Questions on Dillon XL650

[jcameron996]

I am in the process of setting up my new Dillon XL 650. I bought it set up for 9mm. It is my intention to use it to load cast bullets for the 9. I plan to use Lee dies. Through reading past posts I have seen some people having issues with the powder through expander not expanding the case enough to keep from swaging the bullets back down during seating. I previously solved this problem with my Lee dies by replacing the expander plug with a .38 Smith and Wesson plug from Lee. As is it set up right now I am using the powder check die in station three and the bullet seating die in station four. This leaves one station open for the factory crimp die that I do not plan to use. My question is would there be a problem with moving my bullet seating die to station five and placing my Lee expander die in station four to expand and bell the case after charging it with the Dillon die in station two? I would move up the Dillon powder through expander die to not bell the case mouth and just set the Lee die to do that function. I just noticed that I did not mention that I am sizing Lee tumble lube bullets to .357.

[warf73]

I'm pretty sure the 650 and 550 use the same powder funnel set up. I've had no issue with mine set up for 380acp (bought month ago or so). Boolits are sized .3585ish and a pulled boolit measures .3579~.3580 ish all measurements were done with a mic. Set mine up to just open the case mouth enough to set a boolit on top and not shave.

Warf

[Rockchucker]

I've never had a problem with the powder funnel not expanding the case mouth on any of the cases I load for, if you're shaving lead you will need to expand or flare the mouth more. Seat the boolit and use a crimp die to remove the flare in your last station.

[garandsrus]

My question is would there be a problem with moving my bullet seating die to station five and placing my Lee expander die in station four to expand and bell the case after charging it with the Dillon die in station two? I would move up the Dillon powder through expander die to not bell the case mouth and just set the Lee die to do that function.

Why? With the Dillon 550 or 650 press you don't need to use the Lee expander die at all. The powder funnel works the same way the Lee through expander does. You can adjust the powder funnel to belle the case mouth any amount you want.

You can seat the bullets at any station you want, after the powder is dropped in station 2. The third station on the 550 is the most convenient. The 4th station on the 650 is the most convenient.

John

[jcameron996]

I understand that I should not have to use the Lee expander at all. I was wondering if anyone else had issues with the Dillon expander not expanding the case enough to prevent swaging the bullets back down during loading. I had that issue with the original expander on the Lee dies. I fixed that issue by replacing the expander plug with the .38 S&W plug after reading about it on a thread here. I am still in the process of setting up and testing the machine and haven't tried seating any bullets and pulling them to check size yet.(working too many hours and not enough free time)

[VHoward]

I don't have that problem using the XL650 for 357 mag. I don't imagine you will doing 9mm either.

[L Erie Caster]

I have loaded thousands and thousands of 9mm with 124g cast TC on my XL650 and never had a problem.

[r1kk1]

I have loaded thousands and thousands of 9mm with 124g cast TC on my XL650 and never had a problem.

+1

r1kk1

[luky-dude]

I went to Buckshot on this site. He made new funnels for my 650 for 9mm and .45acp I did send him my orginials and told him the dia. of the lead bullets I will be casting. Powder check in station 3 for me, then Redding Pro-mico seater then taper crimp. The funnels do work better than Dillon for lead.

[jcameron996]

I finally got it going the other night. I don't think I am going to have any problems. I pulled a bullet from a case and it micced out right at .357. Thanks for all the replies.