chuckols

I am still waiting for someone to explain the Dillon employee's preference for the 550. I have the 550 and run 2K a month-run 6 calibers and find 550 at 300 rounds an hour OK. Changeover with dedicated tool heads for each caliber reduces the changeover to less than 30 minutes including cleaning and lubs.

Building Insulators for stick built homes sometimes used a 16" heavy gauge wire support that they bend and stick into a truss on each side to hold up a rolled out blanket of fiber glass insulation. I have a package of Simpson "Insulation Supports" that is almost MT as I use it for all sorts of things.. U might be able to get it at a Home Depot etc. They will work fine as they are stiff and can be cut with a pair of cutting pliers. O/W a stout piece of wire cut from a fence could offer you an alternative. Chuck

i HAVE USED BOTH SPP AND LPP FROM WOLF. i AGREE THEY ARE HARDER AND THIS SHOWS UP IN LOADING 45 ACP and 45 Colt(especially). I ALSO FOUND FEDERAL TO BE THE SOFTEST LPP AND I STAY AWAY FROM ALL OTHER BRANDS FOR THAT USE AS POSSIBLE. Encountered several FTF primer boo boos over 2-3 K of mixed LPP and SPP's usually attributed to crimped primer and that was a press issue with my hand on the operating handle. Chuck

Rusty Gun I M H O: Flyers are usually related to your technique of shooting rather than brass, powder or primers. Issues with your weapon are a matter specific to you and IT. II YOUR flyers are from a bench rest then the variation in strike could most likely be be due to powder load variation or crimp I think. If your flyers are from unassisted firing(standing or sitting ) and relying on your grip, use of hands and arms and tension, trigger pull etc..You could be pushing or pulling your shots. I don't think using range brass ever comes into play in accuracy unless a major difference like the Glock effect so written about in these threads. Hope this helps focus you on some variable without over thinking the matter. Chuck

I have no idea about gauge tolerances. Because: The only gauges that I have are Dillon for 6 or so calibers BUT I have gotten around to using a barrel removed from one of my Glocks(several sizes for each one so there is always one available) to test(kerplunk test) reloads coming off the Dillion 550. I got into this habit because of my first experiences with reloading SIG357. The in hand barrel was a lot faster and more certain than the case gauge. I also concluded that the KERPLUNK test in a barrel was the more certain test when I bordered on undercrimp or OAL issue of a new bullet combo. If NO clear KERPLUNK I knew I was borderline or just about there.on crimp and helpful in assuring no OAL issues like in had on Sig 357. To detect overcrimping, which can naturally follow if you step to far over the line, I have to follow my SOP of pulling a few bullets in the early part of the reload run to make sure there is little or no indentation of the brass plate surfaces. Personal preference purely but my confidence has paid off. Faster, more certain. Especially if you have a gun that is finicky about crimp or OAL spec required..the KERPLUNK in its barrel is perhaps the "better way". Chuck

I have run into issues of 380's range pickup getting into the 9mm brass hold bins. Sometimes I can spot them when I sieve or tumble the brass. HARD TO DO.. O/W my best indication on my Dillon RL 550B when running 9mm's: A 380 can be detected in die #1(Resize and deprim). When you raise the turret, the normal resistance created by a 9mm case is notoceablyu absent and the deprime moment is much softer, requiring way less weight on the operating handle(in all instances noted the shell plate is fully loaded with cases on each station). When I feel that soft desize/deprime action I stop, I do not insert the primer, I pull the case and a quick inspection always shows a 380 case. It goes into the hold box for that size case and I resume, indexing the shell plate one step, clearing the #1 station for the next 9mm case leaving the #2 station open and avoiding a "double" powder drop!!. Hope that helps in "catching " those terrible litlle buggers!!! Chuck

Steve RA & Hi-Power Jack say it! best. I use the KERPLUNK test I learned from these guys previously to define the LEAST amount of crimp necessary to get a round that chambers w/o resistance. We all have guns of whatever caliber you are reloading. Use the bare barrel next to the reload station to drop in a finished round and get that satisfying KERPLUNK sound. You know it will chamber. If you then want to fiddle w/th added crimp(beleive it will improve accuracy) then go ahead and try a few and shoot 'em. Your choice for that gun.Peace, Chuck

My experiencwe as well. Keep lube out of the inside of clean cases while reloading,

I like all the ideas submitted but mostly: if the workbench is not really stiff in all directions then move it off the walls to avoid bumping and transmitting sounds spraying case lube makes the desize and other stations work really with minimal resistance and this reduces stresses you create from operating the press -thus less chence for noises from movemenmts use a rigid stand for the reloader-I have a Dillon 550B and have their stand mentioned. I also stiffen and strengthen the contact between the stand and the bench top by cutting a rectangle from 3/4" MDF or ply or from any handy scraps of 2X6,8, or 10" wood stock which I set under he press and drill thru and into existing bolt holes in bench top. Then solidly bolt with washers. Glueing down as well is even better but you are stuck with that biock of wood glued to your bench top if you have other plans for that particular bench top in the future.. I cut the length and width of rectangle beneath my press very generousply to allow as much grounded surface(more square inches) as possible to improve he stiffness of the support and minimize the press table movement with operations. I left several inches of excess all around,. my setup is really stable and the bench top is just a double 3/4" ply table top on a Black and Decker portable table frame. It is now prettty permanent except if I choose I can dismantle and clear the bench top and loosen the B&D clamps to remove the entire bench table top-I don't plan that in th distant future unless I build an erntire new base to handle the bench top.. FYI and thanks, Chuck

Buy a strong mount!

Sarge: You are absolutely correct. I appears that we are really in a pretty depressed market right now for some bullets and it appears that the Bullet manufactureres for plated are having a real go at it. I restocked 9mm 115 RN several weeks ago and XTreme bullets still had the best prices and they were running 5-10-15% off with $5 shipping every weekend it seemed . I finally hit a -15% weekend and restocked n 3 calibers. I checked Powder Valley just now and they seem to be discounting Berry on a Backorder basis in the same manner as Calelas. At Powder Valley the shippping on 1000 of RN 115 gr 9mm is $10.95 and sale price is $67.99 ( $78.94 delivered) so thats a new record low in cost vs Berry right now @ $89.55 delivered. Moral-In a volatile market you can't generalize very long. As you said, it pays to check all sources on a net basis. If you can't wait for a backorder then you will have to go with the lowest price you can find. that has stock. Regards

I have had no probnlem buying directly from Berry and I have no idea if it is cheaper than Cabelas but I would guess maybe so!

Rigger JJ has the best solution on lubing and avoiding powder sticking to cases.

Sounds reasonable. You saved me the time of trying it. I will wash my next lot of walnut media rather than throwing it out. Different strokes for different folks. Hooray !!! Thanks, Chuck

JM Reloading just offered 1 # at ~$30 plus Hazmat.Shiopping, They had (2-3 days ago) 25 or so in stock Chuck

Are you loading with a bullet that you have not previously loded in this same brass? I agree that overload of powder or failure of sizing die are probable issues but I alsways look for what is new inm the eqjuation from prior experience on loading a particualr round. Chuck

Guys, I got in 1000 Starline Colt 45...noticed the same issues with the case edge. Went ahead and lubed them, resized in Dillion 550B stage #1 and went on to prime and load XT 225FN plated bullets with Tight Group powder and fire them. The rounds performed just fine in my S&W Governor and my Henry Big Boy chambered for 45 Colt. No issues over more than several hundred rounds in the last month or so. " Don't overthink the matter" and "if not broken don't try to fix it", is advice which I have gotten here and elsewhere the last many decades on many matters.It also applies on these matters I believe though I am no expert in reloading. Chuck

Hot Dog! All in one place. Many Thanks to All: Chuck

You might try www.gunbroker.com and set up a serach for the brass you are looking for. You can snag a decent buy if you play your cards right. Never bought from American Marksman. Good luck!

Good inputs. Your experience is much appreciated as I am still trying stuff from timt to time. Chuck

RDAI use NuFinish. Tried laundry sheets w/o success. Water or mineral spirits will keep fines down as it dampens the mix.I Prefer not to use mineral spirits because of emissions. Thanks for good tips and input. Chuck

For those interested here is full spec description of said product. Chuck Total Blast Media,Corn Cob,20 to 40 Grit Blast Media, Corn Cob, 20 to 40 Grit, Nominal Dia. Micron Range 425 to 1000, Nominal Dia. Range 0.0167 In. to 0.0393 In., US Sieve 30, Size 40 lb. Unit Price: $26.46 Zoro Item: G2165387 Qty: 1 Order Summary $26.46 Subtotal (1 item) $0.00 Shipping $0.00 Tax $26.46 Total

I have been using a 20/40 grit of walnut media. I find it to produce a lot of fines(dust) in normal operations. I have to keep a towel on the top cover of the tumbler when walnut medias is used whether it is clean or getting pretty dirty. Do you all find this fine grain(blast media) CCob grit to produce less dust compared to walnut?? I ask for several reasons: when I pour media(new or used) from one container to the nex, t outofdoors, the dust produced from Walnut media is pretty significant. The dust is fines which are always present in a 20/40 mix. I tried some of the larger grit corn cob from Walmart (litter materiial) and found its dusting to be negligible as you would expect for a much larger particle size grit. I also found the larger grit corn cobit to clean dirty pistol brass as well and polish quicker and better(NuFinish aditive as standard)from 9mm to 45COLT with no discernible dust at all. The issue of course is the possible plugging of primer holes which I didn't find to be a problem. The ZORO "blast media" is a good one so I'm buying 40# as well. It's cheaper than Walmart litter. Thanks for your quick help. Good luck on tumbling!! Chuck

Thanks. " Blast Media " !!!

Link please. At ZORO all I found were RayTech Mfg corn cob media priced much higher in 5, 15 and 30# lots with no indication of sieve or grain size.. ..here http://www.zoro.com/g/Tumbler%20Media/00066633/None Thanks, Chuck