1050 "splashing" powder when indexing, loading 5.56

[BFL]

I've loaded just over 4000 rounds with my 1050, purchased this last November. I've reloaded on a single stage for 3 years, this being my first progressive press. Overall its pretty awesome, but there are some issues that I don't feel like I should have to "live with", there are probably answers out there I just haven't found them.

I am using CFE223 powder, ball powder basically the same as BL-C2. Really fine powder, which I think may be part of my issue. After the powder drop, there is a splash of powder coming out when going to the powder cop station, and to the bullet seating station. I timed myself over an hour, and I'm loading at about 550-600 rounds an hour. The only fix I have found is to put my fingers on the cases that are coming from the powder drop station and the powder cop station to keep them from wobbling as the press indexes, while putting a bullet into the case headed to the seating station. It's not a measurable amount of powder, having weighed the charges from those that splashed, but it is annoying. I keep thinking with something like Varget I wouldn't have these issues, but I'm scared to think of what loading pistol rounds on this press would be like.

The only other problem I have with the press is that randomly, I won't prime a case. When it happens, it will happen 2 or 3 times in a row, spilling powder out the primer hole and making a mess. This occurs randomly, independent of the number of primers in the feeder. This didn't occur for the first 400 rounds or so, until a problem I caused, now I am unsure how to fix it. I wasn't giving the case lube (One Shot) enough time to dry completely, and it started "bridging" powder in the powder drop die and spilling it out on the shell plate. This inevitably made its way into the primer shuttle slide, I didn't prime a case, and didn't notice it until it had made it out of the press. I've torn down the lower part of the press and cleaned it several times since, but I still have these priming issues on occasion. The primer shuttle will occasionally (once every 200 rounds or so) not advance to the priming station fully and stop the press, however moving it up to position manually for that stroke allows me to continue.

I feel like my issues are due to powder spillage, but I don't know how to slow down the indexing of the press. Grabbing the cases as they index is a pain, I do slow down on the handle stroke when it gets to the top, but it seems the "snap" of going into the detent position is what is causing the problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This press is awesome, before I started using it I didn't think it was worth the cost of caliber conversions and what not, but after seeing it run, its time to save to get one for everything I shoot!

Bert

[DougCarden]

Tighten down the nut that holds the shellplate down. You will have to figure out how much to do. This will make the shellplate advance slower and smoother. You can also clip a coil off the ball detent spring and that will keep it from "slapping" . The biggest factor is your rhythm on the up stroke. It needs to be smooth. You can also take a piece of cardboard from bullet boxes and superglue them between the locator buttons and the shellplate so the case doesn't slosh out and then pop back into the shellplate recess when it stops at the station.

Something to try anyway.....

Good luck,

DougC

[BFL]

I had considered taking a thin felt strip with an adhesive backing and putting it between the shell plate and the lower frame of the press to add some drag to the shell plate.

[lynn jones]

try this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-Shellplate-Bearing-Kit-Dillon-Super-1050-/290912317679?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43bbb9b0ef

[SD1]

I didn't have any powder spill issues.

But the bearing kit did make primer seating depth consistent.

[Jaxshooter]

I used a USPSA plastic overlay and cut a 3/4" x 1/2" piece out of it. I put a hole the size of the locator button shaft in it and bent it 90 degrees. Put it on the locator button facing the shell casing. It does the same thing as mentioned above and is easy to make and mount. You can make a buch of them out of an overlay. Also works on the 650s.