So what's the story with the Dillon XL-650?

[Justjohn3]

Hi, I've been out of reloading for many years now. I have a Star, a RL-550 and a RCBS Rock Chucker that I have set up. I also have a Dillon XL-650 with case feeder in .308 that I bought from a guy needing money but have never set it up. So I've been thinking about setting it up to load .38/.357 revolver ammo and started looking at Dillon's web site to see what it would take.

 

Boy, was I surprised at the cost of dies and conversion kits! Did they just go the way of everything else with the cost, or am I missing something? I'm not that guy that is always trying to chisel a deal, but do want to feel comfortable that I'm not over paying without benefit.

 

Second question - I see that the 650 has been discontinued and replaced by the 750. Does Dillon still support the 650 with repairs, etc? Would one be advised to not fool with the 650, sell it and buy a 750 instead? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[Jsjac]

I like my 650 and would not sell it to get a 750. 

Dillon will support the 650 for long time. 

[Balakay]

I have used both for a lot of rounds.  While I wouldn't necessarily change from a 650 if it is working well for you, the 750 is significantly smoother.  There is much less powder spillage loading 11g of powder in 9mm.  I prefer the primer system in the 750.  The rotary system on the 650 is dependent on a spring that I tended to wear out every 5-10K rounds.  When the spring wears, the primer disc starts to not advance properly and will require manual adjustment. The 750 priming system is linear and as long as the primer track is clean, much less prone to missing primers

[TaterHead]

2 hours ago, Balakay said:

The rotary system on the 650 is dependent on a spring that I tended to wear out every 5-10K rounds.  When the spring wears, the primer disc starts to not advance properly and will require manual adjustment. The 750 priming system is linear and as long as the primer track is clean, much less prone to missing primers

I have never experienced that on my 650. The spring broke once in what is now 160k rounds.

[Balakay]

1 hour ago, TaterHead said:

I have never experienced that on my 650. The spring broke once in what is now 160k rounds.

I guess I was just unlucky 

[CenTX]

I bought the my 650 after the 750 came out to get the rotary primer system. Since I have never used a 750, I don't know if this applies or not. I used a 550 for twenty plus years, occasionally I would have a grain of powder get in the primer seating cup, that would put a dimple in the primer. I would put the loaded rounds with the dimpled primers in my practice ammo and they all went bang, but it was annoying. I did not have that occur on my 650.

[ddc]

2 hours ago, Balakay said:

I guess I was just unlucky 

 

Me too. That spring has broken at least three or four times in about 100k rounds.

[SnipTheDog]

On 6/18/2022 at 1:07 AM, Justjohn3 said:

Hi, I've been out of reloading for many years now. I have a Star, a RL-550 and a RCBS Rock Chucker that I have set up. I also have a Dillon XL-650 with case feeder in .308 that I bought from a guy needing money but have never set it up. So I've been thinking about setting it up to load .38/.357 revolver ammo and started looking at Dillon's web site to see what it would take.

 

Boy, was I surprised at the cost of dies and conversion kits! Did they just go the way of everything else with the cost, or am I missing something? I'm not that guy that is always trying to chisel a deal, but do want to feel comfortable that I'm not over paying without benefit.

 

Second question - I see that the 650 has been discontinued and replaced by the 750. Does Dillon still support the 650 with repairs, etc? Would one be advised to not fool with the 650, sell it and buy a 750 instead? 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Things just cost more post-pandemic.  If you think Dillon's prices are bad, wait til you start shopping for primers.

[sharko]

23 hours ago, ddc said:

 

Me too. That spring has broken at least three or four times in about 100k rounds.

Me too. I've had to replace that spring like three times in probably 500K rounds. Once you recognize it it's easy.

 

I have both 650 and 750 and actually like the 650 better. I was excited to try the 750 primer system but after using it for a while it was screwing up too and I didn't know what the cure was for it. The only thing I liked about it is not having to advance it a bunch when you first load it up and not feeding when there wasn't brass in the machine.

I did put an on/off cam on my 650 that I printed so it won't keep feeding primers and dumping them.