GuanoLoco, are you case gauging everything?
GuanoLoco, are you case gauging everything?
#RESIST
I almost forget - Mark 7 Autoloader. Definite not so humblebrag.Originally Posted by GuanoLoco
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
Yes, in a Ben Stoeger Hundo Case Gauge, after visual inspection of cases. I also check all primers. Failures go in to the practice bin and I always shoot them first. I see somewhat over a 1% failure rate in CG failure practice ammo in rather forgiving Tanfo and Glock chambers.
I am also fooling with practice vs. match ammo where practice ammo uses cheaper and harder primers (e.g. Fiocchi) match ammo uses Federal primers (+ ~$0.01 ea. Plus intermittent availability). Not sure this is worth it, especially as Fiocchi's have to be set stupid deep (0.005-0.009") raletive to Federala for reliable ignition on a more heavily sprung gun.
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
Not trying to convince anybody to like or not like anything, but one of the things I think is BETTER in the 550/650 comparison is priming on the 650. I only mention this here as there are 550 users that are exhibiting 650 curiosity and I would not want anybody to be suspect of the 650 priming.
On the 550 I find I have to grap the bullet tray with my left hand and push forward hard with the right hand to get a deep, consistent primer seating depth. This kills my throughput. I'm sure with Federal primers things would go easier (seat flush or just below and always go boom).
I still load a number of low volume calibers on the 550; I don't like to load more than 300 tops in a sitting.
I toy with the idea of upgrading to a 650 for misc calibers (add case and bullet feeder), but the speed of caliber conversion would go way down and the cost of caliber conversion would go way up.
At some point I am better off getting a 1050 conversion, but $550 + minor PITA for caliber changes and re-tuning. Hard to justify for low volumes.
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
She's German, not Italian, so I'd get it while wide awake and without a blindfold.I would suggest keeping one 550. Also, the feeder is a huge part of what makes the 650 cool, but contrary to what people say you could use one without as a transition plan, if it helped you avoid getting killed while you slept
The more I read these posts, I think I'd keep both 550s for stuff I don't want to load on a single stage (.38, .45acp, etc) and just use a 650 for 9mm.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
I'm almost at the point that I'm done reloading 9mm. I figure I'm saving around ~$75 per 1000 rounds, give or take. With my 550, that takes me around 3 hours if things go well, and up to 4 if things go to crap. That's usually not done all at once.
I'm also teaching BJJ now on top of a full time job and have a 3 month old son. BJJ privates pay more than reloading saves me and I'd rather spend time with my son at home, so reloading doesn't make a ton of sense to me now. I might feel differently with a faster press, but I also am not burning through the rounds fast enough right now to spend more money on reloading.
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More good reason to avoid facing the peril!She's German, not Italian, so I'd get it while wide awake and without a blindfold.
The more I read these posts, I think I'd keep both 550s for stuff I don't want to load on a single stage (.38, .45acp, etc) and just use a 650 for 9mm.
I sold the second 550 to get the 650, but they are not that much and I am wondering if at some point I might buy a second one again. Having a 550 set up with small primers and a second one set up with large might be the definition of having the world by the ass. Current price of the 550 is $413, and that comes with a powder measure, drop die and shell plate that a person adding one would not need and could easily sell (maybe even to LL...) for $50. For that matter a person adding a 650 would end up with the extra powder measure and the conversion stuff from the 550 left over.
You are loading and shooting way more than I do, so I am reluctant to endeavor to "advise" you, but my experience is that the 550 is really sensitive to the tweaking of that kinda lame stop SHCS on the primer feed. When I got the second 550 it came out of the box working vastly better than the one I had for decades. I just figured that wuz the way they worked, but just slight turns on the stop made significant difference. Also, not sure you do, but after years of use I happened to actually read the manual and someplace it says they recommend NOT to use the thing sitting. I use the 650 and 900 standing, but still use my 550 sitting, but just another consideration.
Perfect example of where there IS a financial formula.
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