1-I'm going from memory here, so my numbers might be a bit off, but you'll get the principle. Less than 1.050'' on average. The problem was that the OAL was variable, so 1.050'' average with +/- 0.050 means some will be <1.000'' and others >1.010''. The difference was visible to the naked eye anyway when ammos were next to one another. I load campros same OAL as you for my shadows, and that 1.085 is +/- 0.001 or something like that. Very little variation anyway, nothing comparable to the x-metal;
2-The stem is made for a round nose. The x-metal are really pointy. I think what happens is the pointy head of the bullet is what makes contact with the stem, and since the shapes are mismatched, it results in a more variable OAL. Kinda like using a stem for 30-30 (round nose) with a 308 bullet (more pointy) wouldn't give too good a result;
3-Feeder is Hornady. I re-checker the doc, and it doesn't say not to use with coated bullet, it says not to use with cast bullets. The problem seems to be with the feeding dies, which are made for plated. Cast (and these coated) are slightly larger, and the coating is easy to scrape off. So just like you need to flare the case a bit more, the feeding die would need a slightly larger diameter, otherwise a small amount of coating gets scraped off and you need to clean the feeding dies all the time or that coating will jam them. Not interested in stopping every now and then to clean a feeding die. Especially considering that I can simply use campros and go almost endlessly without stopping, and the campros are almost the same price.
After trying these bullets, I'm not sure what's the point of buying them. I understand the people who cast their own then powder-coat them save a bit compared to buying plated, but these are only marginally cheaper than campros. I guess if someone had a lifetime of them he could set his press for them, buy the right seating stem and all, but if starting today, I don't think it's worth the hassle. There's also the problem of availability. The x-metal are not available anytime anywhere, so if one runs out, he's gonna need to switch to something else. Much less of a problem with campros, which are way more widely available, and even if you run out, you can switch to berrys that are so similar your press will need very little adjustment, if any.
I also bought 2 boxes of their reloaded ammos (I don't think they even reload themselves anymore). They seemed to have the same problem that I did, as their OAL was all over the place. They systematically failed the plunk test in a shadow. Most failed plunk test in an M&P 9mm.
