the small powder bar, not the large one. 4) Micrometer Powder Bar kit - DEFINITELY makes it easier to return to a previously identified setting, because the powder bar has SIGNIFICANTLY less thread lash than the stock hex screw... (thread tolerances and TPI both come in to play here). Additionally, I find it easier/faster to get my powder charge set the way I want it. Whether it is more "accurate" once set is arguable... I've never tested it directly, but the elimination of the bowed washer setup in favor of NO WASHER on the mic would tend to support LESS potential for lash drift... Either way, I have a mic on every powder bar I use. Whether you choose to mod your own bar, get a second stck bar and send it to Lee at UniqueTek, or buy the Arrendondo bar pre-modded is a matter of personal choice, and how much $$ you want to spend.

It's my .223Rem case prep toolhead. Dies are as follows: 1: Lee Universal Decap (since replaced with RCBS .223Rem Neck Sizing Die) 2: EMPTY 3: Dillon .223Rem SB Size Die/RT1200 Trimmer 4: EMPTY 5: Lee Universal Flare Die Thanks! Was wondering what that last die was... Is the flare die because you are using flat base bullets, because you don't chamfer, or both? The Dillon RT-1200 does a great job of trimming, but it does not chamfer inside the case. The Lee Flare Die is set up to just kiss the trimmed case mouth and give a slight flare with the intent of easing bullet insertion. I am running boat tail bullets, so I could probably get away without flaring, but it's an inexpensive die and a simple add-on, and I've not found it to cause me any problems, so I've stuck with it. Understood... Well, with the RT-1200 you also might have a burr on the inner case mouth that might damage the bullet, boat tail or not... not likely, but possible. Do you crimp after seating the bullet to take the "kiss" out? Just curious. Thanks!

Unless you want to put cabinets on top of it... My NORMA plans bench is 34" deep, but has a set of 12" deep cabinets on top, thus reducing the bench to 22" deep. Sometimes I wish it was AT LEAST 24" deep.... preferably more. EDIT: I re-read my response and saw that I might be coming off like a spoiler... That bench looks fine to me. Looks pretty solid with a nice top.

Mostly used for trap... "optimized" for rising birds. I'm not a trap shooter... I shoot mostly sporting with a 34" barrel, but I also shoot skeet and trap with my sporting gun. Long barrel makes it tougher on skeet, but it works. Have to watch the swing... more effor tto start/stop swing... In trap, I have absolutely no problems. One the "head more upright" deal.... Head position should be a function of gunfit, not rib height. On a properly fit gun and a properly trained stance, your head will be perfectly upright and alighned so that your shooting eyes is the rear sight and hits the same point every time. If you are looking at the bird with a tiled head, you have fitting or stance issues. Conversations on this subject with shotgun shooters I trust (one a former National Trap Champion) leads me to believe that the ribs are a trap crutch... Proper training will negate the need/desire for one.

Don't buy a Sporting O/U until you've shot someone's Guerini. Renee and I both own Guerini Magnus guns in 12GA, and we tried LOTS of shotguns before we bought. As long as you buy a quality gun, you'll be headed in the right direction.... However... The BEST money you will ever spend is getting your gun PROPERLY fit by the best fitter you can find. SHooting with an improperly fitted gun will cause lower scores and encourage the formation of bad form and habits. In my opinion, the best shotgun fitter alive today is Todd Nelson, owner of Country Gentleman Gun Fitting He does fitting for customers at various large venues, but Renee and I chose to take a trip to Alabama and spend the day getting both guns fit. Best shotgun investment I've ever made.

Some folks are still inquiring as to the bench height... Here's a quote of what I posted.... WOW! 8 years ago. I am supplementing it below: 1) Sometimes I want to reload or otherwise work at the bench while standing. Sometimes I want to sit.... So... 2) I set the bench height such that the roller handles on the presses (ALL with strong mounts) are right at 43" to the table plane, because for my height (5'-10" or so), this puts the roller handle at about the same height as my shoulder joint... which for me seems to minimize fatgue. Aditionally, this places the bench top at a comfortable height for me to work on stuff on the bench while standing without causing back pain. 3) I augmented the NORMA bench design to include adjustable leg "spikes", like we used to put on home theater speakers/sub-woofers. It's really a 3/8 or 1/2" hex bolt screwd into a threaded insert which is installed into the leg (with a counter-bore for the bolt shaft). I add a hex nut on the bolt to act as a stop nut. This allows me to use the adjusters to level the bench top to the floor (if necessary), and allows fine tuning of the height. 4) Now, add the adjustable height shop stool of your choice and you can set it to load while seated and STILL keep the roller handle in the same relative position to your shoulder joint. Hope this clear things up... Here's an image.... Click to see the full size... It's big.

I have about 2000lbs of reclaimed shot and have been using it quite successfully in my MEC 9000HN (hydraulic) press using an adjustable shot bar. My shot came from Accurate Lead Recovery when they processed Abilene Clay Sports back in '09. Their website is gone and their number has been disconnected. I think it was bought out or sold... last I checked, the equipment, et al. was at Barksdale AFB's Shotgum Club processing that range, but it has been a while ago now. ANYWAY... ALR's shot is awesome... It was cleaned, polished, and graphited... I think the KEY portion for metering is that it be properly graphited... If your shot hasn't been graphited, then it likely won't meter well. You MIGHT want to consider trying to graphite it yourself... graphite powder is available in quantity... I have no idea what the best way to do it would be... You would want to be able to tumble/coat the shot AND then recover the graphite that didn't adhere to the shot surfaces... Mine has lots of irregularities, and it doesn't appear to alter metering accuracy much... I can get it pretty close... +/- 1 grain usually... and on a 1oz or 1-1/8 oz charge, that's pretty close.

It doesn't matter how much space you have, given enough time it won't be enough. True... It is a constant battle for us.

It's my .223Rem case prep toolhead. Dies are as follows: 1: Lee Universal Decap (since replaced with RCBS .223Rem Neck Sizing Die) 2: EMPTY 3: Dillon .223Rem SB Size Die/RT1200 Trimmer 4: EMPTY 5: Lee Universal Flare Die Thanks! Was wondering what that last die was... Is the flare die because you are using flat base bullets, because you don't chamfer, or both? No probs, man...

1) WARNING: IF you use a micrometer-enhanced powder bar one time, you may well become addicted. Once so, you will never want to be without one on any Powder Measure you own/use. (Just kidding, they are great; get them when you can.) 2) If you are the least bit apprehensive about installing the micrometer on your own, then consider letting Uniquetek do it for you. It is not all that difficult, but it IS irreversible. (Read: If you screw it up, oh well! Guess I need a new bar and micrometer. $$) 3) The powder bar plug (13921) keeps the spacer (13644), and more importantly the spacer's powder cavity, stationary in Powder Measure, Part (22273) and is used under both the small powder bar (20062) and extra small powder bar (20780). 4) The Powder Bar Post, Large (13893) or Powder Bar Post, Small (13951) (with spring-retention nipple) has TWO purposes: a. The Powder Bar Post is the locating/retention device for the powder charge "adjusting bolt". It has a split base that straddles a minor diameter in the bolt which keeps the bolt static, while making the charge cavity insert to move in the charge cavity when the bolt is turned (clockwise increases charge weight, counter-clockwise reduces charge weight). b. The Powder Bar, Post (with nipple) also acts to locate/retain the spring-assist retun spring on the older powder measures, AND the newer style powder measures that have been modified. Personally, I would not have a powder measure without 1 or 2 return springs (# of springs is determined by force necessary to insure sure and SMOOTH return) NOTE: Some manuals (mine, for instance) show two different part numbers for Powder Bar Posts and both are illustrated WITHOUT nipple on top used to retain the (IMHO, absolutely necessary/desired) return-assist spring(s). However, I have never purchased a powder measure that didn't have the nippled powder bar post.

What is the procedure for removing the powder bar? Empty your powder measure... Loosen the Bellcrank Screw (13904) using an allen wrench with a box/open wrench as a backup on the 10-32 Nylon Lock Nut (16340). Don't take it off... just loosen it enough to lift the Bellcrank Cube (13871) out of the slot on the powder bar. CAREFUL NOT to lose the cube... Slide powder bar out of powder measure. Re-installation is the reverse procedure... Don't over tighten the Bellcrank Screw... snug it down and then back it off just enough until the bellcrank will move freely.

OK... those are pretty interesting... What dies do you have on that toolhead with the trimmer?

Some of us are SUPER limited on space considering the amount of stuff we have... so having a multi-head holder allows for making best use of available space...

Awww, heck.... Now I don't know which way to go... Not sure that it'd be all that much faster that the GRIP-N-PULL, but it's cheaper for me since I only have to buy the collets I need...

Unfortunately, I didn't make construction images... This is the best that I can do...

As Brian said, it will likely be of little or no improvement for smooth metering pistol powders... However, I've ordered one to test in my "making Varget meter consistently and smoothly" experiment... along with a bunch of other stuff. I read somewhere, and agree in priciple that IDEALLY, if you use the Precision Powder Baffle, the plastic powder baffle in the stock Dillon powder hopper should be removed/cut out. Then the Precision Replacement Baffle is placed in the powder hopper relatively low in the tube... Throw a bunch of charges and check for consistency. Raise baffle up in the tube a bit and measure again... REPEAT. Theoretically, there should be a sweet spot in the tube for max consistency and this spot will likely vary by powder. The above is based on what I have read elswhere, although I plan to do an experimen to test it out... I think the Precision Powder Baffle was originally intended for use in replacement powder hoppers... like the extended ones... 2X Powder Hopper for the 550/650 and the 11" hopper for the 1050. The replacement tubes don't have moulded in baffles... Dillon calls them "bowed washers" in the exploded parts views... Some places call them wave washers... I call them a "compromise" at best. I loathe them, and remove them from ALL my powder measure bellcrank screws... and the micrometer powder bar kit eliminates them from the powder bars.

Concept is interesting; execution isn't. But what really turned me off on this part? Publishing a video that made me waste 1:42 watching a static screen that says "Easy Lube"... Jeez...

Sometimes, it's just a tight primer pocket. But sometimes, it's something that needs to be tweaked in the priming system. There are LOTS of things that it could be. If you can't get it figured out, shoot me a PM, and we can chat on the phone... I might be able to help. I've spent probably 100 hours contemplating the RL550 priming system and another hundred tweaking and tuning it. Sometimes it can be a bit finicky, but when it's tweaked just right, it's a thing of beauty. UniqeTek's (Lee's) Micrometer Powder Bar Kits are awesome... I put one on every powder bar I use. Those are pretty great OAL numbers... Want to make 'em smaller and with less spread? Sure you do... Get UniqueTek's Toolhead Clamping hardware kits and mod your toolheads... (He's added machined toolheads w/wo floating die option too via another maker). I have the kits on every toolhead I own. (Lee perfected the concept that I worked on for a while... I tried to make an actual clamp that attached via a tapped toolhead center hole... it worked, but Lee's system is so much better and keeps the toolhead uncluttered.) Follow the setup procedure properly, and you can get VERY consistent OALs. Add a Redding Competition Bullet Seater die (I love these too), and you too can get near perfect consistency... I regularly see sub 0.001... (I have done some other tweaks too on the press itself) +1 on this... I bought an RL550 about 15 years ago or so... A couple of years before Renee and I met, I skipped over the 650 and got a Super 1050. It stays permanently set up for 40 S&W... When she and I combined our reloading rooms, we ended up with 2 550s, a 650, a 1050, and we added a hydraulic MEC a couple of years ago... Just ordered a Redding T7 to do stuff I'd normally want a single stage for... But my RL550 was my first, and still my sentimental favorite!