dddoo7

I don't take the powder out. Some has been there over a year. My thinking is that if the hoppers turn dark I can always buy a new tube for them...or just use them dark. I do label them as to the contents and I do keep the lids on them.

You will need the powder funnel for 300 blackout. Other than that the 223 conversion will be used. I am also only counting 3 toolheads. One with the machine for loading 223, one for loading 300 blackout, one short for trimming 300 blackout, and you will want one more for processing 223. Also, you will want a second 1500 trim motor unless you plan to set it up when switching between 223 and 300 blackout processing. I started out with just one motor, but it is much easier to have one dedicated for each caliber.

I've seen where some people cut milk jugs to make tabs. I haven't, but I'm sure it will work.

Wow. I didn't realize there was that much time involved in the 1050 changes. I run two 550's (one large one small primer). I have quick change kits for several calibers. I have debated getting a 1050, but I wouldn't want that kind of change over time. I can change calibers in less than 60 seconds on the 550's. I guess if you load a couple thousand at a time it would be worth it. I usually don't load more than 4-500.

No notification is necessary, but they do recommend it. You can switch back and forth between long and short barrel without any issues. Transfer is tax free via form 5 upon your death. The executor of the estate can be in possession of any NFA items until the form 5 clears. Just make one of your kids executor in my opinion. All of this can be found in the NFA handbook. It is boring, but a necessary read if you are going to own NFA items. https://www.atf.gov/content/firearms/firearms-industry/guides/publications-firearms-national-firearms-act-handbook

This is not my pic, but this is the grease fitting they are talking about. Both of my presses have them. I use mobile 28 for everything gun related. It is the same grease Gisselle recommends for their triggers. You can buy one tube for about $20 and it will last for many many years. Other than that almost any grease is better than running it dry.

I had some imr4895 rifle powder from the early 90's. It shot fine, but was very hot compared to new stuff. I started close to a starting load and was showing flattened primers. I guess that even though it was sealed it might have dried out a bit causing there to be more actual powder per grain than before. I would try it...but I would start low and work up slowly.

I like that idea. Is there any change in load data when doing this? Can this be done with large pistol/rifle as well? It would be wonderful to only have to stock large and small.

Gap foam will likely not work for this. It expands too much and you will have trouble getting it out. I would use multiple layers of closed cell PE foam. It is pricey, but really good stuff. It can be bought at the foam factory online. I use 2.2 lb for all of my cases and cut them with a hot wire cutter. This is my covert case I made for my sbr. It originally held a drill and sawzall.

Thanks kaldor. I'll check for them local. My 8" drum is 20" long and I am using 20lb of media. I know it could handle more, but I haven't bought it yet. It is expensive. Lol. I have tumbled up to 20lb of brass, but I tumble it 6hrs when it has that much in it.

Just buy what the military uses. It also *must* be the best.

Have you tried different speakers? My semi high end denon intermittently quit playing the other day and I was almost sick. After checking everything I found that the Kids had crossed a wire behind a speaker and it was shutting down to protect the unit. I am now a year later and it is still running fine. This is probably not the case with yours, but worth checking.

Nice. What is the SDR number on those pipes? I have green sewer pipe I got for free that has belled ends on it and I can't find any fittings that will fit it. I ended up using internal test plugs.

I use Wilson dies and an arbor press to seat bullets to minimize run out. Even with standard dies in a single stage press there is some runout because they are not perfectly aligned. The major exception to this is a good seating die in a Forster press because the Forster floats the die allowing it to naturally align...still not as precise as the Wilson dies, but close. Second...the Dillon powder measures are good, but i trickle each load to the nearest .05 grain or closer using a trickler and a lab scale. The Dillon powder measure is no where near that precision...especially with stick powders. Dillion can easily load ammo that will shoot 1/2 -3/4 Moa. For most people that is fine. If you are trying to shoot sub 1/4" you will not be loading on a Dillon. Now...someone is probably going to get defensive and tell me that they have mastered the process and can shoot infinitely small groups with their 400 rounds/hr they cranked out on their Dillon. I can assure you that either their small group that they shot is the exception instead of the rule and they would have trouble repeating it, or they have made many modifications to their press, or they have not actually shot enough to know for sure what that ammo will do. Again...I'm not attacking Dillion. They make the best progressive press on the market and I love them for progressive loading. I just don't use them for precision rifle rounds and I don't know anyone serious about precision shooting who does.

I had to file on a Dillon nut in order for it to work on a gsi toolhead for trimming blackout.

Dillon make great presses. I have two...but I know what they are made for. They are not made for precision loading. Can it be done? To some extent, but not easily. If you want precision rifle rounds use Wilson dies, arbor press, or Forster coax. If you want high volume good rounds? Use Dillon. Therefore I have no need for billet tool heads. JMHO.

I would sell it and buy a new one. You will probably come out less than the $70 difference. It is insane how good the resale is on these presses.

I actually considered a cement mixer, but I don't have that much room in my reloading room and I don't have a garage. If I had plenty of money to play with I would build a magnetic agitator that would spin under a 5gal bucket. I think it would work better and faster than a pipe, but the neo magnets alone would cost more than my whole tumbler.

This...but read the whole thing before you start to build. His first prototype had many issues with it that were fixed in later versions. Mine is actually made with a 1hp Baldor motor and everything is bolted to a 3/4" piece of plywood. It has tumbled 1000's of rounds of brass with no problems. I built a round cage to separate pins after tumbling and it works great. I turn it in water to separate pins and then empty the water and tumble a few more turns to get the majority of the water out. Then I put them all in a towel and shake them around to remove more water. Then I lay them out on a square of carpet to air dry. They will dry twice as fast with the primers removed...probably because more water comes out in early stages.

Light rail

I have a 6" drum to and don't use it since I put together the 8" drum. Even if it is not full it seems to work better....and your rpm's will be quite a bit higher with the 6" drum. The siZe of the drum changes the ratio of the final rpm in most tumbler designs. I have mine at about 55 rpm for the 8" pipe and close to 80 rpm for 6" which is border line. When I tumble the 4" pipe I put toilet flanges on either end to make it 6" on the tumbler. Just put all 20 lbs of pins in your 8" pipe and whatever brass you have and then fill the rest with water. You will be better off with another 5-10 lb of pins than a 6" drum.

The higher brass to pins ratio you have the longer you will have to tumble. If I have a really full drum I tumble for 6 hrs, but I always have more weight in pins than brass. You don't need any "extra" space for everything to tumble properly. I used to use a 4" pvc pipe 6" long and could fit 75 pieces of 223 and 3.5 lb of pins. Water filled in around everything and it would tumble just fine. I still have that chamber for tumbling very small batches of brass...but don't use it very often.

I use a neck sizing die in the #1 position when loading fully sized and prepped brass. It requires no lube, but will still straighten out any necks that are not perfect and will knock media out of primer pockets if present. I have done it the other way with full length sizing the second time and dry tumbling after loading and have had no problems...but I don't see that extra step as necessary.

lyman makes the m die. Get the right size expander if you go this route.

I just bought a 550 a few months ago. I am slowly buying quick change kits for every caliber I load on the dillon. I came across some used quick change kits and wondered what the difference between these and the new style is. What advantages are there to the new style? These are the used ones I can buy. --Daniel