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Dillon 1050xl has pissed me off for the last time

nexusfire

Secks fi millimeet
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 9, 2010
1,881
440
53
Mesa, AZ
Has anyone used the Hornady Ammo Plant?

I cannot seem to get thru more than 50 rounds with out something fking up on my 1050. Usual culprit is the case feeder or the primer system. Very disappointed with this thing. Oh and it spills power like there is no tomorrow.

let me know your feedback please

thanks!
 
I have to hornady. It is ok. The issues I run into are occasional primer issue where it may not seat fully or it may not pick up a primer. If it doesn't seat fully it locks the whole machine and you have to pull all the rounds at the various stages and try to free the stuck case.
However, I am sure the vast majority of those issues are primer pocket uniformity issues especially with 556 brass and mil crimps that probably weren't removed enough.

The mechanism is a bit jerky so depending on case size powder type and %of fill powder will jump out of the case when it moved to the next station. Not a lot and when I've double checked on the scale it's within .1 grain still

All in all it works. Never had a major issue and the ammo quality has been solid. I picked mine up for under $400 for the basic press then purchased the case feeder used for like $150. I'm using the bullet tubes instead of the feader and that's been working well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Speak to Dillon and spend some time on the Brian Enos Forum.

I currently load 5 calibers, saving to tool up for the 6th, on an S1050. Everything runs really smooth.

Explain the issue and perhaps we can help.

A lot of issues on the primer feed are related to the little rubber tubing that should cover the "tit" that the primer shuttle is driven by. There is a new shuttle design that has a roller bearing or some such to alleviate the issue.

Case feeder issues occur as they feed into the shellplate. Check the shoulder bolt that the actuator cam rides on. All you need is to try and force a misfed shell once and that shoulder bolt bends limiting the ability of the actuator to fully actuate.

Shell plate smoothness is probably related to how tight you have the lock ring tightened down. The internet is full of bearing kits that claim to "smooth" out the operation of a Dillon. Running factory loading 30-06, .308, .45, .38 spcl, .223 never had a problem.

EDIT ADD - One modification I have made is to remove the safety ratchet on my S1050. Its not recommended because it does delete a safety feature of the machine but it ended the occasional quick stop to all operations when the ratchet engaged.

It smooths out operation some and you don't hear the ratchet noise of the machine in operation.
 
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I have to hornady. It is ok. The issues I run into are occasional primer issue where it may not seat fully or it may not pick up a primer. If it doesn't seat fully it locks the whole machine and you have to pull all the rounds at the various stages and try to free the stuck case.
However, I am sure the vast majority of those issues are primer pocket uniformity issues especially with 556 brass and mil crimps that probably weren't removed enough.

The mechanism is a bit jerky so depending on case size powder type and %of fill powder will jump out of the case when it moved to the next station. Not a lot and when I've double checked on the scale it's within .1 grain still

All in all it works. Never had a major issue and the ammo quality has been solid. I picked mine up for under $400 for the basic press then purchased the case feeder used for like $150. I'm using the bullet tubes instead of the feader and that's been working well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Exactly the same as mine, primer system is the weak point. Over-all I'm good with the Hornady, total price with caliber conversions was the deciding factor for me
 
I run a XL650 which is smooth as butter. I have 2 friends that run 1050's and they run just as smooth. Its all in getting it setup properly. What cases are you priming? are they 5.56 and mil crimp's arent properly removed?
 
"One modification I have made is to remove the safety ratchet on my S1050."

I did the same thing and it solved the majority of my issues. The primer feed can sometimes act up a bit but overall, once you get the 1050 dialed in, it is a great piece of equipment.
 
Fortunately I live in Phoenix so I'm just going to unbolt the motherfucker and drive it down there. It really hasn't worked right from day one and I haven't messed with anything in regards to how it came from the factory. The case feeder has a Litany of problems ranging from not feeding into the mechanism properly to jamming on the shell holder. I am not dealing with or messing with any military crimps on my brass. I am mainly reloading the gfl brass from fiocchi. The machine works just fine during Case Prep it's what I'm actually starting to load is where I run into the problems.
 
IIRC correctly GFL (.308 in my case) had some tight primer pockets and if I load it its loaded once than tossed.

There is a company that makes some primer pocket go/no go gauges. Ill try to look them up and post a link.

I find the gauges useful for a quick check on how a particular manufacturers brass will load and to check my swage removal when I need to do so.

If I pull the handle and feel unusual pressure usually it is a primer issue. I pull that piece of brass, check it with the go/no gauge and usually find that it needs a spin or two with a case neck reamer to remove some brass and allow the primer room to seat.

 
Sounds like the equipment is more complicated than you can understand. 1050's are used everyday.

Perhaps someone in your area can show/teach you how to properly set up and use it.
 
Those are some interesting gauges right there pmclaine . If you don't mind, and have the time/ability, do you think you could measure the diameter of the pins? For something that simple, I was thinking of just turning a couple on my lathe to have in the garage and home office (indoor reloading room).
 
Belay my last..I found the dimensions on their website. Cool, now I have a short but sweet project this weekend...

Edit: LOL! We must have hit send at the same time. Appreciate the offer though! S/F
 
Marine PMI.

Id be happy to, Ill probably forget though.

If you don't hear from me in a timely manner remind me as Im happy to help but suffer from forgetshititis.

SF.
 
after a few mods my 1050 runs damn near perfect. first was the bearing plate, got ride of almost all the powder spillage. i run a bullet feeder on mine and used the m die to expand rather than the dillon, makes a world of difference seating 9mm 147 with the bullet feeder.

as mentioned in earlier post with primer shuttle and the rubber grommet thing, i bought the new primer shuttle. the big problem most people have is the primer tube nipple. they tend to get crushed or residue clogs them up. never tighten it down , just barely screw it on. use a new tip for the primer rod that goes inside. just buy a bag of those, they are cheap and a wear item. also make sure u do not have residue under the shuttle.


the case shuttle is also a area to keep lined and clean. i clean mine out after case prep since i notice more residue there after depriving. standard 9mm gets cleaned after 10k

also with the head adjusted on the press, do u notice any rubbing or resistance of the guide rods ? hat was my biggest issue, one was just rubbing and causing powder to go due to it hitting. i called filling they told me to see where it's hitting and use a small brass mallet to realign the guide rods from the tool head

after all those things, i have cranked out tens of thousands of rounds and who knows how much case prep, without issue.

only issue i have now is 1 out of 500 or so bullets dropping upside down in the bullet feeder.

im planning on automating this one with a mk7 and also buying another 1050 i like it so much. ps buy the time u buy a tool head and everything else, you are about $700-$800 in, so it might be better off buying a dedicated 650. i got 4 total tool heads and can swap calibers in less than 10 minutes taking my time.
 
Everyone fears caliber changes on the S1050 or at least its one of the biggest reasons for not buying one ie "Caliber changes are a pain on the 1050. Just buy a 650 like me".

I look forward to them because its a chance to break the machine down and PM it. Everything gets cleaned, wiped down and regreased.

I think its the biggest reason my S1050 runs so nice. I have a mini shop vac mounted to my bench right beside my machine. After every reload session all the spilled powder gets vacuumed up (there is hardly any unless Im loading a log like stick powder).

Im a low volume S1050 user.

Big rifle calibers get pulled after the drop and individually weighed. I only load for small caliber stuff once a year and usually 2,000 or so of each will keep me stocked up for a year.

I could have saved a lot of money buying a lesser machine for the volume of ammo I load but the on board swage and the fine operation of the machine means having the best makes time at the bench so much more enjoyable.
 
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That brass bearing does look nice. I understand Dillon is proud of them with a cost for an updated shuttle greater than $30.00 if I recall right.

The older solution is just 1/4 or 3/8th vacuum tube fit over a steel tit.

Ive got 22K rounds on my machine and still running the original vacuum hose.

Made 122 30-06 rounds last night with not one hiccup.

Of course making a stupid comment like that challenges the gremlins and I'll have issues next time I load.
 
dillon is proud of them for sure. i believe he shuttle with that piece was $80 something. But well worth it, runs way smoother than the feeling piece I made, and not a single hiccup afterwards.... the hassle some was worth the entry.

Also i believe the primer lever arm, you can be off a bit more than the rubber piece when installing the tool head back.

let me me know if you need help, i've torn apart my 1050 so much now. i've broken so many pieces on it as well lol

 
Well I bought the premium bearing kit with the spill control solution and wow, what a difference. Made about 125 rounds with zero issues. This is a record! Thanks for all of the help! Also shout out to Reloading Innovations. Great product and very fast shipping!