233 replies to this topic

[Erik Warren]

The idea for this thread is to maintain a kind of knowledge base on getting a Dillon XL650 working smoothly and efficiently with a minimum of trouble. If you have some tips or tricks, please add them. I'll start it with a few of my own and copy other's tips from other threads. Feel free to add to it.

Maybe others can start similar threads for the 550, 1050, and Square Deal B.

If your tip or trick is not specific to the XL650, please don't add it to this 650-only thread. (It may be better off in the general tips and tricks topics.)

Edited by Erik Warren, 28 March 2003 - 10:57 AM.

[Erik Warren]

To prevent the shellplate from snapping into position as it cycles (thus spilling powder), clip the spring under the detent ball. Clip only half a coil.

You can use the .38 Super shellplate and station 1 locator to load .40S&W without any adjustments.

The large pistol casefeed plate works for .38 Super without the white funnel adapter.

Swapping between Sooper and Forty, the only change I make besides the toolhead is to replace the shellplate locator buttons, casefeed adapter, casefeed arm bushing, and casefeed body bushing.

(Edited by Erik Warren at 12:27 pm on Jan. 16, 2002)

[Carlos]

I keep excess tumbling media from getting all over the bench by attaching a small bag or dixie cup under the holes at the back of the casefeeder hopper.

The powder measure is supposed to be loose enough to rotate freely, but not too loose. I finger-tighten the screws at the beginning of each run.

To keep down static, I put an anti-static clothes-dryer sheet around the powder measure using a rubberband.

I made small "tabs" to make the bass locater buttons easier to remove and replace. I used the thin white plastic from a small yogurt container.

[Lumpy]

Any ideas for getting rid of the spent primers going everywhere except in the catch cup??? It's annoying as hell.

I live in an apartment and ocassionally I find a spent "escaped" primer in the hallway...

Neighbors re probably wondering what the heck I'm doing. :-)
 

[Philip Dedmon]

Hey Lumpy, you beat me to the punch. I have the same problem. When loading 1000 rds. I bet I will have 30 to 40 on the floor.

[Erik Warren]

Oh and I thought my primer catch was just an unusually bad fit. I used wide packing tape to fill up the gaps. What a lame fix for a lame problem. But it is a good match for the cable tie that pulls the finished cartridge ramp wall away from the turret so the turret can move up.

How about what to do about W748 spilling everywhere? It's not spilling out of cases, it's leaking from around the powder drop.

[Lumpy]

Another trick I do is stick foam behind the finished round ramp to cut the clingy clangy noise of a rounds dropping down it.

[Jerome Poiret]

Another tip:
Go to a hardware store, buy a small spotlight with a clamping device, clamp it to the casefeeder supporting tube just over the toolhead, and aim at the shellplate. Now you see what's going on !
The one I found came in dillon blue. I just had to paint the white clamp and cord in black.

[BigDave]

One the case feed, I nstalled the primer adapter funnel (the white thingy).  I didn't see where it was listed as a must have for 40, but I had a real bad problem with upside down cases in the case tube (pain in the azz).  Works for me...

[EricW]

The primers on the floor just drive me nuts too.

I can't tell from Dillon's site, but if the 650 is like the 550 and has a little trapdoor device to catch the spent primer on the upstroke, I've found that the door frequently gets stuck open and the primer get ejected onto the floor.  My current solution is to replace the worn out cotter pin that works as a hinge with a small nail.  That's better, but not perfect.  

I think my final "fix" is going to be to ream out the hinge holes and use a proper steel pin with an e-clip.  Finally, I think that the door needs to be a bit heavier to ensure that it always closes - so maybe I'll epoxy a lead weight to it.  

If this is totally not applicable to the 650, I'll start a 550 thread and put it there.  Please let me know.

Eric

[ong45]

To prevent media from getting all over the bench, i tape shotgun hulls under each of the holes in the back of the casefeeder. Also i moved the powder drop to the station where the powder check is supposed to be, this gets the case one station closer to the seating die. This reduces powder spillage greatly . Since i mostly load super it is easy to look into the case to make sure everything is kool. I know that this disables the return lever to the powder drop but i look at every case anyway.

[Bret Heidkamp]

The cure for the spent primers going everywhere is to rid the machine of the little cup entirely.  Replace it with a floor-length piece of vinyl tubing.  Stick one end of the tubing up into the hole in the frame casting (I think 3/8 works) and run the other end into a jar with a hole in the lid to fit the tubing.  Bonus is not having to empty that pesky little primer cup all the time!   Thanks go to a fellow shooter in Butte for this one.

Bret

[Avalanche]

Just getting my 650 running...Thanks for all the tips.

[Lumpy]

I deceided to finally take on the challenge of fixing the primers going everywhere problem with the 650.

I went and bought 6' of vinyl tubing. 7/16 OD and  5/16 ID which I'll explain next.

My dilemma was the best way to attach to the XL650 press and allow a good flow without clogging up the tube.

My solution was to take an old LARGE primer pick-up tube plastic tip. I carved out the little nipple on the inside and cut about 1/2" off the end to provide clearance.

Stuck the tube onto the end of the plastic primer pick-up piece and pressed the tip into the primer hole on the underside of the 650.

I used an obviously empty Corona beer bottle for the other end. Just loaded 500 rds and no problems whatsoever.

Much better than before! :-)

[Chris]

Whats a good oil to keep the shaft and other parts lubricated?  When I load, I need to dissassemble/clean/reassemble the shaft and toolhead, then while loading it starts to dry out after about 1k rounds and needs more oil.  I've been using Kellube on the shaft and the Dillon grease on the plastic parts.

I solve the small ammo bin problem by clamping a .50 cal ammo can in its place.  Holds 1000 rounds.

[jhgtyre]

I have a lowly Square Deal B but it seems pretty happy with Slide Glide as a lubricant.

-jhgtyre

[Erik Warren]

On the shaft I use the motor oil (Mobil 1 5W30) that's left in the bottles. I just keep the area underneath the shell plate nice and clean, maybe wipe it with a silicone-sprayed rag.

[Kevin Kline]

Anyone know how to adjust the amount of case insertion into station 1 of the 650 w/ casefeeder? I followed Dillon's rule for this w/ the primed case, but can't find how to adjust station 1 for not over-inserting or under-inserting a case. Also, when I seat my primers, right as the roller handle/arm get to the top, the last little bit of push (I thought I needed to seat the primer all the way) causes my shellplate to "dip" or "tilt" toward the right side. Any suggestions?



-----
Kevin/IPSC Supercop

What do you guys think?

[Kevin Kline]

I think I found my problem. I forgot I had a Lee Precision sizing die in. When I put the Dillon sizing die back in, it worked great. I like the Lee die cause it sizes them tighter and seems to all the way down. The Lee die seems to size .001-.004 tighter in the bottom of the case than the Dillon. I have loaded 2400 rounds with the Lee die and have chamber checked every one of them. Every Lee sized case has chamber checked, EVERYTIME. With the Dillon die, about 2-4 out of every 100 loaded doesn't fit the chamber gauge.
Wonder if there is anyway to make the 650 work with the Lee die?



-----
Kevin/IPSC Supercop

[shred]

Finally the primer that broke the camel's back popped out of my 650 and missed the catch-bucket yet again..

Remembering some of the cool tips from here, I manufactured myself one of the tube setups. Instead of cutting down a primer pickup nozzle, I took a .223 case, necked it up (by poking a 1/4" phillips screwdriver into it-- you can get fancy with 6mm or 243 or whatever if they're handy), cut it off at about 3/4" and stuck a vinyl tube on the big end. Works most excellently, thanks y'all.

[Lumpy]

All I can say is I've been primer spillage free for a few weeks now, no more stepping and kicking primers around the apratment. I figure when the Corona bottle gets half full I have to drink another bottle to replace it. :-)

Lumpy

P.S. Good thinking on the .223 case... I might upgrade to that.

[shred]

In combination with bringing this thread back up, here's a shot of my contraption







(Edited by shred at 6:23 pm on May 6, 2002)

[Erik Warren]

Do you just jam the case in the hole, an interference fit?

[Lumpy]

Friction fit has worked good for me.... Over 4000 loaded without a problem so far....

Even got my stage 1 to work better with the tips from this section. I doubled up the spring and adjusted Stage 1 with a case in Stage 2 and it now works great.

[shred]

I hammered the case in lightly (that's where the ding in the case came from), but basically it's just jammed in there.  It's worked through the first bottle full of primers so far.