Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

XL 650 - cases sometimes catching on resizing die


Recommended Posts

Ok so the Lee die set is way to go. And the regular size die will work and if not get the u die if necessary. Sarge posted that you can't use lock nut with Lee size die on the Whidden head. Can you use lock nut on the top of the tool head. If not how are you tightening the size die. Have not placed the order to ship yet from Dillon just in basket so I will be getting the Lee set if that's what y'all recommend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 176
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I think most dies are about the same size as they all have the same thread size ( I know, not the SDB or .50 BMG :roflol: ). Could be referring to the lock nut. I'd assume they could be placed underneath, as many people do, also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You may have enough thread on top to get a nut on there. I think I read somewhere LEE lengthened the die body in the newest generation.

Like I said, my whidden is much thinner than a Dillon head. If you do need to put the nut underneath it hits the press frame and won't tighten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think I've decided on wAy I gonna go. I know it's I more step but I'd rather do this then the u die now. Gonna do the Whidden clamped toolhead from uniquetek with Dillon dies or Lee. I stainless steel tumble my brass so it's really clean. Gonna get the Lee bulge buster kit and use it on my single stage and run all my match brass through it first than reload it on the 650. I know it's an extra step but I don't mind. I'll do a couple 1000 in one sitting so I won't have to do any for awhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is another trick that should allow you to use lock rings under the whidden head with lee dies. Turn it upside down. It's offset in the groove so it's thicker on one side. The only downside is you can't use the dillon powdercheck this way as the hole for the powder check rod won't be in the right place anymore.

But personally I've been able to fit the rings on top. They only need 1 or 2 threads to hold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad I read this thread before I get my new 650 this weekend and set it up. I load 9mm, .223 and 300 blk out. I used a 550b for 3 years with a case feeder. 550b great for 9mm, slow for .223. I had a lot of similar problems in my 550b as mentioned in this thread. I pretty much used Dillion resizing and seating dies and Lee full length factory crimp dies. Hell I thought the failure to feed into the resizing die was normal. However it did not happened a lot with 9mm, it did happen with .223, Christ those bad boys were swaying in the breeze on the upstroke no matter how tight my shell plate was. I also found regular cleaning of station 1 and the primer feed/seating system was necessary.

Thx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad I read this thread before I get my new 650 this weekend and set it up. I load 9mm, .223 and 300 blk out. I used a 550b for 3 years with a case feeder. 550b great for 9mm, slow for .223. I had a lot of similar problems in my 550b as mentioned in this thread. I pretty much used Dillion resizing and seating dies and Lee full length factory crimp dies. Hell I thought the failure to feed into the resizing die was normal. However it did not happened a lot with 9mm, it did happen with .223, Christ those bad boys were swaying in the breeze on the upstroke no matter how tight my shell plate was. I also found regular cleaning of station 1 and the primer feed/seating system was necessary.

Thx

After guys on this thread telling me about the Whidden clamped toolhead I am switching over all my die setups to the Whidden.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just imagine, if things are still not aligned perfectly, how much it will hang up with a tool head that doesn't float a little. This is why I was always advised not to run a clamped tool head. I do use a whidden, just the non clamped model. As a test I once shimmed it with some thin aluminum flashing. It was very tight and very unforgiving.

I am certain you had a bad part that was it of spec and if it was the tool head the whidden will sure cure that as they are Good quality

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just imagine, if things are still not aligned perfectly, how much it will hang up with a tool head that doesn't float a little. This is why I was always advised not to run a clamped tool head. I do use a whidden, just the non clamped model. As a test I once shimmed it with some thin aluminum flashing. It was very tight and very unforgiving.

I am certain you had a bad part that was it of spec and if it was the tool head the whidden will sure cure that as they are Good quality

I ordered a Whidden and should arrive today. I was thinking what you just mentioned about having some forgiveness so I ordered the standard floating model. We'll see how it works.

It sure looks like they've got a little increase in business from this thread. Lol.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just imagine, if things are still not aligned perfectly, how much it will hang up with a tool head that doesn't float a little. This is why I was always advised not to run a clamped tool head. I do use a whidden, just the non clamped model. As a test I once shimmed it with some thin aluminum flashing. It was very tight and very unforgiving.

I am certain you had a bad part that was it of spec and if it was the tool head the whidden will sure cure that as they are Good quality

I ordered a Whidden and should arrive today. I was thinking what you just mentioned about having some forgiveness so I ordered the standard floating model. We'll see how it works.

It sure looks like they've got a little increase in business from this thread. Lol.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Did you ever do an alignment? My machine is running AMAZING since I did the alignment. I did 500 rds yesterday w/o a single hangup. And mine was like yours where it ran better with the pins out of the tool head. You can do the alignment using the powder funnel if you didn't get the alignment tool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is another trick that should allow you to use lock rings under the whidden head with lee dies. Turn it upside down. It's offset in the groove so it's thicker on one side. The only downside is you can't use the dillon powdercheck this way as the hole for the powder check rod won't be in the right place anymore.

But personally I've been able to fit the rings on top. They only need 1 or 2 threads to hold.

If you set another tool head on top of the upside down one, it would be easy to transfer the hole location and drill a new hole for the powder check.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must be living right, I load 9mm exclusively on my 650. I use a U-die for sizing and Dillon dies for the rest of the process. I've loaded 700 to 1000 per week for the last 3 years and other than the occasional upside down case, I've never had any of the problems described in this thread. I SS pin clean my brass (with the primers in place) I use range brass (with ammoload and some others culled out) and lube with Dillon case lube. Now I've probably jinxed myself. :surprise:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must be living right, I load 9mm exclusively on my 650. I use a U-die for sizing and Dillon dies for the rest of the process. I've loaded 700 to 1000 per week for the last 3 years and other than the occasional upside down case, I've never had any of the problems described in this thread. I SS pin clean my brass (with the primers in place) I use range brass (with ammoload and some others culled out) and lube with Dillon case lube. Now I've probably jinxed myself. :surprise:

You are doomed!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

enough grease packed under the station 1 locator

BeerBaron

As I mentioned earlier I've had the same issue. Keeping the grooves in my shell plate clean seems to help, but even when everything is perfect the cases tend to lean outward just a little.

You mentioned grease under the station 1 locator. I didn't know there was any grease under this. Does this lift it up a bit?

Ya, that's a new for me too - grease under station 1.

Anyone care to elaborate?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In regard to the issue reported on the thread. The case was hitting the die opposite the center of the shell plate. (Leaning toward the shell feed tube.

I ran into the same thing last week and it about drove me crazy. I had just installed a low mass ball and lighter detent spring under the shell plate. I chased around that and other issues. 2 out of 5 would hang and my OAL was getting inconsistent.

Finally I found that the base under the shell plate was loose from the ram. Removed the shell plate, tighten the two bolts and everything kind back up. Then pulled the two bolts out one at a time and applied a drop of blue lock tight. One of the responders to this thread mentioned the same thing. I wish I had saw this thread before I had the issue.

Picture below at its worst.

post-60757-145347620898_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

enough grease packed under the station 1 locator

BeerBaron

As I mentioned earlier I've had the same issue. Keeping the grooves in my shell plate clean seems to help, but even when everything is perfect the cases tend to lean outward just a little.

You mentioned grease under the station 1 locator. I didn't know there was any grease under this. Does this lift it up a bit?

Ya, that's a new for me too - grease under station 1.

Anyone care to elaborate?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Here's a great vid from Dillon's site that explains to never use wd-40 or light oils to clean/lube your press, but only use grease or motor oil.

It also shows how and where to clean and lube your press:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

enough grease packed under the station 1 locator

BeerBaron

As I mentioned earlier I've had the same issue. Keeping the grooves in my shell plate clean seems to help, but even when everything is perfect the cases tend to lean outward just a little.

You mentioned grease under the station 1 locator. I didn't know there was any grease under this. Does this lift it up a bit?

Ya, that's a new for me too - grease under station 1.

Anyone care to elaborate?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dampens the landing when brass falls onto it. Doesn't bounce as much
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update - so I got the Dillon alignment tool and realigned the machine. I also purchased a Whidden tool head and installed it and still no improvement. I made sure my bench is level and even shimmed either side of the machine a quarter inch to see if it made any difference. Nothing seems to change it. I also just started reloading 45 ACP so I am now using a different shell plate than the 9mm in my OP.

I've manged to make a video showing the case deflecting into the resizing die. And that is with me carefully pushing the base of the case all the way into the shell plate with my finger. So this represents the best case scenario.

https://youtu.be/feSVBGu2-rU

The movement you see is the top of the case being tilted back towards the center of the tool head. The base is already as far in the shell holder as possible. You can actually hear it falling back down to it's normal resting position when I lower the ram.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Edited by bozrdang
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bummer! Here's a vid of my 650 running some 38 super.

Toolhead is whidden with the bolted clamp option. Dies are lee (std lee size/deprime in s1).

Brass is mixed range brass.

You can't actually see the brass entering the die but you can see how smoothly it runs (case has 10.5gn+ of vv n105 in them so any jolts will spill powder).

If anything would have potential to show up issues it would be the clamped toolhead/lee die combo as it has no play in the toolhead and the die has no entry radius so cases must enter straight or the get hammered.

Hope you get it figured.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...