Boxerglocker

The instructions from the Dillon Manual say: I'm doing exactly just that. I'm not understanding how a case in station two would have any influence on how far the "case insert slide" is traveling along the station 1 locator bar. The issue is that I think my cam pin is too long because it does not allow the "case insert slide" to travel far enough. If I take the cam pin out, the "case insert slide" pushes the case all the way into the shell plate without any issues. What're the specifications for the cam pin? The case in station two must be primed (new or used). The reason it matters is because the handle can only travel forward until the primer punch seats (or contacts) the primer. During actual loading, the handle is limited and can't go any farther. If you look at the punch in station two when there's no shell case there, you can see how far the punch can travel if not restricted. If no one else has done so, I'll measure my pin when I get home and post the results. Yeah what he said.... thanks Bob... you beat me to it. Personally have not had this issue but after reading about it wanted to understand and tinker with my own machine. Cheers

You need to have a empty shell in the second station to make that adjustment correctly. Check your instructions again.

If your setting a SDB up for .40 you have what is needed to load 10mm. I've had 2 SDB's, one dedicated for 9mm the other for .45ACP.... and loaded .380, .40/10mm and .38/.357 with it as well. I have since sold the 9mm machine and upgraded to a dedicated 9mm XL650 with casefeeder

I lube, though sparingly use HOS. It makes a difference IMO. I don't bother to tumble it off in most cases.

No doubt the RF-100 a great tool being marketed by Dillon. The price though , I just can't imagine spending $300 plus shipping on something just to fill primer tubes. (That's 1/3 the cost of my XL650 set-up for 9mm.) I really wish someone would bring back the FA Vibraprime to the market though.

I went ahead and did the SteveHarris eject wire bend mod to mine and haven't had the issue. He supplies a PDF in his post that is to scale when you print it out. makes its easy to duplicate. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=5560

Just a little follow-up to my problem, looks like I fixed it. I had the powder drop slide apart to install the Uniquetek micrometer dial and while I was at it measured the thickness of each as Dillon had suggested, found them to be within the specs as he quoted. I then took the two mating surfaces over a surface plate of stainless steel I had in the toolbox and lightly honed them in a figure eight motion over 800 grit wet/dry aluminum oxide paper lubricated with water, witnessed to have just two or three small high spots, cleaned with alcohol and reassembled. Ran 300 rounds, problem appears to be solved.

Thanks for the advise so far... most of it makes sense and I'll start experimenting with a longer OAL and making a bend on the mag spring. I'm running a standard Precision Delta FMJ which is a little pointy on the ogive. What OAL would you guys suggest?

I ran my Spartan 9mm for the first time in a match today, ESP IDPA. I had a hell of a time with feeding issues with my Tripp 10 rounders, with .500X basepads, pretty much all 4 of them. When loaded to capacity there doesn't seem to be enough tension on the front side of the follower to keep the nose of the first, or at times second bullet up to feed into the chamber. You can see as you load from the sixth bullet up to capacity that the nose of each bullet ge progressively higher and higher. The 10th round appears be inline with the feed lips, but once inserted into the gun and the slide is released. The bullet nose dives into the frame, causing severe setback of the round as the slide moves forward. I'm loading a PD 124 at 1.135 OAL. The problem appears to aleaviate itself when downloaded down to 7-8 rounds but even then, once or twice it still happened. Really killed my score today, though I did get alot of bill drill practice. I have been able to recreate it several times using dummy rounds but am at a lost as to what to do about it. Any ideas?

I've loaded probably 200K on an SDB and it's an awesome little press. The negatives are that it uses special dies, it's small if you have big fingers, and if you use range brass, you might have a problem with bulged brass not being resized enough. The fix to the last is to get a single stage press and either a Redding GRx or an EGW/Lee U-die to process the brass before you load it. I can do 100 rounds in 9.5min at a normal pace on my SDB. When I get around to it, I'm going to order a 1050, but I'll still keep the SDB set up for my second most used cartridge. R, I agree with every word you said... I have owned 2 SDB's one was set-up for 9mm the other for .45 ACP. I agree with other sentiments about the SDB that it's a little overpriced new for one caliber and considering it's limitation for proprietary dies. However, buying one used is a great deal if you are patient. I purchased both of the 2 that I owned for less than $250 with at least 2 or 3 caliber conversions each. I just sold one for $315 shipped with 2 caliber conversions in 9mm and .40 The buyer was ecstatic about the deal and the condition. Dillon took care of me throughout the time I owned it. Never had to send it in for rebuild but I would call in and practically replaced every part myself whether through a breakage or preventative maintenance issue.

Ain't that the truth... I started reloading 9mm on a LCT went from 250 to 500 round count a month, then a SDB from 500 to 1200 a month, now a XL650 with case feeder at 2000+ a month, plus another 500 of .45 and .380 Auto that I still load on the SDB.

I feel for you man, was waiting for that same boat a few weeks ago.

If you check your shellplate and it is down snug. Your dies are a believed to be adjusted correctly, final tightening with all station filled and the shellplate full up. The only other thing it could be is your crimp die ia bad and not holding setting?! Am I missing something?

I prefer to stand, my benchtop is 42 inches high. Both my 650 and SDB are mounted on strongmounts. Handle height for both presses is about shoulder in the full up. I also put anti-fatigue rubber floor mats down in front of my bench area for greater comfort when loading. After I get the rounds made, then do I take a bar stool seat to case gauge, measure OAL, primer check, box...etc.

That accuracy range is nice, and wow 30 year warranty!

Or better yet IMO, keep to one powder measure and get a Unique Tek micrometer powder drop dial for it, pocket the $30 you saved.

I just got my XL650 recently and though dedicated to 9mm wanted to know what efffort it would take to switch it over to large. I took the primer feeder apart while having the shell plate off to do the detent ball spring coil mod and installing the thrust bearing. The previous poster is right, changing the wheel isn't an issue your gonna have it off anyways. It adds maybe 2 minutes at best, you still have to replace the primer seating punch assembly regardless. Now on my SDB I have a complete large and small primer feeder assembly, that is a 2 minute total change and worth it IMO.

+1 and one of reasons I set my press up for standing while loading reloading, make it impossible to lean over the primer feeding tube. I also off set the flourencent light tube fixture above my bench intentionally should a mishap do happen.

The 4 Tripps with .500x extension I bought have bee flawless thusfar in my Spartan 9mm. I use a Dawson gapped model MW.

For those that didn't know...like me: http://optimalcharge...mbarqspace.com/ Having not read up on that procedure, I'm not sure what you are after. However, one common trick is to weigh out 10 charges at once...which will give you an easy average (just mentally move the decimal point over one). For example, with my pistol loads, I might be going for 4.2g of TightGroup. I throw a number of setting charges (and just dump them back into the powder hopper), then set about pulling 10 powder charges and putting them in the pan on the scale. I would theoretically end up with 42.0g of powder. Maybe it comes out to 42.2 grains. Mentally, I adjust the decimal and get my average, which given my example, would be 4.22g I like it, never though about that... always measure 5 or so taking note. Then dump and confirm with 2-3 more. The math makes perfect sense... thanks Flex.

I can see complete flake granuals of TG, escaping... blow them away and 4-8 more show up on the next pull.

I will and get back to you. Thanks for the reply.

I use Horandy One Shot as recommended by BE. Lay my 9mm brass on a old cookie sheet to give it a final once over culling out the .380 ACP I have missed on the first sort. I then spray a light misting of HOS, roll, spray another light mist, let dry for 5 minutes and load them up in the case hopper. I normally do not tumble off the lube, unless santioned match rounds. whe I take extra effort to double check. If I do tumble off the lube I use corncob treated in Nu-finish for about 10-15 minutes. BTW, I get 14/20 corncob... the exact same stuff Grainger supplys, but buy it from Drillspot.com http://www.drillspot.com/products/499763/econoline_526020g-40_40_lbs_blast_media Less than $22 for a 40 pound bag delivered to your door.

I never had the issue evolve as I did this shell plate modification on my 650 after only the first 300 rounds. It makes a huge difference in the effort required to actuate the press and the shellplate is sooooo much smoother and noticably the previously notchy movement is tamed.

Hey n2extrm, I would have posted this over at the other forum. Just seemd more appropriate here as they all seems more informed regarding Dillon equipment. The new drop on the XL650 is silver and so are the ones on my SDB but more of a smoother machined surface. Shimming it will be my only solution unless anyone else has a better resolution. Next time I get around to it I'll clean it really well, check for wear pattern and measure the gap with feeler gauges. Personally, I think it's out of tolerance, but we will see.