Stuck in C

I have 2 SDB's, one set up with small primer system (9mm and .40) and one with large (.45 and 10mm). I have one Strong Mount and bullet tray, and switch the whole loader when I want to change primer size. I recently bought a 550 to do rifle on (I used a Rock Chucker for rifle for years). I much prefer the SDB's over the 550-I've had a lot less trouble with the priming system and powder measure on the SDB's. They just work without a lot of fiddling. I can load a couple of hundred rounds on the SDB's in the time it takes me fooling around with the 550 to get it to work.

When you are out hunting and slip on the ice and fall down a mountain, thereby breaking your wrist, bruising a few internal organs, and tearing some muscles, and your first comment to your supervisor when you return to work is "Thank goodness I didn't hurt my rifle". (I'm the supervisor-you gotta love an employee like that...)

At least some of the commercial Green Gas is actually propane rather than HFC-22 as implied by the label. How they get away with this I don't know, as it seems to be a violation of DOT labeling regulations. Actual HFC-22 green gas would be safe to use in a basement.

For some reason I keep thinking about this. Back in the 80's I was a serious bicyclist, and there was a group of riders from Southern Idaho who showed up at all the rides with jerseys sporting the legend "Idaho: where farting is a competitive sport"! Anyway, I'm happy Area 1 is much closer (for me) this year.

Yeah, thank goodness I live in the Banana Belt of Montana (Billings): its only -2F here and four inches of snow, low tonight -12, instead of someplace cold like LPatterson does...

The original smaller Nordic comp is as quiet as any.

I have a stock M1, and the only problems I've had with the old spaghetti tosser are with the mag springs. I only shoot 2 or 3 3-gun matches a year and never practice, yet I still find that I have to replace the mag spring every couple of years to keep it cycling. Symptom is a shell on the lifter but not feeding up into the chamber. I use the Wolf general purpose extra power 12 gauge springs and cut them to fit.

I am considering putting up my EAA Witness Match in .38 Super up for sale in the classified section soon. You might want to look there in the next couple of weeks, or PM me.

I use the original smaller Nordic comp on my 16 inch 5.56 and I'm very happy with it-it works suprisingly well and cost me $39. Its also quieter than some. The most effective comp I've used (on a different rifle) is the Rolling Thunder, but it's about $100 and can be used as a paint stripper...

My CZ IPSC Standard (previous version of the TS) mis-feeds constantly with 180 gr MG CMJ's loaded to 1.135 (these are my G35 loads). I haven't had the time or money to investigate why but it seems to be OAL related. New magazine springs don't help. I think I'll try shorter when I get back to it (after reducing the powder charge first-shorter OAL generally equals higher pressure).

This should probably be in my previous topic, but: .308; Ramshot TAC (a very fine ball powder); and I don't think there was any powder on the toolhead; it was falling out in a shower all over the shellplate and bench. It didn't make any difference how long I paused with the ram in the up position (I realize it takes awhile to dump all 45 grains of powder). Dillon recommended earlier to work the handle slower, but I haven't had a chance to work on this problem for a week or so.

The "operating rod" on my new RL550 wasn't bent correctly from the factory so it didn't push the primer slide all the way back to pick up a primer. It took me a moment to figure out what was going on (no primer in the cup), but a little judicious work with a vise-grip and it works great now. And by the way, primers kept sticking in the primer magazine tube until I cleaned it out with alcohol and a small tube brush. As far as I know this is a new system so I don't know why the tube should have been dirty, but it was. Now if I can just figure out why the powder measure is dumping powder all over I will be as happy as a pig in s.... (I'm actually very happy with the press. I've loaded pistol ammo on two SDB's for years, and wouldn't buy anything but a Dillon. Seems like there might be some QC issues with this 550 though.)

Yes. I'm loading TAC. I was trying to work up a load but with the variation in weights I'm getting on the 550 it's impossible. I've switched back to my RCBS powder measure and Rock Chucker press until I get the load right and then I'll try the 550 again. Starting at 42 grains and working up to 46.

I actually "nailed' a tall steel front sight post into the wooden top bar of a port once, and it took several hard tugs and twists to pull it out again. It seems funny now.

How long have you had it, and have you shot it much? I'd call the dealer you got it from and tell them you didn't want this option, and can you trade it for one without the $%&^%# internal lock? Sounds like the dealer may have screwed up by selling you this. Unless you are in some jurisdiction that requires an internal lock...

I've loaded hunting rifle ammo for years, but I just stared loading 0.223 and 0.308 for 3-gun. The Hornady bullets I bought have a cannalure. Am I supposed to taper crimp into the cannalure, or just ignore it? I've never crimped rifle ammo before.

So, I've been loading pistol ammo on SDB's for about ten years. I finally bought a 550 for rifle, and it works great except for the powder measure. When I lower the ram after charging the case (.308) a shower of powder falls all over the shell plate and bench. So far I haven't been able to see where its coming from. I've been pausing at the top of the stroke to make sure all the powder has dumped but it makes no difference. Also the variation in charge weight is greater than I think it should be. The SDB's and my RCBS measure with the ball powder (TAC) I'm using is +/- 0.1 to 0.2 grains. The 550 is +/- 0.5 grains. Any ideas what is going on?

The manual that came with my gas gun says in comical broken english to not use 0.12 g pellets. I can get 0.20 gram pellets fairly cheap at local sporting good stores but I've never seen any heavier. I'd like to try 0.25 gram but would have to mail order them.

I have the opposite problem. If I shoot more than a few magazines quickly my airsoft starts to spray cold gas and liquid onto my shooting hand-more of a suprise than painful. Both the mags and the gun gets very cold. I assume the seals are freezing and getting hard and no longer seal. Doesn't happen if I take a break and let the the mags warm up every once and a while. My wife also freezes up when she sees the pellets all over the garage and back yard...

Hate'em also. We have an alley that runs between the buildings at work and we get hit up there and in our parking lot. If I want to do the Christian thing and help them out I'll give money to the Sally Army or the local homeless mission where it'll go for food and shelter and not booze and drugs.

I'll just whine here that Dawson doesn't make a plain black front sight for the M&P as they do for the Glock. They only have a fiber optic. I'd buy one if they did: its what I have on my G34.

I bought a S&W AR15-22 last week on sale. Took it out to the range today so here's my initial opinion. Even though it's made of plastic it's solid and handles just like a real AR. Good practice with cheap ammo and loads of fun-when it works. First, the magazines. It came with one and the store where I bought it didn't have any others. They are advertised as 25 rounds but I could only get 22-23 rounds in mine, and it wouldn't feed when fully loaded. More like a 20 round magazine, although maybe it will wear in. The rifle misfed 5 or 6 times per mag. It would jam with the bolt about 9/10 closed and the round in the chamber. It bent the bullet or otherwise warped the round so it couldn't be reused. The round always ejected with the charging handle. It appeared to strip a round from the mag and then chamber it at an angle so the bolt wouldn't close. Or maybe the bullet is hitting something and deforming before it chambers. Not sure where to go from here to get it to work. I'll keep trying because I really like the way the rifle feels and handles. It's also as accurate as any other .22 semiauto I've got.

I went out to the range today and shot about 100 rounds of sub-minor 115 grain factory ammo through the M&P Pro with the SSS 13 lbs spring installed. It functioned perfectly. With the stock recoil spring it wouldn't cycle this ammo. Didn't seem to have any issues with the slide not staying closed with the 13 lbs recoil spring and the stock striker spring. I'm trying to decide whether to leave the lighter spring in or go back to the stock spring for match ammunition (PF132).

Not yet. I got the guide rod and spring yesterday from SSS but I don't know when I'll be able to get out to the range.