Rico567

I agree with this. I used nothing but the Mother's wheel polish & Q-tips on my Glocks, and am pleased with the result. Any power device is fine, as long as you have a LIGHT touch. Don't kid yourself: 1) any polish is abrasive, 2) any abrasive is removing material 3) a power tool will remove material faster than by hand, much faster. Easy to take off too much.

This is good; I was concerned you were thinking about converting back & forth. I have a friend who uses & swears by the SDB, but he uses one for each caliber, and has said he learned by experience it was NOT the machine to be switching calibers on a regular basis.

I cast my own bullets for 20 years. For a lot of those, I had a steady supply of linotype metal, which was the best thing I ever encountered for making bullets (although it cast a bit light). Toward the end of that time, the only reliable source of cheap metal was wheelweights, which were dirty and inconsistent in quality. I then started to buy Lawrence Magnum bullet metal, but it made the casting that much more expensive. Also, By then I was older and hopefully somewhat wiser. I had read enough about the long-term effects of being around lead, and gave away my molds and casting furnace to a friend who was a shooter.

"revchuck" writes: "Clays is a good competition powder for .45 ACP, but if you're trying to hit factory velocities, you're not going to do it with Clays and jacketed bullets within the data Hodgdon puts out. It appears that it takes about 4.2 grains (5% over max) to hit around 750 fps with a five inch barrel, which leaves you about 80-90 fps short of standard factory 230 grain loads." I love Clays in .45 ACP, but I found out the truth of the above statement the hard way at our "surprise" shoot earlier this month. We were given a bunch of steel to knock down, and the finale was three large poppers set on a slight incline forward. I was shooting the standard Hodgdon manual max of 4.0 gr. of Clays with a 230 gr RN. I was ringing those poppers like a bell, but it was like hitting them with a 9mm....they wouldn't go down. The Winchester factory stuff worked fine, so I switched to reloading 4.5 of TG for the 230 gr. That should provide the extra energy to do the job.

This is a followup post (see previous above) on the resolution to the failure to fire problem with my G21. I changed out the trigger bar per "m4coyote"s post, from the older 4256 to the current production 4256-1, and my problem went away. (Yes, I am specifically using the WLP primers from the suspect lot HHL351G. I am also loading on the same machine (my Dillon XL650) with no changes or adjustments- and primer seating depth can't really be adjusted on the 650 anyhow. Before the trigger bar swap, ammo reloaded with these primers would yield 2 or 3 failures to fire per magazine. Now, they run 100%. I suggest that anyone who does not have the latest production trigger bar switch to it; too cheap not to.

"JimmyM"- thanks for the links. I'd been looking around for someone who had the #4256-1 trigger bar for my G21, and I got one ordered from Glockparts.com, since they specifically state that the trigger bar for the G20 & 21 is that number. Mos sites list the trigger bar assembly under a number ending "4417" but do not distinguish the earlier from the later part. I suspect that 4256-1 is the only part Glock is selling now. I also appreciate what "m4coyote" has to say about the interaction of the parts in this case (the plunger, striker, and trigger bar). The question is, does the new trigger bar cure this? I noticed after disassembling the slide that there is a burr on the front edge of one of the corners of the grooves machined at the front of the striker. After examining the parts, I can only conclude that this is due to this same interaction...specifically, in this case, of the striker and the plunger. When my new trigger bar comes in, we'll see how my G21 runs.

From my experience, it's loads. More specifically, in my case, it was primers, WLP primers to be specific. While some test rounds I sent to Winchester were analyzed as not having the primers seated adequately, this is not the case. I made very certain that those rounds had properly seated primers. The punch line is that I got that lot (most of a sleeve, about 4500 primers) at a "price I couldn't refuse." I wish I'd refused it now; as with other things, there was a reason. My 1911 or my revolvers have no problem setting the same loads off.

Keeping in mind that my opinions are based completely on non-concealed carry, as I live in the great state of IL, my arrival at the ideal carry Glock is rather like Goldilocks. My full-sized Glocks were clearly too large for the task. I borrowed and used the G30 and G27. The former was too bulky, and both of these minis didn't support the little finger except with add-ons. Not a big deal for some, but a non-starter for me. That left the G23, since 9mm is not an option. It seems to hit all the marks for me, and very well.

When I made the switch to Glock, my first gun was the G24C. I liked it so well that I then purchased a G21, despite the feeling that I was deserting my old faithful Wilson / Bar-Sto Colt 1911. I need not have worried. I'll never part from the G21; the SF has no attraction for me, since my hands are plenty big enough for the G21.

What "Scott R" said. Basic safety procedures in reloading -just as on the firing line- can never be repeated too often, and familiarity always breeds contempt if not counteracted by good habits, e.g, even if you pull the trigger to clear the gun and there's a round in the chamber, if you have the habit of pointing the gun in a safe direction, you will only be embarassed. 1. When reloading, only have type of powder you are currently reloading on the bench, with all other powder in your locker. 2. When finished loading a run of ammo, immediately empty the powder from the measure and return to the factory can or jug. 3. Only the box of primers (yeah, I mean the 100-count box....) you are currently working through (or the primer magazine you are using) should be at the bench. 4. The rest of your primers, whether in boxes or loaded into magazine tubes, should be away from the bench. Primers loaded in magazine tubes should be in a secure place away from both the bench and the main storage locker. 5. When finished loading a run of ammo, immediately empty leftover primers from the magazine and return to the factory packaging. 6. Keep the bench clean of all spilled powder, and keep track of any live primers that have "gone loose." We live in a society where one of our cherished values seems to be "convenience." Therefore, the above procedures are going to seem like overkill to many. But we'll hope it doesn't come to that..... BTW, here's the latest example I've seen of familarity breeding contempt: http://dishhead.home.insightbb.com/leg.html .....that would be classified as a "big owwie," I think. Those 230 gr. Hydra-Shoks have good penetration.

I agree with "n2ipsc" and like views. I don't really care whether or not the die is "masking another problem" or not. When I started using the FCD, all finished rounds started dropping into the gauge perfectly, all the time...as opposed to 4 or 5 per M not making it. At that rate, I can't believe there's another problem "being masked." They're just random inconsistencies between bullet and case dimensions...and the FCD takes it out, and now I no longer worry about gauging rounds. At about $12 for the FCD, that's a no-brainer.

I took my 650 apart for the first time about a year ago (had it about 4 years), and found a similar situation, but to a lesser degree. The pivot at the bottom of the ram was in good shape, but I cleaned & repacked it.. The lower link arm pivots were fine, and I did the same. The grease in the upper link arm pivots had turned a funky brown color, and the steel of the pin was no longer a bright shiny silver color, but had discolored somewhat. However, I found no pitting or roughness, so I cleaned and repacked those pivots as well, and the 650 continues to run smooth as glass. The other lube points are pretty easy to deal with, and I just wipe the ram with Mobil 1 0W-40 every time I start a session, and it works fine. I used the grease that comes in the big hypodermic gadget that Dillon supplies when you buy the accessory kit. If it's intended to be a grease gun, it's just another one of those (admittedly minor) areas where Dillon has produced an inferior product, like their useless "bench wrench," the giant and equally useless metal primer tray, and their overly complex and overpriced primer tube filler. I'm sure other greases will work, but I think it would be wise to make sure it's not a grease that will promote any reaction between those aluminum parts and the steel pivots. The Dillon grease doesn't seem to really prevent this, so a regular teardown, cleaning, and repacking of the pivots seems warranted. Exactly how long "regular" is, I suspect, depends on how much the press is used, rather than a given time interval. Since I got my first warning to relube my 650 on this forum, it would be nice to hear if anyone has found a grease that addresses this issue, or has come up with a suitable interval for a "lube job." I have seen what appears to be shock & surprise in a few threads on other forums when some guy who's complaining about Lee presses being aluminum is told to go put a refrigerator magnet on the blue parts on their Dillon, and see if it sticks. "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Aluminum is an excellent material for many applications, it's just interesting to see an "alumaphobe" caught unawares.....

I've checked out a friend's SDB that he bought used. In many ways, it seems comparable to the Lee Pro1000s I used to own....but I'm not going down THAT road. I sold my Pro1000s and bought a 650 about 4 years ago. The 650 is a great press, period. On the other hand, for what it and its associated equipment costs, it ought to be a great press. My biggest problem with the 650 is that it's overkill- for me. I don't really shoot enough to justify the rather complex caliber changes. If I was shooting a couple of thousand rounds a month, the 650 would be a good fit. I addressed this issue (at more expense) by getting a whole second primer feed assembly for the other size primer, and a second powder measure with the large bar. I dealt with the frequent caliber changes by getting more cases in all the calibers I load for, so I can go longer between changes. So- my problems are solved, but if I had it to do all over again, I might consider buying 4 SDBs for what I've got tied up in my 650 and all its accessories, and do NO caliber changes, just mount another machine & go. The only thing is- that would leave me loading rifle on my old Rock Chucker. "Not that there's anything wrong with that," but once You've loaded bags of .223 on a 650 very quickly, it's hard to go back to single stage. There are also incidental advantages to the 5th station on the 650 that I assume you're aware of. I run an RCBS Lockout Die in Station 3 in some configurations, for instance.

My primer flipper problems have been solved forever by the "Vibra-Prime" gizmo that Midway sells. It cost only $28 on sale, and it isn't even necessary to use the tubes that come with it- the Dillon primer tubes work directly. It incorporates a flip tray that works great, lock the flip tray into the pistol grip, insert a tube, pull the trigger, and it fills the tube in less than 10 seconds.

Given my recent struggle with a certain brand / size of primer, I might be inclined to credit that variations in primer dimension is at the root of this problem. However, I have experienced NO priming problems since I got my 650....none I can attribute to the 650, at any rate. The issue of the odd primer that seats, but is a bit "off" and ends up seated & shooting OK, but looking a bit shoved to one side in the primer pocket, is more a function of how much or how little radius exists on the primer pocket of various cases. Sellier & Bellot cases have primer pockets with a very pronounced "edge." I steer clear of these. Remington are the best, with a nicely radiused corner. Winchesters, which I mostly use, are- OK. While my bench might be described as "massive," my mounting system is hardly that. The 650 strong mount is bolted to a piece of 3/4" plywood about 1" bigger than the dimensions of the strong mount back & sides, and flush in front. I clamp the board to my bench with two C-clamps. Works like a charm. My final comment may prove a little frustrating, even to me, and that involves "feel" when it comes to progressive reloading. My now-departed Lee Pro1000s had a "feel," and this included the speed where they "liked" to run....probably 350-400 rounds per hour. My MEC shotgun reloader has a "feel," but it's not nearly as critical. The Dillon 650 also has a "feel," a certain rhythm. I think that the 650 performs best when the operator established a very consistent rhythm when operating it. This may require some concentration when first using the press, but once it is established, the press will run smoothly. I wish I could be more definite about this last item, but it's just a matter of....feel.

It's not clear whether or not you got a manual with this press. You can download one, as suggested above, or if you just call Dillon, I'll bet they send you one free. That happened with a riding mower I bought. When I called about a part, and they found out I didn't have a manual, they sent one right away. The manual is an indispensable accessory for the 650. Dillon publishes an excellent manual, to go along with their excellent 650, and you need to read & study that manual. The 650 is a great machine, but it's not particularly simple, and the caliber changes are complex. Good luck with your new Dillon!

What is the deal with the lock rings?? The new lock ring's handy- the smaller diameter creates more room on a somewhat crowded toolhead. Then, there's the ability to dispense with the "bench wrench," Dillon's answer to the Swiss Army Knife. Designed to do 15 things, none of them effectively. For some reason, Dillon does the big things well, but their accessories can be dubious, to say the least. Another example would be their giant metal primer flipper....which doesn't.

First off, I have no allegiance to any particular reloading machine or brand. I have owned Lyman, RCBS, Lee, MEC, and Dillon, and they all work. These companies could not remain in the market if they didn't make equipment that works. I did all my pistol reloading on two Lee Pro1000s for 20 years, and they worked just fine. I load on a Dillon XL650 now, and it works fine, too. The trick is to do what you're trying to do right now- find the right machine for your needs. Since you're considering the 550 vs. the 650, I can tell you how I made my decision to buy the 650, but I cannot speak as a 550 owner, because I've never owned one. My reasons for buying the 650 were: 1) greater rate of production 2) full auto-indexing progressive (this is not merely a speed feature, it's also a "safety check.") The tradeoff, i.e., how the 550 is superior to the 650: easier caliber changes. After owning the 650 for 4 years, I have concluded it's about a wash. I really enjoy the convenience afforded by the speed of the 650. Once set up, it will crank out large numbers of top-quality reloads very fast, and that's important to me. I no longer want to be tied to the loading bench the way I once did. The downside to this is the complex caliber change procedure. I quickly realized that the only way to solve the caliber change issue was to buy a second complete primer feed, and a second powder measure set up with the large charge bar. Not having to convert these assemblies pays off in greater change-over speed. I also acquired larger stocks of cases in each caliber, so I can go longer before caliber changes.

By all means use a chunk of wood and not concrete. As other comments in this thread have stated, concrete will destroy the puller in short order. Also, to save wear & tear on the puller be sure you follow through with your strike, i.e., don't let it bounce. You'll get a lot more "pull" that way.

I think any time one doesn't understand the warranty before buying a product it's a caveat emptor situation (That's Latin for "tough luck, buddy.") "Unofficial" warranties are just that; if it helps, think of them as "favors." The person or outfit dispensing the favor can change what they do at any moment. I think I've been treated fairly by Dillon....also by Lyman, RCBS, Lee, and MEC. One of the gratifying things about this pastime is the high level of service in the industry. But that service is not always structured or dispensed in the same fashion. I understood when buying my Lee equipment that it was a great bargain, that parts were cheap, but the warranty was limited. I understood when buying my Dillon XL650 that I was paying for a very generous warranty, but as a part of the purchase price. Both arrangements are fine with me. I understood both going in, and if I didn't, that'd be "my bad" as the younger generation says. Now, on other products, that's another story. I should mention, however, given some other remarks in this thread, that I DID have a good experience this week on my out-of-warranty pickup truck. Two months ago, a front brake locked up and it was about $350 worth of work, including new rotor, front pads, hoses. The same brake locked up Christmas Eve. I had it towed into the dealer after the holiday, and the service manager called me back and said the problem was a bad caliper that they had not caught the first time. He said there would be no charge ($270) for the caliper because of the inconvenience. Beat that, these days.....

Pushing powders like Titegroup, 231, etc. to major in .40 is not something I'd try....but I'm not competitive, and so am not interesting in finding those zippy low-recoil loads. I'm interested in 155-165 gr. bullets at service velocities. Searching for Nirvana in a high-pressure cartridge using fast powders is a journey fraught with peril. I had my enlightenment with that many years ago when working up loads for .38 Super...but that's another story. When getting into .40, I tested WAP, WSF, 540, and Universal, and found them all quite good. In the end, I selected Universal; never looked back.

I load nothing but Clays in .45 ACP. I loaded 231 for about 20 years, and was very happy with it. Then a shooting companion told me that Clays had softer recoil, so I bought a bottle of it. I decided the soft recoil factor was probably there, but there were also other benefits. It burns cleaner than 231 in all guns (I use it in my 12 ga. for sporting clays loads, and it doesn't leave unburned powder grains in .45 ACP revolvers, and 231 does), and is somewhat more economical. After that first bottle I didn't have any problem with the contents disappearing- I just buy the 8 lb. jug. I recently tried Titegroup, but decided it didn't really provide any advantages over Clays, and was dirtier and heated up the gun more, so I used the rest in .45 Colt. As others have noted, I don't regard Clays as suitable powder for higher pressure cartridges. I shoot a lot of .40, and find another Hodgdon powder, Universal, to be quite suitable.

I'm not going to "stand up" for Lee, because I don't think it requires a defense. I've loaded on Lyman, RCBS, Lee, MEC, and Dillon reloading presses. All have done the job in a perfectly satisfactory manner....and all had their quirks. As an example, I had to analyze the Pro1000 primer feed when I first got the press. After I realized that in a gravity feed system, the primer trough must be kept full, and must be agitated, I had no further problems. My modification consisted of a rubber band. It's just common sense that the major reloading manufacturers, including such as Hornady, Redding, etc. could not have remained in business this long if they didn't produce good products. The ammo I loaded for around 20 years on my two Lee Pro1000s was every bit as good as the ammo I now load on my Dillon XL650. Why did I switch? I wanted greater production, and to reload bottleneck rifle calibers (despite the fact that Lee sells the Pro1000 set up for .223, I don't really think it's robust enough for bottleneck rifle sizing, although it's fine for pistol calibers). Why didn't I get a Loadmaster? At the time, I had my doubts, so I bought the Dillon. Since then, I've seen "Uncle Don"'s videos of him doing timed loadings on his Loadmaster on the Glock talk Reloading forum, and I could have saved a bunch of money by going that route. That being said, the Dillon is certainly a fine machine, probably overkill for the volume I reload. The biggest quirk of the Dillon is its complex caliber changes. Unless you're loading 1K+ rounds at a go, definitely way too much. I dealt with this issue by purchasing a complete primer feed assembly for the other size primer, and a second powder measure with the large charge bar permanently installed- this cuts down the conversion time. To put off the time to the next conversion, I greatly increased my case inventory, so that I can load more rounds at a time. And if we as consumers all owe a debt of gratitude to Lee, it is for producing innovative products at such low prices that there is little doubt that they have single-handedly helped keep prices down industry wide. I should also note that having to pay Lee for parts, and not having to pay Dillon is a false comparison. My Pro1000s cost about $100 each, complete with powder measure & dies. Over the 20 years I used them, I may have spent $75-80 on parts, half of that for a new shell plate carrier. I then put them on eBay and sold them both for $150. I'd say that's remarkably good economics. (Disclaimer: I have used machines on both sides of the "color line," and have found them quite serviceable. My experience speaks for itself, and, no, I am not paritcularly handy and have no technical or engineering background.)

Lee Bell said: "Check to ensure you have the right primer tube inside the primer housing." Absolutely. Yeah, check that immediately. I didn't even think about that, and it hadn't been that long since I'd read the thread "Big Kaboom Xl650." If you go and read this thread, the poster, "packed," had evidently removed the inner tube by some error, which will just leave a mass of primers to feed haphazardly down into the rotating primer feed plate. He got one sideways, crunched it, and he got the "Dillon Volcano" out the top of the primer feed as all 100 primers went. The wrong size inner primer mechanism tube would also likely produce bad results. When I first started to use the 650, one time I didn't pay attention to the green / yellow tips, and filled a large primer charging tube with SP primers....and got some inverted.

Unless there is something wrong with your Lee dies, I doubt it. I use the Lee FCD in station 5 with the rest of a Dillon carbide set in .45 ACP. I use only Lee dies with FCD in .40 S&W, .38/.357 and .45 Colt. No problems, and no difference in press operation. While never having any problem with my Dillon primer feeds, in this situation I would check out the primer punch, the Station 2 locator tab, and shellplate indexing as has been described, then I would completely disassemble, check & clean the primer feed and reassure myself that the primer feed was correctly indexing and feeding a primer with each press cycle, without anything else (cases, powder, etc.) in the press.