ShortBus Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 My tool head (factory Dillon cast tool head) is moving about 15 thousands (guessing, magnetic base dial indicator at work) and my OAL shift is Huge. Will the aftermarket ones from places like uniquetech fix this issue!? I've got to get it straightened out ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newboy Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The tool head is always pressed upwards when seating, so I don't see how it could affect your OAL. But if it bothers you, you can shim it one way or the other. I Heli-Coiled the tool head, and replaced the pins with screws which hold the head tight to the top, eliminating the slop. I think slop or a warped case holder would be more likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I dimpled the side of the tool head with a punch and it was very snug, while it was snug it was amazingly consistent, after a few rounds it loosened back up and the OAL shift was right back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I was thinking about tapping the tool head as well, id just hate to drill my press out a little larger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 I just finished loading on my 650 with the "floppy" tool head with pins when I saw this, so I just checked 20 rounds, and the OAL deviation was.002". You've got something else going on there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 (edited) Why does it go away when the tool head is tight? All dies are tight and I'm not doing anything odd. OAL goes from 1.129-1.145 extreme spread to extreme spread. Edited May 30, 2016 by ShortBus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanb Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 How tight is your shell plate? Are you cramming over or anything too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I've tried it with it tighter than I liked and looser than I liked with basically the same results. Not sure what you mean by "cramming" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) I started a thread on another forum about this. Are you using mixed brass? I never really got any input that satisfied my questioning. My deveation was about .005 on avg but had a few that were .010. I just chalk it up to once fired mixed brass, shell plate slop, tool head slop, and maybe inconsistent down stroke on the press. All those together contribute slightly. Add them up. Now if you're getting .016 that's a little much. What kind of brass? Bullets? Assuming the primers are seated deap enough to not stick out causing greater OAL. Any chance your calipers are the problem? Edited May 31, 2016 by B_RAD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sschultz Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I think spell check got him. Caming over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Once fired mixed brass. Bluebullets 125gr Not sure what coming over is either lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsauerfan Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) i insert a thin piece of cardboard into the right or left side rail then slide the tool head in ; it's pretty snug doesn't move upward at all. also if the lock ring on the seating or crimping die aren't tightened correctly you may get like 0.005 maybe a little more variation. Edited May 31, 2016 by sigsauerfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Mr Bus, you may want to check the compatibility of your seating die with the profile bullets you are using,. If it is pushing on the sides of the bullet and not the tip, the OAL can vary more than just from tool head slack. I have been using a 650 for many years. I have never tried any of the "fixes" that are available and typically see no more than 0.005 variation and usually less. Later, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Locking rings are tight, not sure if they need to be torqued to a certain spec? The dating die SEEMS to be hitting center. I took it out and messed with the insert and measured some bullets in it while I had it out. I also flipped it to the flat point side but that took the coating off the tip of the bullet. Gonna mess with it some more tomorrow, thinking about checking the run-out of the shell plate too. Not real sure what to do. No way I'm going to keep that much deviation between my burrets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 In my experience the clamped billet whidden toolhead from uniquetek did improve oal consistency a little. The main thing it improved is feel. I can literally feel brass being sized by the carbide ring in the die. I understand the logic that says it shouldn't matter but a tighter fitting billet head that is clamped with bolts works for me. It's not a massive cost so I say give one a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Locking rings are tight, not sure if they need to be torqued to a certain spec? The dating die SEEMS to be hitting center. I took it out and messed with the insert and measured some bullets in it while I had it out. I also flipped it to the flat point side but that took the coating off the tip of the bullet. Gonna mess with it some more tomorrow, thinking about checking the run-out of the shell plate too. Not real sure what to do. No way I'm going to keep that much deviation between my burrets! The flat point die was hitting the tip of the bullet. Try it on a few dummies and measure the OAL. You will probably find that they are more consistent than what you have been seeing. That variation is probably the best you are going to see with that press. The other end of the seating is probably just pushing on the sides of the bullet. The additional variance that you are seeing is likely due to minor variations in the bullet profile. Try some FMJs and see if you get the same result. Or,if you are loading for pistol, don't worry about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 The flat point was hitting the tip, but it was leaving a big ring in the top of the bullet and taking a good bit of coating off. Shooting bullets that have .020 swings in OAL is not an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I might have missed this if it has been covered, but are you checking for consistency while loading with ALL of the stations properly full? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Yes, for measuring purposes I don't measure the first few rounds or the last few rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimk60 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Here is my experience. I was having the same issue. It was especially bad with Xtreme plated RN, Dimpling and all. I also had the OAL variance for all bullets in 3 calibers. I added the UniqueTek clamp kit, and it reduced my variance down to no more than .003. I have them on all 5 of my tool heads. I would like to add that I purchased a recent build Dillon 650 tool head, and it looks like they made a design change. The original head has a tongue that measured .370. I purchased a new one a couple of months back, and noticed the tongue looked different. First it had a 45* camfer about .125" wide around the top of the tongue. the tongue itself measured .380" thick. So, it is .010" thicker, and has a camfer to facilitate insertion into the press. When inserted, it had almost no movement in the press, while the original .370 had quite a bit of up and down movement. Has anyone else noticed this change in the 650 tool heads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 I'm gonna drill and tap the tool head tonight I think and just see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEH Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I made a shim from a coke can,,flatten coke can cut pieces with tin snips or razor knife..It will fit right in between tool head and top of machine. Cut shim 1/4" wide about 3" long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 I'll try a coke can, I tried to find some stuff around that would work but couldn't find anything thin enough. Thinnest I could find was a razor blade and it was too thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Just the obvious stuff, just in case... Yes, for measuring purposes I don't measure the first few rounds or the last few rounds. Yeah, only compare the rounds that were made when ALL the stations are full. After that, handle travel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Im a slow loader man. I make it a point to try and be consistent. Definitely now that I'm trying to get this sorted out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now