G29SF

I use a Dillon sizer/decapper/ball-expander raised a bit so it does not fully size, but does fix the neck.... before the trim die which is set to fully size. Once the trim dies has sized the case (and has been trimmed), I don't touch the neck again. I simply seat the bullet (in a separate step with another toolhead). I find the neck tension perfect after the trim die.

I don't use Varget for .223 (I use H335), but when I do use Varget (.308), I hand-weigh and drop. I hear Varget doesn't work well with automatic dispensers. (I never tried it myself since I heeded the advice of others.) I use the RCBS Chargemaster dispenser and scale.... and manually drop my powder in station 5 through the funnel on my 1050. To me it is the best of both worlds: progressive loading with hand-weighed charges.

If you are really concerned, but have no valid reason (like you think you really did screw something up), drop the magazine after you chamber a round. Firing without a magazine leaves an escape for the presure if a blow-out occurs. Now, this is not a replacement for proper loading... but it is a bit of a safety process when trying a new load. If you think you loaded everything OK but just have butterflies because you are a new loader, just proceed with caution. If you are a seasoned loader and have butterflies because you think you screwed something up... time to get out the bullet puller and do some checking.

All of the above. I load 10mm and push the envelope... which can involve non-traditional pistol powders (like longshot). I also load 40 S&W, however I simply use my 10mm powders because it is what I have and I am not loading anything special for 40 S&W. (My 40 S&W loads are just "save money goof off loads".) If you want to load 40 S&W proper and 10mm proper, you are probably looking at different powders. If you haven't already discovered the preferred 10mm powders, you probably are just loading long and expensive 40 S&W rounds.

The reason that works is because the bullet is hitting the rifling and stoppinig the cartridge from dropping further into the chamber. This sounds dangerous to me due to potential pressure spikes when fired. In this situation, the cartridge is headspacing on the bullet-and-rifling... rather than the case mouth in a properly mated barrel-and-cartridge. I load and shoot 40 S&W out of my glock 10mms (20 and 29) all of the time... but I use their respective 40 S&W barrels. I won't bother with the plusses and minuses of shooting 40 S&W through a 10mm barrel, however situation #2 above is not something I would do. NOTE: My issue with item #2 above is not a 40 with a 10mm OAL. My issue is dropping the slide on a 40 chambered round with 10mm OAL which causes the round to slam into the rifling. As long as there is enough neck tension, loading a 40 to 10mm OAL should be fine when used with a magazine. For the record, I don't drop my slide on a chambered round in any sitiation.

I find the dillon ball expander too big. Not enough neck tension. I process my range brass like this: Station 1: casefeed Station 2: dillon .223 size/decap/ball-expand Station 3: swage Station 4: no prime Station 5: no powder Station 6: trim with dillon trimmer/trim-die Station 7: no seat Station 8: no crimp Then I load with another toolhead like this: Station 1: casefeed Station 2: nothing Station 3: nothing Station 4: prime Station 5: powder Station 6: powder check Station 7: seat Station 8: crimp Notice I do NOT resize the brass at all after the trimmer. The neck tension is nice and tight. I use boat-tal bullets and have NO problems seating them. Also note that this is for .223 and .308. My process is different for pistol cartridges. I may also be different for other manufacturer's dies and other rifle cartridges.

If you are using the swaging rod, and do not separate brass, you can run into a situation where the swager bottoms-out and causes the toolhead to torque-over... which cause cause the left stations to "go down more". It isn't much but can affect. Not saying this is the problem... but could be.

For these calibers, they only require different: dies, expander and powder funnel. The exception to this is the 30-06 which has a different casefeed adapter (10 second change). Only items on the toolhead are affected (except for 30-06 noted). If you chose to buy dedicated toolheads, you could swap from one to the other in about two minutes. Now, switching from the 44 special/magnum to the rifle cartridges requires shellplate and casefeed parts swap which adds a little time. priming system is same though. You "may" have to adjust primer seating depth, but that is just a turn of an allen wrench.

For these calibers, they only require different: dies, expander and powder funnel. The exception to this is the 30-06 which has a different casefeed adapter (10 second change). Only items on the toolhead are affected (except for 30-06 noted). If you chose to buy dedicated toolheads, you could swap from one to the other in about two minutes.

Swapping dedicated toolheads with dedicated dies and powder dispenser should take about two minutes. This is assuming you have to change no other parts -- which the OP's example is. One big nut, powder drop failsafe rod (cotter pin & pin), toolhead rachet (small bolt) and primer arm assembly (cotter pin & pin).

I simply switch calibers/primers, however I am thinking about the two-1050 route: one for each primer size. I tend to load a bunch of each caliber so I don't switch as often. I also think ahead in terms of primer size... so I switch calibers within the same primer size (as best as I can) before switching primers. In the end, It doesn't take that much time and the machine needs to keep clean anyway. If this was more than an "advanced/pro-hobby", I would definately have two. I will probably buy a 550 for more a wider range of calibers and simplified "one-off" use... before I buy another 1050.

^This. I load several calibers. However, when I am loading a caliber, I load a lot... so I don't change often. By the time I am switching calibers, the machine needs cleaning anyway. For me, I have several reasons for purchasing the 1050: When I finally get time to load, I want to be as productive as possible -- I don't have a lot of free time to do this... even though I enjoy it I find pleasure working with the finest equipment After adding up the price for the 1050 and a fully populated 650 (with all the bells and whistles that come with the 1050), the difference was maybe $500. (Except for the extra toolheads -- those aren't cheap, but aren't required either.) The limited warranty meant nothing to me. The machine just doesn't break. Considering the small fortune I have invested in firearms, components and everything else in this hobby, I'm just not worried about having to buy a $3 part IF it breaks. The 1050 is big iron and there just isn't much on it to break down.

If you don't cut too-much too-fast, you should not have to do anything. Also, if you leave the handle down a hair longer it will leave a cleaner cut.

As far as mounting surface, I had three pieces of slate left over from an old pool table. I set one piece on top of my workbench, made of 2x4s and 3/4" plywood... bolted to the studs. This made for a nice solid table and smooth surface to work on. Don't go just plywood; it is asking for trouble. As far as height, I believe I read somewhere that the handle in the upright position should be shoulder height. For me, that put the workbench surface about two inches above my belly button. I am 5'10". When I am standing up (my preferred position while loading), with my hand on the handle (in the upright position), my arm is level. This is for a Super 1050. Other model presses will/would require different workbench height, I believe, due to different press height/mounting. I plan to add a 550 to my collection. I don't know (yet) if the mounting height will be too far off. My 1050 is for mass production (.223, .308, 10mm) so I wanted to get it most ergonomically correct. Last time I prepped .223, I did about 5k pieces. Had the trimmer on, shop-vac on, mouse-ears on and a lot of right-arm-action.

I have no issues with the trim die sizing the neck too tight. As a matter of fact, once my brass has made it through the trim die, I do not expand it with the ball when loading. Boat-tails press right in. I find the neck tension is perfectly tight. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

For 556, I actually have two sets of toolheads AND dies. For others I reconfigure one toolhead using one set of dies. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

I use my 1050 to prep 556. I use a Dillon size/deprime/ball-expander in station 2, set a little (not much) high so brass is not 100% sized, but neck is fixed by ball; swage in station 3; no prime in station 4; no powder in station 5; total resize with trim die and trim in station 6. When I load this brass later, I use a fully populated toolhead with the ball-expander removed from the deprime so the neck is left tight. This gives me great neck tension. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

Swapping toolheads, shellplates and priming systems isn't as bad as people think. If you just need to swap toolheads and nothing else (to move from case prep to loading the same caliber), it is even easier! My last session of .223 case prep was 6k pieces. After that, a good cleaning was in order... so time to swap took heads was irrelevant. Even if it takes ten minutes longer than the 650, so what? It isn't something you do often. (At least I don't.) Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

I can get you this info tomorrow. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

So true. Adding up everything I was going to buy, the 1050 was only $600 more. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

Not at all. If you're a commercial reloader, you need it and don't care. If you are small time, you may never break anything. From what I hear, Dillon will warranty parts if they figure out your not a business. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

I see you have a 1050 Quick-Change Toolhead in the list of 1050 items. That is where I went wrong. Without that, the difference is approximately $700. Even less of a difference if you add a Quick-Change Toolhead to the 650 list. I think I added a Super Swage to my 650 list for comparison since the 1050 has a swage... which closes the gap further. Either way, very cool. It is always exciting to get blue stuff! Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

I would be interested in seeing how you came up with these numbers. A $1k difference seems high. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

The only issues I have had reloading glocked brass is .40 S&W. I believe the stock Glock .40 barrels are the least supported. I also heard gen 3 is much better. I shoot a variety of calibers out of my G20, but all with KKM barrels. I don't experience the glock smiles with them. On range brass, I toss the Glock smiled brass in the trash. All others reload fine with my Dillon dies... and fit/cycle fine in my KKM "tighter" barrels. The Glock smiled brass actually reloaded OK, however I don't like using compromised brass... which smiled brass is, with its distinct crease. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

If you get crimped brass, you will have to swage them. There are separate swagers you can buy if you don't go with the 1050. Once you swage a piece of brass, you never have to again. Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express