What's this blue Kool-Aid doing in my cup??

[Phlier]

And how did it get there???

Yeah, it's currently 3:16 a.m. in my time zone, and I'm wide awake.

Bad news: I just had spine surgery 14 hours ago.

Good news: My Kool-Aid turned blue!

Yup, after 35+ years of loading on my trusty old Rockchucker (and occasionally on my Father's Dillon 550), I'm upgrading.... all the way to a Dillon 1050!

My son and I have started to shoot quite a bit. Between the two of us, we're going through 1,000-1500 rounds of 9mm per week. Throw the .223 on top of that, and yeah.. the 'chucker just can't keep up!

So today the 1050 (and all the accoutrements) gets ordered.

I've spent the last two months reading up -as well as watching every video I could find- on the 1050, so I've learned just enough to be dangerous.

I'm going to use this thread as a "watch a newb go through setting up a 1050, and learn from his mistakes" thread.

It's going to take some time, as I gotta nurse this darn back a bit through the process, so bear with me.

I apologize for posting a completely useless thread (as of now), but I just had to share my excitement with you guys!

Next Post: After the order is placed with Dillon, I'll post up everything I bought, as well as why.

P.S. Someone at RMR save me 4k rounds of the new 115gr 9mm FMJ, ok? That order will be placed on the 26th!

P.S.S. The 1050 will be used for 9mm and .223. Everything else will still be loaded on the Rockchucker, so yes, I'll be keeping it... for now.

 

[Bang!]

Good for you! Enjoy the journey! New challenges in reloading and shooting are a lot of fun.

 

[Mike44]

I ordered 2k of the same bullets from RMR this Monday and they shipped the same day, so I think they are keeping up. I have also had back surgery and while the recovery took a while the results were excellent. I hope that you have an excellent outcome.

 

[Phlier]

Thanks everyone : )

Just going over the list now...

1. Dillon 1050 in .223 http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050_8_1_23877.html

2. Instructional DVD: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-s-instructional-dvds-for-reloading-machines_8_3_25562.html

3. Super 1050 Spare Parts Kit: http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050-spare-parts-kit_8_3_23912.html Sure the press will be under warranty for one year (unlike the lifetime warranty on their other presses), but the spare parts kit allows you to keep up and running when a part breaks and you have to send it in for warranty replacement.

4. 1050 Maintenance kit: http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050-machine-maintenance-kit_8_3_23913.html Contains the parts that are considered consumables and not included in the spare parts kit.

5. Super 1050 Bushing driver: http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050-bushing-driver_8_3_23914.html Honestly, I have no idea what this is for, but it looks like one of those important tools that some day you'll really need bad, even if it sits in the drawer for years.

6. RT-1500 Case Trimmer: http://www.dillonprecision.com/rt1500-electric-case-trimmer_8_8_26196.html That .223 brass ain't gonna trim itself!

7. 1" Bench Wrench: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-1-bench-wrench_8_3_23607.html

8. 1050 Tool Holder with Wrenches and Bracket for Press Mounting: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-s-1050-toolholder-with-wrenches_8_3_26201.html

9. Universal Mounting Hardware: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-universal-mounting-hardware-kit_8_3_23522.html Unbelievable, but the basic hardware needed to bolt the 1050 down to the bench doesn't come standard with the 1050! This is kind of a "gotcha" item, IMO.

10. Press Cover: http://www.dillonprecision.com/1050-super-1050-sl900-machine-cover_8_3_23684.html Gotta keep the machine clean!

11. Dillon Powder Cop: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-powder-check_8_3_23805.html Yup, I'm a chicken.

12. Press Mounted Bullet Tray: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-rl-1050-super-1050-bullet-tray_8_3_23911.html Someday this'll be replaced with a Mr. Bullet Feeder, hopefully.

13. 4 Small Primer Pick Up Tubes: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-4-small-pick-up-tubes_8_3_23517.html The press comes with one, so I can pre-fill enough primer tubes to load 500 rounds at a time. I'm also going to pickup a Frankford Arsenal primer tube filler.

14. .223 Rapid Trim 1500 Size/Trim Die: http://www.dillonprecision.com/rapid-trim-1500-size-trim-dies_8_8_25244.html This is used in conjunction with the RT-1500 case trimmer; it mounts to the top of the die. The die is a full length resizing die, so the brass is full length resized at the same time it's trimmed. I'm waffling, though... the one on the list right now is steel, but I'm considering the carbide version. It's a hundred bucks extra for the carbide die, though. I don't know... buy once, cry once, right? Thinking since I'm going big, I might as well go big. On the other hand, the cases still need to be lubed for sizing anyway, so I'm not really seeing any benefit to the added expense of the carbide version. I'm fairly certain that the neck expander is still carbide, even in the steel version of the die. What do you guys think about this? Worth the extra money for the carbide die?

15. .223 Case Gauge: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-rifle-case-gages_8_3_25547.html My old .223 case gauge got misplaced. : /

16. Universal Decapping Die: http://www.dillonprecision.com/universal-decapping-die_8_4_24510.html The reasoning for getting this will be explained in my planned out 223 case preperation below.

17. Casefeed Plate for Small Pistol: http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-casefeed-plate-small-pistol_8_3_23822.html The machine will come setup for .223, so this plate is needed to use 9mm brass in the casefeeder.

18. 2 1050 Toolhead Stands: http://www.dillonprecision.com/1050-toolhead-stand_8_3_26200.html

19. Super 1050 Caliber Conversion Kit for 9mm. http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050-caliber-conversion-kit_8_2_25241.html For those of you guys that don't really know how Dillon's presses work, every time you change calibers you need two things: the dies for that caliber, and a caliber conversion kit that contains the misc. press parts needed to load that caliber. Stuff like the shell plate, locator pins, etc. which are all caliber specific pieces.

20. 9mm Full Die Set (carbide resizer): http://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-carbide-pistol-dies-three-die-sets_8_4_24445.html Since the .223 dies will come installed on the press, I need 9mm dies, the caliber conversion kit, and the shellfeeder disc plate in order to convert the machine to load 9mm.

21. 3(!) Super 1050 Toolheads: http://www.dillonprecision.com/super-1050-toolhead_8_3_23910.html Wow, these things are expensive . The reasoning for three of them will be explained below.

That's it!

I'm going to be placing the order either later this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Depends on if I get obsessing about what all I need done in time to order it today.

OK, so a few thoughts.

My planned .223 loading process is as follows...

Pre-processing:

1. Wet tumble (no SS pins, just Dawn) and rinse to get the gunk off the cases.

2. Dry the brass (obviously)

3. Lube brass

3. First pass through press: Universal Decap at station 1, Primer pocket swaging (built into station 2 on the 1050), Full length resize and trimming, edit to add: resize/neck expansion.

4. Wet tumble (with SS pins, dawn and Lemishine). I have heard that wet tumbling with SS pins removes the need for chamfering/deburring each case individually. Thoughts on this? Until now, I've just used dry media vibrating. I'll be getting the Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler to go along with the new setup, so it's new to me.

5. Dry Brass.

Brass is now considered "Prepped".

Loading process for .223 prepped brass:

1. Seat Primer

2. Throw powder

3. Powder cop

4. Seat bullet

5. Taper crimp.

So why the three toolheads? One will be kept setup for 9mm, one will be setup for .223 case prep, and the other will be kept setup for the actual loading process of the .223 brass.

So that's the Dillon order. I'll also be ordering a few miscellaneous pieces... press upgrade parts from various vendors, a few Frankford Arsenal doo dads, etc. I'll put up another post with what I end up getting as add ons later.

Any thoughts, criticisms, etc. are more than welcome... just hurry though! After putting two months worth of research into the new setup, I'm getting darn anxious to hit that "Place Order" button!

Edit: Edited pre-process pass through press to correct a rather glaring error caught by 9mmepiphany.

 

[alexcue]

Congrats on the future setup!

and... You'll never want to get rid of your Rockchucker! Single Stage presses always have uses. I've got three... They all get some kind of use during a year. I'd thought about getting rid of my old RCBS RS, I just seemed to have added a Lee Classic Cast! My main presses are LCTurret, and my XL650. She just came back from lube and tune from Dillon. After 24 years, she's as good as the day I bought her. They changed out pretty much everything but the frame and links. So yeah, I love the blue Kool-Aid.

From everything I've read.. the carbide sizing die is nice to have, but seriously overkill. If you are a manufacturer of some kind... it would be nice, but for the average joe... maybe not. Like you said, you still need to lube them up! But hey... I'm considering the RF100 primer loader to make my life easier! Do I need it??? not really, but damn it sounds nice to have.

 

[Phlier]

Congrats on the future setup!

and... You'll never want to get rid of your Rockchucker! Single Stage presses always have uses. I've got three... They all get some kind of use during a year. I'd thought about getting rid of my old RCBS RS, I just seemed to have added a Lee Classic Cast! My main presses are LCTurret, and my XL650. She just came back from lube and tune from Dillon. After 24 years, she's as good as the day I bought her. They changed out pretty much everything but the frame and links. So yeah, I love the blue Kool-Aid.

From everything I've read.. the carbide sizing die is nice to have, but seriously overkill. If you are a manufacturer of some kind... it would be nice, but for the average joe... maybe not. Like you said, you still need to lube them up! But hey... I'm considering the RF100 primer loader to make my life easier! Do I need it??? not really, but damn it sounds nice to have.

Thanks, Alex

Yup, it's really nice to throw the Rockchucker on my Black n Decker Work Mate, sit it in the family room, and process brass while watching TV with the family. And since it was a gift from my Dad, I think the Rockchucker will be sticking around.

I looked at the RF100, but decided to save a few bucks and buy the Frankford Arsenal Vibra Prime primer tube filler instead. I'm hoping it's going to be one of those things I don't regret saving a bit of cash on.

 

[alexcue]

Ummm the Vibra Prime you can make work. Small Primers just needed a bit of the flashing/molding smoothed out. Haven't had a flipped one in quite a while. The Large side? zoinks! that one I just couldn't get right. I'm having them send me another tray to see if it makes a difference. Frankford Arsenal is pretty responsive when I've emailed them.

It's quicker than the tubes, though I gotta give it a whack every now and then to have one go down, but the small primers seem to be much easier.

The B&D Workmate setup is pretty sweet... that was my first reloading bench, which comes in handy when I'm outside during a nice cool evening during prep work.

 

[Phlier]

Ummm the Vibra Prime you can make work. Small Primers just needed a bit of the flashing/molding smoothed out. Haven't had a flipped one in quite a while. The Large side? zoinks! that one I just couldn't get right. I'm having them send me another tray to see if it makes a difference. Frankford Arsenal is pretty responsive when I've emailed them.

It's quicker than the tubes, though I gotta give it a whack every now and then to have one go down, but the small primers seem to be much easier.

The B&D Workmate setup is pretty sweet... that was my first reloading bench, which comes in handy when I'm outside during a nice cool evening during prep work.

Good to hear about the Vibra Prime. My only other experience loading on Dillons is my Dad's 550, and plucking up primers got old really fast.

 

[IMtheNRA]

The bushing driver is used when you switch between large and small priming systems. That bushing is screwed over the primer punch and spring. I made my own driver from a wide flat screwdriver.

 

[Schwing]

You absolutely can't go wrong with a 1050. I went blue at the first of the year as well but went with the 650. I really struggled with losing those extra stations but I don't shoot nearly as much as you and couldn't justify it... Well I probably could but... I have a buddy who has both the lock n load and a 1050. He very rarely uses the lock n load.

It's great that you went for the spare parts kit. Dillon has no problem sending out any replacement parts you might need but it sure is great to have them on hand and not have to wait. I had to send for a part that I broke (100% my fault) and they sent it anyway.

We are on the same page as for cleaning brass before decapping/sizing and then doing it again after. I still use the pins on the first pass but only tumble for about 45 minutes.

I have heard that wet tumbling with SS pins removes the need for individually chamfering/deburring each case individually.

I still deburr and chamfer mine. I have heard this as well but have found that they are still a tad rough.

I wouldn't bother with the carbide die. I went with the steel die and it works fine. Frankly, I lube all of my brass anyway since it just makes everything go smoother, carbide dies or not.

I love the case trimmer. It is on my list but just hasn't made the cut yet. I never seriously considered it until I started loading .223. Now, it is moving up on my list. My buddy with the 1050 has one and it is very sweet.

This is a personal preference but I am not really partial to the powder cop. I like the RCBS lockout die better. I own both and I do use both but the RCBS seems a bit more sensitive. Neither will really catch minor charge differences but the lockout die seems to catch smaller variances than the powder cop. I also dislike how much space it takes on the tool head. You have a bit more space on the 1050 though so that won't be as big of an issue.

Amen on ordering additional tool heads! I hate adjusting dies and trying to get things 100% in the sweet spot each time.

Good luck, both on your back and with the press. Back crap is no fun. I am dealing with it myself right now but am not really a candidate for surgery. Right now I am on the physical therapy path.

 

[Phlier]

The bushing driver is used when you switch between large and small priming systems. That bushing is screwed over the primer punch and spring. I made my own driver from a wide flat screwdriver.

Ah, good to know. I didn't order the large primer system, as I'll only be loading .223 and 9mm on it for the foreseeable future.

...yeah that's it, surgery's not all it's cracked up to be. My hip stays pretty sore but my leg is okay as long as I don't push it. I'll let the VA decide how they want to handle this thing, it's been nearly twenty years in the making, but I'm not fit to work like I am now. I stay pretty nauseous from the constant grinding of nerves and it's an effort just to get anything done, seems like

I really feel for ya, man. Chronic pain is just horrible to live with. Best wishes to you, my friend.

My doc says I have some pretty nasty scar tissue on the nerve they decompressed yesterday, so it's gonna kinda be a "wait and see" deal with how well the nerve recovers. But I'm optimistic.

You absolutely can't go wrong with a 1050. I went blue at the first of the year as well but went with the 650. I really struggled with losing those extra stations but I don't shoot nearly as much as you and couldn't justify it... Well I probably could but... I have a buddy who has both the lock n load and a 1050. He very rarely uses the lock n load.

It's great that you went for the spare parts kit. Dillon has no problem sending out any replacement parts you might need but it sure is great to have them on hand and not have to wait. I had to send for a part that I broke (100% my fault) and they sent it anyway.

We are on the same page as for cleaning brass before decapping/sizing and then doing it again after. I still use the pins on the first pass but only tumble for about 45 minutes.



I still deburr and chamfer mine. I have heard this as well but have found that they are still a tad rough.

I wouldn't bother with the carbide die. I went with the steel die and it works fine. Frankly, I lube all of my brass anyway since it just makes everything go smoother, carbide dies or not.

I love the case trimmer. It is on my list but just hasn't made the cut yet. I never seriously considered it until I started loading .223. Now, it is moving up on my list. My buddy with the 1050 has one and it is very sweet.

This is a personal preference but I am not really partial to the powder cop. I like the RCBS lockout die better. I own both and I do use both but the RCBS seems a bit more sensitive. Neither will really catch minor charge differences but the lockout die seems to catch smaller variances than the powder cop. I also dislike how much space it takes on the tool head. You have a bit more space on the 1050 though so that won't be as big of an issue.

Amen on ordering additional tool heads! I hate adjusting dies and trying to get things 100% in the sweet spot each time.

Good luck, both on your back and with the press. Back crap is no fun. I am dealing with it myself right now but am not really a candidate for surgery. Right now I am on the physical therapy path.

Glad to hear about the carbide die! Yeah, I went with the steel die. Although I did whimp out at the last second and only order two toolheads. I figure that extra 300 bucks will go a long way toward a Mr. BulletFeeder. I'll look into the RCBS Lockout Die. That sounds like a much more elegant solution. Edit: OK, I'm gonna blame the poor math on the percocet.... the press comes with a toolhead installed, so since I ordered 2 more, I'll have a total of 3, which is exactly what I need for an ideal setup. My first grade math teacher is rolling in her grave, I'm sure.

About six months after my first surgery, my Doc told me it was time to start physical therapy. I told him that I was an avid shooter. He wanted me to show him exactly how I moved when shooting, how much weight I'd be holding, etc. He told me that the weight and movements of shooting are very good physical therapy for lower back issues. He did tell me I had to stay away from long guns until the one year point, though, due to the recoil. So don't tell your wife you're going shooting, tell her you need to go to a physical therapy appointment.

I'm in Utah, too. Sweltering in the St. George heat! If you ever find yourself down this way, send me a PM. Be glad to have you swing by and see the setup! And feel free to bring a bunch of brass with you and we can load it up on the 1050, or preprocess/trim a bunch of .223... or both.

Which brings me to this....

ORDER PLACED TEN MINUTES AGO! Woot! <ahem>

 

[Schwing]

Ah, good to know. I didn't order the large primer system, as I'll only be loading .223 and 9mm on it for the foreseeable future.



I really feel for ya, man. Chronic pain is just horrible to live with. Best wishes to you, my friend.

My doc says I have some pretty nasty scar tissue on the nerve they decompressed yesterday, so it's gonna kinda be a "wait and see" deal with how well the nerve recovers. But I'm optimistic.



Glad to hear about the carbide die! Yeah, I went with the steel die. Although I did whimp out at the last second and only order two toolheads. I figure that extra 300 bucks will go a long way toward a Mr. BulletFeeder. I'll look into the RCBS Lockout Die. That sounds like a much more elegant solution. Edit: OK, I'm gonna blame the poor math on the percocet.... the press comes with a toolhead installed, so since I ordered 2 more, I'll have a total of 3, which is exactly what I need for an ideal setup. My first grade math teacher is rolling in her grave, I'm sure.

About six months after my first surgery, my Doc told me it was time to start physical therapy. I told him that I was an avid shooter. He wanted me to show him exactly how I moved when shooting, how much weight I'd be holding, etc. He told me that the weight and movements of shooting are very good physical therapy for lower back issues. He did tell me I had to stay away from long guns until the one year point, though, due to the recoil. So don't tell your wife you're going shooting, tell her you need to go to a physical therapy appointment.

I'm in Utah, too. Sweltering in the St. George heat! If you ever find yourself down this way, send me a PM. Be glad to have you swing by and see the setup! And feel free to bring a bunch of brass with you and we can load it up on the 1050, or preprocess/trim a bunch of .223... or both.

Which brings me to this....

ORDER PLACED TEN MINUTES AGO! Woot! <ahem>

We find ourselves in St George at least once a year. I might just take you up on that

 

[Phlier]

Good to hear. We have some really nice shooting venues here in southern Utah, too. Perfect for trying out that newly loaded ammo.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I gather you've ordered already, but I'll mention a couple of things.

I have a couple of buddies who load on the 650 and one who loads on a 1050.

Loading Primer Tubes:
The advantage of the RF-100 is that it loads the primer tubes while you're reloading, when you've emptied one (on the press) the next one is ready. In other words, you won't next additional tubes, besides what is in the RF-100.

The Vibra Prime works fine. You just have to load the tubes before you start, if you don't want to stop every 100 rounds. I just load up 500 before I sit down.

Dies:
Am I missing where you're planning to expand the necks with the ball expander? Normally, you'd do this when you resize, but there is obviously no expander ball in the FL resizing die at the RT-1500 station

 

[Hardtarget]

WOW! Talk about jumping into the deep water! From a "chucker" to the Blue 1050...thats the ultimate jump. Better double up on your supplies! You will not know when to stop!

I hope your back gets better quick. I don't know much about rehab but remember...do it correctly. Don't over do( too much is not better). Just keep it up and you and your son will be having fun at the range before you know it.!

My sons have been pushing me to try a progressive. I just haven't made the move...yet.

We do want to be "in the loop" as far as the trials and tribulations of getting the beast up and running! So, post regularly. We'll be watching.

Mark

 

[9mmepiphany]

The 1050 is ideal for a person who shoots one caliber a lot.

One of our local shooters has two 1050s. One to load 9mm and another to load .223...he preps his .223 brass on a separate 650 (deprime, size, trim, and expand before tumbling off the lube)

 

[Dentite]

That's awesome. I also have a Rockchucker and a Dillon. Mine is the lowly 550B but for what I do, it works great.

Since you mentioned wet tumbling...

I have completely converted to wet tumbling with SS pins. I know deprime all dirty brass off my reloading bench. I have a cheapo Lee press with a universal "decapper"/deprimer and assorted shell holders. This is mounted to a board I can clamp onto anything so I usually deprime all my dirty brass in the garage, on the back patio, etc.

Then I wet tumble with SS pins. That way all my brass is perfectly clean before it reaches the bench. Keeps my presses and reloading area nice and clean. That being said, I don't have a 1050, I don't trim on the press, etc. So for your setup, the steps you laid out might be better.

Congrats and enjoy...I look forward to seeing this thread progress with photos and your experience.

 

[Phlier]

I gather you've ordered already, but I'll mention a couple of things.

I have a couple of buddies who load on the 650 and one who loads on a 1050.

Loading Primer Tubes:
The advantage of the RF-100 is that it loads the primer tubes while you're reloading, when you've emptied one (on the press) the next one is ready. In other words, you won't next additional tubes, besides what is in the RF-100.

The Vibra Prime works fine. You just have to load the tubes before you start, if you don't want to stop every 100 rounds. I just load up 500 before I sit down.

Dies:
Am I missing where you're planning to expand the necks with the ball expander? Normally, you'd do this when you resize, but there is obviously no expander ball in the FL resizing die at the RT-1500 station

Yeah, this is why it's nice to have you guys look at my process. You're right, 9mm, I'll need to replace the universal decap with the .223 resizer/decap. I had originally thought that I'd use the .223 resize/decap at station 1 of the pre-process pass, but decided against it since I didn't want to be resizing the brass twice, in an effort to keep the amount of brass "working" down; working the brass less means less work hardening, but I'm not seeing a way around it now.

I think the rf-100 sounds like a great convenience tool someday, but right now I'm trying to convince She Who Must Not Be Named that I really need a Mr. Bullet Feeder.

WOW! Talk about jumping into the deep water! From a "chucker" to the Blue 1050...thats the ultimate jump. Better double up on your supplies! You will not know when to stop!

I hope your back gets better quick. I don't know much about rehab but remember...do it correctly. Don't over do( too much is not better). Just keep it up and you and your son will be having fun at the range before you know it.!

My sons have been pushing me to try a progressive. I just haven't made the move...yet.

We do want to be "in the loop" as far as the trials and tribulations of getting the beast up and running! So, post regularly. We'll be watching.

Mark

Thanks man, very much appreciated. After having been out for over a year, it does get really tempting to do more than I should, for sure.

I really enjoyed the Rock Chucker, TBH. When I wasn't going through such large amounts of ammo, sitting down at the chucker and slowly working my way through a few rounds was really fun. But now that we're going through so much, reloading has gone from a fun relaxing hobby to a full time chore. I was considering the 650, but since both the calibers we shoot a lot tend to have a lot of crimped primer pockets, I decided to go with the 1050 for the time savings of on-press primer pocket swaging. Plus, it's something that I can hand down to my son some day so he doesn't have to worry about the cash outlay for a good reloading setup.

Yup, I'm going to post up every detail... From unboxing through the first 100 or so completed rounds, with all the mistakes included. I haven't even gotten the press yet, and already 9mmepiphany caught a flaw in the process. I'll also be posting the other little upgrades that we put on it, and links to other helpful videos and forum threads that are good sources of 1050 info. I'd kinda like this thread to be of use to anyone getting a 1050. I've been lurking the High Road for a long time, and have learned so much. I'm hoping that I'll be able to maybe contribute something useful for a change.

That's awesome. I also have a Rockchucker and a Dillon. Mine is the lowly 550B but for what I do, it works great.

Since you mentioned wet tumbling...

I have completely converted to wet tumbling with SS pins. I know deprime all dirty brass off my reloading bench. I have a cheapo Lee press with a universal "decapper"/deprimer and assorted shell holders. This is mounted to a board I can clamp onto anything so I usually deprime all my dirty brass in the garage, on the back patio, etc.

Then I wet tumble with SS pins. That way all my brass is perfectly clean before it reaches the bench. Keeps my presses and reloading area nice and clean. That being said, I don't have a 1050, I don't trim on the press, etc. So for your setup, the steps you laid out might be better.

Congrats and enjoy...I look forward to seeing this thread progress with photos and your experience.

Hmm.. Ya know, that's not a bad idea. I've been thinking that I'd only pre-process the .223 brass, while the 9mm would just get a quick trip through the wet tumbler prior to running it all the way through the press. Now I'm thinking maybe I'll decap on the rock chucker, then put the 9mm through the wet tumbler (with pins), too. The brass would be completely clean (including the primer pockets) prior to ever seeing the brass collator on the 1050. Would keep the collator clean, and every primer pocket would be completely cleaned out before reaching the primer pocket swaging station. Sure would be a great help in keeping the 1050 clean.

I'm guessing that the 1050 will arrive next Wednesday. Not that I'm counting the days or anything...

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'll need to replace the universal decap with the .223 resizer/decap. I had originally thought that I'd use the .223 resize/decap at station 1 of the pre-process pass, but decided against it since I didn't want to be resizing the brass twice, in an effort to keep the amount of brass "working" down; working the brass less means less work hardening, but I'm not seeing a way around it now.

You might want to reevaluate it again.

You need to run the expansion ball through the neck after it has been resized...so after trimming.

Dillon sizing dies are known to be tight, so it is likely that the neck will be tight after being trimmed. You're going to want to expand it out after that station

 

[Phlier]

You might want to reevaluate it again.

You need to run the expansion ball through the neck after it has been resized...so after trimming.

Dillon sizing dies are known to be tight, so it is likely that the neck will be tight after being trimmed. You're going to want to expand it out after that station

Doh, of course. Sheesh. Face is a bit red at this point.

OK, so put the resize/expander die after the trimming station.

I guess I could even put it in station one during the loading process, but the brass won't have any lube on it at that point. Dillon touts that their expander button is carbide, but I think I'd rather do the neck expansion while there's still lube on the brass.

Thanks, 9mm.

Edit: just for clarity, pre-process pass

1. Universal decap

2. Primer pocket swaging.

3. Resize/trim

4. Resize/neck expand

 

[9mmepiphany]

Just a note if you no longer see your post in this thread.

While we encourage building community and friendships on the forum, I'd ask that post not having to do with the focus of this sub-forum. be kept out of discussion threads and be limited to PM exchanges

 

[Phlier]

1050 Owners: Shell Plate Advance Problems?

So while reading up on the 1050, I've come across an issue that seems to be fairly universal to the 650 and 1050 presses: shell plate advancement.

On the underside of the shell plate, there is a small recess. This recess is engaged by a metal ball at the end of the shell plate travel during advancement. The metal ball in the recess of the shell plate holds the shell plate steady at the next station.

The problem is that when the ball engages the recess in the shell plate, the shell plate momentarily accelerates, then slows down rapidly. This can cause problems with powder being shaken out of shells, and bullets toppling from their cases (for those lucky enough to be using a bullet feeder).

Several different solutions exist for this problem:

Replacing the metal ball with a lower mass plastic ball

Clipping one loop off the spring that drives the ball

Adding a bearing to the shell plate.

Fine tuning the shell plate pressure

Even if the press operator moves the handle very slowly while the shell plate is being advanced, the metal ball will still do it's thing, accelerating then slowing down the shell plate, causing the spill. Because of this, I've read that most 650 or 1050 owners will, at some point, end up trying a combination of the above fixes.

After looking around quite a bit, I've decided that I'm going to order this little kit Here

I'm hoping that I won't need it, but I also want to be prepared to fix this little issue should it cause a problem.

If any of you guys have experience with this issue and what you've done to fix it, I'd certainly love to hear about it.

 

[Phlier]

1050 Primer Seating Consistency Issues

I've also found a few posts from 1050 owners about priming issues. In particular, primers seating at inconsistent depths. From what I've gathered so far, as the press ages, the shell plate will flex more during the primer seating operation, causing the primers to not be seated to consistent depths.

I'll be adding this Primer Hold Down Die to prevent flex in the shell plate. This die is adjusted so that it just contacts the interior base of the shell as the new primer is seated from underneath. Hopefully, this will give me consistent primer seating, and help prevent wear and tear on the shell plate. Unfortunately, this can only be used for reloading handgun ammo.

 

[thomas15]

Enjoy your new press! As I say often you get what you pay for and your paying for a lot of speed.

 

[Schwing]

As far as the shell plate "Bounce" is concerned, I understand the issue and had some powder spill out when I first got my press. Having said that, I never bothered with changing anything. I just got in the habit of holding my finger over the top of the case as it travels between my powder check station and bullet seating station. It completely fixes the problem for me.

I also don't believe that the plate ever flexes enough to require any kind of modification as long as it is tightened properly and the set screw underneath the carrier is cinched up to keep it from moving. I don't believe aging makes them flex more either.

I think it far more likely that inconsistent primer depths are a result of simply not cycling the handle completely. I had this issue when I got my first progressive press. I would kind of get in my flow and would occasionally short stroke the press.