Bob DuBois

Issues with magazine release. I put Ed Brown extended releases on my 1911's, Also polish the ramp area on the magazine release so it's smooth, replace the magazine spring with a lightened spring or remove about two coils from the spring you have. With the slide off the pistol magazines should slide free in the magazine tunnel. If not do some polishing on the inside of the frame. I use an 1/8th long drill bit with some fine sand paper and a Dremel.Go a little at a time till magazine inserts easily. Insert the magazine with pressure on the base pad check the clearance between the ejector and the feed lips on the magazine. If it hits remove metal from the base of the ejector till a business card will pass through with pressure on the base pad. In 45acp Wilson magazines should work fine in 9mm had to remove two coils from the base of the magazine because of to much spring pressure slowing the slide using light springs. Ed Brown magazine release will need to be fitted to the frame here small files and sandpaper work best.

Check out Memphis-SSA

Up Stairs in spare bed room. Sole use for room

You need to position your self so you see in every case before placing the bullet. Good lighting is a must. A clamp light from Lowe's is positioned on both my 650 and 550. Some one comes in to talk quit till they leave. Double check before starting back loading. Pushing the handle as seating a primer is a good way to start back. Something doesn't feel right check. Had the white block come out of the powder measure loading 38 Special. I could see the powder measure working but the drops were all over the place. Now I always look at that block when filling the primer tube. Everyone who reloads has a problem now and again try to catch it before it gets to the gun.

Live in the south mine rust also. After polishing wipe them down with Mink Oil. Seems to help better than anything I've tried also rub the pistols down about once a year. By mine at Red Wing Shoes but I'm sure any brand will work. Did a lot better than car wax.

Have Metalform magazines same as Dawson except for the base pad they are also harder to unload than my Wilson but run fine in the gun. Sometimes a slight bend up on the magazine spring under the nose of the follower will help. Haven't notice the Metalform mags slowing the slide. But the Wilson's did removed two coils from the base of the magazine springs. Running a 10 pound recoil spring and a 15 pound mainspring. Mainspring is thre years old no issues with Winchester primers. With the slide off the pistol insert the magazine be sure the top of the magazine doesn't hit the ejector with pressure on the base of the magazine.

Been there done that messes up your day

Mobil 1 5W30

Looking at the breech face for wear along with all above.

Purchase a pin kit, it's always nice to have spares replace the plunger and pin. Be a good time to put in a new 17 lb mainspring. Have a vice put a punch in the vice and compress the spring with the mainspring housing.

I bought a good clamp light from Lowe's think there's a selection of strip lights on E Bay. You need to stand or sit so you see the powder in the case before placing the bullet. Hard to do on 38 Special but your eyes are the check system. There's a lock up die out there may be able to put that in station three seat and crimp on station four. I had the little white block come out of the powder measure while loading 38 Special. Now I make sure when dropping a tube of primers to look at the white block on the powder measure. Powder measure was dropping varied drops but working so I had a mess and a few bullets to pull.

Dillon's service is outstanding, second to none there shipping may be a little high on small orders but have a problem it's fixed as fast as they can. As much as they have sent to keep my 30 year old 550 running smooth still purchase smalls from them once in a while.

I'm an older guy who enjoys 1911/2011 pistols have several one of my favorite is an STI Trojan in 9mm. Fun little gun to shoot and mine has lot's of rounds through it. There is a reason more times than not custom pistols are built on the STI platform. You should plan on spending a bit on any 1911 to get it tuned the way you want and maybe refinished. Once tuned the pistol will hold up for a long time and give you years of enjoyment. I had mine hard chromed and the finish has held up very well. Slide to frame fit is still tight. Went with an Ed Brown magazine extended magazine release and magazine well. Dawson front sight ambi thumb safety's. Spent some time finding main and recoil springs that worked well with my loads. Ended up 15 lb mainspring and a 10 lb recoils spring. I like the under cut below the trigger guard on the Trojan and the pistol points and has excellent balance. Little tricky to get the gun to work and run on magazines. I use Wilson 10 round and removed two coils from the magazine springs had the barrel throated and a trigger job, able to use the STI trigger group parts with just a little stoning. Magazines on any 1911 remove the slide and with pressure on the base of the magazine be sure the feed lips do not hit the extractor. If it hits it will break the extractor. Metalform is another good magazine several Trojan shooters local had good results out of the box. Said more than I should but would take the STI Trojan over the Range Officer.

Be sure the sear is not to short from stoning if the length is good. Leaf spring is tension is correct. Back out on the reset screw, if that doesn't work. Replace the disconector new one should be a little longer than the one replaced.

My Trojan 9mm likes longer loaded bullets. Only bullet I've had problems with is 147 lead. Tumbled in ,y Trojan and Glock 34. Only had problems with one box and have shoot thousands but it was enough to not purchase any more. Little research and several others have had problems from varied casters.

Have an air compressor? If not get some caned air from an office supply store. Lube the primer slide with powdered graphite. Can't use any type of wet lube only makes the slide attract powder and trash. Purchase in the lock dept at Lowe's or Home Depot. Ace has a bigger bottle be using it for about ten years now. Clean and lube with graphite. Any pot marks on the bottom of the slide hit with a small flat file don't remove much metal just the raise areas. Starts to stick give it a blast of air and a dusting of graphite.

Put thousands of 175 cast lead swc loaded out to 1,220 through my 2011 guns runs great. My advice would be to use the Lee U die in your first station. I've loaded this length on both presses with very good results. Lube Cases

I use Wilson magazines in my Trojan 9mm had to remove two coils from the bases of the magazine spring to get them to run in my gun as well as throating the chamber. I would try one coil at a time before cutting two. Running a 10 pound recoil spring and a 15 pound main spring. With the slide off insert a magazine with pressure up on the magazine. Check that the magazine doesn't hit the ejector. Also have a Spartan in 9mm it doesn't like Wilson magazines but runs great on Metal Form.

These guns like oil be sure pistol is well lubed. Fan of Mobil 1 5w30. If that doesn't fix it try bending the magazine spring up a little on the nose end. My guns like a longer OAL and I load 1.220 with 175 gn lead. Major running a 12 lb recoil spring and a 17 lb mainspring. Minor may drop to a 10 lb recoil spring. Be sure and put a drop of oil on the feed ramp and breech face across from the extractor. Do not oil the extractor. Loading your own ammo try a U die from Lee. Seen several S_I guns that wouldn't run start running by going to the U die. The U die works best in 40 S@W. It will size closer to the extractor groove and tighter than other brands. Big deal with pistols with a tight chamber. Should run after doing this if not have a Smith throat the chamber.

Lee die set under $40. U die alone little over $20. One pass through the press. Case Pro is how much plus another step.

Did the two 550's for some time tool heads were set to each machine switching tool heads required slight adjustments to the dies. If your going to load small primers on one machine and large on another the only issue I would see is 45acp loading both large and small primers on one caliber. Other than that tool heads shouldn't matter. I would think it would require a lot of effort to get both machines exactly alike.

Sure the die is set correctly I've had excellent results with just a standard Lee first stage sizing die in 9mm minor. Use a small strip of paper as a go no go gauge with light pressure on the operating handle the paper strip needs drag when you pull it out and should not be able to push it in. Lee's carbide ring is close to the case mouth if it hits it could crack the ring. I shoot an STI Trojan in 9mm with a Kart barrel. This set up has worked fine on range brass. The locking nut may need to be on the bottom of the tool head, may not be enough thread to secure the nut from the top. May want to inspect the carbide ring I have seen them crack. Don't care what the box says it's a big deal to lube cases. Loading on a Dillon Press check the powder through die it should slip in a piece of sized brass before belling. May need to turn the first part of the die a little put mine in a drill press and polished it with sandpaper till the brass fit then polished with Simichrome. Also polished the inside of the powder through die to help with bridging. May be machining marks on the inside of the die.

Tumble in corn cob for a bit looks factory new.

All of us have made mistakes that's why they make bullet pullers. On a 550 you need good lighting and stand or sit so you can see in the case just before placing the bullet. Sometimes it not a double charge but a slight amount of mud, a bug or any other type of foreign material that worked it's way in to a case. Not a fan of race reloading quality is better than quantity. I hope you were able to narrow down which rounds were suspect. Pull the bullets you'll sleep better for it.

Loading on a 550 and a 650 for 1911's and 2011's with tight chambers had better luck with Lee's sizing die it's in the first stage on every pistol caliber I load. Lee's seating die has a replaceable insert. I had a flat one made local that pushes on the nose of the bullet. Helps keep OAL closer. Using a Dillon crimp die. Lee's sizing die will size closer to the extractor groove and tighter than other brands. Lee's seating die has a small adjustment knob that makes it easier to make fine adjustments on length. Lee has a good design on the primer punch more times than not it will just push up in something is in the case.