wanttolearn

understood, thank you

thank you, i'll try to search that. appreciate the response.

Shred, interesting....i will try to read the descriptions prior to purchase, hopefully they will differentiate accordingly. JCN,, thank you but i think i've narrowed it down to 1 mm

good to know, thank you. a neighbor thinks he might have some smaller drill bits so perhaps tonight i shall know the size i need. it looks like a pretty thin caliber

thank you. appreciate the information, didn't think of using a drill bit...that helps a lot

thank you. i'll check out their website. need to figure out what diameter i need, my caliper is too thick. might see if i can whittle down a toothpick to size?

I just noticed during my annual safe cleaning sessions that one of my 1911 pistols is missing it's fiberoptic front sight rod. I can't recall which brand/make/model of front sight it is. I've got to figure out what diameter rod it houses and I was wondering whether all replacement fiberoptic rods are of the same quality or are there perhaps preferred makers? I would very much appreciate your help and guidance. Thank you

thank you

galt11, thank you for asking. i should have clarified in my post. looking for a comparatively lower priced option so non-powered. did the hornady bullet feeder slip/fit onto a die with just some clear tubing?

A gentleman that i briefly met informed me that it is possible to adapt a commercially available bullet feeder to the Dillon XL650. I can't recall the brand he mentioned but he said it was inexpensive and worked well. Anyone have any experience with this? I'd sure appreciate any specifics and if you wouldn't mind sharing your experience with this modification. thank you

Having directed a scientific laboratory for decades i can certainly appreciate not only the value but also the requisite financial, logistical and evaluative challenges of statistically significant study numbers (N). That said, given the capabilities of a small shop, i thought the experiment rather well conceived and designed. Not sure i would discount the experiment. Perhaps it's my bias based on experience but i doubt that there will ever be an ultimate human design and faultless or perfect platform, certainly not one that can not be improved. that doesn't mean to keep searching and trying. The best one can do is to do their best, to study, to try, to evolve. I think that's what we have seen here. Hopefully/ideally each generation will improve upon the past, lessons learned. I don't own one of these pistols and have nothing to gain or lose by either defending or criticizing the platform (....though watching some of the amazing competitors's accomplishments with this pistol certainly impresses me). While i lack their skills and athleticism, it would still be kind of nice to have one in the collection. Having spent so much of my life trying to do the best studies my little world afforded me, I've learned to try to evaluate and critique but not necessarily to be judgmental. I say this because that approach has helped me to learn, improve, design and address problems and challenges in a peer reviewed world. I would imagine the changes effected on this platform address aspects and concerns such as these and experiments that try to evaluate, test and improve the platform improve standards for all of us.

if i recall correctly Mr. Gray's competition trigger design played a role in the design and implementation of the revised/updated trigger...not the original format in question. His competition trigger design was and is now copied and marketed by many.

I have neither the interest nor the desire to convince anyone but i must admit that i find it interesting to read, collect and interpret available and credible data. In case anyone is interested, here's a link to the tests that Mr. Gray ran on the platform. It's a nice study design: https://grayguns.com/news/p320-out-of-battery-testing/

thank you

Recently I've noticed that i'm running low on pistol ammunition (9mm, .45acp, 38spl). Thought it's time to reload for pistol (in addition to my usual long range rifle reloading). Looking for reasonably priced reliable, precise and safe options. Hoping to keep costs under $500-$600 for the powder dispenser system but less expensive would sure be appreciated as finances are concerning. Currently i have a beam balance scale and a Harrel powder dispenser which is great but really tiresome for pistol volumes. For reloaders i have a single stage Forster Co-Ax and shortly a Dillon XL650. I would very much appreciate your advice and recommendations. thank you SaveShare Reply Quote

amazon has large variety packs of set screws for around 8 dollars and free Prime shipping. not a bad thing to have at home

Perhaps consider calling Armscor....they have awesome customer service. A number of years back I had one of their 1911s I can't recall exactly what concern i had, perhaps the slide lock? With some hesitation I called for advice and after providing them with the serial number of the firearm they sent me a replacement slide lock as well as a brand new magazine. It really impressed me. My Father loved that pistol and so i gifted it to him.

i did a little search on the FA model just to see what people were saying....it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff however since both models are rather new and Dillon has a reputation for really standing behind and supporting their products and clients, perhaps i would choose accordingly. I'd probably go for the new XL750 as it has the old 550 style of primer feed and maybe add the aftermarket short powder bar. which ever press you ultimately settle on, please let us know how it works out for you. i bet others are considering similarly

I asked a good friend of mine who's been reloading for many years and is a well known competitor. He purchased the Newer Rock Chucker 7 die set up a little while back (in addition to his many other reloaders). The reloader auto indexes and is progressive, made in U.S.A. with a lifetime warranty. He thought that would be an excellent choice based on your situation, concerns and stated preferences. The reloader maintains a limited hands-on involvement with the reloading process which he prefers and helps to keep him out of trouble (i guess that's why he also favors the old Dillon 550). He's not had any trouble with the newer press and is pleased with the quality, durability and the ammunition he's made with the machine. Unfortunately, he really couldn't comment on the FA model as he's not handled one. hope perhaps this helps.

i just did a quick search and found this comparison of many of the popular reloading presses including the 2 you mentioned. Perhaps it might help you decide. https://ultimatereloader.com/2022/05/27/the-progressive-press-shootout-12-presses-compared/

You pose an interesting question. A number of years back when I was shooting competitively (on a very local level) we would cut out the A zone on the targets and employ that target for both dry as well as live fire. The idea was not mine but rather appropriated from Mr. Bruce Gray who introduced it to us during one of his excellent classes. I think it helped me very much as it forced me to do just what I had to do to score well and efficiently..... and secondarily this practice did help me save a bit of money by preserving the targets a bit longer. I continue to follow this practice somewhat....particularly as i hate to waste money and paper. Perhaps this effect would be similar to that which you describe.

i've not done it myself but recall reading that people use a Swiss pattern barrette file #0 cut and/or a extra hard Arkansas Stone. Closest i've come is fitting a new hand and thankfully that wasn't too tough and at least in my case seemed to fix the problem.

I try to understand and appreciate what i would like to effect. Grease as i understand it is fundamentally oil with a thickener (and just like oil it might contain additional additives). The general rule i recall from parental instruction was if the part turns consider applying oil, if it slides consider grease. While these principles hold true to a measure...we are often faced with more complex considerations and specialized functions, forces, locations, contaminants and applications. For intense friction and higher speed applications especially when the mating surfaces are tight like a well crafted firearm's tight slide to frame fit, oil would typically be my preferred choice. If tolerances allow or if i'm dealing with galling concerns especially with different types of metals rubbing and working against each other then i generally apply a thin coat of grease with a couple of drops of oil on top of the grease. It might be voodoo but it's held me well with dealing with aluminum frame and steel slide platforms. In areas or on components that endure heavier loads or parts that move in vertical relations to each other i generally prefer grease. The reason for this is it tends to stay in place longer and may provide some barrier function between the metal components...much as one might see with wheel-bearings or on the bar that activates a magazine safety. Grease can help seals out the outside world, so if i'm storing the firearm for longer period of time in my coastal setting, particularly as i don't generally have to be able to grab it and fire without first cleaning or degreasing it.... the i will apply a somewhat liberal protective layer of grease.

it's been quite some time since i reloaded for the model 52 but i checked my notes case length is very important, 1.145" my magazine only fit with flush or almost flush seated projectiles (148 gn Hollow Base Lead Full Wadcutters) and a light taper crimp. i only used Federal primers My favorite load were VV N340 powder, 3.6gr. Bullseye 2.9gn was also excellent. My notes mention a recommendation from a good friend of mine who preferred 2.7 grains of N310 hope this helps

thank you all for taking the time to respond, all this information helps very much.