Dies coming loose on Dillon 650

[katit]

First post here Recently got Dillon 650 from Brian, also got Dillon "wrench" set.

Wrench is loose on a dies, it tends to "slip". I tried my best and after about 300 byllets I have loose dies.. What do you do to prevent it? I'm not 100% locked in into OAL and crimp and don't want to use any locktite or anything like this.

Is there better wrench? Is there common knowledge on how to prevent dies from loosening?

RCBS lockout die came with lockable nut but it's not good either - it locks to the head in such a position where hex bolt facing towards center of a head, can't reach it with allen wrench to tighten.

[jlamphere]

I am not in my shop, but I think I use a 1" Craftsman like this one. Not positive about the size, but I think it is 1". I am not impressed with the Dillon wrench. There is alot of slop in it and mine will slip too if I try to get the nut very tight.

Edited July 11, 2013 by jlamphere

[Boxer1]

You might give the Hornady Die lock rings a try I snug the dies down the clamp the ring and every things stays in the same spot for thousands of rounds and they dont mess up the threads on your dies.

[razorfish]

1" Wrench is the correct size for the Dillon.

[katit]

You might give the Hornady Die lock rings a try I snug the dies down the clamp the ring and every things stays in the same spot for thousands of rounds and they dont mess up the threads on your dies.

They look OK, but they still not going to be good as far as I can see. First - you can't control position - so it can be that you have to tighten screw from inside of the head (impossible).

Also, only 2 sides machined so there is no guarantee that you will have good access to tighten it. And if you just hand-tighten - it can come out just the same, together with die..

To me it looks like good wrench is a way to go, I will give it a try first.

[Sarge]

Blue loctite

[polizei1]

Loctite will be your best bet, however I just use a 1" socket and tighten them down good. Seems to work for me!

[Steve RA]

I'd suggest putting a piece of brass in each station and run the tool head up when you tighten the nuts, helps to keep everything in better alignment.

[Pat Miles]

I use an all sixteenths, all metric, all Whitworth left handed adjustable spanner wrench, AKA a Crescent wrench, to tighten the lock rings on my 650. In order to get the wrench on a couple I just pull the locating pins and turn the tool head around in the frame. It will slide in far enough to hold the tool head while I tighten the lock rings. I've never had a die come loose. Tie a dollar bill to the Dillon wrench and throw it away, then if somebody finds it they will have at least found something worth a dollar.

Pat

[KellyTTE]

Vibratite.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001VXRM5Q

Navy devloped product, never hardens or galls. A drop of that, plus the stock dillon locking ring tightened down with a wrench and it'll give you no more worries.

Galaxy Note II + Tapatalk 2

[cecil]

Most of Dillon products are pretty well made.. BUT..... their wrenches are "JUNK"... must be made in China..

[katit]

I'd suggest putting a piece of brass in each station and run the tool head up when you tighten the nuts, helps to keep everything in better alignment.

Yes, this is how I do it. It's factory instruction by the way Makes sense, and brass holds die in a position while you tightening.

I ordered 1 inch wrench. Will keep dillon's wrench as "display" item

[Boxerglocker]

OK, I came across this same issue several years ago. Having a die come loose when "feel" torquing it down. Being an aircraft mechanic for over 20 years and super anal about torque specs. When I got my first press I researched and number of torque charts for 7/8x14 steel thread pitch and tension loads against both aluminum and steel bearing surfaces. From all I researched (which really didn't take much) I derived 18-22 foot pounds would be appropriate for Dillon dies on a Dillon aluminum toolhead being a tension load.

Which all stations loaded with dummy rounds or empty brass. I use a either a deep wheel 1 inch socket or a 1 inch crows foot or torque adapter set at 90 degrees to the torque wrench head. After torquing my tool dies on my tool heads I apply a bead colored torqued inspection lacquer to the nut so that at a glance I know if the die nut has broke loose.

I've never had it happen after going through the above procedure. It works for me but of course YMMV.

Edited July 13, 2013 by Boxerglocker

[tnshoot]

Tie a dollar bill to the Dillon wrench and throw it away, then if somebody finds it they will have at least found something worth a dollar.

Pat

Now that's funny. And true