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XL650 not seating primers


Endoz

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I've been reloading on my Dillon XL650 (which i love btw) for almost a year now, many thousands of rounds but am still having issues getting primers to seat on some rounds. About 4 out of 400 on last batch were obviously not in, but during testing, one in 20 or so fails to go bang. Not good for using during a match. I've worked with Dillon over the phone to try and resolve this issue, making sure plate is tight enough but not too tight, etc. Primer pockets ARE NOT reamed, to me thats more time than I want to spend, does anyone else have issues with 650 not seating primers? 

 

My machine is mounted on a strongmount, bolted to a 2" thick butcher block table that is stiff as hell. Im applying adequate force to the lever to drive them home in my mind, can't imagine using more force and having the machine hold up.  

 

Ive switched to now practicing with reloads and buying ammo to shoot matches as I lose too much time cycling out bad rounds, but that goes against the whole point of reloading to me. 

 

What am i missing? 

 

thanks

Endoz

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"one in 20 or so fails to go bang."

 

Since I imagine Dillon already covered checking to see that the primer punch is screwed in properly and the shell plate is adjusted properly, it sounds like you are just not pushing the handle hard enough to seat the primers!

Edited by TDA
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You may be encountering an occasional crimped primer pocket. Short of removing it there is nothing you can do.

I personally keep a handful of sized and decapped cases next to my press. When I feel a an issue seating a primer I remove the case and put in a spare piece of brass.

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24 minutes ago, L3324temp said:

You may be encountering an occasional crimped primer pocket. Short of removing it there is nothing you can do.

I personally keep a handful of sized and decapped cases next to my press. When I feel a an issue seating a primer I remove the case and put in a spare piece of brass.

And I thought I was the only one that did that.

If it feels like it hit a wall check the brass,,don't force it like  L332 said.

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There are 9mm cases that have a slight crimped primer pocket. Mainly brass head stamped WC with a 2 digit year. Try to sort them out of your brass before reloading, or do what was suggested and keep a few sized and decapped cases handy.

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I stand when reloading, use force to seat primers, the two step stroke Benos talks about. I'm going to bet it has to do with brass I'm picking up from the range or could it be the fact i'm using a striker fired gun (G34) and the firing pin spring doesn't have enough force to light slightly high (as to be unnoticeable) primers? . I just picked up a SA Range officer in 9mm so i'll try same ammo and see what happens. 

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Check and make sure the primer ram is screwed in properly underneath. I can feel crap brass when I try to insert a primer....never fails.some much worse than others.

Also periodically tear the whole primer assy down for a through cleaning....I was amazed what was in there...lol.......

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10 hours ago, Endoz said:

could it be the fact i'm using a striker fired gun (G34) and the firing pin spring doesn't have enough force to light slightly high (as to be unnoticeable) primers?

Definitely could be this, especially if you have a reduced power striker spring. Just check the round that didin't fire. It doesn't take much primer elevation to cause a no-fire.

 

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2 hours ago, TANFARM said:

Check and make sure the primer ram is screwed in properly underneath. I can feel crap brass when I try to insert a primer....never fails.some much worse than others.

Also periodically tear the whole primer assy down for a through cleaning....I was amazed what was in there...lol.......

 

You clean your press? Crazy talk!

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On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 4:50 AM, TANFARM said:

Check and make sure the primer ram is screwed in properly underneath. I can feel crap brass when I try to insert a primer....never fails.some much worse than others.

Also periodically tear the whole primer assy down for a through cleaning....I was amazed what was in there...lol.......

 

For sure check the ram. Twice now I've discovered the ram has backed out a bit leaving me with high primers. This last time I used some blue locktite (contrary to Dillon's tech support) and gave a little extra when cinching it down. Haven't had a problem since but I've become a lot more attentive to primer seating depth since... lol

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I've been plagued with primers not seated deep enough with my Dillon 550b . I checked for all the usual issues (primer ram ,etc.)that have been mentioned but What seemed to be the cure was lightly swaging all my primer pockets ahead of time to load with a Dillon 600 Super Swage. I also did away with my Ergo press handle and went back to a straight ball handle press handle that allows for more pressure being applied to the seating of the primer. I load for revolvers that have all had the actions worked and had been told to use only Federal primers and to hand prime only but I wanted to try and make do with the Dillon priming system and for now the swaging of my primer pockets has helped as much as anything. 

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On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 9:02 AM, L3324temp said:

You may be encountering an occasional crimped primer pocket. Short of removing it there is nothing you can do.

I personally keep a handful of sized and decapped cases next to my press. When I feel a an issue seating a primer I remove the case and put in a spare piece of brass.

makes 3 of us

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First thing I'd do is verify the root of the problem is the loaded round or the pistol you're shooting it in.

 

Provided the problem lies with the reload, it could either be primer seating depth or the  primer itself.

  • High primers should be detectable visually or by feel when you are case gauging them. 
  • If the primers are seated correctly, perhaps your primer is a bit hard for the pistol it is being shot in.  In this case try a different brand primer, or fiddle with your gun :)
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  • 2 weeks later...

Any update on the issue? I agree with the comments by Muncie21. I had similar issues with my glock when i was running it in competitions. I went ahead and replaced all my springs amd the issue went away. I also never noticed any degradation of the springs in a linear manner. It went from perfect reliable operations to the even more failures than you were seeing.

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