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ShootEm

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Everything posted by ShootEm

  1. ShootEm
    I'm going to try Inline Fabrication's lighting system to get a better view inside the charged case. I haven't gotten my bullet feeder to work reliably anyway, so that's another reason to remove it from the system. It sure does move things along when it works though.
  2. ShootEm
    I actually tried that recently. I was getting a ring around the nose of my Berry's bullets after the seating/crimping. I've read on forums that that's a cosmetic issue only, but it sure doesn't look right when I'm used to not seeing it.
  3. ShootEm

    P320 X5 Thread

    ShootEm replied to BASE772's topic in Sig

    When I first got my X5, my 125-130 PF loads wouldn't eject. Today I fired 50 rounds of factory ammo, then tried my lighter loads again. This time, the cases ejected, but the slide wouldn't lock back. Do I just need to put more higher power rounds through it? The slide locks back fine with my factory 145-150 PF ammo.
  4. ShootEm

    P320 X5 Thread

    ShootEm replied to BASE772's topic in Sig

    From the GGuns product page: "P320 Trigger Specifications and Features Full compatibility within the P320 system, all sizes and all calibers, including the P320 X5 released in April 2017 Reduces total trigger pull weight approximately 2 pounds below factory-stock for the standard series, and about 1.25 pounds for the X5 variant."
  5. ShootEm
    Thanks for all the tips! I tried using case lube for a while (even though all my dies are carbide), but it seemed to slow me down a bit at the end by having to wipe off all the lube. Do you wipe off your lube at the end?
  6. ShootEm
    From a forum post in firingline.com : "The Vihtavuori powders are extruded but most of them are small enough granulations that they meter well." I'm not opposed to switching powders, but my early loads with my current recipe shot well. I think my problem has more to do with, as you say, not checking the powder charges meticulously, as well as the bushing issue WarrenZ mentioned. Does the skylight kit work any better than wearing a headlight?
  7. ShootEm
    SWMBO? Lots of great tips there - thanks! Besides cases tilting, I also have occasions where a case fails to drop on one stroke, then two cases drop on the next stroke. Any fix for that? I actually limit myself to only 100 rounds, but I've been having so many issues with my press lately it can take me all day just to get that many! I've had primer feeding issues which have caused crushed primers which have jammed up the whole priming system (I even broke the plastic piece once and bent it a second time until I figured out that problem). It's been terribly frustrating. On a separate note, I have my reloading bench in the garage, and after a typically humid Oregon winter, I noticed the outside of my competition seating die show some mild rust. I guess I need to oil the surfaces down a bit during the (never-ending) rain season.
  8. ShootEm
    I shoot some IDPA, so I don't have a problem doing division-capacity reloads, but IDPA stages seem easier, plus I only need two mag pouches there, not 4 or 5 wrapped all the way around my back. I find reaching all the way back for a mag to be more challenging.
  9. ShootEm
    On a related note, I've now decided to separate my brass out before my first wet tumble to avoid this issue. It's been a time saver to just do all the tumbling at once, but I may be paying a price for it.
  10. ShootEm
    VV N340
  11. ShootEm
    I've had problems getting the bullet loader working consistently anyway, and I realize I'm new to this, so I don't take your constructive criticism personally. I feel like I've set up the die properly, but I often find a bullet has gotten stuck inside the collet, and I end up using the long end of an Allen wrench to poke the bullet up above the lower collet. This will make things work again for a while, but the same issue happens after 5, 10, or 15 more rounds. It sure is nice when the bullet feeder is working properly.
  12. ShootEm
    Ok, so what other issues besides a light or absent charge can cause a squib load? I clearly have an issue with my powder drop, as I mentioned above. I'm pretty sure my cases are dry, but now that I think about it, there are times when I notice some 9's stuck inside my 40's when I get the brass out of the dryer, and I notice a few drops of water remain inside the larger case once I separate them (although I've only been reloading 9's so far).
  13. ShootEm
    I'll look into the light system. I do find it hard to get a good look inside the case, even wearing a headlight. I only listen to music when I reload.
  14. ShootEm
    I use a Frankfort Arsenal brass dryer after I wet tumble, so I don't think that's an issue. I've had an issue with my LNL where my powder drop is really cramped between the neighboring dies. I don't know how familiar you are with the LNL press, but the dies are screwed into a bushing which is then engaged into the press with a twist. On occasion, I've noticed that the powder drop bushing gets untwisted, and when that happens, the stroke of the press merely pushes the die up and doesn't fully activate the powder drop. Once I notice this, I stop the process and retwist the bushing. Once I notice that, I'll pull the bullets of the last several rounds to be sure they haven't been improperly filled, but there are times when I've already completed a large number of rounds, and I never really know how many rounds may have been underfilled. It's quite possible that under these circumstances, I haven't pulled enough rounds and some have slipped through the cracks. I've been a lot more meticulous about checking every round on the progressive, but I'd prefer to take some human error out of the equation with a lockout die, which would also allow me produce ammo more rapidly.
  15. ShootEm
    Good suggestion. Maybe be this is overkill, but I've been tumbling my brass twice, once with just detergent to just get all the range dirt off, then again with stainless steel after depriming to clean out the primer pockets and the inside of the cases more thoroughly. I've been using the Lee decapper die to do it this way, but I'm like your idea of using my resizing die in this step and freeing up a station.
  16. ShootEm
    Open Minor sounds perfect for me. I've never had anyone suggest shooting Production because I'm new. In Production, I have the added complexity of planning more reloads, instead of focusing on the other shooting essentials you mentioned. That was the point of my whole "9mm Major without a comp" idea - to be able to shoot limited without the penalty for shooting minor and without buying a new gun. CO sounds like the way to go, plus I can shoot 9mm Minor out of my new KKM barrel. It seems like a good place to work up to shooting Open some day. Shooting a race gun seems like a lot of fun, but I realize I don't have the skill set to make that jump just yet.
  17. ShootEm
    I think I'll just shoot CO for now so I don't have to worry about being "punished" for shooting minor in Limited (I'm not capable of shooting all A's). I didn't realize the round limitation was removed for CO.
  18. ShootEm
    I'm relatively new to reloading and, unfortunately, I've had a couple of squib loads, which has made me nervous about my reloading technique. I'm using a Hornady LNL, and my setup is the following: (1) resizing die, (2) powder drop/PTX expander, (3) bullet feeder, (4) seating, (5) taper crimp. I thought I was being careful about visually checking my charges, but apparently I've missed a few. I'd like to add an extra margin of safety by adding an RCBS lockout die (or I could use a Powder Cop, but I already have the lockout die). I thought I could solve the problem by combining the seating and crimping into one die to free up a station for the lockout die, but I'm using plated bullets, and I've read that seating and crimping simultaneously isn't a great idea with plated bullets. So what do I do? I've returned to using a single stage press for now, but there's no way I can crank out the number rounds I need that way.
  19. ShootEm

    P320 X5 Thread

    ShootEm replied to BASE772's topic in Sig

    Ditto.
  20. ShootEm

    P320 X5 Thread

    ShootEm replied to BASE772's topic in Sig

    Comp-Tac makes one.
  21. ShootEm
    Haha - same here!
  22. ShootEm
    Sweet! Looks like I've found my new home.
  23. ShootEm
    Aren't you limited to 10 rounds anyway in CO?
  24. ShootEm
    I've gone back and forth. I've had several people tell me limited is better for newer shooters because there's less planning involved, but my gun is more suited for production.
  25. ShootEm

    P320 X5 Thread

    ShootEm replied to BASE772's topic in Sig

    Hmmm...didn't think of calling around locally. Just found one too for $850 - only one they had in stock.
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