Dillon 650's Don't Work!

[Just Duke]

I have been fighting these things since I got them. Got set up to run the case trimmer on the press that loads 223. Double feeds cases continually. Did the same on 45 on a different press. Did the same on another press in 308. I am now dead in the water as far as case trimming goes. Pulled the universal decpper apart 9 times now to straighten the pin. Bent beyond all recognition. My spare is broken of completly. None of these cases are berdan primed. Dillons warraunty also leaves alot to be desired. By the time I send the bad part in and get it back I am loooking at 2 weeks.

The large Dillon brass polisher is almost worthless. I have to run it two days to get my brass polished. The Lyman Turbo is twice the polisher at 1/3 the price. Brass polisher has been sent back once already.
I am going to buy a cement mixer from Harbor Freight. GRRRR!!!!!

[quasi]

Trade them 650's for Hornady Loc n loads! I had a 550b I liked alot until I used a RCBS 2000, I sold the 550b and bought a RCBS 2000. Its an even better press than the 550, sort of a Supergrade 550b!

[garandsrus]

Duke,

I would check all the components you have installed on the press that you are trimming with. I don't see how the press can double feed if operating normally with the correct conversion kit installed.

One thing you might check is to make sure that the case insert slide (black angled piece) that feeds the case is set correctly. It reverses and the long slide is for pistol and the short slide for rifle. It's easy to forget to set it correctly.

You can also check to make sure that the black plate doesn't have any tumbler media or other stuff in the slot the cartridge rim goes into.

The only time I ever get a double feed is if I partially cycle the press and then cycle it again, resulting in the case feeder dropping a case twice.

I have busted decapping pins, but most have been in my 550 and not the 650. If the press takes more effort than normal to operate, stop and figure out what's wrong. Forcing it won't work...

I have never had to send a bad part to Dillon before they sent a replacement. I don't have their tumbler though.

John

[Dale53]

I have had the large Dillon Vibratory Tumbler for many years and tens of thousands of clean cases. It cleans in a fraction of the time it took my Thumbler Tumbler. The only complaint I could possibly have is it is BIG (but holds a 1000 .45 ACP's) and polishes my cases until they look like new in a couple of hours. I use Dillon's polish (two caps full every 1000 cases).

Dale53

[kodiak1]

Duke you have to have something out of whack went through 700 45 ACP's last night and only stopped to refill primers, bullets or brass. The 650 is one slick machine but I will spend an hour with it getting it set up, then look out cause brass starts to get reloaded.
Read your manual after you cool down and try try again.
Good luck Ken.

[broomhandle]

Hi Duke,

I'm sorry your haveing a problem. My press has been 100% for many years.
The tumbler has been in use for 15 years. Hell. they rebuilt it when our young Akita chewed the crap out of the bowl. NO Charge!

Do you have the same cleaner & media in both tumblers? I don't see how you can get bad results if it is shaking?
I would contact Dillon the Tec guys are GREAT!

I Really wish you better luck in future, with the press &the tumbler.

Be safe,
broom

[RugerFan]

I would contact Dillon the Tec guys are GREAT!

I agree. I was at the Dillon plant in Scottsdale, AZ three weeks ago and had a nice chat with Chris Dillon (the owner's son). They are good people and stand behind their products. I'm sure they will work with you if you give them a call.

[runfiverun]

duke take one thing at a time...
i like to size/trim on a r-chucker [ i know one more step ]
then clean the brass then load them...

[GabbyM]

To save your decaping pins.
I've found using a flash hole deburring tool just about eliminates broken decaping pins. Especially on mil surplus brass. I've a RCBS tool that I've ground the point down on the #1 center drill so it will bevel the flash hole when the primer is still in. Used this on about three thousand once fired crimped military 5.56mm last winter and only broke one pin. Discovered years ago that if the pin can make it into the flash hole those crimped primers pop right out. Some care aligning the punch centered in the die also helps.

[Southern Son]

Broomhandle, after reading what your Akita did, I am feeling a bit better about my dumb Doberman, I swear, the next time he headbutts me in the groin could end any chanche of me having a kid.

[cohutt]

something is obviously wrong with the setup or the way you are operating them.

I have to be careful when trimming not to get too aggressive with the handle- easy to slam too hard if you don't have to slow down to prime and seat a bullet each cycle. My only decap pin issues on the 650 came when i did a mega trimming run and went to fast/too hard on the pull. Slow down, take your time.

[shotman]

i have missed something how or why are you trimming cases on a press? shotman

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got two dillon tumblers the large and small one and also a lyman and a frankfort arsenoal. the large dillon is the fasted cleaning one of the bunch. Duke i wish you could get someone over there that is familar with the 650. I dont own one but have done a ton of loading on my buddys 5 650s and ive never had a double feed of a case yet.

[garandsrus]

Shotman,

Duke is using a Dillon Rapid Trim.

It trims cases but doesn't chamfer the case mouth. Some folks loading jacketed bullets have eliminated the chamfering step by flaring the case mouth just a little to let the bullet start into the case more easily. The slight flair is removed when the bullet is seated or crimped.

John

[targetshootr]

I use RCBS dies on my 650 and break a lot of decap pins. It turns out most of the time a piece of corn cob from WallyMart in the bottom of a case is the reason. It's a complicated machine and it took a long time to figure out what causes what. Example, sometimes the allen screws under the shellplate come loose and cause it to cycle rough and if the spring at the bottom of the powder linkage rod isn't snug it'll drop uneven loads.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Duke,

Here's some things that might help you. My comments in red.

I have been fighting these things since I got them. Got set up to run the case trimmer on the press that loads 223. Double feeds cases continually. Did the same on 45 on a different press. Did the same on another press in 308. I am now dead in the water as far as case trimming goes.


This is just an opinion, but after years or reloading and reading reloading forums, I've determined if you want fast trimming, Giraud is the way to go. Anything else is either inefficient or just doesn't work. Send those on the press trimming units back for a refund. For pistol calibers, don't bother trimming unless you're shooting bullseye at 50 yard targets.



Pulled the universal decapper apart 9 times now to straighten the pin. Bent beyond all recognition. My spare is broken of completely. None of these cases are berdan primed.

I generally deprime in an operation by itself, unless I'm full length resizing. in which case I'll resize on the press, then trim off the press, then return to the progressive for powder, bullet seating and crimp if needed. This is generally the best way to handle progressive rifle reloading, for all the reasons you're having trouble with.

Dillons warraunty also leaves alot to be desired. By the time I send the bad part in and get it back I am loooking at 2 weeks.

Used to be, they just send out the bad part. For most progressives, it's a good idea to have a couple of spares of "expendable" items likely to break. If I remember right, you're still new to the presses, there is a learning curve and during it, you're going to break parts. I suggest you remove some items and just get the basic progressive going, then add features on as you gain experience with the press. This allows you to focus on tuning the basic press without an overwhelming number of things going at one time.

The large Dillon brass polisher is almost worthless. I have to run it two days to get my brass polished. The Lyman Turbo is twice the polisher at 1/3 the price. Brass polisher has been sent back once already.

Sounds like you may be overloading it. Try cutting your quantity of brass in half, then using 1/2 corncorb and 1/2 crushed walnut as a mix. Throw in a capful of Nu Finish car polish with each load of brass and see if things don't improve to the point you'll have enough of a reduction of time between loads you'll end up being more efficient.


I am going to buy a cement mixer from Harbor Freight. GRRRR!!!!!

I've had one of those things. Resist the urge. HF sometimes doesn't have "gems." grin

Finally, be patient with the progressives you have. I'm a Hornady LnL man, but also have a close friend with a 650. You have good presses and they should do you a good job, but not everything any company makes, including Dillon, is the best. If you're wanting faster reloading, do the resizing by itself, trim off the press with a Giraud and finish the operation back on the press.

Take the time to learn the basic press operations before adding other goodies and the likelihood of items breaking will reduce and your learning curve will become less steep at the same time. Nothing like the old KISS principle to get things going. Simplify your operations, then add as you get the basic stuff smoothed out and running good. Speed will come with familiarity and tuning.

Regards,

Dave

[garandsrus]

Duke,

Dave made some good points...

I have both a 550B and a 650 and am glad that I got the 550 first. It's learning curve is much less steep than with the 650's. The 650 is much more complicated and it is harder to figure out what happened when there is a hang up.

I reload in large batches (1000 plus) on the 650 and it works great once everything is set properly. I really like the low powder sensor.

I especially like the 650 when I am sizing rifle cases prior to trimming and loading as all I need to do is dump cases in the feeder and pull the handle. It's much quicker and a lot less work than the 550.

John

[Dale53]

There is excellent advice in Dave's post. The phrase "You must learn to walk before you can run" comes to mind...

Dale53

[Dan Cash]

Duke, you are absolutely right. That Dillon stuff ain't much 'count. I hate to see you so unhappy so just PM me with your address and I will take that blue junk off your hands. You mentioned a trade?

[KYCaster]

Are you the same Dan Cash who recently left Kentucky for the Great Frozen North?

If so, glad you found us. If not, welcome anyway.

Just being nosey.
Jerry