G19

Thanks for the help. Is it normal to have as much variation in OAL that plunks in the chamber when using cast lead as I experienced? I'm guessing jacketed bullets exhibit less variation?

OK, so using a starting OAL of ~1.160, I made up 10 dummy rounds all at that starting OAL, and if they didn't pass the plunk test, I seated them farther (in small increments) until they passed. Results - OAL at which the plunk test is passed: 1.160 1.150 1.141 1.159 1.158 1.125 1.141 1.160 1.125 1.160 Everything is above 1.140 except for two, both of which had to be seated down to 1.125 to pass the plunk test. How do I use this to figure out the max OAL that I should be loading to? Go all the way down to 1.125? Factor in a cushion to that of maybe 0.010, so 1.115?

OK, so following this suggestion, I seated a bullet to an OAL of 1.160. Crimped it to 0.378", which is just enough to remove the bell ( 0.378" = 0.356" bullet diameter + 2 * 0.011 case thickness). And very surprisingly, it seems like that seats far enough to headspace off the case mouth. Here's a pic of an empty case sitting in the barrel: Here's a pic of the 1.160 OAL dummy round sitting in the barrel: I guess I'm a little confused, as everything I've read/heard suggests that 1.160" OAL is too long for a cast lead 147gr RN, but it seems to seat in the barrel just fine (though I haven't checked it in a magazine yet).

Using resized cases, I assume? I guess I can compare those rounds to empty cases to find the right bullet depth that causes the cartridge to headspace on the case mouth.

I read this excellent writeup on determining max OAL for a particular barrel with a particular jacketed or plated bullet. I'd like to adapt this method for cast lead bullets. I've got 147gr 0.356" cast lead bullets and I'm finding they won't fit into fired cases without belling the case mouth. And once I slightly bell to allow the bullet to insert, the only tension on the bullet is at the mouth and the bullet can easily slide deeply into the fired, unsized case. If I use resized case, the case holds the bullet tightly enough that when I push the dummy round into the chamber, the bullet gets stuck on the rifling and I need to push it out with a dowel, ruining any potential max OAL measure. Any suggestions?

Perfect, thanks! Maybe if I put a third layer, I'll get it to 66% quieter. I'm in the setup phase, so there's a whole lot of beeping going on.

I live in an apartment and the powder check buzzer is quite loud. I don't have much ambient noise in my place, so I'd hear the buzzer even if it were turned down a bit. Is there any way to attenuate the volume of the buzzer? I realize I could remove the powder check die altogether, but since I've got it, I'd like to use it.

I'm setting up the 650 to load 9mm. When I was loading dummy rounds, the sizing die was sizing cases down to 0.375" (all measurements taken at case mouth), and the powder die was opening the mouth up to ~0.385", which was just enough bell to sit 147gr cast lead bullets into the case. The powder die lockring was tightened down. Then I added powder and primers into the setup and I'm noticing that the cases are being belled quite a lot more: to ~0.400". Why is this happening? I never loosened the powder die lockring once I had gotten the bell to the aforementioned 0.385". Does a primed case sit up higher on the shellplate than an unprimed case? Did adding the connecting rod to the powder measure somehow change the travel on the powder funnel?

I thought the separation of the primers on the primer disk would prevent a chain explosion that reached into the primer magazine. Guess I was wrong. So what exactly got launched? The entire magazine shield along with the primer magazine inside it?

Good point, it might be the shellplate. While trying to adjust the sizing die so that the case was centered on the die, I noticed that the primer punch wasn't centered in the shellplate opening. I loosened up the indexer block and even at the end of its adjustment range, the primer punch still isn't centered in the shellplate opening. Going to get an alignment tool so we'll see if that resolves it. Anybody have precise measurements for the 9mm shellplate? Perhaps I can measure my shellplate to determine if it's out of spec without having to send it back to Dillon for that purpose. OK, it's probably not the shellplate. I have the .45 ACP shellplate the press came with, so put that in. Same off center issue with the primer punch relative to the shellplate openings. Dillon is sending me the alignment tool. What part(s) exactly does this alignment tool help move into proper position?

Good point, it might be the shellplate. While trying to adjust the sizing die so that the case was centered on the die, I noticed that the primer punch wasn't centered in the shellplate opening. I loosened up the indexer block and even at the end of its adjustment range, the primer punch still isn't centered in the shellplate opening. Going to get an alignment tool so we'll see if that resolves it. Anybody have precise measurements for the 9mm shellplate? Perhaps I can measure my shellplate to determine if it's out of spec without having to send it back to Dillon for that purpose.

I tightened up the shellplate a little bit (it's almost as tight as it can get now, but can still be rotated by hand with a bit of resistance) and that seems to keep the shellplate from jostling the cases as the platform is raised. OK, to keep it simple, I removed all the dies except the sizing die. Loosened up the sizing die, fully inserted a case into the shellplate and raised the platform all the way up. As the sizing die is threaded on, there is a very slight tipping of the case. With the now tightened shellplate and some adjustment of the camming pin/case insert slide, I can probably get it set up to where the cases go into the sizing die without the case mouth hitting the die opening. But I'm guessing this case tipping is going to cause issues as the case isn't entering the die in a concentric fashion. What's the next step? I guess I'll call Dillon about the alignment tool. Also, it sounds like I can make some adjustment even without the alignment tool by loosening the indexer block - is there any documentation on this procedure?

I think you're right. After reading your post, I threaded in a few more dies. The cases don't line up with the Lee sizing die, Dillon powder die and Lee seating die. Seems to line up with the Lee factory crimp die, but that could just be the opening of the die is large enough to hide a slight misalignment of the case to the die. Seems the shellplate is out of alignment with the toolhead. Will this result in only a rotational adjustment of the shellplate? It seems I need a translational adjustment - i.e., sliding the shellplate over. But not sure how that would be possible given how the shellplate attaches to the platform.

Setting up new Lee 9mm pistol dies in a used 650, and running into an issue with the sizing die. When a case is fully inserted into the shellplate (by hand) and the platform is raised, it's clear the case is not perfectly lined up with the die. To perfectly center the case with the die, I'd have to seat it farther into the shellplate, which is not possible as it is already fully seated. As the case mouth enters the seating die, it tips ever so slightly inward - i.e., the case tips toward the center of the platform. When the case insert slide is doing the inserting, any slight jostle of the case moves it in the only direction it can go, which is farther out of the shellplate and this sometimes results in it being far enough off center that the case mouth jams against the opening in the die (I'm not doing this with any force). Playing around with the camming pin doesn't seem to resolve this since, as I noted above, this off center issue exists even when I insert the case into the shellplate by hand. Thoughts? Anyone experience this?

Roger that. Thanks.

By 'head' and 'ram', I assume you are referring to what the Dillon manual calls the 'platform' and 'mainshaft', respectively? The mainshaft is turning with the platform, so I assume the cap screws are sufficiently tight.

I'm setting up a used 650 I purchased and noticed there is a little bit of rotational play in the platform - please see video. I haven't started loading on this press yet. Is this play normal? Is there anything I can do to minimize the rotational play? http://youtu.be/3CPFmD1iUdc Side note/question: How do you embed a youtube video on this forum, or is that not possible? Thanks!

The older bars have the dark color. The lighter colored bars have a newer teflon coating. Thanks for the info.

Thanks!

Sorry. Pic up.

Going through a used XL650 that I recently purchased and setting it up for 9mm. I've got the following powder bars and spacers. It looks like one large and two small powder bars and two spacers. Are there any visual cues that would indicate these are the large and small, and not the extra large or extra small? Why are the smaller bars and spacers colored differently?

On my XL650, the ramp on the case insert slide comes into contact with the camming pin of the casefeed body assembly. I applied some multipurpose waterproof grease on the ramp, but camming pin does not glide smoothly across the ramp. The ramp also has a slight groove worn into it by the camming pin. Is there a better grease to use or is this a sign the case insert slide needs to be replaced? When moving the lever in one regular speed continuous stroke, the friction of the camming pin moving across the ramp isn't obvious. It only becomes obvious when working the lever slowly across this portion of the motion - then it's both obvious and a bit noisy.

Yep, I'm selling the .45 ACP dies and 650 .45 ACP conversion kit. Can't sell here though as I don't have enough posts.

1. Correct. 2. Toolhead & Powder Dies are not caliber specific. 3. Everything required to load both primer sizes comes with the 650 press, as purchased. 4. Yes. 5. Not sure. 7. Yes. Thanks, put in my order Brian! That's the ejection wire... just buy a 650 spare parts kit. It will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Common parts breaks, just reach in the kit and get it... call later to for Dillon to replace it, no downtime. The used press came with a bunch of spare parts, just not that ejection wire. I forgot to mention, but yes, I did change out for the small primer seater.

I don't have enough posts to post a link, but what is the metal wire that forms a circle around the top of the shellplate called? The end of it hooks into the press in a slot next to the completed cartridge chute. It looks like it redirects completed cartridges into the chute. I bent it slightly while removing the .45 parts from the press. I suppose I can bend it back into shape, but may pick up a spare just in case.