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OP: That's good enough for almost any thing you will want to do. Benchers shooters shoot with that level of powder charge variation and do quite well. Factory ammo is loaded to even looser standards. Re: CM video--At the very least: (1) CLOSE the breeze shield on the CM and then wait for CM for come back from charge count and settle and (2) CLOSE the door on the scale and wait for a steady charge reading. Maybe, and I do mean MAYBE, if you are shooting really LONG RANGE this might be of some use, but not for 99.99% of us will our group size be any different with that level of over-concern. It's is fun to play, but serves no real purpose. The CM has its own trickle feature--at least as good as that trickler. The CM will occasionally over-shot by 0.1 gn. If that is a concern, please don't EVER use a powder measure. Finally, a slightly wet finger can easily remove a couple of kernels of powder and return you the weight you want. If this is a concern, be sure you have at least a scale that is guaranteed accurate and repeatable to 0.01gn. Finally, where do you stop in your urge to get all the same weights?

How many forums have you posted this question? I always start with lead bullet start loads and work up. I haven't had much (none) accuracy success with plated bullets. Get Richard Lee's Reloading Manual. >I use mid-range lead data for both x-treme and Berry's I hope you START with the starting load. Jumping into the mid-range, with your mix of components being different from the manual's, could lead to some nasty surprises. Safety first.

You might need a gas check if your bullets will be going over 2000 fps. You need a cast bullet designed for a gas check to use a gas check (you can also use the cast bullets without the gas check). Also, if the gas check falls off the bullet, your group will open up. I use gas checks for 7mm TCU, .30-30, and .30-06 for loads over about 2200 fps. Questions like this should be answered by the company who made the bullets or by actually reading a loading manual/cast bullet handbook. In fact, for a .45 Auto, your bullets are actually "too hard." Too hard can cause as much or more leading as too soft, but you'll probably be just fine.

The best answer is always "call the manufacturer and let them walk you through it." I haven't had any issue with my 1050. The "expander" die that holds the case/shellplate down should prevent the movement that would cause problems. The only reason I can see for problems is that you don't have the swage rod going deep enough it the case. Cut a case so you can see the primer pocket and how hight the swaged rod is going into the case and adjust the swaged rod as needed.

Coated lead is the same as lead. The bullet source can verify this. They are more than happy to help (they want you to keep buying their bullets).

1) call Hornady while at the press. Be sure timing is correct (you should be able to feel/hear the shell plate locking into the ball detents, both on up- and down-stroke. 2) Screw sizing die down to just "kiss" the shell plate and turn the die body up 1/32 of a turn. DO NOT tighten the lock ring. Loosen the depriming rod slightly. Ease a deprimed case into the die. Watch the depriming rod to be sure it doesn't move up, indicating that the pin has entered the flash hole. Tighten the lock ring on the die body. Tighten the lock ring(s) on the depriming rod. You now have the die aligned to the cases. 3) Check that the flash holes are actually the right size for the depriming pin. Some are quite small (remember, they make cases for their primers and priming compound and don't care about reloaders). Get smaller depriming pins or open up the too small flash holes if that is the issue. 4) Get a Lee Universal Depriming Die and deprime during case inspection/sorting prior to cleaning.

Since I find shiny to be a waste of time, I use HOT water or HOT water and Dawn (Dawn keeps the dirt suspended, no Dawn lets the dirt settle to the bottom). Citric acid seems to be for shine. Unless you have some coating on the brass, it will "tarnish" with oxygen/water exposure. Nu-Finish is the common additive for tumbling--it contains an abrasive and leaves a polymer film.

MV x (12/twist rate in inches to make one completer revolution) x 60 = Bullet RPM or MV X 720/Twist Rate in inches to make one completer revolution = RPM

Have fun. What were the group sizes? Re: gas checks. These become useful at velocities of 2000 fps and higher. For .45 Auto, you can't get the velocity up high enough to need more than 10 BHN for bullets that are at least 0.001" larger than groove diameter. Re: .45 Auto and 185gn bullets I do "know" a few things that may only apply to me, but: 200gn L-SWCs are more consistently accurate, from 25-50 yards, over a range of powders and charge weights than 185gn bullets. Nosler 185gn JHP and Zero 185gn L-SWCHP are the most accurate 185gn bullets I have found, but I'll stick to 200gn bullets. The old H&G #130 (I think) button-nose 185gn L-SWC is very accurate in some guns, but I sold my mold when it was a waste of time in my .45s. Mastercastbullets.com casts an excellent version of this bullet, if your gun(s) like them. Best accuracy with a lead bullet has been with the bullet shoulder just "kissing" the lede/rifling. The chamber throat can vary quite a bit from barrel to barrel, so optimum COL varies from barrel to barrel. 5.2-5.3gn is generally a max load for TG and 185gn lead bullets. 4.5gn is a very reliable load in all my .45s with so-so accuracy (best accuracy has been in the 3.8-4.0gn range, but not good enough to "write home" about. Do you have a brand new gun that might need about 200 rounds to "break in," because a 4.7gn load should have cycled your gun 100%. I have yet to find a consistently accurate load with TiteGroup for any cartridge and certainly not for lead bullets in .45 Auto. Other powders you could try specifically for accurate .45 Auto loads with 185-200gn bullets, if you ever want to try, are: Bullseye (3.5-4.0gn) 231/HP38 (~5.5gn) AA2 (~4.5gn) Red Dot (~4.5gn) Even Clays (at 4.2-4.5gn), N310 (4.2gn), and WST (~3.8gn) have been more accurate for me than TG.

KingsoverqueensSo, any pictures of the holes from tumble bullets so we know we are talking about tumble bullets? Have you slugged the barrel yet? Are the bullets at least groove diameter or larger? Have you pulled any rounds and inspected the bullets for crimp damage or having been swaged down in diameter? We can all "hand wave" for weeks, but it would be nice to get some answers back. Thanks.

What is making you think the bullets are tumbling? Is there a full outline of bullet cross-section on the target? I have had people confuse tumbling with the target not having a firm backer and the bullets leaving oval holes in the target from the target moving (either from the wind or, maybe, being pushed back by the bullet?) What is the actual diameter of the bullets? Plated are all too often small. I have heard of plated bullets being as much as 0.003" too small in diameter. What is the actual groove diameter of the barrel? It used to be that a 9x19 barrel could have a groove diameter of 0.354-0.362". Slug your barrel and match bullet diameter to actual groove diameter. I use 0.355-0.357" jacketed bullets and 0.356-0.358" lead bullets, with the larger bullets often being more accurate. Did you pull any seated and crimped bullets and see any "damage?" There should be NO change in bullet appearance (note from the URL above—that bullet was WAY OVER crimped). Adding the effect of a very thin plating and a very soft lead alloy, damage is very easy. Maybe, if you need to use plated, you should look into "heavily plated" bullets. Of all the cartridges in the world, I would say that, except for some milsurp rifles, all the complaints about keyholing bullets has been 9x19 and most of those are with plated bullets. There should be thousands of results for a Google search on 9mm and tumbling bullets. I would go to Powder Valley and buy some 9mm Zero bullets 124 grain FMJ for $57/500 or $299/3000 (or Roze Distribution for $110.60/1000 or $105.85/1000 for 2000+). If your gun has a problem with Zeros, it will have a problem with just about any bullet. Zero and Montana Gold are my go-to jacketed bullets.

I don't think your .45 is that finicky--sounds like you are using a COL that is too short. If you are using the COL in a manual, remember that is really just the minimum COL the data applies to and is NOT a recommended COL for the Handloader. In most cases with the .45 auto, you will get best results with the longest COL that will chamber completely.

AFAIK, you load UP TO mid-range jacketed for plated. You do not START at mid-range. Also, comparing any two manuals will show often a significant different in starting and max loads, so I start withe the lowest starting load I can find. So, for 185gn lead bullets, I show a starting load of 4.2gn and max of 5.2gn. Thus, I would say that you MAY be close to max load, but that is only one manual. Your gun and bullet and other variables may be a light load or not. For 200gn lead bullets, I show start loads of 3.8-5.0gn and max loads of 4.7-5.9gn. For 185gn jacketed, I show start loads of 4.7-5.1gn and max load os 5.5-6.5gn. For 200gn jacketed, I show start load of 4.3-4.8gn and max loads of 5.2-5.9gn. Thus, I never jump into a load and always start at a safe starting load. Richard Lee's #2 Loading Manual has data for plated bullets.

All you need is jacketed data. Start at starting load and work up. I have never seen a manual that differentiates data for FMJ and JHP. Always start at the lowest starting load you can find. You can always use data for the next heavier bullet. The following is a data compilation from several manuals. Note that a given start load with one company's gun and lot numbers of components can be well above the max load of another company's given their different gun and components. Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max COL Sie FMJ 95 700X 1.7 693 Start Sie FMJ 95 700X 2.5 935 Max Spr TMJ RN 95 700X 3.1 912 Start Spr TMJ RN 95 700X 3.4 1012 Max Sie FMJ 95 Titegroup 2.4 861 Start Sie FMJ 95 Titegroup 2.7 938 Max Spr FMJ 95 Titegroup 2.7 796 Start 0.970 Spr TMJ RN 95 Titegroup 2.7 851 Start Spr FMJ 95 Titegroup 2.8 732 Rainier Cu P-FP 95 TiteGroup 3.0 Max 0.940 L-FP 95 TiteGroup 3.0 Max 0.940 Sierra FMJ 95 TiteGroup 3.1 990 Max 0.960 FMJ 95 TiteGroup 3.1 990 Max 0.960 Spr TMJ RN 95 Titegroup 3.1 930 Max Spr FMJ 95 Titegroup 3.2 953 Max 0.970

Actually, for the Lee dippers only--if Lee has a load for a dipper, that load can not be loaded to unsafe levels using the dipper as directed. Lee has simply made all such loads at the low end for starting loads. Thus, if you were a new reloader and only had a Lee dipper and actually read the directions and followed the Lee loads for that dipper, you would have loads that would be quite safe, if very anemic and possibly not function a semi-auto. Beyond that, you need a scale. This does not apply to any load other that the few dipper loads shown in the Lee manual or the Lee die instruction sheets. One hopes the shell holder and all the dies arrived.

Powder is as fully combusted as it will within 1-2" of barrel travel. Compressed loads can be very good--simply slow, fluffy powders for the cartridge. Didn't your manuals discuss this? Do manuals discuss anything any more, like COL determination or need for case expansion or taper crimp? The only benchmark I have is how my reloads work in a gun. Factory ammo? Only if I don't reload for it already. Never, ever, take short cuts. Always start with the starting load and work up.

Most likely, out of battery. Check extractor for damage. "Usually" a double charge will smear/stretch the case head and the primer will fall out.

Something is missing. Like the headers to identify the powders? AFAIK, Promo is, for all intents and purposes, Red Dot without the Dots.. What was the exact point of the post? Did they list different loads for Red Dot and Promo? I have never seen Promo loads listed for handgun cartrdiges, as Alliant has always tried to force it to be a shotgun only powder.

Yes, the FBI has historically made such intelligent decisions about guns and calibers. Do they still advocate rounds with more penetration than needed and scoff at comments about innocents being injured by pointing out that only 10% of rounds fired hit the target any way, so over-penetration is not a concern? I think I would request a cartridge that works well, whether expanded or not, with about 100 years of successful "manstopping" behind it--you know, one that was specifically proven to work even with ineffective bullets in real combat situations with drugged-up opponents. I'm not saying the 9x19 is bad, just that I don't believe any "government" decision is ever made only for the benefit of the general public or the best interests of the employee, and expect that there was a lot of politics behind the decision (look at who's in charge).

Everyone uses a scale that they like for their own reasons. Some want an antique beam balance, so they should have an RCBS 5-10 or 10-10 (though, I find the idea of spending $160 for a beam to be ludicrous) . Some want cheap but adequatre, so they use a Lee Safety Scale (does the job as well as any but is too light and difficult to read to be fun --I want to glue the thing to bench as even a slight breeze is almost enough to move it and lose zero). Some like small digitals -- I really like the Lyman 1500 micro-touch. My old 1500 has worked perfectly for about five years now (and continues to work perfectly), but I really like the new micro-touch (got it for my son-in-law and it stays on when on A/C power, whereas my old 1500 turns itself off after about 3 minutes of inactivity) Some like a powder dispenser (that includes a scale) -- I like is the RCBS ChargeMaster (it has worked perfectly for me for about 10 years) Some want a large scale -- I like the Horandy L-N-L Bench scale. Some really believe that loads controlled to +/- 0.01gn are necessary, so they go with a scale that at least claims 0.02gn readability -- see Torbal AGZN200 for a nearly perfect scale for these folks (+/- 0.001gn and pretty darn affordable). It really boils down to what you want. Personally, I feel a scale is important enough that I wouldn't buy one for less than about $75 and would read reviews on the various web sites (and take the reviews with a grain of sale and watch out for blue, red, green, and orange followers who make it their life's duty to bash the other colors -- that, and I swear there are a dedicated bunch of beam folks who love to write negative reviews for every digital scale that comes along).

Read about as clear as the official sign at work: "Sally has the yellow pads." What the sign meant was that there was a shortage of yellow legal pads and "management" gave them all to Sally so she could dole them out. Don't even ask what questions Sally received for days...

Define "stuck case." Like with bottlenecks where you have to destroy the case to get it out of the die or like normal 9x19 where you need to apply more pressure to the press. >I usually lube the 9mm cases slightly ++10 You said it yourself--it is a tapered case. Thus, the carbide ring has to be longer. Thus, the amount of pressure to push the case in and out of the carbide ring is more. It takes a minuscule amount of lube to solve the problem. You can also take my route: cases aren't that expensive and if I get irritated at a case, I scrap it. Reloading is to be fun, and I don't need to keep troublesome cases around--and when one talks about troublesome cases, they are almost ALWAYS 9x19. Between rim variations (thickness and diameter), extractor groove variations, case wall variations (both between cases and within the same case), and web length variations, the 9x19 is not a fun cartridge to reload like .45 Auto. I think sometimes that the "new man" is always assigned the 9x19 case machine on his first day and everyone sits back and laughs at the variations generated--it just seems too much to be anything but intentional.

ACP, I always thought, referred to the Colt pistol. Auto referred to the round. My cases say .45 Auto.

Gosh, if you NEED a bullet feed die, then you NEED at least a 1050. I can see no easy way on ANY progressive press to inspect the powder. The Hornady is the easiest, as it puts the charge case under you nose at station 3, but I am not going to start seating and crimping in one step. I tried that back in the 70s and it simply wasn't the best way to go. As per the question, any die sets being made to today are made with progressives in mind. My set-up on the L-N-L was 1) size (I already deprimed before case cleaning) 2) expand, bell and charge case using the Hornady measure and specific PTXs, the Dillon measure and their specific "powder funnels," or the Lee Pro Auto-Disk with the specific PTE dies. 3) RCBS Lock-Out (and look in case at powder before going to bullet seating) 4) Seat bullet 5) Crimp. As for bullet feeding, I found my left hand shakes with age now when I try to do fine motor acts (like set the bullet straight on the case), so I started using the Lee Bullet Feeder manually. Some one that can drill-and-tap and probably make an adaptor could get the system automated. If I HAD to use a bullet feeder, I would try to hook up a video camera to look into the case so I could see the charge between station two and three.

All cases are too short. You can adjust COL to minimize gap between breech face and case head, but that isn't really a concern for action pistol.