jim6918

This isn't as high tech, but it looks like it will work for me. The flexible inspection mirror is from Harbor Freight; cost was $7.00. I screwed it to my bench next to the strong mount.

That's a nice setup for sure. A little more electronics than I wanted to do, but jeez, it's kewl.

I'm a pretty meticulous (read slow and deliberate) reloader and never turn the shell plate until I am 100% sure everything is kosher. It would be nice if I had some kind of mirror so I could see the powder charge at station 3 before I seat the bullet. The way I sit at the bench, I have to lean in just a little to look down into the case, and I get a stiff neck after a little bit. It would be nice if I could mount a small mirror. I have In-line tool head lighting. I don't want some slap dash thing, and I am not much of a Rube Goldberg. Is there anything after-market available for the 550C?

I bought a 550C about 6 months ago, including all the accessories for 3 different calibers. I had a steep learning curve, but now feel pretty competent. The one thing I found when buying stuff, is that I couldn't find any discounts on any Dillon stuff. I was told that Dillon is pretty strict about retailers discounting their stuff. The best I found recently was when one of my small retailers moved their store into a larger space and had a 10% sale on everything. I bought quick change kits, caliber conversions kits and dies for a couple of new calibers I want to try and appreciated the discount. I'm not saying you can't find a dollar or two difference on items,but I wouldn't invest a lot of time price shopping. Look for a good retailer who you can talk to.

Yes, I've heard that before. However, I decided to use a universal decapping die mounted in a separate dedicated toolhead in my 550C. Sure, I could have bought a separate hand decapping tool and die, but I like to sit at my stool and pull that handle. One of these days, maybe I'll hit the jackpot. I want to keep as much gunk off my machine, so I clean first. I am using a Hornaday Sonic Cleaner, perhaps I used the wrong terminology. Like I said, I looked at all the options and decided this fits my personality.

This is kind of funny. About a month ago, I posted a question about whether to hydro clean brass before decapping. Based on the description of the steps I was taking to prep my brass, several people said I was taking unnecessary steps. I am sure the people who responded are into high production. Basically I sort of did what I wanted anyway. Now I sort by caliber, hydoclean, clean, decap, clean again, and tumble. I know there's an extra step of two, but I'm retired and looking for things to do to occupy my time. My brass looks almost brand new. LOL

Thanks again. A guy shouldn't ask for advice and not follow it. When I go downstairs this morning I will try to back off a smidgen and see what happens. I wan't to get maximum re-use out of the brass and don't want to do a thing to weaken the case.

Thanks everybody. My OAL for the 115 gr. FMJ is 1.10, which is right on spec for the charge, so I am not sure I am over-seating. Yes, I know there are recipes out there for longer case lengths, but right now, without a Chrono, I am going according to the manuals; and they work great in all my 9mm weapons, and pass all the tests. I know, I know, a Chrono is my next purchase I was very careful setting up the powder die. There is not much bell. You can barely feel it when you run your fingers over the edge, and the bullet just sorta rests on the bell before seating. It sure doesn't drop in. Decapped and sized case is .380. After belling, the diameter at the bell is .395, which is .015, about the thickness of a business card. Photo attached. Belled case is on the right of course. I hate to back off the bell any more as I could then have trouble seating the bullet.

Dillon 550C using factory Dillon dies. Loading a bunch of 9mm, 115 FMJ, and noticed that there are extremely fine brass particles collecting in and around station 4 and the ejected cartridge chute, not a lot, but enough to see. Dust sized particles. Smaller than a single grain of powder. I took great care setting up the crimp station. Finished round '"mic's" out to exact specs, and all rounds pass a case gauge and plunk test. No bulging of cases observed. Shot 50 rounds of this load last weekend in two different weapons, G17 and Sig MPX, with 100% success. Clearly I am a newbie. Is this something I should be concerned with?

The Pyrex variety are at least $40 each. They are nice, but I agree, $120 ($40X4) will buy a fair amount of supplies.

I thought I read someplace that the user shouldn't tap or do anything else to the tube to settle the powder; that it should just settle on its own weight?

Thanks everybody. Good advice. My 550C is in a heated dry basement. So far I have managed to keep my recipes for 9mm, .380, and .40 S&W to W231. I use separate quick change kits for all calibers, and I have been dumping one powder tube from the caliber I won't be using for a while into the one is will be using to top it off. So far I haven't let a tube drop below 50 - 60%. I run about 15 tests to make sure the powder has settled before I start loading.

How long do most of you keep your powder in the powder tube of your press? I load every couple of days and have yet to completely go through a whole tube of powder. I guess I was a little surprised to see some powder manufacture recommend removing all powder from the tube and putting it back into the original container if it wasn't going to be used in a couple of days. Maybe I should only load 1/3 or 1/2 a tube at a time.

Yes, but wouldn't you think that if I am using 115 gr. FMJ factory ammo, wouldn't it at least be close to reloads using the same projectile. We are talking about 115 FMJ compared to 115 FMJ, not RN or FN.

Thanks everybody for the valued opinions. I really had no idea that there would be so many variables to reloading when I started a couple of months ago. My #1 goal is always going to be safety, not only for myself, but also my family who will be using my loads. That's why I don't pull that handle until I am 100% sure of what I am doing. There will be no extremes coming from this house, thats why I am always looking for the middle of the road recipes that will work in my weapons.

I gauge and plunk everything I've loaded so far. The plunk test works fine for my G17. I can have it apart blindfolded. Well, not exactly, but you know what I mean. The MPX is a horse of another color, just for a plunk test.

I have been getting ready to load my first 9mm's after doing bunches of .380 and .40 S&W. Of course I have been researching heavily different recipes. I will be using 115 gr. FMJ's. contemplating either TG or W231 (which I have lots of already). I see, what seems to me to be, a wider range of COL than the 40's or the 380's. From 1.100 up to 1.165, with an assortment in between. The commercial 9mm I have used most recently, Fiocchi 115 gr., is 1.135. The Fiocchi shoots fine in my Sig MPX and a G17, although the Fiocchi does seem a little long for the magazines. The range I use is about 30 miles away, so I just can't run over with 20 or 30 to test. I am a newby and don't have a chrono, so I would like to stick with good middle of the road recipes. Any thoughts?

I do just this thing. Usually 10 loads for an average. Thanks

The only bench resting I will be doing is when the breakfast burrito I had before heading to the range starts backing up on me. Seriously, I am trying to find a good load for my son's S&W Shield .380 EZ, , so I am currently loading 4 test loads including the max, so I don't want to overclock anything.

Thanks for pointing it out. gr. = gr. = grrrrrrrrrrrrrr ?

So, I am probably going to be humiliated by the responses, but... I have a Hornady Lock n Load Bench Scale. I posted in the Newby section my questioning whether the powder drop on my 550C was inconsistent, but now I am wondering the consistency of the scale. I already know that electronic scales can be effected by the environment; for Pete;s sake, I can sneeze or fart and the scale will register +/- .1 grain. My scale came with two calibration weights, a 10 gr. and a 50 gr. I follow the directions for calibration and get the scale to pass. My question is ? Shouldn't the calibration weights actually weigh 10 and 50 gr's respectively? The 10 gr. weighs 154.3 and the 50 weighs 771.6. Even that is off a little. 154.3 gr. times 5 equals 771.5. I was going to buy a set of check weights to verify the scale, but now wonder the worth of that. Yes, I know balance scales work great for many people, but I don't trust myself to use one any better than the electronic scale due to a very slight hand tremor issue. I am considering putting some rubber bumpers on the bottom of the scale to cushion it from bench vibrations.

I did break down and buy the stuff for manual decapping separate from my press.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness, right? ? To be honest I suppose there is a little personal pride in how nice my brass looks, and I have been told that cleanliness can extend the life of the brass. Actually, I am taking everything to the n'th degree at this time since I am a newby. Powder charge accuracy, Clean brass, Careful, slow loading steps. etc, etc. Probably the same reason I put everything away at night and even vacuum off my bench. I suppose at some point I will learn where I can cut corners, but right now it's all about following the rules.

Since I am a newby, I am pretty anal about accurate powder measurement. I'm in the middle of loading a boat load (500) .40 S&W now using 180 gr. FMJ bullets over 4.5 gr Win 231. 4.5 feels better than 4.1, which is the low end for this combination. I have gotten in the habit of verifying the powder charge pretty often. I start out each session by measuring a several loads, and even go so far as dropping up to 10 loads on the scale for an average. I then check the load about every 20-25 rounds. I usually find myself having to fine tune the powder bar as much as .10+/-. Usually the measurement goes heavier, sometimes up to 4.7, but usually in the 4.6 range. I use blue press on knobs, so it's easy to adjust, but am wondering what would happen if I didn't check so often. Is there a way of tightening or locking down the powder adjustment screw? I thought about the micrometer adjustment adapters but I have 4 quick change kits for different calibers so we are talking a few $$.

Egg on my face. It has to be the reloads aren't hot enough. I shot a box of 50 assorted (JHP, FMJ,etc) factory ammo through it without a glitch. I checked the log book and I didn't go "middle of the road" but rather loaded at the "soft recoil end". I'm gonna bump it up a little and run some tests.