jmorris

SD is not the end all for me. I have had some loads that were single digit but were less accurate than another load that may vary much more. Of course you would still want your load to always make power factor year round, a lot more important for pistol matched than SD.

Sounds like the problem is in your separation process. Might try a different method. You could use a larger bushing (maybe one for 40) but that might lead to other problems. Might be easier just to fix your process to eliminate debri getting to the press to begin with.

I am guessing you meant a DIY collator, care to share some photos?

The carbide ring in the FCD has a larger ID than the one on the size/deprime die. Adjusting the taper crimp is where the problem can happen. Have something like this / \ placed over something like I I and the lower you push the taper over the case the smaller OD you will make it. When I set a LFCD I adjust it down only enough to remove the bell and stop.

Yes, they all use the same body, tube and lid but the SD measure is about .140" smaller ID in the collar than the ones for the 550, 650 and 1050. More than just different dies.

If he had it run down too far and it was swaging the bullets undersize inside the case, that can cause them to tumble. I too use Lee dies quite a bit, on my 650's I also like the GSI toolhead feeders so I can seat in four, crimp in 5 and still have a powder check in 3.

Mine are pretty old so the springs that push the primer anvil back down might be weak but at rest the anvil moves up I to the disk just enough you can't turn it without pulling the handle back towards you a bit.

Negitive, the SD measure has a different casting, they use a single screw to attach them to the die, also specific to the SD. They have also used different bell cranks/linkages over the years without and with fail safe rods and/or springs. The 550, 650 and 1050 do use the same casting that has a two bolt clamp not unlike a double split set collar. This is the latest linkage they use with them. Below the measure for them there are also a few differences because the SD, 550 and 650 all have expanders built into the powder funnel and the 1050 just bells because it has an expander built into the backup rod for the swage station. All of the powder bars do interchange but over the years they have made them from different materials and coatings/finish.

Taking everything apart and cleaning up problem areas, most of the time was spent looking at others solutions/fixes for various issues they have. Once I had the Lee machine working as intended I then modified it so it could be fed by a Dillon case collator and a Hornady bullet feeder and one of my homade collators. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225808&hl=%2Blee+%2Bloadmaster#entry2533465

I size and deprime the first case and index it to #2 and remove the case. Pull the handle back until it is vertical, this will raise the ram enough so the primer system won't interfere with the rotary disk but won't index the shell plate when you lower the ram, hold the handle in that position and with your other hand pull back on the primer indexing arm and release repeat until a primer shows up at #2. Put the sized/deprimed case back in #2 and seat the primer, your ready to go. Takes less time to preform than it took to type the first sentence...

The "challenge" part was why I wound up with one. Got it to load 100 rounds in under 4 min after a little tinkering.

Then get a 1050 and have the best of both worlds.

You need to make sure the post is not in contact with the case feed ramp when the primer Is fully seated. Look at page 40 and 41 of the manual.

My Grandfather post load tumbled rounds for decades behind the seat of a Ford truck. Ammunition has been subject to vibration for hundreds of hours being manufactured, shipped around the world and back by air, land and sea. 15 min in a tumbler never hurt anything I have loaded.

What have you changed that went from "good" results to the buckled cases your now making?Have you tried the process I posted in #36?

I used a micro switch for the one I had setup to stop my collator when the tube was full. I have also used proximity switches to control a case collator, a lot easier to setup without any modifications to existing parts. A link to one I have used is in this thread. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225808&hl=%2Bloadmaster#entry2533465 This is it, just held in place by a couple of zip ties. Had it controlling an outlet that the collator was plugged into.

I wouldn't worry about the actual crimp dimension to a half thousandth at this point. To have them function is much more important at this point. Once you have the dies setup so it will seat and crimp a round that will pass a case gauge/plunk test, at least you know you can make it work, after that you can chase numbers if you want to.

If your cases look like the middle case that's too much for anyone intending to fire the ammunition they are loading. Try setting the die down just enough to remove the bell so it fits into the case gauge and no further. Now adjust the seat portion for OAL. You can "press check" a few rounds to ensure they have proper neck tension and if they do, you will be good to go.

You could have quoted the rest of my post that offered ways for the op to find the source of the problem. Then again I suppose it takes less thought to just post a drive by unhelpful comment... On a thread that has been dormant for more than a month, no less.

Field strip your wife's gun, wipe it down and add oil. Tear yours apart and clean as you have been doing. Come back in 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 rounds with your results.

They have them to make money selling ammunition. Kind of funny when you think about the fact all of them together cost less than just one of their camdex machines.

$50 in Philadelelpha. The cutting on the press to install the Forcth will hurt resale on just the press but you will want to sell it as a package anyway. A starting point would be to make a video of it running and 80% of your investment for a price.

So far the best I have is this 10 shot @ 100 yards group (shot with a scoped rifle)using Winchester 115g JHP's @ 1.10" with Speer brass and Universal (never found anything it did better than others before). They chronograph right at 1400 fps, so you'll understand why I didn't list charge weight. Didn't have much luck with plated bullets but 9 of 10 did hit paper...

You could always just get one for each load you use and never have to change a thing.

That is the main reason I have pairs of the Dillon presses, I never have to mess with the priming system and always have any spare part I might need on hand. That said the 550 is the easiest and quickest press to switch between primer sizes that Dillon makes.