1050 die preferences

[Aric]

I am buying a used 1050 that is not coming with any dies. What dies do you like best and why?

I am coming from a 550. I have Lee and Dillon dies. On the 550, it doesn't seem to make a difference.

I will load 40s&w with the press.

[rjacobs]

for pistol? Anything that smashes the bullet into the case and has a separate seat and crimp die. I personally am not picky. I like a carbide size die. I like taper crimp on pistol.

With that said there are arguments to using Dillon dies with their flaired mouth that is designed to help center everything up when used on a progressive press. I tend to stick with Dillon dies for pistol. For rifle, I think there are better options. I also dont think Dillon dies are crazy over priced for what you get. A little more expensive than some other brands, but not like were talking $100 more expensive.

[Steve RA]

A Lee sizing die might not be a bad idea since you are going to load .40 S&W. Sizes down a little lower than a Dillon, but has to be lined up a little better for flawless operation as it doesn't have as large a radius on the bottom of the die.

[Aric]

What about the case feeder plate? I have a small pistol plate to feed my casepro. It feeds 9mm very efficiently. I have to go much slower on 40s&w or else I'll out run the case feeder.

[rjacobs]

What about the case feeder plate? I have a small pistol plate to feed my casepro. It feeds 9mm very efficiently. I have to go much slower on 40s&w or else I'll out run the case feeder.

good luck out running the case feeder on a 1050. Ive run mine as fast as 2k rounds per hour and the case feeder had no problems. I thought somebody mentioned the case feeder would start to be the road block somewhere in the 3k rph range. Thats smokin fast.

[noylj]

On my three 1050s, you'll find Lee and Hornady dies. Dillon's dies just haven't been as good for me as Lee and Hornady. YMMV, and almost certainly will.

My complaint about all three Dillon case collators is that (1) mine only work with less than 100 cases in the collator (generally only about 50 or fewer) or it simply stops and (2) they all seem to miss various little spring wires and things such that I keep getting a case stuck behind a case in the feed plate and jamming the collator. Figure I will take them in to Dillon some day, but I work with what I've got for now--my current health is not getting me into the reloading room very often and to the range even less.

[RiggerJJ]

Tighten the clutch on the casefeed plate. You will then be able to load it up.

jj

[noylj]

RiggerJJ:

Been there, done that, didn't help me.

Thanks.

[Beastly]

For 9mm I'm running the Dillon size/decap die. I tried the U-die but frankly it's too much work for too little return . My Glocks didn't care and my Tanfo chamber is also not picky about case gauge failures. The U-die didn't eliminate enough CG failures to get excited about it and was eating up my arm - I have nagging shooter's elbow/tendonitis from to much loading/dry fire/live fire.

I'm running a Mr. Bullet feeder and use their funnel/expander.

I like the Hornady New Dimension seating die with the floating sleeve, although the Redding competition seating die is on my wish list. I'm not sure it matters but would make it a tad easier to change OAL especally when loading at diferent lengths with friends.

Dillon taper crimp die is fine. Used Lee FCD but stopped as I think thie FCD only reduces CG failures when cranked down, and cranking it down is not smart at brass is springy and lead is not.

[rjacobs]

My complaint about all three Dillon case collators is that (1) mine only work with less than 100 cases in the collator (generally only about 50 or fewer) or it simply stops and (2) they all seem to miss various little spring wires and things such that I keep getting a case stuck behind a case in the feed plate and jamming the collator. Figure I will take them in to Dillon some day, but I work with what I've got for now--my current health is not getting me into the reloading room very often and to the range even less.

I would be at least calling Dillon. I can put ~500 556 cases in my case feeder and at least 800-1000 9mm cases(never counted, I just dump a TON in) and it runs. If you can only load 50-100, something is really wrong.

[olemiss]

I use the Lee undersize die only in 9mm to get a good tension between the case and the bullet. With the Dillon sizing die in 9mm and even a heavy crimp, I could still push bullets deeper into the case with a little pressure. With the undersize die, I did not need to use a crimp (just remove the case mouth bell) and I could not push bullets deeper into the case.

[pmclaine]

Dillon dies have worked fine for me, for the most part.

I have changed the lock rings on certain dies to a split die with lock screw. This makes it a little easier to set a die up. If you dont use a locking lock ring when you loosen the die to adjust it usually results in going back to square one rather than getting that .001 adjustment you wanted.

Ive found you cant use .308 or 30-06 Forster competition seating dies which really is disturbing to me. I have a standard Redding seater die with the micrometer top conversion in .308 coming tomorrow. By next week I should know how it works out.

Edited October 20, 2015 by pmclaine

[safeactionjackson]

Ive found you cant use .308 or 30-06 Forster competition seating dies which really is disturbing to me.

Why is that?

I generally use Dillon dies on the s1050 (and most of my presses), although I recently added a Redding Micrometer Seating Die (which is the cats meow for the record).

~g

[Brooke]

I use the Dillon decapping/sizing die on all three of my presses (2-550's and a 650). I have good luck with it and no problems.

I use the Dillon powder die, but on the 650 with a Mr Bullet feeder I prefer the Mr Bullet linear expander to the Dillon complex expander shape. Much easier to set because the Dillon expander is so sensitive. I need to buy Mr Bullet expanders for my 550's.

I switched from Dillon seating dies to Redding Pro Series because the Dillon's are so hard to set when changing OAL. After many thousands of rounds I found the Redding dies seating tubes were wearing to a sharp end that made lines on my bullets. I have gone back to my Dillon seating dies as a result. I admit having two presses set up for standard

rounds makes that decision easier because the Dillon's are a nuisance to set OAL. They do seem like superior designs from a bullet seating prospective, just hard to adjust.

I use Lee FCD's for everything at the crimp stations. The Dillon dies do not reach the lower (head) end of the case due to the beveled entrance. That caused me some issues. The Lee dies solve those issues and have not introduced any new issues.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Brooke

[BeerBaron]

Try a lee seating die. Cheap. Easy to adjust. It might wear too but if it does new stems are a few bucks and they will even custom shape one for you if you send a bullet and a few bucks.

[pmclaine]

Ive found you cant use .308 or 30-06 Forster competition seating dies which really is disturbing to me.

Why is that?

I generally use Dillon dies on the s1050 (and most of my presses), although I recently added a Redding Micrometer Seating Die (which is the cats meow for the record).

~g

The sliding case alignment sleeve hangs so low that it interferes with seating the bullet. The ram of the press would need to be 3/4 inch or so bigger. I've tried cutting the sliding sleeve and it's still a no go.

My guess is that the limited opening between shell plate and tool head of the S1050 is why the 30-06 dies are modified.

Edited October 21, 2015 by pmclaine

[pmclaine]

Just got my redding seat die and the micrometer top conversion today.

It looks like it will fulfill my desire to dial bullet seat depth changes easily.

[slavex]

I run RCBS resizing/decapping carbide die, Redding micrometer seating die, and a Lee FCD on my 1050. My RCBS Carbide sizing die was retrofitted to take the Dillon decapping unit as I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I found the Dillon sizing die undersized my brass too much resulting in a weird hour glass shape once loaded. Had a few issues with feeding, not sure if that's why, but once I changed out to the setup I described those issues vanished.