1050 Die Issue

[saibot]

Setting up the new 1050 which came setup for 223 and I replaced the taper crimp die with a Lee FCD. I sat the bullet seating die at 1.9010 (comparator length) and moved to the FCD and set it up where it is providing a good crimp. Then I realized the seating die seats long, about 1.9065, when both stations are being utilized. There seems to be an interplay between the two and I wasn't sure if I should give it less crimp or seat deeper and always be sure to have all of the stations occupied. Any of you guys seen this before? Thought on what to do?

Thanks guys!

[noylj]

1) Seems insignificant to me. Does the change in COL mean anything in terms of reliability, accuracy, or velocity. You are only talking 0.0055"—just over 5/1000 of an inch. What is the average COL for ten rounds, each, empty shell plate vs. full shell plate? Have you compared factory ammo for COL? Have you tried two groups of 5-shots each of "empty shell plate," "full shell plate," and "mixed shell plate" ammunition to see if the target can tell the difference.

2) Shell plate flex can be the cause. Keep shell plate tight.

3) Is the comparator hitting the bullet ogive at the same place? Can you measure bullet length with the comparator to verify the reproducibility of the bullets? Mass produced bullets tend to be made on multiple machines, with their own dimensional variances.

4) If you are going to sweat that 5/1000", then a progressive is NOT the press for you. You need a single stage or an arbor press and hand-made Wilson or other dies. A progressive is for producing a large quantity of very good ammunition. Ultra-precision long-range target loads is not what it was designed to do.

[saibot]

Sorry for the late response! Thanks for the reply, noylj. I just wanted to check that I wasn't missing something or if someone had a clever tip for me. I was afraid that I was overcrimping and swaging the bullet or something crazy like that. It looks like I'll have to get it all dailed in with a full shell plate.

Thanks for the sanity check.