650 Arrives Friday, Powder Dial? Swage It? LNL Upgrade

[IrishPsych]

Finally made the plunge into a Dillon 650. A used one from Florida. Coming with case feeder, 8 toolheads, 6 conversions kits in all calibers I shoot. So stoked! 

 

It's big change moving from an LNL to a Dillon 650. Main reason was so I can trim 223 to blackout ON THE PRESS using the casefeeder. Can't do that with a LNL. Lnl was also giving me major casefeeding problems. 

 

Questions I Have: 

 

What dial for the powder bar is recommended? Think I'm gonna get two of the Arredondo dials and paint the lines with white out so they stand out. Prairie Dog makes a micrometer like thing but it's $37 and I'd need two. 

 

The Swage It I'm reading has mixed reviews. It can crack a shell plate? I was really looking forward to being able to use the casefeeder and trim, size and swage in a pass. Clean and then pass again for loading. Having the handle each piece of brass is pretty tedious. 

 

Roller cam follower, worth it? I found the shellplate needle bearing, washer, and low mass detent shipped for $9. Figured might as well be ready and avoid spilling powder. 

[The Donald]

I like the plastic dials on the powder drop, makes it a bit easier. Only other thing I would get is the Inline Fabrication handle, makes priming nearly as easy and priming on a 1050.

 

Since you have a LNL, keep it and get the kit that Hornaday sells to swage brass on it. The swage is real high quality. It holds the case upside down on a post so not stressing anything.

Edited June 26, 2017 by The Donald

[Smeeg]

The "best" dial for the powder bar is from uniquetek expensive but really nice 

 

the swage it people either love or hate 

 

see if if you spill powder then decide if you need the roller cam follower

[jhgtyre]

On 6/26/2017 at 1:16 PM, The Donald said:

I like the plastic dials on the powder drop, makes it a bit easier. Only other thing I would get is the Inline Fabrication handle, makes priming nearly as easy and priming on a 1050.

In over 20 years of reloading on a Dillon press I have never wanted to add a dial to the powder drop.  As a matter of fact I WANT it to take some effort to turn the screw that adjusts the powder drop.  If it has a dial on it anyone can easily turn it (think kids, house guests, etc..) but if it takes a tool to turn it they are less likely to say "hey, what's this thingy do?" and turn it.  If you are the only one with access to your reloading area maybe the dial isn't a terrible thing.  I guess some people change up their loads more than I do but just using a little wrench to adjust the powder drop has never seemed like a hassle to me.  

[The Donald]

6 hours ago, jhgtyre said:

In over 20 years of reloading on a Dillon press I have never wanted to add a dial to the powder drop.  As a matter of fact I WANT it to take some effort to turn the screw that adjusts the powder drop.  If it has a dial on it anyone can easily turn it (think kids, house guests, etc..) but if it takes a tool to turn it they are less likely to say "hey, what's this thingy do?" and turn it.  If you are the only one with access to your reloading area maybe the dial isn't a terrible thing.  I guess some people change up their loads more than I do but just using a little wrench to adjust the powder drop has never seemed like a hassle to me.  

No one can go in my gun room since I keep it locked up.

[jhgtyre]

4 minutes ago, The Donald said:

No one can go in my gun room since I keep it locked up.

Perfect, that makes it easy to identify the culprit if something gets moved!

[Want2BS8ed]

The micro-meter powder adjustments are really nice. I don't change calibers often, but I do switch back and forth amongst several different powders and being able to dial-in a setting without a lot of weighing and trial-and-error is nice.

UniqueTek's micro-meter is the gold standard and very consistent, but they are expensive. I just picked up one of the Prairie Dog meters and they are nice as well, but I don't have any long term experience with it yet. Installation was certainly easy and FWIW I do really like Prairie Dogs powder baffles.

It sounds as if you are already on top of most of the other add-on's. I'll give a second vote for the in-line fabrication ergo handles. They are well executed and do make a difference. The only other suggestion I might add would be lighting.

Reloading Innovations is a new company and their lighting kits are way better than anything else I've tried - no sticky strips, great coverage etc. So good in fact, I just updated the lighting on every spare head I own.

I replaced a pair of LNL's with two 1050's. You'll be happy with the Dillon press.

M


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[TitoR]

I was not aware of the UnikeTeks micro-meter, so I bought this adjustment knob from eBay and like it very much.  Easy to turn for adjustment and graduations seem to correspond to my TG loadings very well.  I guess I was lucky.

[Dirtchevy841]

Inline Fabrication makes a really nice light kit for the 650. I have 2 and love them. 

[Chills1994]

I recently bought an LED shoplight from Home Depot.  It hangs by chains from the ceiling.  It puts out enough light to illuminate the interior part of my 650, plus the rest of my reloading room.

 

two pieces of masking tape.  one for the case feeder tube funnel (so .223 cases dropped headstamp down).  the other piece of tape at the bottom of the primer ski jump.

 

I had the UniqueTek powder measure dealie-oh.  Just one.  Got it as a Christmas gift.  I had 3 other dedicated toolheads/powder measures at the time, so outfitting them all would have been expensive.  I sold off the UniqueTek to a "friend".

 

Now I just use a Craftsman nut driver, and count my turns   "Okay that was a quarter of a turn".

 

You didn't mention Dillon strongmount?

 

with the bullet tray?

 

or a roller handle?

 

I have no experience with the swage it, the cam roller thingie, or the thrust bearing whatchamacallit.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2017 by Chills1994

[Service Desk]

Welcome to the aftermarket enhancement world of the Dillon XL-650..... you will only be constrained by the depth of your pockets. 

[mikeinctown]

If it doesn't have the roller handle or strong mount order them now. Either use the dillon versions or the one from inline fabrication.

[lgh]

Best additions to my 650 have been the strong mount (I stand) and LED lighting. The lighting is REALLY nice, maybe even essential.  People seem to love the Roller handle but the knob on the stock handle works fine for me and does not force my wrist into a single position. But I might get one eventually.

Edited July 1, 2017 by lgh
correction

[rishii]

Double alpha makes a click knob for the powder measure that works well

it looks kinda hinky, and uses a zip tie to hold part of it in place, I recently moved my powder measure from my 9mm tool head to load 357 mag, end up going 139 clicks up, when I returned it back to the 9, I went 139 clicks down and it returned back throwing 3.5 gr of 231

https://www.doublealpha.biz/click-adjustable-powder-knob?osCsid=bcd6843fbff6e341b1872176472a19a6

 

Also so the roller handle is a must

[mikeinctown]

On 6/30/2017 at 8:48 AM, lgh said:

Best additions to my 650 have been the strong mount (I stand) and LED lighting. The lighting is REALLY nice, maybe even essential.  People seem to love the Roller handle but the knob on the stock handle works fine for me and does not force my wrist into a single position. But I might get one eventually.

 

I thought the same thing when I'd load 2-300 rounds at a time for a range session. Then I loaded 1,000-1,500 and I was like F this damn handle.

[78Staff]

On 6/30/2017 at 3:44 PM, rishii said:

Double alpha makes a click knob for the powder measure that works well

it looks kinda hinky, and uses a zip tie to hold part of it in place, I recently moved my powder measure from my 9mm tool head to load 357 mag, end up going 139 clicks up, when I returned it back to the 9, I went 139 clicks down and it returned back throwing 3.5 gr of 231

https://www.doublealpha.biz/click-adjustable-powder-knob?osCsid=bcd6843fbff6e341b1872176472a19a6

 

Also so the roller handle is a must

 

 

Agree on the Double Alpha Click Knob, at first I scoffed at paying $20 for a knob, but the click feature is the key here - it's repeatable so very easy to move between loads.

[Kpj313]

 
 
Agree on the Double Alpha Click Knob, at first I scoffed at paying $20 for a knob, but the click feature is the key here - it's repeatable so very easy to move between loads.

Just received 2 yesterday. After losing the spring and ball bearing 4 or 5 times trying to get it together [emoji35] haven't tried it yet, but I like it already!

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[Dirtchevy841]

3 hours ago, 78Staff said:

 

 

Agree on the Double Alpha Click Knob, at first I scoffed at paying $20 for a knob, but the click feature is the key here - it's repeatable so very easy to move between loads.

I have a mrdial on one toolhead. It's ok no clicks. I was thinking about getting the daa knob. Just don't know if it's any better than what I gave. I would be afraid that the clicks can't get that fine tuning as a free turning knob. Can't speak for daa so can you tell me if it's fine tuning or are the clicks to much for that kind of tuning 

[IrishPsych]

Thanks guys! 

 

I've havent gotten it out of the box yet, been so busy with family and engagement stuff. 

 

I did scoff at the $20 price for the click dial. I ordered 2 purple dials and a large powder hopper from Dawson Precision and a bearing/low mass shellplate kit for ebay, it was only $9. 

 

My garage is a mess with a jointer, planer, and table saw strategically placed. The case feeder on the Dillon is on the other side so I'm likely going to have to adjust where I put it. 

 

It came with a strong mount and I think roller handle. Bunch of pick up tubes as well. I didn't think it was a screaming deal but I $1280 shipped for the press, casefeeder, 6 conversion kits, 8 toolheads, strong mount, and a bunch of extra parts, I figured it was justified. 

 

Now I just need to itemized my LNL setup and see what I can get for that. I don't see a point in keeping it as I'm not loading as much as I used to. 

[78Staff]

On 7/4/2017 at 3:17 PM, Dirtchevy841 said:

I have a mrdial on one toolhead. It's ok no clicks. I was thinking about getting the daa knob. Just don't know if it's any better than what I gave. I would be afraid that the clicks can't get that fine tuning as a free turning knob. Can't speak for daa so can you tell me if it's fine tuning or are the clicks to much for that kind of tuning 

 

 

Typically 2-3 clicks per 10th is what I see with the DA, although it varies slightly depending on powder type.

[Dirtchevy841]

1 hour ago, 78Staff said:

 

 

Typically 2-3 clicks per 10th is what I see with the DA, although it varies slightly depending on powder type.

Cool thanks