Changing Calibers on a 650

[GregInAtl]

I have had by 650 for about 3 or 4 years now. I had it set up by DIllon for 45 acp when I bought it. I have used it exclusively for 45acp and have never switched calibers yet. Currently, I use my 550b for 9mm. I am thinking of switching the 650 to 9mm because I am shooting 9mm a lot more and use the 550 for 45acp. I know it's a pain, did Dillon provide everything I need to switch? How about the case feeder? Is there anything I have to acquire from Dillon to change case feeder over to 9mm?

[Yondering]

You'll need to buy a 9mm 650 conversion kit and a 45 ACP 550 conversion kit; the 550 and 650 kits are not interchangeable. Those are separate from the reloading dies. 

You will need to swap between small and large primers on each press, Dillon does include all of those part you need with your press if you bought them new.

 

I'll let someone more knowledgeable about case feeders comment on that part. 

[George16]

You’ll need the small pistol plate installed in your case feeder to be able to use it in loading 9mm on your 650. The .45 uses the large pistol plate which is not compatible with the 9mm cases.

[GregInAtl]

1 hour ago, George16 said:

You’ll need the small pistol plate installed in your case feeder to be able to use it in loading 9mm on your 650. The .45 uses the large pistol plate which is not compatible with the 9mm cases.

 

Does the case feeder come with both small and large plate or do they just include the one that matches whatever the press is set up for (45acp or 9mm) when Dillon ships it. I don't remember if I got both of them with my press, it's been 3 or 4 years

[George16]

6 minutes ago, GregInAtl said:

 

Does the case feeder come with both small and large plate or do they just include the one that matches whatever the press is set up for (45acp or 9mm) when Dillon ships it. I don't remember if I got both of them with my press, it's been 3 or 4 years

It only includes the plate which matches what the press was originally set up for. Large plate for .40/.45 or small plate for 9mm/38. 

 

The words “small pistol” or “large pistol” are emblazoned on the case feeder  plate.

[stick]

The change over will literally take 5 minutes to perform.  You need to change the large primer assembly for the small primer assembly, change the large primer punch for the small primer punch, switch out the large primer magazine for the small primer magazine on the 650's primer fill.  Change out the conversion parts locator pins, shellplate, casefeed adapter parts.  

Do you have another toolhead with the 9mm powder funnel installed on a quick change kit?  if not, that will slow you down a bit to change over the dies.

[m700]

Honestly just buy the following and do everything on your 650

 

Small pistol case feeder plate

650 9mm conversion

650 toolhead 

toolhead stand

 

the swap takes less than 10 minutes 

 

[Face5535]

Call Dillon, get a quick swap for the 650 and sell the 550... ha:)

[jaques]

I bought a complete extra primer system from Dillon. I just remove the 2 bolts and swap out the entire unit. It makes it easy going from small primers to larger primers. Then I made a stand for the extra primer system. 

[ExStreetWalker]

On 9/21/2019 at 3:54 AM, stick said:

The change over will literally take 5 minutes to perform.  You need to change the large primer assembly for the small primer assembly, change the large primer punch for the small primer punch, switch out the large primer magazine for the small primer magazine on the 650's primer fill.  Change out the conversion parts locator pins, shellplate, casefeed adapter parts.  

Do you have another toolhead with the 9mm powder funnel installed on a quick change kit?  if not, that will slow you down a bit to change over the dies.

 

If you can do a caliber change, including primer swap in 5 minutes you're taking meth.

[RiggerJJ]

Not so, Streetwalker...

[GregInAtl]

On 9/26/2019 at 10:17 AM, jaques said:

I bought a complete extra primer system from Dillon. I just remove the 2 bolts and swap out the entire unit. It makes it easy going from small primers to larger primers. Then I made a stand for the extra primer system. 

I was thinking of going this route after watching a video of changing the priming system from large to small. When you buy the primer system from DIllon does the small/large primer punch come with it?

[jaques]

8 hours ago, GregInAtl said:

I was thinking of going this route after watching a video of changing the priming system from large to small. When you buy the primer system from DIllon does the small/large primer punch come with it?

Yes, its complete.

[DWS]

On 9/26/2019 at 6:20 AM, Face5535 said:

Call Dillon, get a quick swap for the 650 and sell the 550... ha:)

Not a bad plan

[GregInAtl]

So, now that I know what I need to buy from Dillon to do the conversion, can someone tell me which OEM parts I need that were supplied with my 650. That way, if I have misplaced or lost anything and have to purchase any OEM parts, I can order everything at once.

 

Thanks again

[muncie21]

19 hours ago, GregInAtl said:

So, now that I know what I need to buy from Dillon to do the conversion, can someone tell me which OEM parts I need that were supplied with my 650. That way, if I have misplaced or lost anything and have to purchase any OEM parts, I can order everything at once.

 

Thanks again

I think  the link below is what you're looking for.  It tells you which quick change parts are needed for which calibers, as some of the quick-change parts and calibers overlap.

 

http://thegunwiki.com/apps/calconversion/

[GregInAtl]

I assume that since I have been loading 45acp, that I won't have to change the powder bar, right. They both use small powder bar?

[George16]

1 hour ago, GregInAtl said:

I assume that since I have been loading 45acp, that I won't have to change the powder bar, right. They both use small powder bar?

Yes, both use the small powder bar.

[MemphisMechanic]

1 hour ago, GregInAtl said:

I assume that since I have been loading 45acp, that I won't have to change the powder bar, right. They both use small powder bar?

Won’t need the large bar unless you start messing around with rifles. The breaking point is somewhere up around 20-25gr charge weight, if I recall correctly.

[Pinecone]

On 9/26/2019 at 10:17 AM, jaques said:

I bought a complete extra primer system from Dillon. I just remove the 2 bolts and swap out the entire unit. It makes it easy going from small primers to larger primers. Then I made a stand for the extra primer system. 

 

Same here, much faster switching between primer sizes.

[Hockeycor22]

On 12/13/2019 at 5:06 PM, GregInAtl said:

I assume that since I have been loading 45acp, that I won't have to change the powder bar, right. They both use small powder bar?

It’s much easier if you just have a designated powder drop for each tool head. I know it’s an extra $100 or so but it’s worth it to have one for each tool head. Once you change calibers just double check your powder charge is where you left it last time and your good to go. 

 

Its much easier to not have to mess with the tool head. Pull the two pins and swap out.

[Sigarmsp226]

On 9/26/2019 at 9:17 AM, jaques said:

I bought a complete extra primer system from Dillon. I just remove the 2 bolts and swap out the entire unit. It makes it easy going from small primers to larger primers. Then I made a stand for the extra primer system. 

This is what I do also and the changeover is simple and fast.....worth the cost for the complete changeover system IMO....Mark

[admcd]

2 hours ago, Hockeycor22 said:

It’s much easier if you just have a designated powder drop for each tool head. I know it’s an extra $100 or so but it’s worth it to have one for each tool head. Once you change calibers just double check your powder charge is where you left it last time and your good to go. 

 

Its much easier to not have to mess with the tool head. Pull the two pins and swap out.

This.

 

I bought a separate head, powder drop and everything.  I think Dillon calls it the quick change kit.  Can change calibers in about 5 minutes.  As suggested, you really should consider a separate primer assembly - I just swap it out in it's entirity when I need to switch from Large primer to small. 

[Hockeycor22]

41 minutes ago, admcd said:

This.

 

I bought a separate head, powder drop and everything.  I think Dillon calls it the quick change kit.  Can change calibers in about 5 minutes.  As suggested, you really should consider a separate primer assembly - I just swap it out in it's entirity when I need to switch from Large primer to small. 

I really only load 9minor, 9major and 40 so it’s all the same primer assembly. But I could see how that would be important. Best of luck reloading a new caliber

[Pinecone]

I have a couple of powder measures for the calibers I load a lot.

 

For others, I bought additional powder bars.  I paint the end white (model paint) and write the caliber on it with a Sharpie.  I pretty much load the same load in each caliber every time.

 

As long as I am staying from small to small or larger to large, not long to swap bars.