straightshooter1

A few thoughts: First of all, this is the type of malfunction that drives a shooter crazy and often cannot be diagnosed except by eliminating possibilities. 1. Doesn't sound like a magazine problem based on your description of the malfunction. But a basic action, in any situation like yours, is to make sure the malfunction isn't limited to one mag-if so, put it away, see if any more happen. Doubt that is the problem, but check it anyway. 2. Doesn't sound like an ammo problem ONLY because you said it happens with reloads and factory. One easy way to find out is to wait till it happens and DON'T tap the slide to chamber it and continue, rather, stop and eject that round and check it visually and with the gauge. 3. Doesn't sound like a dirty chamber problem ONLY because you said it happens sometimes right after cleaning. Again, next time stop, eject the round and disassemble the gun and look at the chamber. See if there's something amiss in there. BIG Problem with 2 & 3 is that in a match you will have to quit. Yuck! But, if this problem only occurs then, how else are you gonna find out what the problem is and fix it so it doesn't happen again? Of course if you can get it to happen in practice, you can resolve these two issues on the spot. 4. If it is not the ammo, the mag or the chamber, then you must have something worn as noted above by the other posters. You can visually check (or get a good 'smith to look at these things) and, if nothing appears amiss, start by replacing the extractor. I would still bet on #2 or #3 above or a combination of both unless you have a really worn gun. Please let us know what you find and I hope you find it sooner rather than later.

Congratulations on choosing to go forward with your education. I got my Masters (Urban Police Administration) while I was still a police officer. Then I went on to Law School and am getting close to retirement as a prosecutor here in sunny Florida. Rarely does a month go by that I don't use something I got from grad school, even nearly thirty years later. Good Luck! Bob

CDNN has been around for several years (I'm thinking close to 20-maybe a bit less or more). Back in the pre-Clinton days when FFLs were easier to get and hang on to, we dealt with them from time to time. Never had a problem of any kind. Now my favorite FFL dealer has his FFL placed with them. I can call up, order what I want, pay by credit card, and he gets it in a few days. Still no problems. Bob

Check www.smith-wessonforum.com in the Classifieds. You have to register to view them though. Do a search and you will find a fellow who makes them out of Elk and they are quite nice, very reasonable, and I have not seen anyone complain about the fit. I have not purchased any but he seems to sell every pair he lists. Bob

I get one or two per week it seems. Often from a bank in the area saying that my account has some irregularities and trying to get my debit card info, etc. Ebay scams come at least once a week. They, at least lately, take the form of a question from another Ebayer asking me about something I bid on or sold. Of course I know it is a "mistake" and when I click to reply I get a log-on page wanting my Ebay password, etc. Paypal scams come once a week, too. They say my account will be suspended unless.... Irritating to say the least. I wonder how many folks actually fall for these? Bob

I'm sure someone will reply who has more knowledge of 650s than I do, but the first thing that came to my mind was whether, when setting OAL, you had a case in every position on the shell plate? Not doing so can make the OALs inconsistent. Bob

I know you have already purchased the swager from Brian or Dillon. However, after you have swaged your first 1000 cases (or even a few hundred) you might consider purchasing them swaged already. www.gibrass.com is Jeff Bartlett's site and he is a very nice guy who sells once-fired and pull-down gi brass. Brass is always great, never a problem. And, for only $10 per thousand, he will "process" the brass removing the crimp. I have used his brass for years and have never had any problem with the repriming after he has removed the crimp. Well worth the ten bucks IMHOP. I have had a couple of problems with other sellers "processed" brass, but never his. I have used Midway's and I liked it but have seen a couple of threads on other forums which claimed the poster had some problems. Scharch is okay, too, I believe. I have not personally used Pat's Reloading, but have heard great things about them. All easy to find on the Web. Do your first several hundred and you will understand and, I think, appreciate what ten bucks can still buy. Bob

Thanks, Looks like I'll just use these for practice. Fortunately, with the welcome death of the Assault Weapons Ban, the new mags are readily available and the price is pretty right. I think I got the last ones from Midway, with the #6 followers, for something like $16.99. Bob

I have two mags for my 22 that do not have the #6 followers. I like the #6 followers as mags with those followers seem to shoot out of the gun when the mag release is pressed. Looks like a higher lip on the left side causes it, but I am not sure. Are these followers available and, if so, where? I didn't see any on Glockmeister or Topglock. If so, are they interchangeable with any hi-cap mag made after the demise of the old "u" high caps? The two without these followers are LEO mags and I have to strip them out of the gun. Very slow reloads as a result. Thanks, Bob

Sargenv-that doesn't sound right to me. I have a 550 (2) and have had no problem with CCIs in many years. (10-15 years ago the small pistols allegedly weren't quite "round" and would hang up the primer feed). I load CCI mostly in rifles, but do 45s with the same brand and have no trouble. Can't see why a 650 would reject them. I would call Dillon and ask. I really like CCI and Federal primers and several other shooters I hang use them, too. I think I'd ask Dillon. Bob

I load mostly rifle and usually use CCI Match Primers and sometimes Federal Match Primers. A couple of months ago, I bought 500 Winchester Large Rifle Primers and noticed an occasional failure to go bang (5-6 per hundred). Never had that trouble before. And, only have that trouble with these primers. Primers were fresh from my wholesale supplier, not improperly stored, not contaminated. On a couple, I could recock the gun and it would fire the second time. Others were simply dead. I don't know if Winchester has changed the quality or their source, but I do know I won't be buying any Winchester primers after that experience. This is the only problem I have seen with any primers in years. I recall 10-15 years ago, maybe more, that the Dillon reps would suggest not using CCI Small Pistol Primers because they apparently weren't perfectly round and would not work too well in the Dillon primer feeds (and all my priming problems with small pistol disappeared when I quit using CCI back then), but apparently CCI fixed that problem (??) and other than some brands of primers being harder to set off in handguns than others, they have really been a non-issue, at least for me. 5-6 out of a hundred sounds a lot like a 20% failure rate. I just won';t use that product until I hear, through this forum I suppose, that the matter is resolved.

One of the benefits of the Sierra Manual, which I should have mentioned (though I still would pick the Lyman first), is that you can actually call Sierra and talk with the guys who put the loads listed in the manual together, discuss your gun/caliber with them and they will give you great advice on "tweaking" your load & gun to get the most out of it. I have called them a couple of times with minor problems/questions and always found them to be much like the Dillon guys-always willing to help, never talking down to you and always acting interested in your problem. I am unaware of any other company publishing loading manuals that you can call and talk to the shooters/techs themselves, though there may be some I just don't know about. Bob

I'm amazed at the folks who report here that they have broken guns. From dry firing? Or is it from a steady diet of hundreds and hundreds of majors that finally cause wear and/or breakage? Certainly is not my experience, but .... Of course dry firing a rimfire gun is bad. The firing pin impacts the rim of the cylinder since the rim of the case which contains the priming compound is not there and, in a short time, you can have many little dents, called peening, in the rim of the cylinder. Eventually the rim of the cartridge doesn't lie flat against the rim of the cylinder. Shotguns are generally a no-no, too. For reasons I can't explain, those big pins tend to crystalize and break from the vibration of dry-firing, or so I'm told. Never had one do it myself, but.... Or, it could be an urban legend. Some of the import single-action SASS guns had issues with the firing pin bushing coming slightly out with repeated dryfiring so snap caps might be better if used with them. But most revolvers and semiautos-as Cops in the 60s-70s we dry fired for what seemed like hours. When I shot bullseye, everyone I knew of put that little black dot on the living room wall and spent a tremendous time trying to drop the hammer of that K38 or Colt Target Model without disturbing the sights. Teaching firearms classes for CCW Permits, we have the students dry fire and I do too. Never, ever, had any problem with quality factory-type parts. Maybe with all the aftermarket gizmos and whizbangs, dryfiring may be a problem, but not with any standard Glock, Smith, Sig, etc.

I have a custom 308 03A3 Springfield made up 20 or so years ago as a Match Rifle by one of our local legends, Cliff Huston, and an M1 Garand NM in 308. The following loads are ones which will shoot incredibly well (and loaded on a Dillon 550 BTW) in both rifles: 1. 168 Sierra MatchKing, 41.4 grains of IMR 4064, CCI Match Primer, loaded to an OAL of 2.800. 2. 168 Sierra MatchKing, 40 grains of AA 2520, CCI Match Primer, loaded to OAL 2.800. 3. 175 Berger VLD, 42.2 grains of IMR 4062, Federal Match Primer, loaded to 2.880 OAL. 4. 173 GI Match (if you can find any) with 39 grains of IMR 4895, CCI Match Primer, and an OAL of 2.800. A cast bullet load that will shoot less than an inch with iron sights at 100 yards-never shot it any farther than that: 17.5 grains of AA 5744 with any good 165-190 grain cast bullet. Seat around 2.605 OAL or longer if you can. I use match primers in these, but you don't have to. I use any good commercial or military brass BUT they need to be "Match prepped" for best accuracy. That is with the flash holes deburred and the primer pockets uniformed. There are tools to do this available from Sinclair International but I use the RCBS Casemate which does this and lots more really quick and sells for less than a hundred bucks. Bob

Lyman's No. 48 would be my first choice because: It is newer than most, and it has loads for both jacketed and cast, and lists many different bullets and weights, with many loads for many different powders, and has loads which were the most accurate in their testing and which generally have been accurate for me in the calibers I load (mostly rifle) and which are a good place to start. (Some of them have proven more accurate with a little tweaking). Sierra's manual offers the same benefits except the bullets are limited to Sierra's only. Bob

We moved from St. Pete to Seminole (sunny Florida) and I turned the third bedroom into a reloading room, six foot HEAVY wooden bench, big "sliders" from Home Depot under the legs to protect the carpet. Didn't have to anchor it to the wall, added gun safes, shelves for brass and bullets, wooden boxes for powder and I can load in air-conditioned comfort. My wife took the second bedroom for her "stuff" so we each have our own room for our hobbies. Works very nicely. Bob

From what you describe in your post, you are as much as 3 tenths off. I have never had a Dillon measure drop loads that much off even with extruded rifle powders. Check to make sure everything is tight, make sure you are consistent in the strokes as the previous posters told you and, if you are still that much off I would call Dillon and get them to walk through all of the possibilities with you over the phone. I once had a terrible problem with my primer slide that I just couldn't figure out. They took about 30 minutes over the phone to walk me through every possibility and, finally, we found the problem and fixed it. That was about fifteen years ago, but they haven't changed in their willingness to help a customer as far as I can see. Maybe you should just go ahead and call them today. They have (or used to have) a motto of "Don't suffer in silence" and I have always found them to be way above and beyond any other company in customer service. Plus (since I have always been a bit mechanically challenged) they don't treat you like you are some idiot. They are always respectful and, above all, helpful. One last thought-do you have two powder measures? If so, put the other one on and see if you are still off. If it drops + or - a tenth, then it is not you, but some fault in the other measure. I always like to see that it is not me (did I mention that I am a bit mechanically challenged?) but that it is the "thing" itself that is at fault. Bob

Rico-I did the same. I have been trying to order all my Dillon stuff thru Be and I think I ordered a total of either eight or ten packs of five of the one inchers. Slowly replacing the old ones. I agree the old Benchwrench is pretty awful. I, sadly, have two. One fell from the magnetic strip over my bench and is lodged behind it. I have little interest in recovering it. Bob

If you didn't find it, Brian has it on the site under Dillon dies. There is an illustration showing how the dies are made so they work better with the progressive press. I've had several 550s, got my first one in 1987 and have used every brand of die. I love Dillon's as I am convinced they speed the process up. Your RCBS dies are fine, just that the Dillon dies will make loading, especially on the 650, quicker and smoother over all. Even if your dies are used, you can sell them or, as I often do with items I want to get rid of, trade them to the friendly man at the "reloading shop" for primers, powder or bullets. For about $55, you just can't beat Dillon IMHO. I say this knowing lots of the folks on this site use Lee and swear by them. With the exception of the Lee Factory Crimp Die, my experience has been to swear at them (or at least make mean faces). Enjoy the 650-I have been considering adding one to load 30'06, but haven't made up my mind. Bob

I have a 550, have used RCBS in several calibers and there is no problem. That being said, I prefer Dillon since they are tapered at the bottom and allow the case to slip in so smoothly. Once in a while (too often for me) with non-Dillons the case hits the edge of the die and hangs up. To see what I mean, look at the bottom of your resizer. Then compare it to a Dillon (you can see an illustration in the Blue Press and maybe on this site). See how the case will have more "room" to enter? But if you have the RCBS, no problem. If they are new, try to sell 'em and buy Dillons from BE-you will be happier. Bob

Not sure how they would get in the outer tube, but can't you just remove the end of the spring beneath the primer feed, unscrew the two screws that hold the primer feed in place, and are located with heads facing down where the spring was, hold an empty big coffee can or wastebasket under the primer feed, lift the outer tube slightly, and pull out the primer feed. Primers should drop freely and all over the place. It could be a two person job, one to hold the container and the other to lift the tube and pull the primer feed out (or just put a big empty garbage can below the whole thing. Take the fired primer catcher off first so there are no obstructions for the little devils to hit and bounce off of. Then check to make sure all are out and put it back. Not really any different than changing from large primers to small. Which makes me wonder if you have the right size inner primer tube in there. One is for small primers, the other for large. Bob

Everything they said about the slight pause to let the powder flow into the casing sounds like my own experience. However, I am a bit concerned about your inconsistent charges. If, after you try the slight pause, you are still getting inconsistent charge weights, then check out the "powder measure problems" thread in "Dillon Reloading Equipment" here on this board. My experience is that I get very, very consistent charge weights with Dillon's powder measures with most powders. Once in a while, I find an extruded powder that doesn't like these measures, but, even so, the weights are pretty close. Bob

I just had the same problem with one of my powder measures. I cleaned, tightened, loosened, checked, looked and, finally, I called Dillon. They promptly sent me a new rifle powder bar and the problem was solved. No idea why this particular bar chose to act up. It made no sense, didn't matter what powder (or no powder) and just "started" one day. I am just glad for Dillon's no-cost replacement. Bob

The Outdoor Superstore, www.outdoorsuperstore.com, says they have Hornady pilots that fit the Pacific trimmer. You might pull up the site, see if it is the same and/or call them. Natchez shooters Supply lists them interchangeably as Pacific/Hornady. Bob

Seems like everything is going up and no real reason for it. As to bullets, I shoot a lot of rifle, so I decided cast bullets would be interesting, and lots cheaper. For about five or six years, I could buy really great quality 190 grain gas checked bullets for half or less of what I paid for Sierra Matchkings. No more! My regular supplier now gets the same thing per 100 that I could buy Matchkings for. I just don't have time to cast myself. I have found some less expensive cast bullet dealers and am happy with the quality. Still pretty costly. In my youth, lots of friends cast their own 38s, 45s and 9s, but with the amount we shoot in competition and practice, I can't imagine doing that. I will likely buy pulled GI 9s from guys like Jeff Bartlett while they last. I think they are of a reasonable price and quality to get me through. I think I can get 45s there, too. I understand things go up in price, I just wish my income would keep pace. BTW, have you looked at the cost of health insurance, speaking of things increasing in price? Bob