mizer67 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Is there any way to get the locator arm in Station #2 of an XL650 to exert a little more force on the case to center it in the shell plate? I'm crushing ~5-8 primers per 100 and I believe I've narrowed it down to the locator arm. If I push the case to the center of the shell plate by hand, the primer seats easily. I'm thinking of just bending the locator arm inward, are there any other tweaks to make before trying this fix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too_Slow Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) Double check your manual again. There is an adjustment (setscrew) for that listed. Page 39 pic 194 shows where the adjustment is. Just read the associated section before doing it. Brian Edited December 10, 2011 by Too_Slow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizer67 Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Tried adjusting the set screw already, no joy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too_Slow Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Are you finding that you have to hold the case into the shell plate really tight while priming or just pushing to the center and releasing it before priming? Actually either way it may be an alignment issue with the shell plate and not a problem with the station 2 locator. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinj Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Tried adjusting the set screw already, no joy. Mine had a metal shaving in the works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalaur Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 You actually want the locator arm on station two to *not* touch the shell, but have a slight bit of play. You may want to check the camming pin adjustment so the case insert slide is properly adjusted and inserting brass all the way in the shellplate, but not *resting* on the case when the handle is in the fully up position (like you are seating a primer). If you're finding you have to force the brass into the shellplate to keep from crushing primers, you may need to call dillon and get a 'timing tool' (not sure if that is exactly what it's called) ordered so you can re-time the press. It sounds like this may be out of adjustment, where the shellplate isn't properly lined up with the priming punch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizer67 Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Are you finding that you have to hold the case into the shell plate really tight while priming or just pushing to the center and releasing it before priming? Actually either way it may be an alignment issue with the shell plate and not a problem with the station 2 locator. Brian If I push the case into the center or simply wiggle it a bit, I'll allow the primer to seat. The press may be slightly out of time as you and others have suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too_Slow Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 (edited) The easiest way to check without the alignment tool is; with the press empty (no brass or primers) cycle the press several times and then press the handle forward like you were priming a piece of brass, while pressing forward look at the priming punch, it should be centered in the shell plate opening. If it isn't it means that the alignment is off. Dillon will send you an alignment tool for free to help you adjust it, I find that I can do the adjustment without it just fine (I have had two 650's and help a couple of friends with theirs). If you have ever had to replace the indexer ring it will need adjustment. It is also possible that the two screws that hold the platform in place have loosened on their own. Brian Edited December 13, 2011 by Too_Slow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The easiest way to check without the alignment tool is; with the press empty (no brass or primers) cycle the press several times and then press the handle forward like you were priming a piece of brass, while pressing forward look at the priming punch, it should be centered in the shell plate opening. If it isn't it means that the alignment is off. Dillon will send you an alignment tool for free to help you adjust it, I find that I can do the adjustment without it just fine (I have had two 650's and help a couple of friends with theirs). If you have ever had to replace the indexer ring it will need adjustment. It is also possible that the two screws that hold the platform in place have loosened on their own. Brian I went through this a couple of months ago. The shell plate was indexing too far. I could turn it back just a bit and the primer would seat easily. Called Dillon and they sent the alignment tool. After about 30 minutes of tinkering it lines right up now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdlong1 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 so is there a way to adjust the "lining up" of the plate and punch without the tool? I think I am having the same problem. i bought my 650 used and it had the old shell plate platform on it -- dillon sent me the new one and I put it on(also changed calibers at this time) and ever since I changed this I crush 2-3 primers per 100 rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinj Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 so is there a way to adjust the "lining up" of the plate and punch without the tool? I think I am having the same problem. i bought my 650 used and it had the old shell plate platform on it -- dillon sent me the new one and I put it on(also changed calibers at this time) and ever since I changed this I crush 2-3 primers per 100 rounds. See post #8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 so is there a way to adjust the "lining up" of the plate and punch without the tool? I think I am having the same problem. i bought my 650 used and it had the old shell plate platform on it -- dillon sent me the new one and I put it on(also changed calibers at this time) and ever since I changed this I crush 2-3 primers per 100 rounds. See post #8 If the priming punch isn't centered, I didn't see that that post explained how to center it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 He basically said, check to make sure the punch is centered. If it's not. Call Dillon and get the alignment tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdlong1 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 He basically said, check to make sure the punch is centered. If it's not. Call Dillon and get the alignment tool. got it -- thanks I checked tonight -- it is inconsistent -- sometimes it is aligned and sometimes not perfectly -- i guess I need the alignment tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Federal primers (my preferred) don't mix well with certain brass...while loading 9mm on my 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinj Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 He basically said, check to make sure the punch is centered. If it's not. Call Dillon and get the alignment tool. got it -- thanks I checked tonight -- it is inconsistent -- sometimes it is aligned and sometimes not perfectly -- i guess I need the alignment tool. It sounds like the head is loose on the ram or the shell plate is dirty or not adjusted properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Sounds like your detent ball is not centering the shellplate. I would clean everything first and check again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdlong1 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Sounds like your detent ball is not centering the shellplate. I would clean everything first and check again. Well I cleaned everything and so far so good -- I also tightened the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasredneck Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) I'm having this or a similar issue with a brand new press (XL650) loading 5.56 once fired lake city swaged with the SS600. Primers are CCI#41 and projectiles are pulled M855 penetrators. I processed 2000 rounds with a separate tool head for size-deprime and then the RT1200 trimmer, before switching to a tool head with powder funner/hopper, powder check, seating die, and then crimp die. It seems that every 10 or so rounds, I get a lot of resistance on the up stroke attempting to seat a primer. A bit of a jiggle on the handle and it seats. Every 20 or so rounds I have to reach up and wiggle the case before the primer will seat. I've tried to futz with the plate tension and the little arm on the primer system that holds the case into the plate pocket with no real results. It can't be off by much, but I'm not sure where to go from here. Before I learned to have a little more finesse, I was forcing them in. A few turned sideways and others were smeared, meaning that because the primer was being forced up and to the side a bit to seat, they were sliding sideways under pressure into the pocket and partially smashing them as they seated. Dont mean to hijack a thread here but did not want to post a new topic on something already being worked. Thanks to Brian for the site and forums. Edited February 27, 2012 by Texasredneck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdlong1 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 yep that is the same problem that I was having. I figured out that I was having the problem after I put the ballbearing modification to stop the snapping plate. I had put these on and tightened the main shell plate to the point that it would turn but not snap. Apparently I tightened it too much, with out the "snap" the shell plate just did not turn quite enough to put the pocket right over the primer, very close and for some cases was fine but for 1 in 20-40 not enough. I loosened the "clutch" so to speak just a little bit and viola -- no more crushed primers. The plate does snap a little bit more then it did but for the 40 and 45 machine that is not a problem for the 38SC adn 9mm Major machines I just have to slow down a little bit to avoid powder splashing. Anyway -- that may not help but was my experience. Also all of this presumes that you thoroughly clean your machine before making any adjustments, as cleaning will solve 90% of issues in my experience. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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