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Shmackey

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    http://www.ShootLiberally.com

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    Lafayette, CO

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  1. Hi all, I posted a few weeks ago when I got a new 650. You guys were really helpful, so I wanted to share a couple of things I found: 1. I asked what could be done to stop the endless procession of primers into (and off of) the ski jump when first trying to set up and dial in all the dies on a toolhead. The LnL doesn't replace a new primer with yet another new primer until the first one is inserted into a case--and I was very accustomed to this feature. When trying to run just one case through all the 650 stations to set everything up, the five escaping primers were bugging me. I figured out how to stop that. All you need to do is remove the large black sloping plastic piece on the very front of the machine that causes the primer feed to advance. It functions a lot like the large cam block on the casefeed. One screw removes it quickly. Just remember to screw it back in when you want primers to start up again. 2. Similarly, if you're trying to run just one case through all the stations, you don't really want cases to keep flowing from the case feeder. I noticed on one of the Ultimate Reloader videos that Gavin had a special metal clip that keeps the pivoting case bushing shelf from moving. I made one myself out of a piece of stiff wire coat hanger. It looks like a gigantic staple. One end fits into the case bushing itself, and the other end sits on the outside of the press to keep the unit from returning back under the tube to fetch a new case. Hope this is helpful to someone out there....
  2. I've got my new 650 up and running smoothly. It's obvious why it's light years ahead of the competition. But I can see how the competition has an edge when it's time to change calibers. Yikes! The question: Assuming cost is no object--apart from purchasing a 650 for each caliber--what is the best way to make caliber changes pleasant? I can already see that I'll be purchasing the complete $79 primer-swap setup to change to small primers as needed. And I'm thinking about getting a powder measure for each toolhead. (Right now I have separate toolheads, complete with powder dies, for each caliber--but not separate powder measures yet.) I'll probably also get new RCBS Lockout Dies for each toolhead instead of moving my single one around. I've learned that the Dillon toolheads are best used as "set it and forget it" when it comes to installing dies. Is there anything else I can do to make caliber changes less ominous?
  3. All set up! I can see I'm going to have to get used to a couple of things--mostly priming--after loading on the red press for so long. The casefeeder, by the way, is not quiet. But it is awesome. Silly newbie questions: 1. When just starting to load a batch, how do you "sync up" feeding cases with when the primers start to show up in station 2? On the red press, primers immediately show up on the primer punch after one pull of the handle. More importantly, the same primer stays on the primer punch until it's used. So you don't have to do anything to make sure there's a primer for your first case and a case for your first primer. On the 650, if the primer in station 2 doesn't get used (if there's no case for it), it goes on its merry way around the primer carousel. Which leads me to question 2: 2. Is this ski-jump thing a practical joke? What's the right way to deal with things when you want to advance the press without priming a case in station 2 and the primer magazine is full? For example, let's say you want to run one case through all the stations to make sure you're happy with all the die settings before you really start cranking out rounds. Unless I'm missing something (like a simple primer-station disconnect), you'll wind up sending four primers off the ski jump as you send the case around to each station. I'm extremely impressed with the 650 so far. It seems to address the three main quirks I disliked about the red press: high primers, iffy case ejection, and things coming loose. I'm sure the 650 has its own quirks, but I have a feeling I'll be able to get used to them.
  4. By the way, I ordered the setup from Brian, so I got his package with the roller handle, bullet tray, and strong mount. I ordered the press set up for .45ACP, and then I bought conversions for 10mm and 9mm. And since .308 Win uses the same plate as .45ACP, I bought the small stuff to make a conversion for that too. I'm currently charging up the cordless drill to go make some new holes in my bench. (Sorry, KungFuNerd--I sold the red press to fund the blue....)
  5. Wow--suddenly I feel like paying even more for it. That's awesome. When you buy a red press, they ship you a 55-gallon drum of loose small parts swimming in cosmoline. I mean, pretty much.
  6. My 650 and casefeeder arrived at the office today. I'm upgrading from a red press--will be setting up the 650 tomorrow. Any suggestions for making first-time setup go smoothly? (For example, one should never even think about setting up a red press without a full can of degreaser and dry lube in hand.)
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