A couple of XL650 issues....opinions?

[TANFARM]

Been loading 9 mm 147 Xtremes for practice and matches. A couple of interesting developments.

I'm noticing some very fine brass shavings around the plate. Perhaps it's always been there but seems to be a little more prominent.

Second....new casings are intermittently hanging up when being inserted into the shell plate. I have re-adjusted the shell plate to Dillon specs. ????.....and still happens ....this is a pain in the butt.....powder spills , etc.

Shell plate always cleaned and lubed, ....it is possible I'm not adjusting the plate properly".....everything else is perfect......except not ordering enough bullets at one time....lol

Thanks in advance......this site is the best....on many levels!!!!!

[legacy]

Brass shavings are probably from a little too much bell.

Define hanging up on shell plate... Are they not getting pushed all the way into station one? I do this occasionally when I get out of my rhythm or try loading too fast.

If brass is hanging up in the de-priming/resizing die try a little case lube, I used to make fun of people who lubed pistol brass until I tried it. My press runs so much smoother now with a little bit of One-Shot on my brass.

[awfaxis]

Although I'm new to my 650 (since Feb), I've seen these issues, and at least have some answers.

Brass shavings for me came from NEW and once fired brass. Even with One-Shot, it still appeared. The Customer Service guy at Dillon said that I should tumble new brass (dry media) to round the edges, and eliminate the need for One-Shot, since the fine powder acts like a dry lube.

As for the shell plate, I've had similar hangs. First hang was me putting in the wrong guide, meaning the little drop in ramp from the brass feeder to the plate. (I load 9 and 40). Make sure the plate is tightened down enough so that it does NOT have a speed bump from guide to plate. Also, keeping the tension tight eliminates the "snap" which can make the powder jump too.

One other thing I had was on the finished round ejection wire. This wire was rather high on my setup, so I bent it so that it rides as low as possible on the plate. This keeps it from binding the brass to plate.

[Jimk60]

The problem I had with brass feeding hangups was due to movement of the shell guide during the feed process.

This was alleviated by putting a dab of grease on the bottom of the feed guide. The grease holds it in place and stops the

movement when a casing is being pushed into the shell plate.

For me the problem is solved.

[Guest]

^^^^

A heathy dab of grease on the bottom helps a lot with dampening the shell guide.

Also, take a good look at your index ring (yellow-ish plastic ring with indexing cam) to make sure it isn't cracked or broken. That will prevent the shell from getting pushed all the way into the shellplate, also.

[TANFARM]

Thanks for your input. Reloaded some more 9 mm last night. The problem I'm having is intermittent ,,,when the brass is being pushed into the shell plate it hangs up. Either requiring jiggling of the handle to seat. Once seated it appears loose , and then it is NOT aligned with the de primer die, and hangs up,again.. What a pain !!!!.......I have throughly cleaned and adjusted the shell plate, greased and even replaced the ramp, and rechecked the brass.....I'm a slow study......but am confused.

Once my bad boy is working it's a wonderful machine....and can knock some 9 mm out.....just would love to figure this first stage thing out!!!!....thanks in advance....if you guys think it makes any difference...this brass was cleaned wet with stainless. Most all my other is dry tumbled with polish....the only wat I will ever do it again....the SS is Tooooo clean?

[Handloader109]

New brass and wet tumbled? Why? It may be "too" clean. I do have hangups occasionally, but mine are burrs due to ejector damage on fired brass. I'd do what others suggest and lube them very lightly. Make Sure that your rhythm is consistent. If I vary either stroke, I can screw up the machine.

[Boxerglocker]

Make sure the triangle block that pushes the case into the the locator has not loosened and moved back. Place a primed case in station 2, with a shell in station 1, push forward on the handle and hold. Loosen the allen head screw, push the triangle block in the fully forward position and torque the allen head screw tight.

[FlightMurse]

I have the same issue with the shell guide not fully engaging the case into station one. I will try to tighten up the block and see if that helps.

[TANFARM]

Thanks will try adjustment

The additional problem is when the case is seated in the plate as I raise it up the casing is loose and hits the de priming die , thus a lock up.... Must adjust it by hand to proceed . Only happens maybe 1 in 5 shells

Thanks!!!!

[Boxerglocker]

Thanks will try adjustment

The additional problem is when the case is seated in the plate as I raise it up the casing is loose and hits the de priming die , thus a lock up.... Must adjust it by hand to proceed . Only happens maybe 1 in 5 shells

Thanks!!!!

Try "centering " your dies in their threads. Pull the handle, hold it down, platform full up. With dummy rounds of cases in all stations, loosen all the die nuts slightly. Allow the dies to center within their threads and retorque.

[Ray_Z]

I think once you tumble your brass, you're going to see all your problems go away.

[George Post]

A different take on this is that your shell plate is too tight. When I first got my 650, I thought my shell plate was out of spec. My primer punch was not centering in the shell plate 2 out of 5 pulls of the handle. I called Dillon and after a few false starts we figured it out. I hope this helps.

[TANFARM]

An update on the station one shell problem......well I tried all 3 of the suggestions!!..... I adjusted the triangular block forward to ensure seating, a dab of grease on the lower side of the shell plate and re- centered the de priming die on station one.......don't know who to give the prize money to ........but I'm seem to be humming along smoothly again.

I've said it before....THANK YOU for all the helpful suggestions

I'm actually reploishing some 9 mm brass in a tumbler with polish to see if it helps with this dry batch of Stainless cleaned cartridges.

[Jimk60]

If you are wet washing your own brass with SS try using Armor All Wash and Wax(with Carnuba wax) instead of Dawn. Leaves a slick coating that really aids in all aspects of progressive loading. Also prevents the brass from tarnishing. It will remain clean and shiny for a long time.

Dawn strips everything from the brass, including all oils and lubricants. Leaving it completely clean. You must then you a spray lube before reloading.

Armor All W&W obviates the need for spray lube.

This is what works for me.

YMMV

Edited July 22, 2015 by Jimk60

[stick]

If you are wet washing your own brass with SS try using Armor All Wash and Wax(with Carnuba wax) instead of Dawn. Leaves a slick coating that really aids in all aspects of progressive loading. Also prevents the brass from tarnishing. It will remain clean and shiny for a long time.

Dawn strips everything from the brass, including all oils and lubricants. Leaving it completely clean. You must then you a spray lube before reloading.

Armor All W&W obviates the need for spray lube.

This is what works for me.

YMMV

Thanks! I need to try the armor all wash and wax.

[Jimk60]

If you are wet washing your own brass with SS try using Armor All Wash and Wax(with Carnuba wax) instead of Dawn. Leaves a slick coating that really aids in all aspects of progressive loading. Also prevents the brass from tarnishing. It will remain clean and shiny for a long time.

Dawn strips everything from the brass, including all oils and lubricants. Leaving it completely clean. You must then you a spray lube before reloading.

Armor All W&W obviates the need for spray lube.

This is what works for me.

YMMV

Thanks! I need to try the armor all wash and wax.

Keep the qty at 2 parts AA to 1 part Lemishine. This is what has worked best for me. My tumbler holds 1.5 gallons of water and 10 lbs of pins.

[TANFARM]

Thanks for the cleaning input....I learned the hard way. Cleaned several loads of 9 mm in my Thumblers and the stuff was soooo clean they hung up on the dies. After this I returned to dry tumbling with Flitx and Dillons case polish in my Lyman's. The brass is clean, stays polished and has a " lube" effect on each one. I still SS wet clean my rifle brass...I think it's a pain personally.......