Gavin Melville

My Stepson and his (ex) idiot wife named their daughter Cocaine, luckily a middle name, but Katherine Cocaine ******** is going to have a hard time. She's now 14 and wonders what her parents were thinking. We fought against it, but in the end the parents get to choose. We just hope she doesn't want to travel much. Once she was two that name is permanent, and even if she changes her name it's still on her passport and official records. I also went to school with a Wayne Kerr... http://www.lawsociety.org.nz/home/for_the_public/lawyers_standards_committee_decisions/decision_summaries/decisions/2010/unsatisfactory_conduct2._failure_to_respond_to_client He was quite happy with his name -- then.

Best chrono destruction i've seen. We're setting up a match and a club member arrives and wants to chrono his shotgun with his new CED ProChrono. "Go away, the ranges are closed". He winged and whined so much we let him shoot over it. First round -- 12 ga straight through the front of his Chrono. No photo because there wasn't really anything left. He collected the bits and left without saying anything. We didn't feel the need to say anything either. Where's our club Chrono right now?. Bit ill to say the least -- a member borrows our Shooting Chrony and puts a 308 rifle round exactly through the little target in the "O" of Chrony. I've repaired it, but it hasn't worked so well since. He is very experienced and should have had a clue that the barrel and the scope aren't exactly aligned.

Nice pics! A fast shutter and a good burst mode, right?. Yep -- 1D4, get about 1 BIF in a thousand frames, so some busy weekends I get maybe 20...

I've posted a few here. BIF photos It's fairly easy to do, easiest with your camera at exact right angles to the bullet flight path. Needs a 1/8000 shutter, and even then the projectile is "stretched" by about 2 1/2 lengths. I'll find some more later. Have yet to get a .223

Mine is on a office desk, bolted to a 3 foot square sheet of 1 inch fibreboard place on top of the desk. It did shake too much, so I put 90lbs of lead just forward of the press mount, and it works perfectly (literally never misses a beat)

You haven't seen funny until you've seen a lightly built lady shooter stuck to her car with her new magnetic mag holder.

My granddaughter was named Catherine Cocaine McCl*** by my stepson and his dipsy (now ex) wife. We tried to block this, but they appealed to the Births Registrar (New Zealand has laws to block REALLY silly names) that it was the name of a song, and it was eventually allowed. The girl is now 13, and wonders what her parents were on at the time -- and no, they couldn't have afforded any. She can change her name once she is 16, but her passport will always show the original. I just hope she doesn't have to travel internationally. As Einstein said -- there are two things that are limitless -- the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the Universe.

One of the locals here started using stainless media that he used at work for polishing jewelery -- these were small docdecahedrons about 1/8in across. Brass looked great until it started shattering in strange places (like a disc falling out of the side of a case), and we worked out the peening action was work hardening the brass. The tumber itself was fairly gentle, but after a few cleaning cycles wrote off his entire brass collection. After that it didn't seem such a good idea. G.

I got the "could you call Cheryl, her laptop is broken" call at work from my wife. Cheryl is actually blonde. The converstion went a bit like this; Hi Cheryl, what's the problem. New Laptop doesn't work anymore, worked for a few days and now it doesn't. Did you charge it ? Don't have to -- it's wireless. Um -- (trying not to sound condescending) I think you still need to charge it. The salesman from H***** N***** (Australasian members will know who I mean, but think Radio Shack without the technical skills) said it's wireless. Could you connect to the Internet ? Ah -- no -- that didn't work either. Do you have an access point and router ? A what... Do you have a little box connected to the phone line ? Don't have to -- it's wireless. After charging it, and buying a AP it works a bit better, but it'll always be a struggle.

A few tips; The best adjustment procedure for the shell plate locking ring is -- clean the shellplate, lightly grease it when changing it, and do it up fully tight and gentle snug the plastic locking tabs to they just touch the thread, then back the ring off until the shellplate just completes the cycle by itself. After cycling the handle the shellplate should move on it's own until the ball is in the hole, but only just. Cycle the press a few times, check it, and after the first 100 rounds check it again. After that it seems stable, but if the shellplate is correct then all else seems good. It must not rock. Get a few thou ground off the top swager punch so the centre of the punch touches down when the swager comes up from below without expanding the cases, otherwise the projectiles are too loose. If the swager and it's mate are adjusted just right you can feel if a case didn't deprime before fitting a second primer to a already primed case. The small piece of vacuum hose on the primer sled matters, but I can't see why. You did clip half a turn off the detent ball spring -- right..... Fill the shellplate with cases, loosen the white primer station tab slightly, press it too far in, and rotate the shellplate a full turn. Do the button head socket screw up. Neither of my shellplates are exactly round either. Close but not exactly. Get the tab near the case feeder entry into the top funnel just right. The shape it arrives in is wrong. You need to watch a bit to see how to bend it, but it just misses the case. Best described as the top is bent down further than it started, so the body of the tab is angled maybe 20 deg further down than the body of metal it leaves from. The adjustment of the big bolt on top of the toolhead matters. Both of my toolheads have the alignment pins drilled not quite true, so they seem to work best if the bolt is gentle tightened with the toolhead right down, then lift it up an inch (about half way up the pins) and tighten the bolt. That way the little shimmy in the shellplate as the head comes down is half to the left, half to the right. This affects priming accuracy. I use a bar across the die heads so I don't put load on the press frame when doing the big bolt up. Get some long primer punch pins. These vary a bit, and I've had most success with the longer kind, but you still need the "snap" meachanism on top of the primer die to flick some primers off. Sometimes you'll stuff a blue tip on the primer tube. Replace it. If there's even the slightest damage they don't work. I've made a little mod to the powder checker -- when you're real stoked up you can't hear the short beep if there was a problem. It extends the beep to perhaps 1/2 second. If interested PM me and I'll send a photo. It's more about what fits than technical trickery. Involves 1 resistor and 1 capacitor. When she's treated with care I'm getting about 1800 an hour, and with a bullet pouring, primertube loading assistant (factor in the arm set for the short stroke, One Shot case lube and no crappy brass) I have got 2500 in an hour. Then my arm fell off. I would expect to load 1000 without any failures whatsoever. Gavin.

Hi, I'm trying to fix a friends STI top ended Para Rear Sight, and the "collar" is missing off the end of the windage screw. By it's age it's probably a BoMar, but this isn't certain. I know it's 48 TPI, the screw measures .106", 2.71mm. My thread gauge says it's 3/32 Whitworth, or it could be 4-48 or 3-48. I don't have time to get a new sight out to New Zealand -- does anyone know what thread this is ? Regards, Gavin Melville gavin.melville@acclipse.co.nz

Hi, I was watching my own comp closely in near darkness last night (I wasn't shooting the gun) and it was interesting watching the flame/gas. I know it's nothing like CFD but the flame shape/height from shot to shot was quite different. There's all sorts of variables here, maybe even a little unburnt powder, but I was still surprised at the differences. As others have pointed out there are many small variables, any of which can make the comp work differently. I wonder if some high speed photography, and/or polarised light might give insight into what is happening around the comp. Another interesting observation -- I was recently the RM for a regional match and ended up running the chrono. After shooting 25 open guns in succession the overall comment -- they all shoot about the same.... The guns ranged from home converted 9mm minor to 9x25 MAJOR with most everything possible in between. In terms of bounce, recovery, wiggles etc. there were slight differences, but in the end they all recovered about the same - in other words how they were held (consistently) didn't make much difference. I expected more differences... Gavin Melville, gavin.melville@acclipse.co.nz

Hi, I realise that this is not exactly the "missed" primer problem, but one of the 650s' I setup recently had exactly this problem, and in the end it was the bench -- twice. I added 3/16's steel plate about 3 feet square under the press to a bench that was kind of solid. Once I could see the primers turning up on edge (or starting to turn) I realised it still wasn't solid enough. The disk method of handling primers is very sensitive to vibration, and in the end we put a heavy steel foot from right under the press down to a concrete floor. That fixed it -- competely. I suspect that the shape of the hole in the disk is part of the issue -- when the primers tip they don't recover and sit back down. This might seem silly, but worth a try. Take the disk out, and clean it -- grease will make it worse. On a bench or similar place the disk on the flat surface. Put a primer in a hole, and slide the disk off the edge of the bench. Try it a few times and then try the disk up the other way. With all five of the disks I have had my hands on they drop clear one way, and tend to stick at an angle the other way as they pass across the edge (only works with a sharp edge). Put the disk back in the way up that worked better. Every part of the primer mechanism has to be spotlessly clean. The problem seems to be a little worse with the strong mount -- I suspect due to greater leverage. While I had one 650 on my own bench I had 100lbs of lead placed just behind the press mount, and no strong mount. That bench wasn't great -- just a steel office desk, but mounted to a wall. The lead weight stopped the primer problems. While I still recommend 650's to club members, I ask them to build a massive (rather than just strong) bench first.

Hi, Much as Dillon doesn't think the primer disk has a correct way up it actually does. To show this place a new primer (be careful, wear glasses) in one of the holes while flat on a table (or whatever) that has a fairly sharp edge, and slide the disk/primer off the edge at about the same rate as the disc rotates. One way up the primer will almost always tip and then stick, and the other way up the primer will almost always drop free. The reason for this is the lip that is just inside the chamferred portion of the hole is not symetrical -- ie. one end of the hole is larger than the other. That lip must be to the top. See my comments and drawings at http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43328. When I drew this I thought the lip was symetrical -- it is actually slightly smaller on one end. Dillon sent me a new primer disk and related parts, which was good of them, although they made no comment, either here or with the parts, which was less so. The 650 I was working on is now working fine -- the solution was not to allow primers to pass the puch in the first place. Those that do are almost certain (not absolutely certain) to fall into the little tray that spent primers sometimes get collected in. About 1 in a hundred still stick in the disk, and if not noticed they will pas to the end and get crushed. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not slanging Dillon's products -- I couldn't be happier with my own 1050, but I have set up four 650's recently that I have recommended local club members buy and they all have primer issues that would be simple to fix.

Thanks -- but it's not mine, it belongs to a fellow shooter. I have to put up with a perfectly functioning S1050 It'll be interesting to see if "dillon" has any comments.

Hi, Californians aren't _nearly_ as earthquake complacent as you might think -- I was staying in Luguna Nigual (70 miles south of LA) in October 1999 when the Hector Mine / Joshua tree quake hit at 2:46am. Magnitude 7.1 and 69 miles away. The family we were staying with had an earthquake shelter at the foot of their stairs, but there was no way they would move from there to check on us. When my wife and I got there they looked and acted terrified. The only good thing that came out of it was that my wife was afraid of the small earthquakes we get in New Zealand (magnitude 4 is rare), and now she mostly doesn't comment on them. I have however realised that anyone who tells you to get outside (or anywhere else) has never been in a big one -- you can't move foward due to being too busy crashing into walls.

Hi, A mornings work seems to have solved the problem -- in the end it came down to the following; 1. All primer disks are not equal -- a borrowed one changed the incidence to near zero. From careful examination of the disk it does not work equally both ways up. The borrowed one had holes 2-3 thou. smaller, and the smaller hole edges (larger lip) need to be up. They were down in the disk that arrived with this press. We''ll get a new disk from Dillon, however fitting the current one the right way up has greatly reduced the incidence. 2. The tab that tips cases away from the drop point on the case feeder needed to be bent much further "in" ie. it tips more cases back into the bowl. This was the root of the problem in that a case would drop the right way up followed instantly by one the wrong way up. It was the cases the wrong way up that caused the primers to be skipped. 3. The bench was very solid, but needed to be even more solid -- even with 3mm of steel on the entire top surface of the bench we added a massive foot right under the press. All done this meant we could load 100's of rounds without failure, and with the shellplate removed, process 300 primers without one jamming. I would suggest anyone else who has primer problems or has experienced a kaboom (I have to wonder if the crushed primers we experienced are the root of the dreaded 650 volcano) check which way up the disk is. Regards, Gavin Melville.

The problem I have is that the other two I've setup don't do this -- not even remotely the same rate. I suspect it all comes down to the shape of the holes in the disk, and I've arranged to borrow one next weekend from a working press.

Hi, Replies to comments so far: Yes -- can do, but it happens in a place that's somewhat hard to see. I thought of that, but from experience that affects primers before they are punched into a case (and this was happening before the bench got braced). This issue only affects primers after they are not used. I hadn't thought of borrowing one from another shooter -- I don't have a 650 myself (1050). I can just see the conversation "could I borrow a bit from your perfectly working press please -- I'll return it -- honest". It's actually a good idea.... Regards, Gavin Melville.

Hi All, I've setup three XL650's recently and two work perfectly -- the third has a subtle and persistant primer problem. This is not my press -- I am setting this up for a fellow shooter. As primers leave the priming station (which only happens if there is no case there) they tilt as they get to the hole in the disk that lets them drop down the unused primer chute. If the alignment of the two socket screws that mount the entire upper priming assembly is correct ie. the primer punch is in the middle of the primer hole in the case then the problem is worse. It's worse because the edge of the platform (part no 22060) just impinges on the area that the hole in the primer disk needs, and as the primer trys to fall it tilts -- and then jams. Even if the entire upper priming assembly is adjusted so the punch is not perfectly centered and the hole in the disk is clear of the edge of the platform casting then as the disk turns the primers tend to tilt as they start to drop, but not quite as often. The attached photos with the shell plate removed may make this clearer. Not every primer fails to drop, but about 5 out of 20 do. It is not from the same holes in the disk every time, but -- subjectively -- some seem worse than others. The primers are Winchester Small Rifle, but I have tried others -- which were worse. I have tried; Stripped the entire priming mechanism -- 3 times. Cleaned / smoothed / checked every part. All parts are the correct ones for small primers. All lubrication has been removed except as needed. The bench was OK, but now has 1/4 in of steel on top of it and is very solid. Before the bench was changed some primers were getting flipped before the primer punch, but this has ceased. The primer disk has minute scratches on it's surface from jammed primers, but has been carefully smoothed out. The holes are all clean and free of burrs, and the countersunk portion of each hole has been smoothed where needed. The primer disk has been flipped and is no better either way up. The primer disk is not bent. The only thing I can see that might be a problem is that the bore of the holes in the primer disk look like they were turret punched ie. there is some sign of breakaway. Two of the images (Part1.jpg, Part1s.jpg) show what this is like. These are CAD mockups of what any one hole looks like. Should the holes in the disk show this, or should they be clean bored ?. I would appreciate any thoughts, but keep in mind as I'm from New Zealand I can't drop this back to Dillon -- the nearest Dillon dealer (and it wasn't purchased from him) is 500 miles away. Regards, Gavin Melville gavin.melville@acclipse.co.nz

Hi, Does anyone know the correct Allen key for the C-More locking cap screws. They seem to be just a bit larger than 1.5mm but none of my imperial Allen keys seem to fit well. Gavin Melville gavin.melville@acclipse.co.nz

Hi, I'm posting this on behalf of a fellow shooter without 'net access. He has two 550s' (one brand new) and both sets of pickup tubes "jam" when picking up Federal Large pistol primers. Even when feeding one or two primers down the tube by hand they tend to jam. They jam at random places, and the tubes are very clean. Has anyone found a solution for this ?. PS: When viewed inside and outside in just the right light the tubes have faint "ripples" in the surface -- a bit like a very coarse thread...... Regards, Gavin Melville.

Thanks, Gavin.

Hi, I've just put a 650 together for my local club, and the white adaptor that sits in the mouth of the case feeder funnel was not originally supplied. I asked for one to be sent but it doesn't fit -- it is the kind that fits the clear section on the front of my 1050. The clear section on the front of this latest 650 case feeder seems to be different -- narrower and a very different shape. Does anyone know if there is a funnel adaptor for the new 650 case feeder, or does it need one for 9x19 ? TIA, Regards, Gavin Melville gavin.melville@acclipse.co.nz