Just got a Dillon XL 650 a few questions.

[RUN8]

So for the first time in about 8 years, my wife and I are getting a tax refund instead of owing money to Uncle Sugar. So she spent a bunch of money on picture frames, and bought me a Dillon XL 650 as a gift.

For background I have been reloading since about age 16 or so, and I am now 35, so the XL 650 is not my first press, I also have a Dillon Square Deal B in .45 ACP and a Redding T7. We bought a new house last October, and I now have a dedicated work room in the finished basement, and recently finished another work bench that is 40" tall, 30" deep, and 96" long with a 3/4" plywood top. I also used a 2"X6" screwed on the front lip reinforcing the front, and then fully framed out with 2"X4"s with an under shelf of similar construction and doubled up 2"X4"s for legs. All of this has noes been bolted top and bottom to the wall so it is very very solid. My other bench is of basically identical height, but only about 70" long and a bit deeper but it has shelves on top of the back part. At any rate I have quite a bit of bench top to work with here so I am not cramped for space.

My first questions are in regards to the XL 650, namely are there any parts or accessories that I simply have to have to get going and have the press run the way I want it to? The press my wife bought me was purchased locally and has a shell plate and associated case feed parts for 9X19, and 9X21; ironically I do not currently own a 9mm pistol of any description (although this gives me an excellent excuse to buy one...). I want to get it set up to run .223/5.56mm as my first goal, so I know I'll need a caliber change conversion. I also know that I will need a case feeder, which is great because I wanted one anyway. So other than a case feeder, caliber conversion kit, and of course dies what do you all recommend for must have press accessories?

My second question is about the Square Deal B. I just got this old press mounted on the new bench so it doesn't crowd the work area on my other bench that has the Redding T7 mounted to it. Before mounting I took it completely apart, cleaned everything and lubed it. I realized that I probably need to get a rebuild kit for it and do some other things, I've loaded a lot of ammo on this press since I got it 14 years ago so it has paid for itself many times over. However, now that I have a press capable of much higher load rates should I keep the old SQDB or just get another caliber conversion kit for the XL 650? I have space for both but don't know if I should spend money on maintaining both, or use it to consolidate and just run one press that is much more versatile. Anyone have any thoughts or go through the same transition?

Any responses will be greatly appreciated!

[blujax01]

While the case feeder is nice, it is not strictly necessary. I ran my press for a year before I took on the added expense. The bullet tray is a must add. The primer alarm you simply cannot do without. There is available a parts kit for less than $30. Even though your press is warrantied for life, if you need to have a part sent to you there can be a delay while the mail runs it's course. An extra locater pin, or a spring or other doodad is handy to have to keep you up and running.

You got an XL650 and she got picture frames? Must be some damn nice frames!

[Boxerglocker]

A 650 without a casefeeder is like cornflakes without the milk, get one.

Setting it up for .223 is pretty much like any other caliber but you'll need to prep you cases first then load on a second pass through the machine. Lots of threads here depicting how to prep using a XL650 but basically of you don't have a RT1200 trimmer you are relegated to doing it on your Redding first sizing, then trimming and finally removing crimps.

[Pat Miles]

GET A CASE FEEDER!

Having a 650 without a case feeder is blasphemy!

Load on your 650 for a couple of months, then buy the case feeder, then tell us if you made a mistake not getting one in the first place.

Having a 650 without a case feeder is kind of like having a Harley without a front tire. Just doesn't make any sense.

Pat

Edited April 13, 2014 by Pat Miles

[cbrconst]

Put a Mr. Bullet Feeder on your Anniversary List.

[Prebaned]

Here is how I roll with .223 on the 650. There are many ways to do it but this works for me.

.223 setup on xl650

My set-up is as follows. . .

Decaping tool head

Station 1 - Lee universal decapping die.

Station 2 - Empty naked to the wind

Station 3 - Empty naked to the wind

Station 4 - Empty naked to the wind

Station 5 - Empty naked to the wind

Wet Tumble brass

LUBE Brass with shine version of DCL

Brass prep tool head

Station 1 - Dillon .223 Carbide Sizing/Decapping Die

Station 2 - Empty naked to the wind

Station 3 - Dillon 1200b Trimmer with custom insert pin and attach vacuum.

Station 4 - Empty naked to the wind

Station 5 - Lyman M Die -set to knock of any inside burr and put a extreme very slight flare in less than .002

Dry Tumble to remove lube as there is no more sizing to do.

Hornady pocket ream primer pockets if necessary.

Loading tool head

Station 1 - Lee Universal Decapping Die to clear flash hole of any debri.

Station 2 - Seat primer, drop powder

Station 3 - Dillon Powder Check

Station 4 - Redding Competition Pro Seating Die

Station 4 - Lee Factory Crimp Die to take out the slight flare from the M die without crimping.

Without a doubt get the case feeder and plates.

Quick change tool head kits for every caliber make the swap over fast and maintain your die and powder/flare settings.

Sent painfully from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[SilverBolt]

I recently got in to reloading and bought a 650. I ran maybe 1k rounds before ordering a case feeder. Buy a case feeder. 3/4" plywood top to me is not enough. If you get any flex you could have issues with primer seating and inconsistent powder drops. Make sure your mount is solid with zero flex. The 650 mounted on the edge of the bench is a lot of leverage.

[blujax01]

Oh don't misunderstand me, my decision to wait on the case feeder was purely economic. My point was that you can run without one.

And Silverbolt is correct - a 3/4" bench top may not give the desired stability. I bought a 4x8x3/4 sheet of oak plywood, slit it lengthwise, put down a coating of wood glue, turned it face-to-face, and screwed it together on 24" centers. Add a 1x2 furring strip along the front edge to finish and you will have a Solid foundation.

[RUN8]

I recently got in to reloading and bought a 650. I ran maybe 1k rounds before ordering a case feeder. Buy a case feeder. 3/4" plywood top to me is not enough. If you get any flex you could have issues with primer seating and inconsistent powder drops. Make sure your mount is solid with zero flex. The 650 mounted on the edge of the bench is a lot of leverage.

The bench top is not just 3/4" plywood without any support. The bottom surface is fully framed out with 2"X4"s. Additionally the front lip was further reinforced with a 2"X6" that runs the full length of the bench (96") that is deck screwed and glued flat to the bottom of the 3/4" plywood forming a very stiff lip that is then supported at both ends with the 2"X4" framing notched out to run out to the very edge, with an additional cross member at the 4' mark also providing support to the lip. Behind this is the rest of the 2"X4" framing that boxes in the rest of the 3/4" top. There's no flex at the bench top, and this is the same construction method I used for my other bench which has a Redding T7 mounted on it. No flexing there either. The Dillon Strong Mount that I have my Square Deal B on flexes more than the bench.