cautery

Man, I've never seen that before... I gotta get a set of those...

Dillon is simply awesome... period. I ALWAYS try to pay for stuff, even warranty parts, but 95%+ of the time, they won't let me. So... I buy something. I always have a list. I HIGHLY recommend that you invest in one of the rectangular Dillon Blue boxes that contain press maintenance stuff... I have one of them deidcated to EACH press, and I have built up a stock of spare parts over the years. If I need a part, I usually have it... When I use the last one, I order more. I HATE being down for lack of one small part...

Cool... Once upon a time, a guy made a bunch of triple toolhead holders from aluminum plate (base) and tool steel (perches) with machined slots for the shellplate and holes for the buttons... And the bases were anodized... NICE! I only bought 1... They were pricey, but wish I had gotten about 10. He quit making them... I'm sure there wasn't enough margin in them, and reloaders are notoriously cheap... I suspect not enough folks wanted to buy them. I'm thinking that I am going to have to make some soon...

Sounds like scale resolution here... Hopefully, I'll be able to afford one of the super accurate ones that measures down to the hundredths of a grain someday, but until then, I use a tip that Brian Enos gave me almost 10 years ago now... (with additional OCD additions to satisfy me...) When you are setting your powder charge and think you are done... Do this... 1) Throw AT LEAST 5 charges in a row and dump 'em back in the top. 2) Calibrate your scale if you have that option. (Only use an electric scale after letting it warm up for 10-15 minutes, then calibrate before use. 2) Using the same case each time, throw a charge and dump it in your powder pan... repeat 9 more times for a total of ten (10) charges. 3) On th e10th charge, be sure to tap the case upside down in the powder pan to make sure you get every grain of powder dropped. 4) Weight the 10 charges and divide the result by 10. (e.g. 10 charges weigh 42.9... 42.9/10 = 4.29 gr average per charge. With Titegroup and my well-maintained and slightly modified measures/presses, I regularly get my average charge to within 0.01-0.02 grains. PS - I'm starting to load rifle now, so I took a brand new powder measure I had on the shelf and am analyzing it completely with an eye toward making it meter as accurately and smoothly as possible... even with Varget... I'm using the common tips as well as some new ones... I'll post an article when I'm done.

"Primer crud" isn't likely going to be a huge deal... spashed powder WILL be a problem... As long as you can avoid letting splashed/spilled powder migrate under the shellplate, you should be good for a while... +1 on the lapping... I'm also trying the addition of the Turbo Bearings from UniquTek... RE: Graphite... dry lube is "better" than using a wet lube. I have both Titanium Disulfide and Hex Boron Nitride that I plan to try on one of my 550s before I put the bearing in. Then I plan to put bearings in both, but on one machine, I am going to flush the bearings clean and reload them with a grease that has a significant % of Hex Boron Nitride added... Run them for a while and then measure resistance. Once the dry lube has had time to burnish into the needle bearings and races, I will flush the lube and run the bearings dry. Should reduce clogging significantly... Dry lubes, properly applied, are almost miraculous in low RPM apps...

Small room, modified NORMA plan loading benches set high enough to reload comfortably standing up with 650 on strong mount combined with a ceiling fan dictated a lowered case feeder to save knuckles. Lowered Renee's 650 by simply cutting the mounting tube and case feed tube by same dimension and re-assembling. Could lower it a bunch more, but it starts to crowd th etop of the press when it gets TOO low... The 650 and 1050 are now the same height.

Doesn't have to be... I shortened the height on Renee's 650 so it would be easier to load the case hopper and to clear the ceiling fan better... Basically, you simply cut the mounting bracket tube and the feed tube down by the same amount and put it back together... Works great...

+1 on this... I hold the bullet on the case and let the seater die "sweep" my fingers off the top of the bullet/case as I withdraw my hand... granted, this increases the risk of pinching your fingers, but IF you are paying attention to your reloading (and you are, right?), then it is not an issue.

UPDATE: - Decided NOT to use Type S dies. Simply adding a Competition Seater Die to my standard set. - Ordered the Redding Instant Indicator Headspace and Bullet Comparator, Redding Stuck Case Removal Kit, Dillon Case Lube, Redding Flash Hole deburring tool - Using standard 550 toolheads modified with Toolhead Clamp hardware; will move to machined toolheads (maybe floating die) later. - Ordered UniqueTek Turbo Bearing kits for both 550 presses. - Decided to use a Wilson case gauge - Decided to use the RCBS Primer Pocket Swaginf die for now to see if it works (with press listed below). Will get Dillon swager if necessary later. - Dillon caliber conversion kit for .223 - Found a new Dillon Powder Measure in my loading room. Spent some time looking at ways to improve it... Ordered some hardware, et al. yesterday. Will post an artile on the process and results later. (There is a LOT of stuff that can be done to improve the function/precision) - Decided to get a Redding T7 Turret Press instead of the Big Boss II for various reasons... mostly because I can have multiple dies (Instant Indicator, swaging die, et al) in the press and don't have to change/reset them. - Will get other stuff later... including a concentricity/runout tool, second top for Dillon tumber, et al.

Thanks again... I have a double boiler/water bath setup and a two burner (electric) hotplate for use in the garage/shop that I got for another project. So liquefying the lanolin is no issue.... And if I can't find better than 91% locally (CVS and Brookshires has it I beleive), I have chemical supplies I can go to. Thanks a bunch... I will get the single stage eventually for various reasons, but also to process/load long range accuracy, and other projects. Wilson gauge it is... I have several and like them... Perhaps I will get both Wilson and Dillon (I don't have a JP barrel) I'll have to go read up on the Hornady measure... it'll be hard NOT to use the Dillon even if I have to mod it a bunch... Love Dillon products, and usually don't use anything non-Dillon unless they don't make the part. REALLY would like to not have to use the small base dies.... but I'm not sure if I want to mill off the bottom of the sizer die body either.

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Thanks Rob... I'm going to try and not use small base dies unless one of the rifles has a chamber that requires it. Ammo for storage will be loaded to the tightest spec'd chamber and test fired for function in all rifles (SHTF stuff). I tend to agree that the floating TH might be overkill even for me. I'm gonna call and chat with Lee. Thanks for the lead on the Hornady/RCBS setup... I'll check 'em out. I've got a spare Dillon measure that I plan to mod... Thanks, kamikaze1a... Good advice... I plan to get started ASAP... I actually could load tonight. I have all those things. Oops... isopropyl, check... OK... know where I can get some... think I have some alrady in my cycling stuff. I have a pound of lanolin from another project, but not lanolin oil... I'll likely just grab a bottle of Dillon and use that 'til its gone. Thank Dan! I plan to use your taper reamer suggestion, et al. on one of my spare Dillon measures... Thanks for the reminder on the trimmer.... I forgot to list it. Put a Giraud on order a couple of days ago... 12 WEEK back order... My drill press arbor bearings are too worn for using the Forster... I NEED a new drill press. It's not that the mic is that important... (looks cool though). What I like is the VASTLY reduced thread lash... The standard screw has a ton of lash to deal with if you overshoot a setting.

OK... been putting this off too long, but am getting set up to load 223 for our three ARs (1:9, 1:9, 1:10). I will have load and component questions for sure later, but am focusing on getting the right/desired tools/equipment first. Here is a beginning list and questions: (In no particular order or priority... some of it is neat to have stuff I will get later) [EDIT] Oops... forgot what I already bought... 0) Giraud Trimmer on order... [/EDIT] 1) I have a standard set of Redding Dies (FL size, standard bullet seater, and 223 taper crimp). I will be getting a Comp Bullet seating die (no compressed loads), but am considering getting a Type S full length bushing sizing die. My ONLY concern is the knowing whether the Type S can be adjusted for full neck resizing... I'm finding conflicting info. ?? I am also going to get a universal decapping die for the loading head. 2) Redding Instant Indicator Headspace and Bullet Comparator - Getting this because I simply want it to use for measuring headspace in the three rifles, and other neat to have info. I know it is not a requirement. 3) Stuck case removal kit - Is the Redding kit sufficient, or is there a better/alternate option? 4) Case Lube - Use Dillon's? Or is it worth buying lanolin oil and some pure ethyl alcohol and making my own? 5) Uniquetek toolhead clamp kits - Have used these before on 550 and they work great. Will be using them on the 223 toolheads whether I settle on loading with the 550s or the 650 press. (May consider trying out the precision machined toolhead or precision machined toolhead with "floating die" setup. Again, I know this is NOT required. I'm just doing it to remove variables. 6) Uniquetek Turbo Bearing kit - will use these if settle on using 550s to reduce shell plate tipping. 7) 223 Case gauge - Which case gauge should I choose? Dillon? Wilson? other? 8) Dillon Swager - I'm sure I have some MILSPEC stuff and don't want to do it by hand. 9) Shell plate(s), buttons, powder funnel for 223 10) Dedicated powder measure for 223 (Dillon probably with spring mod and other mods to try an make meter extruded powder better since I have 8lbs of Varget to use up.) Will likely use a micrometer powder bar since I have had great luck with them in the past. MIGHT consider one of the precision machined powder bars if it looks like it might help metering. 11) Extra top for Dillon tumber (big one) so I can modify the top with a cutout for easier dumping into the separator. 12) Redding Big Boss II single stage press - always wanted a single stage press for making LR match ammo 13) Flash Hole Deburring Tool _ Redding? or aomeone else's? OK, list is long, and there's a bunch of other neat to have stuff, but for now... Any comments, suggestions, additions? Thanks!

I saw this somewhere else, too. The S-type bushing die (FL) seems like the ticket for use with good brass (or all one head stamp of decent brass). So, are you saying that no matter how you adjust the bushing, it won't resize the entire neck? (possibly causing a doughnut at the shoulder at some point, which would be bad for headspace, et al.) If the bushing is adjustable, it would seem that you could adjust it to size the whole neck... I am BRAND NEW to rifle reloading, so I am asking not arguing here... IF I can use an S-type with interchangeable bushings, I would prefer to do so... but not if I have to turn case necks... I ain't THAT picky... yet.

Right side above the bench-tankless. SMART! I was just about to suggest that. I dumped my tank for a commercial grade tankless 3 years ago, and I won't ever go back to a tank-based system.... with one exception. I MIGHT do a tank-based solar PRE-heater system that would be all in the attic. That way the on-demand heater wouldn't kick in if the solar system had sufficiently hot water.

Apologize... my statement was partially inaccurate, see above for answers to your question. As to your second question, I am now in Haughton, LA, and there is no local USPSA club... Anyone interested in restarting the club in Northwest Louisiana again?

...And you're a Life Member why? What do Classifier scores have to do with my motivation to become a Life Member? I shoot Limited... I classified in Limited and Limited 10.... Don't need to classify again. (and I guess my statement was somewhat inaccurate... I haven't shot a Classifier Match since my first month... I have shot classifier STAGES of course if/when they were included in matches I shot. As far as my motivation to become a Life Member... I love the organization, its purpose, and the people. Wanted to support all three. Some reason I am a Certified RO. I will probably never be in contention to win my Class, but I will always support the organization. Hopefully, soon I (we) will be able to get back to shooting IPSC again on a more regular basis.

Remember that USPSA gets $2.50 for every classifier score that is submitted. That becomes a sizable chunk of change when you think about how many individual classifier scores are submitted each and every year. That's fine, but irrelevant to the question of whether to and how to offer Life Memberships.... Classifier scores are a finite resource... I haven't shot a Classifier since my first month as a member... That's years and years ago now.

Also a Life Member of both USPSA and NRA... Paying with a credit card and paying off the card over 24 months causes you to pay a bunch of interest (carrying charges). That's just dumb... If USPSA really wants more Life Members... and I question that path... then USPSA should offer some sort of payout mechanism... Charge a little more (3%) and you could do it EASILY with something as easy as a PayPal Subscription... Making Life Subscriptions too easy however seems counter-intuitive to me... it kills your long-term revenue base... which unless you've run the numbers and set the Life dues aside in an endowment capable of producing the lost revenue, then you are robbing from the future...

If I had my way, and the budget for it, I'd completely replace all of the lighting in our reloading room with hi-intensity White LED general AND task specific lighting. No heat, drastically reduced power consumption, better light quality, takes up less room, more flexible install options... et al.

Yep... you know how us "computer geeks" are...

OK... let me make this clear lest there be ANY misunderstanding AT ALL... I am NOT faulting ANYONE in the whole process! I've run forums before, and I've run and helped run them as a volunteer.... And I can testify first hand that the job basically sucks... I am assuming that Rob still does the forum stuff on his own time/dime, and for that alone, the entire membership should grovel at his feet. So, I reiterate, I am most certainly NOT whining or complaining... Well, maybe I was a little last night, but if it sounded like that, I whole-heartedly apologize. That was not my intent... As I have been pre-occupied by other pursuits and obligations over the last couple of years, and my participation in USPSA has been at a level much reduced (much less than I'd like BTW), my search for the election results last night simply provided me with the opportunity to view a visit to USPSA.org and the Forums with a "fresher set of eyes". What I did experience was a certain frustration level at not being able to find the information I needed about the organization and find it in a relatively painless time frame and manner. I am probably not the guy to address this issue, but I AM willing to help. I am serious about the forums upgrade thing... I checked the version info between the USPSA forums and here at Be.com, and it would appear that there is a major PLUS several minor version backlog on the USPSA forums. I checked the IP Board site, and it would appear that a cooperative effort might well be able to provide the funds to upgrade the forum license(s) there for a relatively reasonable figure. I don't know if there would be an "upgrade" discount on the main license, but that would be a minimal difference. I would suggest that the license might well be best upgraded to a business level main license, and that some money be set aside for at least 2yrs worth of maintenance/upgrade renewals (each 6 months). I would also be in favor of an effort to determine which/if any add-on licenses would be of benefit to making the forums more conducive to folks both wanting to hang out over there AND volunteer to help run them. I suspect that Rob would perhaps be the most knowledgeable first opinion on the list of needs/wants. Personally, I do not have the time to volunteer to help with the day to day running of the forums, but I do want to and will help to offset the cost of the upgrades. Last night I offered to kick in the first $10.00... Let me sweeten that pot... I will match the first $100.00 of donations toward the cause of upgrading the base software, setting up a 2yr maintenance/upgrade fund, and securing such add-on licenses as may be beneficial. Anyone who wishes to donate toward my matching funds, or who would like to issue an additional matching "challenge", PM me here at BE.com OR send me an email at cautery at montac.com, and I will shoot you a response with my name/address where you may submit the funds. I know a bunch of folks are at Nationals right now, so maybe this can't get started in earnest until they end, but I'm ready to go. If the interest is great enough, I will post (with Brian's permission) a separate fund-raising thread to track challenges, challenge status, donations, and post a specification listing of what we're shooting for as soon as the details are known. I will provide a complete accounting of funds received, and forward the total amount to the appropriate person via a single certified funds instrument when sufficient funds are collected. Anyone want to join me?

I FINALLY saw it... Are you kidding me? I can only speculate that the reason that security page was added is because no one at National HQ will cut loose the money to keep the forum software updated to the latest version... THUS, the poor admin of the forums must resort to kludges to keep the SPAMBOTS from over-running the forums... Right? I'm guessing... IF this is correct, then for heaven's sake, let's take up acollection and get the software updated. I'm in for $10.00. Anyway, I figured it out and got in... fat lot of good THAT did.. Doesn't look like anyone has been on there (even in the rules forum" since March. Since March, 2011? Really... Had to be an unrecoverable crash, right?

Apparently, they are super-secret now... Wanted to go read the USPSA Presidential ElectionResults, but the "Election Foums" here ---> http://www.uspsa.org/forums/index.php?showforum=78'>http://www.uspsa.org/forums/index.php?showforum=78 requires that you enter a security id and password JUST TO VIEW the forum index. So, no problem, I'll just go to the forum home --->http://www.uspsa.org/forums/index.php Nope... Same thing... HAVE to have a "Forums" login just to SEE the front page of the forums SITE... Is it just me, or does this seem counter-productive IF your intent for the forums is to communicate? If no one can GET to the forums to REGISTER, you will never have a login to use... TO GET TO THE FORUMS!!! So, since I can't get the the Forums, can someone please direct me to a link that has the results for the USPSA Presidential Election? It certainly isn't on the "News" section at USPSA... No Press Releases" posted since February 23, 2011.

Yes, of course... Thanks, Dear!