[Plastic tips on the end of the tubes?]

RDA- what size tubing did you use?

[New problem for me - how to change powders on a 550]

I also do the same as Sarge. I remove my tool head, and empty back in the powder container, and operate te powder drop till nothing comes out.

[Any ideas, shell plate covered with brass filings]

I am having some of the same issues. Lee dies too. It is definitely the seating die on mine too. Unless I leave almost no flare on the case mouth, it catches on the mouth, and i get a little "kachunk" feeling as it passes into the seating die. I also get minor brass shaving, but after 400 rounds it is less than 1/4 of what you are getting.

I finally called Lee and talked to Peter. I explained the problem with machine marks inside the seating die and without hesitation he offered to send me a new die body. I asked if he was just grabbing one of the shelf to send me or would it be smooth inside. He kind of groaned and said it would be smooth inside. I have a set of Dillon pistol dies so I looking inside the seating die and it was polished to a mirror finish. The lession I have finally learned is to spend the extra $20 bucks and get a quality set of dies. Sorry Lee.

I have the same issue with my Lee seating in 9mm. The rest of my pistol dies are Dillon or Redding. I will be swapping mine out to Redding.

[Dillon 550 press rebiuld]

Great write up! Thanks for sharing with us! One thing I will note is Dillon does charge now for the alignment tool. I was quoted $11.00 + S&H. I ended up paying $18 for mine last week.

I called about the set screw, and washer missing from my new 650 case feeder, and needed a new primer bar return spring for one of my 550. While on the phone I asked about getting an alignment tool. The guy on the phone said "Sure I can set you up with one for $18 delivered". It may be who you talk to also.

[Clays]

Reloading Unlimited had Clays in stock about 1 hour ago......... For the wonderful price of $37.99 + shipping, & HM fee. I think I will stick with Titegroup.

[650 XL]

Looks like he's using Inline Fab's Sky Light. Go to Inline Fab's web site and check out his selection of XL650 upgrades. http://inlinefabrication.com.

I use Inline Fab's Ultramount, sky light, and dual bullet bin kit on my XL650. I also have the Ultra mount, and ejector kit on my Rock Chucker single stage presses, and Sky Light kit on my RL550 press

[Reloading room - house vs garage]

I have my benches out in the garage. My oldest press (RL550b) has been in my garage since 2008. I live in NE Ga, and have never had issues with rust. I do keep my presses lubed, and covered. My powder/primers stay indoors.

That said I should have my new reloading shop (10x20 building) finished by mid Feb. It will be climate controlled, with a dehumidifier. I will have 16ft benches down both sides, with a short bench across the back wall. I will have cabinets on each side before the benches to store primers, powder, and bullets. This has been my long time dream to have an area dedicated to reloading, and gun smithing away from the house.

[Replacing my Dillon seating die]

Meanwhile at Midway USA HQ some folks are scratching their heads wondering why there's a rush on Redding seating dies today .

Yep. I just ordered one myself. ?

[What is the right number... ?]

Three 1050s,

1 for 38 Supercomp

1 for 40 S&W

1 for .223

Nice! One day I will have a 1050

[What is the right number... ?]

That's pretty much similar to my setup basman. I have a RL550b for .223, and 38spl. A RL550b for .45acp, and I have a XL650 w/ case feeder, and Mr Bullet Bullet Feeder on the way. It will handle my 9mm , and .40s&w. I usually load about 5-6k .40s&w, and around 20k 9mm per year. I also load 6k+ .223, but I really like loading my .223s on the 550 since I use 2 different tool heads (1 for sizing, and 1 for loading).

I also have 2 RCBS Rock Chuckers for my bench, and hunting loads.

[135 gr Bayou and Titegroup]

I use BB and now have switched to SNS coated bullets. The SNS are more uniform and accurate than BB. I use a 147 grain SNS with 3.5 grains of Solo 1000 powder. It produces an excellently accurate round with a very clean barrel. Try it!

Are you referring the Bayou Bullets, or BBI? Just curious. Thanks!

[Powder measure problems]

Sounds like the powder may be bridging some. I have never had a problem with powder not dropping every time. I also use as little flare as I can. I also never clean the inside of my powder measures after I get them coated well.

[XL650?]

Thanks! I will look at doing that!

[XL650?]

Thanks MRG5122, I think I will try to raise the Ultramount with a piece of 1" hardwood under each side so I will have a full 7". I really like the sturdiness of the Ultramount, but didn't want to go a full 9 - 5/8" off the bench.

[XL650?]

Thanks MRG5122, I think I will try to raise the Ultramount with a piece of 1" hardwood under each side so I will have a full 7". I really like the sturdiness of the Ultramount, but didn't want to go a full 9 - 5/8" off the bench.

[Look Over My 650 Order -- Missing Anything?]

Lose the DVD and the cover. Youtube has plenty and the cover wont fit if you add a mr bulletfeeder on the future.

What would you suggest for a cover of using a bullet feeder? I plan to order my Mr Bullet Feeder next Monday.

[XL650?]

I am picking up my first XL650 next week. I will be mounting it to a Ultramount from Inline Fab. Has anyone ever used the Jr Ultramount which is 6"? If so, did it raise the press enough for the linkage/ram to clear the bench top. What's the distance from the mounting surface to the bottom of the linkage?

I would rather go with the 6" Jr mount if it will allow the XL650 to sit back on the bench with out it hanging over the front edge. There XL650 mount is 9 - 5/8" tall which is taller than the 550/650 Strong Mount. I guess I could add a 1" thick piece of wood under each side to get it up to 7". Thanks for your advice

PS: I have 92" to play with from floor to ceiling in my reloading shop with a 36" bench. Thanks for the advice!

[9mm RN with rings on the tips of the bullets?]

My Lee dies do the same thing to Xtreme 124gr bullets. I haven't noticed it yet on RMR bullets through the first 4,000 loaded.

[Rumor has it]

There you go. That's the email received today. Sad that Georgia may not have a state match next year unless the other local club picks the state match up. They also have a great facility.

[Rumor has it]

I am a member of GADPA. So far nothing has really been said. Received a new email today, but it didn't answer any questions. Lots of members still have lots of questions. Looks like they will still operate IDPA style matches using the IDPA rule book as a base to build on, and improve. One of the indoor matches will still run IDPA matches for classification purposes. A lot is still up in the air

[Rumor has it]

I am another GADPA/IDPA member that joined IDPA through GADPA 3.5 years ago. As stated above GADPA host many indoor matches every week, and one outdoor match Jan-Sept plus the state match. We consistently have 70-100 shooters each month at our local outdoor match, and 25-35 shooters at our weekly indoor matches. That's not to mention the number of new shooters we have each month. We have become one big family that travel to many state matches, and squad together. I'm not sure what the future holds, but knowing GADPA, it will be good!

[Do you still feel as desperate for powder as you did a month ago?]

Far from over in NE Georgia. I purchased 24lb of Titegroup from my gun club back in Sept, but I ordered it back in January. I check 5 local shops that normally carry a large supply of powder weekly. They have just about any rifle powder I want, but bullseye, TG, Unique, WST, and W231 only shows up about once per month.

[If you could pick any place in the US to live...]

NE Georgia around Winder, Monroe area. I live in Winder, Ga, and have 4 outdoor gun clubs with in 30-45min from home that shoot monthly IDPA, USPSA, and 3-Gun matches. I also have 5 indoor ranges that hold weekly indoor IDPA matches M-F within 20min-1hr. That not counting the other indoor matches, and outdoor matches on the west side of Ga. Also from Winder, Ga I can shoot IDPA at Skip J in South Carolina with a short 1.50hr drive.

South River Gun Club has the largest monthly outdoor IDPA matches drawing 70-100 shooters. SRGC is also a top notch facility! I am really lucky to have a chance to shoot IDPA or USPSA almost nightly if I choose.

[2014 Alabama State IDPA Championship]

I got the same email today also.

[2014 Alabama State IDPA Championship]

Great match Kevin! Everything seemed to run smoothly in our squad! Friday night dinner, and Saturday lunch was great! I look forward to next years match!

My only complaint was on the two car stages. Both were very similar in movements from the car while exiting. They were designed where you had to exit, and turn too your right back toward the car to keep from sweeping the other shooters. I had a fellow very experianced shooter local to me get DQ'd on his last stage for exiting, and rotating to the left. We had 3 veteran shooters nearly do the same thing when we shot these stages. I would have preferred shooting these two stages from outside the car first, then retreating to the car to finish the stage. This would have kept the shooters from sweeping the crowd if they turned the wrong way.