d3ydx3

For anyone that has placed an order in the last 60-90 days, have you received your order? In the last year I've been able to place orders and get them shipped within a couple of weeks, but for my last order of 2000 cases I've been waiting for 60 days. Also just noticed Starline is not allowing new orders in the last week.

OP here - I've got a Mark 7 now that is automated, so most of my priming issues have gone away, but I still have the 750 for small loading sessions and calibers that I don't care about on the Mark7. I just purchased the Armanov XL750 index cam block based on the post here. Recently bought some Ginex primers that are slightly taller than what we have in the States, and they were difficult to seat in Starline 38sc brass. Installed the Armanov index block today, and it fixes a lot of issues. Completely takes the slop out of the shell plate rotation, and the adjustable primer depth is helpful. You're still mechanically disadvantaged with the 650/750 priming system, but it does allow you to put whatever necessary force is needed to seat the primer to the desired depth. The Armanov index cam block has an adjustable primer depth screw that basically allows the press to bottom out on the priming assembly when fully screwed in, whereas the Dillon index cam block puts a hard stop on how far the press can go. In some cases, the issues that folks have with priming and getting their target priming depth isn't tied to how consistent the upstroke is or putting more force into it - it is literally because the Dillon cam block is preventing the punch from going deeper. 10/10 on the Armanov index cam block.

You could also get a 38sc barrel fitted for your 2nd 9 major gun when it is built, so if you want to play around with 38sc you can just swap the barrels.

Honestly, it has been more of a distraction for me. Tuning loads for two calibers and two different popple configurations, and setting up my Mark7 for 38sc would've been money better spent on components. I'll second that AA7 in 9 major feels like a good N350/3n38 38sc load.

Also if you think 38sc is going to start winning matches for you or get you to the next class, I don't think that is the case. At least for me personally, 38sc runs slightly flatter, but it still hasn't clicked with me after shooting it for a few months. I guess that I'm just used the predictability of my dot for 9 major.

I recently got a 38sc barrel fitted for one of my 9 major guns. I'll say that I will find myself probably still shooting more 9 major than 38sc. I had the same thought process that shooting 38sc at majors would be the ticket, but the reality is if only of your guns is 38sc then you'll still need to bring some 9 major for your backup gun. I will say the ejection is far more consistent with 38sc than 9, reloading is easier in some ways (not all - resizing is slightly more difficult with 38sc than 9), but unless you're going to fully commit to 38sc then the benefit isn't going to be there.

I picked up 2 8# jugs a few months ago via Grafs. AA7 seems to be made in batches only a couple of times a year, and I'm assuming that SWMP only gets imported a couple of times a year. Honestly, I prefer AA7. Both of the 8# jugs of SWMP I picked up are the "medium" burning 115 lot of SWMP - not the fast lot that has the same burn rate as AA7 and not the slowest burning. 9.6gr of AA7 behind a 124 JHP got me 172PF and I need 10.2gr of SWMP to hit the same.

Was finally able to get consistent drops tonight. The trick seems to be to hand snug the lock nut on the plunger assembly vs using a wrench to tighten it. I’ve always used a wrench to tighten and never had any issues until SWMP. Usually, when I’m adjusting the power measure I’ll hand tighten, do 10 drops, weigh and repeat as necessary. When everything is dialed in then I use the wrench to tighten and it usually lessens the charge by 0.1-0.2gr, which I account for with other powders. With SWMP whenever I tighten down the wrench the initial drops are a 1.0-2.0 gr light and work up with more drops, but it is always inconsistent and never near what I’m going for. Guess I’ll just keep it hand snug going forward since the drops across 300 rounds were all consistent.

I have an automated Apex 10 with the newer (post 2019) mechanical powder measure. I have mostly loaded AA7 & 3N38 with it and never really had an issue until now. Bought some SWMP a few months ago after exhausting my supply of AA7. With SWMP my charges vary +/- 0.5-1gr. Seems that it will run the same charge for several cycles, but eventually throws out something off for a few cycles only to start throwing consistently correct again. Had an instance this morning where it was repeatedly dropping my target of 10.1gr consistently, and then I come back a few hours later only to find it is dropping a 4ish gr charge now. My lot is 115 which was very clumpy out of the jug. I've used dryer sheets and wipe down the internals of the powder measure with no success. I see no powder sticking on the sides of the funnel, so I don't think the issue is static electricity. Anyone else using SWMP reliably on their Mark 7?

Curious if you ever got SWMP measure reliably in the Mark 7 mechanical powder measure? I've used AA7 previously in it and had zero issues, but bought some SWMP a few months ago. My charges vary +/- 0.5-1gr. Seems that it will run the same charge for several cycles, but eventually throws out something off. Had a case this morning where it was repeatedly dropping 10.1gr consistently, and then I come back a few hours later only to find it is dropping a 4ish gr charge now. My lot is 115 which was very clumpy out of the jug.

I've shot minor ammo occasionally out of my SAS 2 UR and it cycles fine with the factory 9# spring or lighter. Loads were 124gr around 130-135 PF.

All of the old Front Sight magazines are on uspsa.org going back to the early/mid 80s. Definitely check them out. It is very interesting to see how the sport and guns evolved in print. The old reloading and gunsmithing articles are also a wealth of knowledge.

@AZ123456What were your observations switching from the 15# to 13# spring?

Dillon pickup tubes definitely work. I'm not using the RF100, but I use the Dillon pickup tubes and the primers drop fine into the Apex 10 primer feeding tube. I actually prefer the Dillon tubes to the Mark 7 ones, as the Mark 7 ones seem stiff with no plastic and don't pick up the primers as well as the Dillon tubes with the plastic tips.

Just got it. Thank you!