What's on Top of Your 650 Toolhead and Why ( Dies )

[Nik Habicht]

Back when I had a 650, the only non-Dillon die was a Lee FCD crimp die in the last station for every caliber I loaded. I never used a powder check die; kept a minimaglite with a rubber head protector standing up in the center of the toolhead. Shining down through the center hole made it really easy to doublecheck that powder was in the case for every round loaded....

[Ray_Z]

I use Dillon dies for pistol calibers and Hornady for rifle. I love the sleeve Hornady put in their dies. No more fussing and worrying with the bullet going sideways on the seating die.

[Canine582]

down to the crimp die.

the Lee FCD or the Dillon

also, most all of my 9MM regardless of where they come from. using the Dillon sizing die seems to chamber flawlessly 100% of the time. what advantage would the Lee sizing die have if any. or is it just preference. does the Lee go lower on the case. if so, I have more problems with .45 having case bulge and could see using it for the .45 case.

Thanks

Edited September 26, 2015 by Canine582

[MAC702]

I have MUCH, MUCH better results with a Lee Factory Crimp die for crimping .45 ACP. The rest of the toolhead is Dillon, but in reality, I could have saved money with Lee all the way around, but I was on a roll with the Dillon catalog at the time.

My XL650 is set up for .45 ACP most of the time. I would have a few percent from the all-Dillon dies that wouldn't fit the case gauge. Everything fits after using the Lee FCD.

[BeerBaron]

Yes the lee sizing die sizes lower to the extractor groove.

[AzShooter]

is the press harder to run with using the U die. or are you making it work by using a bullet lube. I use case lube all the time and don't " fight " a thing as far as the machine is concerned.

note: the Redding Comp Micro Seating die is sounding good and appears to be liked a lot. I load several different types of bullets and the ease of bullet adjustment really appeals.

one other thing while I thinking: does the Redding Comp Seating die have what Dillon calls their

" flip-flop" seating stem. Where you can seat a SWC and RN.

[AzShooter]

The Redding die is great for the micro adjustment. It does not have the "flip-flop" stem but it is still worth the extra money.

I also use the Lee U die it's a big plush when using old brass.

[peterthefish]

The Redding die is great for the micro adjustment. It does not have the "flip-flop" stem but it is still worth the extra money.

I also use the Lee U die it's a big plush when using old brass.

Hornady new dimension seating dies can be used with their micrometer stem, and come with both ogive and flat seating plugs. They also use a floating sleeve to align the bullet.

[Canine582]

is the Redding Comp die a ogive or a flat seating plug.

[stick]

Lee sizing and factory crimp die, RCBS seating die and a mini Mr bullet feeder.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[AzShooter]

is the Redding Comp die a ogive or a flat seating plug.

Redding die is an Ogive die.

[caspian guy]

The Redding die is great for the micro adjustment. It does not have the "flip-flop" stem but it is still worth the extra money.

I also use the Lee U die it's a big plush when using old brass.

Hornady new dimension seating dies can be used with their micrometer stem, and come with both ogive and flat seating plugs. They also use a floating sleeve to align the bullet.

Yep these are my preference for a seating die.

[Canine582]

well guys I just can't decide on the sizing die. I'm going with the Lee FCD for both 9mm and .45acp. The Redding Comp. seating for 9mm because I find myself loading several different types of 9mm. The .45 is still up in the air. As stated the sizing still has me ???

Thanks

[BeerBaron]

get either the regular lee sizer or the EGW/Lee U die.

Personally I'm happy with the regular lee sizers. they are already quite tight, and already size lower to the extractor groove than other dies do.

[Canine582]

I read some older threads around 2006 about the Lee dies. they were talking about the locking rings and length of the Lee dies kept them from going low enough on the 650. they were using the locking ring on the bottom. did Lee add some threads (length) to their dies allowing the locking ring to be mounted on the top of the press.

[BeerBaron]

Nah they are still marginal. However you really only need one or two threads to hold the die. I run my 650 with both stock dillon and whidden billet toolheads, both with Lee dies and dillon lock rings and all are on top of the toolhead. The sizing die and factory crimp die on both types of head are down to about their last 2 threads. For me they are set where I need them so that's fine.

If you can't get enough thread on top there's no problem running the rings under the head. It's just marginally harder to get to them.

Actually I remember when I first got my 650 I flipped the toolhead upside down. That gave me an extra thread or two (but won't work with the powder check upside down).

It's really not a hassle though.

[BeerBaron]

Here's a vid of my press. You get a glimpse of the dies in it.

Edited October 10, 2015 by BeerBaron

[Canine582]

question

the depriming pin that's spring loaded on the Dillon die, are there others that are spring loaded or are most fixed.

[RPatton]

get either the regular lee sizer or the EGW/Lee U die.

Personally I'm happy with the regular lee sizers. they are already quite tight, and already size lower to the extractor groove than other dies do.

+1 for the Lee regular carbide 40 size die.

My 550 came in 40 and noticed that I had too many bullets that would be tight in the chamber or not chamber at all. I saw a used Lee carbide die at a gun show and noticed that it would size the case almost to the rim so for $10 how could I go wrong.

It fixed 99% of my fat bullet issues.

[BeerBaron]

question

the depriming pin that's spring loaded on the Dillon die, are there others that are spring loaded or are most fixed.

Most of them are not spring loaded. I actually prefer that. The lee is just a simple rod with a depriming tip on it. You can set the pressure at which it will slide up by the collet on top that holds it. So if you come to a case with no flash hole or something it'll just slide up in the collet. The dillon tends to break the clip.

[f2benny]

Lee or Udie on the front, Lee factory crimp die on the back, for .40 and .45. LFCD tightened all the way down.

LFCD in 9mm can make the bullets tumble.

Old thread apologies. Why do you think the lfcd caused bullets to tumble?

[Edge40]

EGW undersize sizing and decapping die, rcbs lock out die, redding competition seating die, lee factory crimp die. Works great. I run that for 40 and straight redding competition sets with the lock out die for 9 and 45. Ill probably convert 9 and 45 to that also.

[jself24]

I run Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension dies and Lee FCD on all calibers. I size on a Single for rifle and leave station one open. I really like the floating sleeve on the Hornady seating die. I do have the micrometer seater plug for my rifle tool heads.

[jcameron996]

Lee or Udie on the front, Lee factory crimp die on the back, for .40 and .45. LFCD tightened all the way down.

LFCD in 9mm can make the bullets tumble.

Old thread apologies. Why do you think the lfcd caused bullets to tumble?

If you are using mixed brass the Lee factory crimp die can cause problems by swaging bullets too small in cases with thicker walls. On another note, if you put the lock ring on the bottom of the tool head for Lee dies, try tightening with a ratchet and a deep wall socket.

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[jmorris]

Old thread apologies. Why do you think the lfcd caused bullets to tumble?

If he had it run down too far and it was swaging the bullets undersize inside the case, that can cause them to tumble.

I too use Lee dies quite a bit, on my 650's I also like the GSI toolhead feeders so I can seat in four, crimp in 5 and still have a powder check in 3.

Edited July 8, 2016 by jmorris