New 650

[quietmike]

Just bought a 650, case feeder, ultra mount, ergo handle, bullet tray and UFO light kit.

 

Will be next week before I put it all together.

Been reloading for 35 years, but this is my first progressive press.

Watched the video and it seems pretty straightforward, but looking for any tips or tricks and especially things to avoid during setup and first use.

 

Great site, long time lurker who finally decided to take the plunge.

[MikieM]

You're going to like it. 

If you enjoy tinkering with things then there are several places to go for add-ons that you may like. UniqueTek, comes to mind.

Have fun.

Edited February 1, 2018 by MikieM

[Covfefe]

Congrats! 

[GR8GIFT]

Great press I have 2 650's one for large primers and one for small primers.  I shift one case feeder to the press in use at the time so far that's working well. Although I've considered ordering a second case feeder just haven't decided to spend the money to avoid changing from press to press. You'll love it I can usually load 500 rounds in about 35 minutes with 5 primer tubes filled before I start.

[stick]

When you install the shell plate, make sure you tighten it enough to remove any of the bounce in it.  otherwise you will get high primers.

 

Enjoy the new press!  I love my 650

[Echd]

I also love my 650!

 

The most irritating thing to watch out for is the primer ski ramp. The 650 feeds a primer whether there is a case or not, and they will fall out afterwards if they weren't inserted. You can halt the autoadvance of the primer wheel by removing the plastic wedge that is on the frame near it. This is handy for making adjustments or fixing a misfeed, crushed case, or anything of the sort. Some guy on eBay makes an easily removed one, I just only leave one of the bolts in and pull it out if necessary.

 

Tighten the shellplate appropriately and don't forget the set screw on the ram. 

 

For some cartridges you can experience slight difficulty feeding from the case feeder- 40 s&w was my biggest culprit. Brass would "bounce" when landing and cause some unusual feed situations. A little white lithium grease under the station 1 locator fixed that. Just a touch is sufficient.

 

If you have a lot of cartridges you want to reload cross reference with the conversion kit chart. If you have a handful of popular conversions you may have many of the parts for another conversion.

 

Buy a spare toolhead for depriming and/or case peep. When loading assorted brass a fast pass through with only the resize or a universal decap die can catch bad brass, and will help you catch those annoying 40s that hide in 45s, or 9s in 40s. It's a lot better to do a preliminary sort than have to fix it during a production run.

 

If you are using a die that is too short or has to be adjusted down far (a lot of lee dies have this issue) you can put the lock ring on the bottom of the toolhead.

 

For your casefeeder hornady plates work the same, are interchangeable, and cost slightly less. Unless something has changed anyway.

 

Most of the upgrade kits don't seem to offer much that proper setup won't do anyway. I installed the thrust bearing and roller bearing kit you see on eBay and I can't tell much if any difference. Not to say some dont work but they wont revolutionize loading for you.

 

A spare parts kit is not a bad idea, but the parts I was most likely to break are part 18086, a delrin shoulder that is part of the powder measure system. I think I'm just stupid but over about 8 years with my 650 I've broken 3 or 4 of them.

Edited February 1, 2018 by Echd

[stick]

9 hours ago, Echd said:

 

 

 

 

For your casefeeder hornady plates work the same, are interchangeable, and cost slightly less. Unless something has changed anyway.

 

 

Not all of them.  I have a Hornaday plate for small rifle and I had to modify it to work.  It still doesn't work right.  for the $10 extra buy the Dillon and be certain it will work right.

[MikieM]

There is a potential problem that may need consideration.

Should you purchase a new Dillon RF100, to go along with your new 650, you'll find that you've seemingly finished reloading before you have even begun. Very frustrating. 

[MemphisMechanic]

15 hours ago, Echd said:

I also love my 650!

 

The most irritating thing to watch out for is the primer ski ramp. The 650 feeds a primer whether there is a case or not,

 

...so keep a little box of resized and deprimed cases next to your 650. If you have a 380 slip into the mix that needs pitched, or crush a case, you simply place a clean case on top of the primer that is waiting. Boom. Done. I haven’t had a primer hit the ski jump in several years - there’s no need for the little fixes that keep things from flying off the ramp.

 

15 hours ago, Echd said:

 

and they will fall out afterwards if they weren't inserted. You can halt the autoadvance of the primer wheel by removing the plastic wedge that is on the frame near it. 

 

Again, easier solution: on your way upward, simply lift the chrome arm up and out of the hole in the primer wheel with your fingertip. No need to unbolt anything.

 

 

[jhgtyre]

15 hours ago, Echd said:

The most irritating thing to watch out for is the primer ski ramp. The 650 feeds a primer whether there is a case or not, and they will fall out afterwards if they weren't inserted. You can halt the autoadvance of the primer wheel by removing the plastic wedge that is on the frame near it.

 

19 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:

...so keep a little box of resized and deprimed cases next to your 650. If you have a 380 slip into the mix that needs pitched, or crush a case, you simply place a clean case on top of the primer that is waiting. Boom. Done. I haven’t had a primer hit the ski jump in several years - there’s no need for the little fixes that keep things from flying off the ramp.

 

 Excellent advice from MemphisMechanic.  The few times that I need to do so I just pluck the primer off of the seating stem and set it aside.  Next time I add primers to the machine I top off the tube with the lone primer.  That ramp is there as a fail-safe not a standard operating procedure.

[CPD7119]

I'd suggest reading the manual before loading on it. It is a very simple machine but still a good idea to give the manuel a read.