RL1100 Target Demographics?

[mmc45414]

So when I got the thing I ordered it in 223 without dies, and just set about decapping/sizing/swaging every 223 case I, and several of my friends, could lay our hands on. Now am under 1k on 9mm so I got it switched over and got the bullet feeder mounted and have been loading some rounds. There have been a couple things to get the hang of, and I have been going slow. Just now getting in a groove, have done about 600 rounds, and have things pretty well (I think) dialed in.

A fella needs to take some care, because if something is wrong you can get a pretty big pile of wrong in a hurry if you do not wise up. I am using a Lee sizing die with a Squirrel Daddy pin. I have encountered Norma cases that the pin is too large for, and that pushes the pin up, and if you do not notice the next station tries to swage the primer pocket with a spent primer still in it. The machine seems strong enough to not be bothered, but I made a sharpie mark on the decapping pin to make it more obvious if it is pushed up. There is unusual resistance when this happens, and now I just pull that case before it gets swaged and then tap the rod back down with a hammer.

One problem I had was the bullet feeder not actuating because there was not enough slack in the spring the bullets feed through. They know this is a common problem with presses that articulate down, stretching the spring when the feeder needs to actuate (the make a collar with springs to address this). I was going to order a new, longer spring (I had used it on my 650 and it had needed to be shortened), but I had a moment of clarity and realized I could hang it from the joists instead of the case feed bowl, and position it perfectly with the spring I had (I actually had to trim it shorter). This saved several hundred dollars because I had a pretty full shopping cart on Double Alpha before I had my epiphany.

I did go ahead and order the Armanov Ammo Checker and will probably check all of my match ammo for a while. Not like a malfunction would cause me not to win anything, but I want to avoid the embarrassment

[mmc45414]

I had a moment of clarity and realized I could hang it from the joists instead of the case feed bowl, and position it perfectly with the spring I had

Here are pics of the setup:



When the toolhead is lowered it is just perfect:



I also bought this wrench, and opened it up with my cutting wheel and cleaned it up. I have been frustrated by the wrenches offered, and was going to buy the one Dillon offers, but with shipping it was going to be about double, and the old one I had wasn't very strong. After I cut it open I did need to squeeze it back closed a bit in the vice, but so far happy with my hack.

[mmc45414]

So I have loaded 6-7k 9mm rounds so far (I help a few friends, I wish I had that kind of volume...).
When I bought this I thought I was going a bit overboard, was sorta doing it because I wondered what they would be like (mainly wanted something that swages), and half-assed expected to be underwhelmed.

But more and more I dig the thing more and more. There are just some subtleties that are pretty cool:
- The station that feeds the case doesn't do anything else. This means whenever any case is going into a die it is in a position behind one of the buttons. Going back to load some other rounds on the 650 reminded me that sometimes there is a little bounce from the case being fed under the sizing die and it doesn't always go in, never a issue with the 1100.
- There are rods that position the shell plate, rather than just relying on the detent ball, a bigger deal than I woulda thought.
- I didn't think I would like the priming on the same stroke as all the other actions, but it works great. One thing is that if it doesn't feed a primer for some reason you do not feel a difference, and you can have a pile that need pulled in a jiffy. The rod needs to move when you get the handle back in the up position.
- The bullet feeder also just rocks, positioning the pullet straighter than I ever did by hand.
- Being able to adjust the length of the handle is nice, I even asked a friend to mill me a few extra positions. I can make it just right so I do not need to dip my shoulder, also if I decide to preprocess lubricated cases again I can make the handle nice and short.

Anyway, the value point for sure is still the 650 with a bullet feeder. But I am really glad I have the 1100 rather than a few guns that were living their lives in the safe, and I wish I had come to this conclusion sooner!