[dirt stirrer]

Pics really help. And if all else fails, get a smoothe pre-crimp die. It doesn’t mess up anything.

 

[fastarget]

just had a nice streak with some newer hulls, but then

 

[BadaBing11]

I get those with shells that have cracks or are just reloaded one too many times .

it looks like your finished crimps on your good loads are a little dished . Mine were like that on my mec. I went to zero wad pressure, IE about as much pressure as I would need to gently seat the wad with my finger tip .

In general , those mutant crimps look like they are shells that were not right before reloading .

 

[fastarget]

Good advice thank you, I will adjust the wad pressure, and have been fine tuning the crimping die as well while measuring all with a Mic. . Older shells for sure raise the odds of the mutant crimps appearing, One of the oddballs in the pics is once fired a few weeks ago, the other "extra light" was shot last sunday by my 11 year old during his doubles match.

 

[slugger]

Make sure your shot bar is going all the way back. I think you are getting some light shot charges on the dished crimps.
I had that problem and it took a bit to figure out. Empty out all the shot and check the bar travel.

The really bad crimps are the hulls, not the loader. Pitch them the next time you shoot them.

 

[wadcrusher]

Junk Shells....and a Junk Reloader...get a 366 and don't look back

 

[Nebs]

I load those same hulls on a 366 and I have never seen a finished shell that looked like that. I'm going to go with something wrong with the crimp-start. Send those pix to Dillon and see if they have any thoughts.

 

[ryan9]

I would first check and see if your crimp starter moves freely and not sticking at all.

 

[fastarget]

I would first check and see if your crimp starter moves freely and not sticking at all.

Checked it each time i noticed a shell precrimp badly, it spins. I disassembled it this afternoon and made sure all the sides were smooth and everything moves freely. I would retrofit a MEC pre crimp if i could!

 

[Shotgun Reloader]

Pretty much the only thing that causes that look is the pre crimp starting a new fold pattern clocked away from the original.

 

[fastarget]

Anything i can modify or improve?

 

[dirt stirrer]

See post #2. I use one. Seldom have this issue. I load mostly those French Estates and Top Guns on mine. I’ll crunch one now and then, 1 in 100 maybe. Ya don’t have to worry about it lining up.

 

[dandee]

i also own a sl 900 and looking at your pics its hard to tell if the station that opens ( belling ) the case mouth is opening it to much .

 

[mike campbell]

I very rarely ever saw that when I loaded tens of thousands of Gun Club hulls. Now I load only STS an N27's and I see it occasionally (1 or 2 per hundred) with my MEC 9000. I fault the hulls. I sort those funky finished shells into a practice box marked for immediate disposable. My cull rate is probably higher than most people's anyway...I don't load gold Remingtons more than 3 times before tossing them. When a poorly crimped shell is fired, it's still obvious that the folds aren't right and it's destined to do it again. They shoot just fine but never make it back to the bench.

 

[dirt stirrer]

i also own a sl 900 and looking at your pics its hard to tell if the station that opens ( belling ) the case mouth is opening it to much .

That would be station 3, the wad insertion, and it doesn’t really do much “ belling”. The wad guide fingers just go down into the folds to prevent wad from catching like any other loader does.

 

[fastarget]

i also own a sl 900 and looking at your pics its hard to tell if the station that opens ( belling ) the case mouth is opening it to much .

no real adjustment to the size of drop tube, which controls that unfortunately.

 

[FLIP]

I’m with the the new guy dandee post #14 if you can, don’t open them up so much, the hulls before the wad insert look different,the starter crimp should spin somewhat

 

[fastarget]

I very rarely ever saw that when I loaded tens of thousands of Gun Club hulls. Now I load only STS an N27's and I see it occasionally (1 or 2 per hundred) with my MEC 9000. I fault the hulls. I sort those funky finished shells into a practice box marked for immediate disposable. My cull rate is probably higher than most people's anyway...I don't load gold Remingtons more than 3 times before tossing them. When a poorly crimped shell is fired, it's still obvious that the folds aren't right and it's destined to do it again. They shoot just fine but never make it back to the bench.

Agree here, yes, all those go to practice, and may end up getting tested on the old Grabber to see if that repeats. Are the AAs more prone to this? it seems like more people are gravitating to STS hulls from AA. At one time AAs were favored.

 

[dirt stirrer]

Junk Shells....and a Junk Reloader...get a 366 and don't look back

Far from it. I love mine. I notice he is missing the case collator/feeder. I can’t crank out half again as many rounds on my Dillon as the 9000 I run also. I only have to insert a wad, and pull the handle. I load all my 6 pt crimps on the MEC, the Dillon sucks at those, I’ll admit that. No bushings to change, holds a whole bag or more of shot.