XL650 9mm problem

[driver8M3]

I'm getting the following problem about 10% of the time:

The deprimed case is getting stuck in the station 1 die. As I lower the shell plate from the up position, the lip of the case gets peeled back leaving the case in the die. The other 90% of the time everything feels fine.

I bought the 650 new in July...and have loaded about 7k rounds. Most of the stuck cases are Winchester. It is not occurring at the same position on the shell plate.

Anybody have any ideas? I tried to call Dillon, but they're closed. Will try again tomorrow.

Thanks!

[BEDELLCUSTOM]

what type of cartridge is this happening with.

[driver8M3]

9mm

[Carlos]

Same problem huh? I have seen cases after removal from Driver8M3's resizing die. What is happening is: the case rim is ripping away at the 3 and 9 o'clock position.

I now remember that you told me you had decided not to use any OneShot case lube (or any case lube for that matter). I think that the lack of any case lube, in combination with a build up of brass over 7K rounds, is causing the problem. Takes a long time to get those cases unstuck doesn't it? Here is what I would do:

1) Use OneShot on the cleaned cases.

2) Remove the re-sizing die & clean the inside with a 9mm brush & a strong copper solvent; leave it on long enough to disolve some of the brass built up on the carbide ring. Dry it off & give the die a shot of OneShot. See you Wednesday.

D.

[chp5]

Make sure the depriming pin isn't bent.

[BEDELLCUSTOM]

i'll second that. always use a light coating of "one shot" when sizing, it just makes it much smoother and also helps prevent the sizing die from actually pushing the brass down on the cartridge. i use brake parts cleaner to clean the dies then give it a little shot of case lube. also make sure if you have other shellplates that they didn't get mixed up. if you try to use a 38 super shellplate on 9mm cases, it doesn't grab enough of the rim and will also cause that problem.

[.40AET]

driver8M3-

Bass Proshops in the Arundel Mall carries Hornady one shot. I just bought a can there last week. If they are out, I have 3 cans of it if you want to try it out. From the first time I used it, I'm hooked for life!

[driver8M3]

Thanks. The pin is fine, and I only have a 9mm plate so no worries about mixing them up (yet).

I bought some one shot when I got the press but didnt want to use it (trying to keep things as simple as possible). i'll give that a try tonight. It's no fun having to hammer every 10th case out of the sizing die...

[EricW]

If you indeed have the 9mm shellplate (I'm not so sure you do - it may be out of spec or mismarked), I have a sneaking suspicion that something has happened to the carbide sizing ring on your die. Pull it and take a close look. It may be cracked or scored. Before I used One Shot, I loaded a whole lot of 9mm dry and never sheared the rim off a case.

[driver8M3]

I cleaned the die (it looks fine...no cracks or scratches) and then gave it a spray of one shot. I also lubed a bunch of cases with one shot. Then I loaded 100 rounds...no problems at all. Not sure if either cleaning or lubing alone would have solved the problem. How often should I be cleaning the resizing die?

I've read a bunch of threads where people recommend one shot to make reloading easier. I had only reloaded without it, and that certainly wasn't difficult or strenuous, so I never bothered to try it, even though I had a can of it sitting on the shelf. Well, damn, you guys were right. I'd guess that I was using about 80-90% less force to raise and lower the arm with lubed cases. I'll be using the one shot from now on, especially since it also appears to have helped solve the current problem.

Now, a question about using one shot. Maybe I didn't wait long enough after spraying the brass, but I noticed that some of my powder was sticking to the inside of the case, as if the case was still wet with lube. Does that matter? How long should I wait after spraying before loading?

Eric: I'm really not sure which plate I have, but I ordered the press (set up for 9mm only) new from Dillon this past summer. I don't see any markings...how can I tell which caliber it's for?

Thanks guys

[EricW]

driver8,

From the Handy Dillon Conversion Chart for the 650 it should be shellplate #5. But, that doesn't mean that if it does say #5, that it might not be out of spec. The only two times that I've had extractor rims getting sheared off on the downstroke, were because of an incorrect shellplate and cases sticking in a damaged die. I guess you could certainly have a batch of 9mm with drastically undersize rims too.

If the problem comes back, one thing you could try is using a marker to number the stations on your shellplate. Then you would know if you start shearing rims again, if it consistently happens on one station.

Glad you're up and running!

[Carlos]

"How often should I be cleaning the resizing die?"

I have yet to clean the Lee U die am using (including all that stuff I reloaded w/ Bernie); now that its clean & you are using OneShot, I would forget about it unless there is a problem.

"Maybe I didn't wait long enough after spraying the brass, but I noticed that some of my powder was sticking to the inside of the case, as if the case was still wet with lube. Does that matter? How long should I wait after spraying before loading?"

Highly unlikely to affect the powder. However, before you spray it on, knock all the cases on their sides in a box (shoe box works) give them a quick spray (ypu really need very little; less is more) & let dry about 1 min. I find that it works best within the 1st hour after spraying. Leaving it overnight makes it slightly less effective.

Our host suggests just leaving it on the cases & it may even help feeding. D.

[slughammer]

Check the shell plate for damage, you could have possibly cracked one of the lips at a station.

I don't use one shot, but I make sure there is plenty of polish in my tumbling media, seems to make resizing easier than with dry brass.

[Leroy]

According to my 650 book the shell plate for the 9x19 9x21 and 38 super is the same shell plate #5.

Cleaning you dies and using one shot is a good place to start and marking your stations to see if this is happening at the same station may find the problem

Good luck.

Leroy

[driver8M3]

where is the plate numbered? i dont see any markings on mine.

i did mark my plate and the problems were random, not the same station.

it took me about 2 hours to load 100 rounds when the cases were getting stuck. after cleaning and lubing, i did ~700 rounds in about 90 minutes (and i only have 1 primer tube).

[gm iprod]

I think if you can prove or otherwise that you have the correct shellplate you will have peace of mind. Look on top of the shellplate the number should be clearly stamped / cut into it. If there is no numbering I would call Dillon and explain the problem again, and ask them to send a new, correctly numbered, shellplate to you.

You now NEED to buy more primer tubes.

Then continue as you are, using all the advise previously given.

[driver8M3]

i thought i'd bring this thread back to life. i hadnt done much reloading since november, but i started getting ready for the new season and loaded about 2k rounds the past 2 days. using the one shot lube, everything went very well (not a single case got stuck), and i think the total time for the 2k rounds was about 3 hours (that sure beats 2 hours for 100 rounds). having a few more primer tubes helps too!

here's another (minor) issue that i noticed:

using the powder measure indicator/alarm thingy, i end up with some power along the shellplate (actually on the metal just outside the rim of the shellplate). i had thought that a case went through without getting a primer, but i checked every round and that didnt happen. i vacuumed up the stray powder and continued. but after a while i noticed more powder again. so, as a test, i vacuumed up the powder again, and removed the powder measure thingy and continued reloading (i was carfeful to look into each case TWICE before putting the bullet in). that eliminated the loose powder getting on the shellplate.

looking at individual cyclings i couldnt see where it was coming from, but over time there was a fairly significant amount of powder. does everyone get some stray powder on the shellplate when using the powder measure? do you just ignore it?

[smokshwn]

driver,

I don't know what your load is in 9mm but I am loading (major and my powder charge is very close to the top of the case. When the head of the powder check would go into the case it was displacing enough powder to cause the spills you describe. Don't sweat the powder check removal as that is how I solved the same problem. With this high of a charge I am not worried about a double charge as it would be painfully obvious, and at this charge height it is no problem to visualize the charge going into station 4 and placing a bullet on the case.

Take care, Craig

[sargenv]

What I find helps in 9mm for me is using just a deprime punch on 1, using a sizer on 2, moving the powder measure to 3, and then seat and crimp on 4 and 5. I do this with other calibers also. The difference being that I have an older 650 and an older powder measure that is not relying on being on station 2. This way doesn't work as well if you use a powder check die. I don't use one myself. I use Dillon's spray on case lube.

Vince

[Carlos]

I believe this is addressed in the "650 tips & tricks" section under something like powder bounce or powder spills. Many forum members have clipped a coil or so off the spring under the ball detent that stops the shell plate at each location.

Russell; remove the toolhead, loosen the lock-bolt on the collum and then remove the large center bolt that holds in the shell plate. Clean it with break cleaner or bore solvent. Once clean, I use dry lube on the underside of my plate (moly, graphite, etc.). reassemble & try to ge the plate as tight to the ram as possible without adding undue effort to the handle. That should take out some bounce. Repeat every few thousand rounds. D.

[ErikW]

Some powders just make a mess, even if you aren't coming close to filling the case. 3N37, for example.

[driver8M3]

i'm loading a paltry 3.0 grains of n310 in 9mm. the problem isnt overflowing when the powder check goes in, or powder coming out on the "bounce," the problem appears to be powder coming out as the powder check thing comes out, as if powder sticks to it...not a huge amount, but enough to bug me. after i removed the powder check system, i didnt see a single grain of powder.

[Carlos]

That is a new one to me. De-humidify the basement maybe? D.

[.40AET]

I'm with Carlos sort of. I would think that you either have a humidity problem or a static electricity problem. Low humidity and static kinda go hand in hand. If you elevate the humidity, then both problems will go away. I only have static problems around here in the winter. During the summer my press runs alot better. Try the dryer sheet thing on the powder measure and/or put a humidifier in your reloading area. Current outside humidity is 70%. I'm sure that you are heating your house, so then the humidity inside will be alot lower as you warm the air up.