razorfish

Yep. Take your shot at the steel and move on to the next target. If a steel doesn't fall, go back and pick it up. The big poppers are insanely slow to fall, especially when shooting minor. Eventually you'll find scenarios where you can take multiple shots to drive down steel that activates other targets or simply take advantage of the extra time it takes for the steel to fall. When I first started shooting USPSA I had the opposite problem. I had been shooting steel for a couple of years previously. I would rip through the steel and pause between the paper targets waiting for something to happen. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stoeger Weak-Hand @ 5 yards or Strong-Hand @ 15 yards?

You'll want a FULLY supported chamber to shoot 9mm major power factor. Many stock barrels aren't fully supported to allow the pistol operate more consistently using a variety of ammo. Also, you'll want to setup your recoil system for 9mm major to avoid damaging the pistol. The term "open gun" in USPSA terms "generally" refers to a pistol with a fully supported barrel and a compensator to mitigate the added recoil. 9mm major power factory ammo is likely to catastrophically fail in your factory barrel if the chamber is only partially supported (Glock, M&P, etc). The 9 Major ammo will likely fail right at the top of ramp and cause all sorts of nastiness as the base of the case becomes shrapnel flowing into your magazine. Fully supported barrels for basic production guns are available from a variety of vendors (Storm Lake, KKM, etc.) Also, unless you increase the recoil spring weight and/or compensate your barrel or you'll likely "break" your gun or worse.

There's many threads on the merits of using lube with pistol brass. Obviously a little lube makes pulling the handle easier but the main reason I lube my pistol brass is that press runs much "smoother". A smoother running progressive press yields more consistent ammo. The "Blue Thing" in front of the bullet feeder in 1200 round/hr video is a Dillon Powder Check. Basically the powder check will let you know if a case has no powder or a double charge. I believe the bullet feeder in the video is a combination of a GSI bullet feeder with a KISS collator. The KISS collator was the original collator for the Mr. Bullet Feeder. JMorris is mechanical genius when it comes to fabricating reloading gadgets especially when it comes to automating a reloading press. Note that the modern Mr. Bullet Feeder replaces the Dillon Powder Check Die so you need to visually verify the powder level in each case. The GSI bullet feeder allows you to retain the Powder Check but the GSI collator is notoriously finicky. JMorris has combined the best aspects of both brands of bullet feeders to achieve "bullet feeder perfection".

GSI feeder is pistol only as far as I know. The MBF does both rifle and pistol. With the placement of the powder station on a 1050, how difficult is it to visually verify the powder drop inside each case? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Powder Valley has Titegroup (8 lbs limit two) and CFE Pistol (8lbs Limit Two) in stock now.

I clean my CZ mags every time they touch the ground. After a few hundred disassembly/re-assembly cycles you get pretty proficient. The inside of the tube get's a few strokes with the mag brush, followers also get brushed and the springs and base plates are brushed as needed. I wipe the outside of tubes with a towel before they go into the belt. For deep cleaning I use a rag and some all purpose cleaner. It's amazing how much dirt builds up on the mags I use for matches. Everything gets scrubbed, then dried and a final rub with a silicone impregnated gun cleaning cloth. Deep cleaning only happens a couple times each year and whenever it's time to change the springs. Break those mags down and give them a good cleaning.

Here's a link to the Brass Bank on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/myoung1065/

Another Hajo victim here. My pin broke and the internal springs and detent evaporated. For now I've rebuilt it but I'm going to a fixed rear as soon as possible. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I check my powder before I begin loading. I've been known to check the powder a second time during a large batch of loading (1000+) but it always stays where I put it. One thing I do that's not a "recommended step" is to "tamp" the powder down if the powder measure is being filled from empty. Basically I use a one pound powder container and tap/tamp on the top of the powder measure (I don't actually touch the powder). I do this because years ago I noticed that loads would start light and then get heavier by the end of the loading session. This was especially true when I started with an empty powder measure. What I've found is that the powder will somewhat compact over a loading session due to the natural "tamping" action of the powder measure. The Dillon powder measure dispenses by volume and after a bit of compaction the volume stays where I want it. Again, I'm not recommending my practice to anyone but it works for me. I've seen some guys use an aquarium pump to vibrate the powder measure during a loading session. This is similar to what I do with the exception that I do it at the beginning of the loading session when my powder measure is empty. If my powder measure is more than a third full from a previous loading session I don't tamp... the press seems to take care it on it's own.

That's a no brainer... Get yourself a Dillon press and don't look back. You will still have the Dillon long after you you retire the XDM. Also, if you have a smartphone, there are many free shot timer apps that you can get by with until you can afford a dedicated timer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

With 22,000+ views in the first day, that video is now part of the public domain... it's not going anywhere. Not to mention the fact that downloading and making a copy of a YouTube video is literally child's play so taking it off YouTube wouldn't help much at this point.

I would think everyone would say it's easier to get a double charge (or no powder at all) on a 550. I'm not suggesting there be any major changes to any of the current Dillon presses but rather suggesting that adding a bullet feeder in place of the current powder check station probably wouldn't helpful to new loaders. (And you know there would be a slew of newbie hand loaders buying 650's and 1050's with ALL the options) I had long since quit using my powder check station before adding my bullet feeder but it was comforting to have it when I was learning how the 650 loads (and no, the powder check never "saved" me from a disaster... not once).

Nah... The 550 is a completely different beast. The press only advances when you consciously move the shell plate. The simplicity of the 550 means there's very little to go wrong and leaves you free to check the powder level of each case.

My "opinion" is that fundamentally Dillon presses aren't designed for bullet feeders. I believe Dillon would have to redesign their presses to add a powder check station before any bullet feeding station. The only real solutions to the problem on the existing presses would be combining the crimp and bullet seating into one station (not recommended) or use a GSI-like redesigned head to feed the bullets at the bullet seating station (unnecessarily complicated). With Dillon recommending a powder check on the 650 and 1050, I would think they would need to release new models to add an extra station to the current 650 and/or move the powder drop station on the 1050. Maybe one day we'll see a 750 and an 1150 model that would allow us to add bullet feeders safely but I'm not holding my breath. With that said, I love my Mr. Bulletfeeder on my 650 but I wouldn't recommend it to a new loader. I think new loaders should use a powder check die for the first 30-50K rounds to learn exactly how the press works. Once your press is running smoothly you can keep your focus on each and every case as it comes out of the powder drop.

The first step is to admit you have a problem... Hi, my name is ____________________ and I'm a closet luber.

There's plenty of tension left when using the MBF powder funnel. My ammo loaded with the MBF still has a coke bottle shape (wasp waisted) to it. If measuring at the mouth of the case I actually use less flare with the MBF funnel as compared with the Dillon. It's a cleverly designed funnel that ensures my bullets go in perfectly straight every time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Simple Solutions to Common Gun Inaccuracies: Problem ---> Solution ------------------------------------------------ Gun Shoots High ---> Aim Low Gun Shoots Low ---> Aim High Gun Shoots Right ---> Aim Left Gun Shoots Left ---> Aim Right Note: If more than one problem exists you may need two simultaneous corrections. For example, gun shoots low AND left ---> solution would be to aim high AND right. Hope this helps

I load them (Ammoload, IMI, FM) for minor loads (practice rounds only). The problem with the bullet shelf seems to appear when loading the brass to major power factors in 9mm. Not necessarily dangerous but the brass can fail at the bullet shelf leaving the upper half of the case hopelessly lodged in the chamber. This could ruin a match. Here's a picture of the reported Ammoload (IMI, FM) failure.

Definitely interesting. What kind of accuracy improvement are we talking about? 1/2"? 1"? I didn't document the results of my testing but from memory I would guess my groups tightened up about 1/2". At the time I was shortening my loads and increasing my power factor to knock down steel (yeah, I know, one thing at a time). I ended up at 1.09 OAL and 133 PF. (Bayou 135gr bullet over 3.6 grains of VV N320 using a CCI SPP and mixed brass) I've always assumed the increased accuracy was due to the extra power of the round, but the shorter OAL may well of been a contributing factor (and possibly the only reason I saw better accuracy). If I had a range outside my back door I'd find out the answer. As it is I'm far too lazy break down the variables and find the answer In general, I hate reloading but love shooting... once I find a suitable load I'm done (until I run out of a particular component anyway). I'm currently working up a load for a 9mm Major open gun. I'm going on two months of procrastinating/testing. I wish guns came with the ideal load recipe printed on the barrel... That would save me a lot of aggravation

Interesting... I've settled on an OAL of 1.09 using 135 grain Bayou RN bullets. Like you, I've found a little more accuracy going shorter in my Shadows. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what I use too... I highly recommend the Bladetech with the Boss Hanger.

The STI Trubor comp and barrel are machined out of a single billet of steel. No threads required. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like the four pounders lasted all of seven minutes but they still have one pound bottles. In the past I've noticed that powders that sell out quickly become available sporadically for a day or two after it initially sells out. I guess Powder Valley keeps some in reserve to keep from "over-booking" the initial rush.

There's your VV N320... In stock at Powder Valley now... (They've also got N310, N340, N350, 3N37 and 3N38 plus many more.)