Why do Dillons have so many problems?

[Hannu]

Using Wolf and Federal Large Rifle Primers

Seems I end up cleaning them alot, and yes the ring indexer is greased.

I re greased everything after the plastic indexer broke in half.

Put those Wolf primers to a dark place where nobody can not find them... And buy some good quality US stuff instead. I bet your priming problems will go to the same place with Wolf primers

Broken indexer = often improper adjustment of shellplate, way too tight.

I have loaded maybe 200k rounds with Dillon 650 machines and only broken part so far is indexer spring. I have never cleaned my Dillon 650, I just put more grease sometimes.

[blaster113]

And I'd love to take it off your hands if you'd like to part with it

[poison123]

Might be the Federal primers. One of the local club shooters cant use Federal primers in his 650 cause they flip over or something. I had some teething troubles with my 550 when I first got it. I was about ready to light it on fire or shoot it with my 870 . After research and some calls to the Dillon tech line all is pretty much good. If I could do it over again I would have gone straight to the 650 though. Sounds like maybe an adjustment problem. The Dillon tech line should be able to help get everything squared away.

I'll probably play with it some more later today. But like I said...every time I mess with it...it works fine for 20 or so rounds then goes right down the crappier again.

[professor]

All the problems you described about sideways and upside down and crushed primers come down to poor indexing of the shell plate holder and the primer disk. And those problems are generally due to dirt buildup beneath the respective disks. This results in insufficient lubrication under the shell plate. And you might also have too big of a gap under the shell plate, due to the 1/2" bolt being too high, allowing the shell plate to teeter up and down due to the stages where the casings are pushed down, and the primer station, where the casings are pushed up.

Then comes the sequence of errors below.

1. You smear a primer, so that casing doesn't have a primer in it.

2. So the powder leaks out the primer hole on the ride around to the ejection port.

3. The powder that drops out gets underneath the shell plate and increases the friction of that plate moving from stage to stage.

4. The increased friction means that the shell plate hangs up just a scootch shy of indexed correctly, OR, the shell plate clicks into location so abruptly that the shell casing gets shaken enough to toss out powder, and that ends up under the shell plate.

5. The shell casing at the priming station is then just a scootch out of center, so when the primer piston pushes up the next primer, it hits the edge of the primer pocket and turns sideways or upside down.

6. This brings us back to #1, and repeat.

You have to break the cycle by cleaning up everything, if anything in this sequence occurs. And make sure everything is operating smoothly without any components, before you start loading in components again. All I use is Federal primers, small and large.

BTW, what's the bid up to? I'll bump it up $25.

One key thing to keep in mind is to not force anything.

Edited April 6, 2011 by professor

[poison123]

Using Wolf and Federal Large Rifle Primers

Seems I end up cleaning them alot, and yes the ring indexer is greased.

I re greased everything after the plastic indexer broke in half.

Put those Wolf primers to a dark place where nobody can not find them... And buy some good quality US stuff instead. I bet your priming problems will go to the same place with Wolf primers

Broken indexer = often improper adjustment of shellplate, way too tight.

I have loaded maybe 200k rounds with Dillon 650 machines and only broken part so far is indexer spring. I have never cleaned my Dillon 650, I just put more grease sometimes.

Thats funny, I'd rate the wolfs up there against 210Ms at this point. All my loads have very little variance with them.

[carlosa]

Using Wolf and Federal Large Rifle Primers

Seems I end up cleaning them alot, and yes the ring indexer is greased.

I re greased everything after the plastic indexer broke in half.

Put those Wolf primers to a dark place where nobody can not find them... And buy some good quality US stuff instead. I bet your priming problems will go to the same place with Wolf primers

Broken indexer = often improper adjustment of shellplate, way too tight.

I have loaded maybe 200k rounds with Dillon 650 machines and only broken part so far is indexer spring. I have never cleaned my Dillon 650, I just put more grease sometimes.

Thats funny, I'd rate the wolfs up there against 210Ms at this point. All my loads have very little variance with them.

650 configured from dillon to load the 45acp was my first press ever and my first experience with reloading.... i remember having some small hiccups at first but nothing major like this... I'm now converted my press to 40s&w and the press pretty much runs it's self (i've loaded over 30k rounds on it sence september)... I'm sorry your having so many issues.

i can understand your frustration with the press i would probably feel the same if this had been my first experience with this press. i hope you get your issues sorted out.

cheers,

Los.

[TMC]

I have an 11 year old 650 with 150,000+ rounds loaded and the only broken parts are a few decapping pins (rocks in cases) and the spring for the piece that moves the new case into the shell plate. Its loaded 38, 9mm, 40, 44, 45 and 223 with no issues at all. All I do is oil it when I change calibers. My dad as a 6 year old machine with no issues.

You've got something out of adjustment.

[BritinUSA]

Is it worth posting your zip code? Maybe someone on the board lives close-by and can give it a once over... I suspect it's a problem with the disk's setup as others have already mentioned.

Dillon stuff is just about the best out there, if it was bad then their 'No BS' warranty would have bankrupted them years ago.I've been running my 650 now since 1998... (I really must give it a wipe-over one day)

[racerba]

All my loads have very little variance with them.

Your loads have very little variance because you are using a Dillon reloader...

[poison123]

All my loads have very little variance with them.

Your loads have very little variance because you are using a Dillon reloader...

Thats the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard.

Lets see I prime / drop powder only on the dillon right now. I recheck all the load drops on a ChargeMaster and they are any where from 42.8 up to 45.0 and I'm looking for a charge weight 44.2. I then seat the bullet on a Rockchucker press.

Anyone who was serious about buying it off me msg me. I'm about done with this thing now.

Now the god damn primer tray doesn't move, to move the next one into line. Its like it moves a little then goes right back on the downstroke. Jesus christ.

Edited April 6, 2011 by poison123

[dillon]

I strongly suspect the primer seating punch is dirty and unable to retract fully. The result of this is broken ring indexers, damaged primer index arms, and flipped primers. Wolf large rifle primers suffer more than other brands from dimensional irregularities,and can fail to fully drop into the disc. We get similar, but fewer complaints about Federal primers. As for a 2.2 grain extreme spread on the powder drop, I suspect that is an adjustment issue, possibly compounded by use of extruded powder. Even with extruded powder, i would expect an extreme error of no more than +/- .3 grains.

[Bob DuBois]

Changes the one I bought this week to another caliber. Had problems till I realized I had the shell plate to tight.

Ran 600 rounds of 9mm minor in a short time. Everything that moves as a drop of oil or a small touch of grease.

I'm very pleased.

Is there anyone in your club that could drop by and give you a hand for an afternoon. Get it running correctly and you'll enjoy yours also.

Call Dillon, there good people!

[poison123]

I strongly suspect the primer seating punch is dirty and unable to retract fully. The result of this is broken ring indexers, damaged primer index arms, and flipped primers. Wolf large rifle primers suffer more than other brands from dimensional irregularities,and can fail to fully drop into the disc. We get similar, but fewer complaints about Federal primers. As for a 2.2 grain extreme spread on the powder drop, I suspect that is an adjustment issue, possibly compounded by use of extruded powder. Even with extruded powder, i would expect an extreme error of no more than +/- .3 grains.

Nope not the primer punch, just pulled it out. Looks like the arm that forces the primer plate to rotate isn't moving it all the way on the upstroke and popping out to grip the next hole.

[poison123]

Changes the one I bought this week to another caliber. Had problems till I realized I had the shell plate to tight.

Ran 600 rounds of 9mm minor in a short time. Everything that moves as a drop of oil or a small touch of grease.

I'm very pleased.

Is there anyone in your club that could drop by and give you a hand for an afternoon. Get it running correctly and you'll enjoy yours also.

Call Dillon, there good people!

Only people local is the shop I bought it from....and ya...I wouldn't want those retards on my property.

Everyone else runs Hornady at this point.

[kalebg]

Save yourself a heart attack and just buy factory ammo.

[Vlad]

Only people local is the shop I bought it from....and ya...I wouldn't want those retards on my property.

Everyone else runs Hornady at this point.

You know, some of your comments show quite a bit of disrespect for everyone who disagrees with you, you might wish to look at why you are so angry at people when a machine doesn't work.

Also .. who is everyone else? I'm only asking because I suspect 90% of the people on this board use a Dillon and they sure load a lot of rounds.

[Hannu]

Thats funny, I'd rate the wolfs up there against 210Ms at this point. All my loads have very little variance with them.

Lucky you, I have 180 degrees different experiences with small rifle primers about how consistent loads I can make.

Anyway, earlier I was not talking about how they ignite etc, just how they work in reloading machines. I will never put Wolf primers in my Dillons or other priming tools anymore.

[poison123]

Save yourself a heart attack and just buy factory ammo.

Good comment. First reloading problems in the few years I've been doing it have been since I used the dillon.

[bbbean]

Everyone else runs Hornady at this point.

Sounds like your mind's made up.

Granted, Dillon will been over backwards to fix the problem and replace anything that isn't right and the vast majority of us have loaded tens, if not hundreds of thousands of rounds on Dillons with very few problems, but if you think you'd really be happier with a Hornady, then go for it!

In the meantime, though, trying to tell a bunch of satisfied Dillon users and a factory rep who is trying to diagnose your problem that we're all wrong probably won't make you any happier or make your press run right. Good luck with your Hornady.

BB

[Paul-the new guy]

I strongly suspect the primer seating punch is dirty and unable to retract fully. The result of this is broken ring indexers, damaged primer index arms, and flipped primers. Wolf large rifle primers suffer more than other brands from dimensional irregularities,and can fail to fully drop into the disc. We get similar, but fewer complaints about Federal primers. As for a 2.2 grain extreme spread on the powder drop, I suspect that is an adjustment issue, possibly compounded by use of extruded powder. Even with extruded powder, i would expect an extreme error of no more than +/- .3 grains.

Nope not the primer punch, just pulled it out. Looks like the arm that forces the primer plate to rotate isn't moving it all the way on the upstroke and popping out to grip the next hole.

The arm that rubs on the plastic that is bolted to the frame that causes the primer wheel to index is probably bent now.

[norbs007]

It might be sold soon at the rate its going. Just gotta get rid of the case feeder also.

I might be interested on the casefeeder for the right price. Let me know. Thanks

[poison123]

Only people local is the shop I bought it from....and ya...I wouldn't want those retards on my property.

Everyone else runs Hornady at this point.

You know, some of your comments show quite a bit of disrespect for everyone who disagrees with you, you might wish to look at why you are so angry at people when a machine doesn't work.

Also .. who is everyone else? I'm only asking because I suspect 90% of the people on this board use a Dillon and they sure load a lot of rounds.

Everyone else I know local to me.

So ya I'm angry. One gets tired of constant problems....the machine runs smooth for awhile, and then its right back to having problems where nothing was changed.

The answer of calling dillon for support is nice and all. But I'd rather see the information posted on the web where if someone has the same problem down the road they can hopefully Google it, instead of having to call a support line.

[poison123]

Everyone else runs Hornady at this point.

Sounds like your mind's made up.

Granted, Dillon will been over backwards to fix the problem and replace anything that isn't right and the vast majority of us have loaded tens, if not hundreds of thousands of rounds on Dillons with very few problems, but if you think you'd really be happier with a Hornady, then go for it!

In the meantime, though, trying to tell a bunch of satisfied Dillon users and a factory rep who is trying to diagnose your problem that we're all wrong probably won't make you any happier or make your press run right. Good luck with your Hornady.

BB

Dude where did I say I was going to buy a Hornady? I just said the rest of the people I know run them. If you read the thread I mentioned I might be better off just buying a couple more of the chargemaster dispensers.

And ya I told them they were wrong because I went and looked at my 650 and tried what they suggested and it did not work.

[GentlemanJim]

Comment removed...cant seem to remove picture

Jim

Edited April 6, 2011 by GentlemanJim

[D.Hayden]

Send it to Dillon like they suggested..

What could shipping cost? Wouldn't that solve the aggravation? $40 or so would be cheap.

Maybe you have some weird flaw in yours.. they'll fix..