Processing 9mm Parabellum Brass:

2017 BEST Reloading Accessory (ever)

Screwed and Glued for your continued pleasure and enjoyment.

Titebond glue and Quadruple Pocket Screwed. Only requires a small Vice to be serviceable.

Inclined at a precise: 21 1/2 degrees .. important for mounting.Mounted horizontally using a firm vice grip.What were you expecting ?  YES the perfect Tea Cup shelf

Stepping through the process sequence, 11 thu 18

Now entering the production phase, follow a methodical procedure. DO NOT force any step in cycling the press – very moderate resistance is mostly in station1, case forming/de-priming.Make sure the mouth of the Powder Funnel is clean, watch for brass build up.Now, remember to load bullets at this station. Visual check that powder is is in the case.  An Auto Powder check die can be set up in station 314-3 Ensure the Eject Wire performs its function .. you DO NOT want a loaded round going into station 1 !!!!Visual: New Primer is seated correctly .. good to go.

Stepping through the process sequence, 10 of 18

10-1  This is sufficient Powder. Primer Tube is empty, as Indicator Rod bottomed out, and feed disk is empty. Tip: add a 45 ACP shell to the Plastic primer follower rod.10-4  Correctly seated primers, examples of Large and Small pistol primers. 10-2 through 10-8 are a simple repetition until the desired powder charge is set. Adjustments are made via a 7/16” adjustment bold head at the back of the Powder Bar.  Clockwise increases the charge.  Two sizes of Bar are used, Standard and Magnum .. The standard works for all my loads.  10-9 10-9 through 10-13 Powder load: AA#5 8.0 grains.

Stepping through the process sequence, 8 & 9 of 18

Setting Seating depth and cartridge Overall LengthA nice cross-sectional pictorial demonstrating correct seating depth.

Confirm OAL with Reference source: SIG 357, 1.140” to 1.130”  Set in middle of tolerance range: 1.1350”Set dial indicator to Zero on a 1.135 standard .. Easy to spot check as you reload.

Moving right to step 9, station 5 to set the case crimp. Station 5 .. 9-4 Round is being ejected by the eject wire.This shows correctly crimped bullets and cases. NOTE there are various types of crimps used, this is what I get with my Dillon pistol dies. The 357 SIG and 38 Special (top left and bottom left) are crimped on a cannelured bullet, Top right; 200gr SWC, 45 Long Colt and same bullet in a 45 ACPThis is very much a Visual and Feel setting .. You can measure it,  worth doing when you start, but experience will let you judge a wide range of: Case-Bullet combinations.

Stepping through the process sequence, 7 of 18

On this step we ONLY set the Case mouth flare.Setting the Lock Ring on the Powder Measure Die. Inside the die is the Powder Funnel with Tapered flaring section:

This diagram shows correct amount of Bell-Mouth required

Stepping through the process sequence, 4, 5 & 6 of 18

These next 3 steps are easy in content and go quickly. BUT again attention to detail Step 4-6 !!!The last 100 primers to Flip and load into Small Primer pick-up tubes (Yellow plastic tip)  I have Magnum primers so I’ll go ahead and use them. Packaged 100 to the box, place on to serrated Flip Tray base. Yes there is a trick to this. Place the tray Lid on to base and flip. Correct any primers that are wrong side up .. load up the tube. That’s 5 tubes 500 primers .. good enough to get started

 

Tip: 4-6 the last 1 or 2 primers will stay inside the YELLOW pick up tip .. gently push them free into the tube. (I use a clean aerosol plastic tube) This will avoid any Flipped primers going into the press.

Load a good handful of cases into the bowl. Without the feed tube installed plug the out feed end and run the feeder. With a few cases in line the Micro Switch should turn the feeder off.

Shell plate empty pull the lever down to end of stroke.  You want a few thousands of an inch clearance between the Shell Plate and the bottom of the Re-Sizing Die (station 1)

On to step 7

Stepping through the process sequence, 3 of 18

Completing Steps; 1 and 2 ensures you have a ready supply of cases.

A methodical approach with attention to detail is required. The Dillon XL 650, progressive press, and its peers, represent the most mechanically complex pieces of equipment you’ll find when reloading at home.  I have seen some one-off, hand made, Rube Goldberg contraptions built by “Shade-Tree Re-loaders” Namely: One Eyed Jack and Three fingers Pete.

This is typical of my work station during a Press Run. No unnecessary stuff in the area. Clean and well lighted.   I can tell the Low Primer indictor has sounded (rod is bottomed out) I need to recharge the primer tube, top up the powder hopper and empty the finished rounds bin .. but we are jumping ahead.

3-1 through 3-8, are primarily visual, area inspection and clean up as required.  The simple punch list helps determine what has to be done to reconfigure for the next run.

Prior Session: Caliber: 357 SIG .. Small Pistol Primer .. Powder AA#5, Hopper is 1/2 full and the Small Pistol Primer Plate is installed.

   

3-9 From the punch list information you can establish the Change over Kit and parts required. Reference the manual, page 44 - the Caliber Conversion Chart.

3-10 through 3-21 .. Working methodically, items a) thu j) and all the required parts will be pulled together.

Changing from: 357 SIG to 9mm Luger.Here are the change over parts ready to go. Empty Tool-Head stand for the 357 SIG tool-head plate.

3-22  .. DO NOT rush this. Removed parts do have a home, put them there.  Hardware that will be Re-Used leave at the press.

First I open an empty powder canister, Remove the 357 SIG Tool-Head. Empty powder into canister and store.

Put the SIG tool-head on the stand, remove the Locator Pins and Shell Plate, put these parts in the tool stand and store.

Remove the Case Feed Bushings, Station 1 locator and store.

Done with the removal .. I’ve used this press since Aug 1996, so this is Old-Hat, but the devil is in the details

3-23 and 3-24: .. DO NOT rush this. Rebuild the press from Case Feeder down to Shell Plate.

Case Feeder, empty and ready.  Change out the CF bushings (Green) and adaptor (Small)

Install the #5 Case Feed Plate and Ejector Clip. Insert the 3 station pins and Station 1 Locator.

Install Tool-Head and connect Fail-Safe rod into Powder Bar assembly

Visual check .. Index slowly .. double check .. Ok? Done!

Step 4 is next.