Got my Dillon 650, and it broke

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

Got my Dillon 650 package last night, after a very, very long wait. And even then they had forgot my case feeder and the improved lever. Still I set out at once to install it in my tiny reloading space. I used to have a lee and it looked like this:

Taken a year ago or so, now it has decidedly blue shifted:

Anyway what happened last night after I had gotten the settings adjusted (and that is a pain, I want one of those micrometer things now) I started reloading and after 5 rounds of so there was resistance on the upstroke (as in, the case head assembly wants to travel down) and before I could stop a spring flew in my face and a small metal bit:

Looking at the few rounds I had managed to make, their primers where all very badly seated and sticking out, I was pretty sure I moved the lever all the way in order to prime the cases properly, maybe I failed to do that? I don't really understand why this piece broke off on the upstroke, a jammed primer in the primer ring preventing it from cycling perhaps?

[EEH]

sometimes even good things start off bad--remember when you first started driving,weren't verry good at it I bet..take a breath call dillon and they will send you what you need ps,where you gonna put that case feeder ???

but I like the space,good luck

[Lifeislarge]

I've been looking for a reloader and seriously considering the 650, which is why I'm reading this forum... Chock one up on the "cons" list. Please continue this thread, I'm interested in What level of customer service you receive and how expeditiously you receive replacement parts. Having been a Technician for years, I understand that no machine is perfect, and that machines break. It's what happens afterwards that makes all the difference for me. Kudos on your space, I will never bitch about my single car garage again!!!

Edited July 5, 2012 by Lifeislarge

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

I am not soured on Dillon yet by any means. I have high hopes for this reloading setup, it's just that it's been plagued by delays since day one. Thanks mostly to the local dealer making offers and estimates they could not keep. I was supposed to have gotten it in March/April. Now I need to keep waiting for a spare to come. The waiting, oh the constant waiting...

I tried loading a few more rounds and indexing the primer manually now that it won't reset anymore and I got 5 rounds this way but I had the same issue, a primer just refused to seat itself and then it got tilted it looked like. From what I've read this might be due to a burr somewhere on the indexing plate. Gonna see about lightly polishing it and see how that turns out.

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

sometimes even good things start off bad--remember when you first started driving,weren't verry good at it I bet..take a breath call dillon and they will send you what you need ps,where you gonna put that case feeder ???

The shelves above the dillon are not fixed as of yet, they just lie there for now. I removed the old ones and cut them up so I can have more but smaller levels of shelves instead off to the side, once I get the case feeder I will install it and arrange the new shelves around the case feeder so that I will have room to work. I really like the height of the machine now though, I can stand straight and work the lever like this, with the Lee I had to bend over or sit down.

I hope to make one dedicated shelf for the quick change kits, I ordered two extra so this machine will reload .45ACP as it came installed for, .44mag and 9mm. Next year I might look into .223 reloading as well.

[Pensfan]

I had similar problems with my 650 when I first got it and was also extremely frustrated and thought that perhaps I bought the wrong reloader. However... Dillon was amazing with their support. The rep I spoke with on the phone was extremely apologetic and sent a replacement primer feed system 2nd day air for me and had me up and going again. Sadly the replacement part had the same problem and they sent another piece for me.

After reading this forum I found the problem as you mentioned... a burr on the primer index plate. I sanded it with super fine sand paper and it has been flawless for nearly 2k rounds now.

Yes it was frustrating at first, but Dillon more than made up for it and now my 650 hums along perfectly.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Pensfan

[Poppa Bear]

Now that you have the main parts of the press can you order directly and deal directly with Dillon? You might have to get up in the middle of the night so that they can walk and talk you through what might be wrong. They will resolve it, it will just take longer with getting the parts to you.

[trodrig]

If you haven't already, order a spare parts kit. I don't know if the piece that broke on you is in that kit, but, one day an obscure spring or something else that IS in the kit will break on you at the worst possible time and you'll be VERY happy you have a spare on hand! Ask me how I know about that!

Edited to add: The 650 is a great machine and I'm sure Dillon will help you get it running great! With respect to your high primer problem, are you encountering too much resistance when you push the handle back to seat the primer? What kind of brass and primers are you using?

Edited July 5, 2012 by trodrig

[echase1]

I just got mine setup last night and had the same part go down the exact same way after only 10 rounds. Trusting that everything everyone states about Dillon CS is true. Frustrated, but things happen.... Interesting to me that it was the exact same part that broke the exact same way after just a few rounds...

[rmallory07]

I am by no means an expert when it comes to reloading. Only been doing it for just about a year.

My first and only press is the XL650 from Dillon. I did tons of research and watched countless videos on reloading prior to making my purchase but still had a lot to learn.

I will say that why I love my 650 today, a year ago I was a lot less enamored with it once I pulled it out of the box and tried to start. It took me a month or so just to get all the little details right to where I could reload with any consistency. Quite a few phone calls to Dillon made that first month, often requesting replacement parts for something I broke or lost trying to get it up and running.

Don't lose heart it is a great machine but in my limited experience it can take some time getting set up and going but once you've figured out all the little kinks in your press it will bring you hours of enjoyment.

Best of luck.

Robby

[lee blackman]

Dillon has always treated me right. I bought my first Dillon press, a Square deal 'B' back around 2000, used for $150. I had no clue what I was into and it turns out the guy who sold it to me wasn't completely honest. It was broke and mising pieces. I called dillon up to see how much it would cost to ship it to them and fix it. They sent me an RMA number, and I shipped the press back to them. Very shortly after I get a package in the mail. They literally replaced everything that was missing or broke, and it looked like a brand new press.

I've been buying Dillon ever since.

[echase1]

Just to update...Called Dillon this morning and they are sending out the primer arm and spring. Hopefully this will resolve my issue for many rounds...

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

Edited to add: The 650 is a great machine and I'm sure Dillon will help you get it running great! With respect to your high primer problem, are you encountering too much resistance when you push the handle back to seat the primer? What kind of brass and primers are you using?

I tried loading a few rounds today and one primer refused to go in, I am using winchester large pistol primers and fiocchi brass.

[Matt Griffin]

Slow down, that's my first piece of advice. If you have a smooth, consistent pull then you should be able to feel the difference between a primer engaging the pocket properly vs. hanging up. You certainly should be able to feel the advance arm jamming. If I had to guess your primer plates aren't indexing with the right timing and might be flipping primers and jamming the system. Run the press without shells in it and see if the plate is finishing its index before the ram starts upwards.

[Poppa Bear]

Slow down, that's my first piece of advice. If you have a smooth, consistent pull then you should be able to feel the difference between a primer engaging the pocket properly vs. hanging up. You certainly should be able to feel the advance arm jamming. If I had to guess your primer plates aren't indexing with the right timing and might be flipping primers and jamming the system. Run the press without shells in it and see if the plate is finishing its index before the ram starts upwards.

+1 You only have one station that is critical to the machine running, and that is the first on where you size, deprime, and reprime the case. The remaining stations as long as the shell plate lines up with the dies it will do what it needs to depending on how the dies are adjusted. Run it empty and make sure everything associated with the priming system works smoothly and without any snags in either the arm or the ram.

[retarmyaviator]

Any time you feel any sort of increased pressure on the handle stop right there, otherwise you are going to break or bend something. Not stopping to find the cause is what causes the majority of problems.

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

I actually barely noticed the resistance, until it was too late anyway...

Polished the primer ring last night, ran through every hole with 1200 grit sandpaper wrapped around a drill. There where some burrs in the thing, and also small divots that could not be polished away, or the primers would not fit properly. But I don't think they should interfere since they don't stick out or produce a hard edge.

I reloaded a few bullets last night to test it, but it's not easy to constantly remember to work the primer feed manually. A few primers where difficult to seat until I pressed on the shell to align it, must have been something with the slow and constantly interrupted pace too because sometimes the cases would not be fed far enough into th shell plate and would not be aligned with the sizing/decapping die.

I sent a mail to Dillon a few days ago detailing my problem but no response yet, maybe their CS only applies to phone... They did process my request to buy extra primer indexing arms really quickly.

[Matt Griffin]

I actually barely noticed the resistance, until it was too late anyway...

Polished the primer ring last night, ran through every hole with 1200 grit sandpaper wrapped around a drill. There where some burrs in the thing, and also small divots that could not be polished away, or the primers would not fit properly. But I don't think they should interfere since they don't stick out or produce a hard edge.

I reloaded a few bullets last night to test it, but it's not easy to constantly remember to work the primer feed manually. A few primers where difficult to seat until I pressed on the shell to align it, must have been something with the slow and constantly interrupted pace too because sometimes the cases would not be fed far enough into th shell plate and would not be aligned with the sizing/decapping die.

I sent a mail to Dillon a few days ago detailing my problem but no response yet, maybe their CS only applies to phone... They did process my request to buy extra primer indexing arms really quickly.

Aha, there's your problem, your spring arm isn't set correctly for station two. That would cause misaligned primers, which would cause failures to prime, crushed primers falling back into the primer plate and jamming it (causing the advance arm to snap) and all sorts of indexing problems. Use the smallest allen wrench included with the 650 and adjust the spring arm until it barely touches the shell while it is fully in the plate. Dillon says to back it off slightly from that point, but I usually just let it touch lightly. The allen screw hole is on the back side of this thing:

Edited July 6, 2012 by Matt Griffin

[benos]

I sent a mail to Dillon a few days ago detailing my problem but no response yet, maybe their CS only applies to phone...

They definitely prefer you call them rather than email.

be

[dillon]

I recall seeing your email, and forwarding it to International sales. Typically we would have mailed apart to you, if we had your address from your email.

[BullyDog]

When you get rolled primers, check the main bolt that holds down the shell plate. If this bolt is backed off too much you will have too much play in the shell plate and this will allow the primers to flip or roll.

[Matt Griffin]

When you get rolled primers, check the main bolt that holds down the shell plate. If this bolt is backed off too much you will have too much play in the shell plate and this will allow the primers to flip or roll.

I like to take that down finger tight, then back it off two clicks. When I tighten the set screw it always tightens the action a bit further, it seems.

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

I recall seeing your email, and forwarding it to International sales. Typically we would have mailed apart to you, if we had your address from your email.

Well there's not a lot to be done I guess except new parts and I ordered 3 of them just to be sure. This thread has helped me in diagnosing possible problems very well.

Matt Griffin described what I think happened very accurately, primer would not seat for some reason (spring arm setting, or maybe flawed brass) so I got a crushed primer that went on and was supposed to be dropped into the unused primer tray. But instead it did like in the picture and jammed up the whole thing. I am not sure why Dillon prescribes a small gap between the spring arm and casing, the 2nd time I had primer seating problems it worked by pushing in the case with my finger to align it, just letting it touch the case seems like it'd work better to me.

[anm2_man]

Slow and smooth is important. If you feel any binding, stop and look at the primer station, remove the round, make sure the primer is in place and correctly positioned, if good to go, replace the cartridge and continue. Remember slow and smooth.

[Powerslide91]

The primer index arm on my new 650 broke in the same way after maybe 1500 rounds. During the down stroke of the handle, the primer index plate looks to be getting jammed, so the primer index cam put such a load on the arm, it cracked in 2 places and shot the spring out. It really took very little pressure on the handle to do it...

So I had called Dillon and like everyone mentions, the support was very good. I had a new arm, cam and spring in a couple of days. I replaced them and was back up and running. But I have just found I can repeat the problem. The press works fine as long as the primer does not try to go past the priming punch station. I confirmed it by removing the shell plate. The handle cycles correctly as it fills the primer plate. But as soon as a primer tries to go to the index past the punch, it somehow jams up. I took the primer system apart and looked for something out of place, nothing major I can see. There is a chamfer cut around the primer punch, so I tried to carefully blend it in better with some fine grit sandpaper. But it still does it. Maybe I was not aggressive enough? I figured I will call Dillon back Monday to see if they have any ideas.

If it matters, I'm running CCI #500 small pistol primers.

First picture was what it looked like when it broke after I removed the shell plate. You can see one primer is cocked up a bit, but the primer was not damaged. I know I did not seat a primer on a primer in that this was at the end of a run, and I hand fed an already primed piece of brass into that station. Second picture was after the primer index plate came off. The chamfer I mentioned is called out with the arrow.

Anyone see anything out of place?

Thanks,

Jeff