sargenv Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 (edited) Ok, so I've cranked out many thousands of rounds of ammo on my 650. I just picked up a 627 a few months ago and am loading minor power factor ammo for ICORE. I cranked out about 2 or 3k without any issues and then last reloading session I started crushing cases in the sizing die area. I backed off the sizer thinking that it would clear things up and it did, but I did so too much and the cases were not fully sizing. I had to borrow ammo for the last match (Thanks John!). So now I sit here with no solution in sight and not a clue how to proceed. I don't feel like pushing every stinking round from the rear of the press to make sure they don't get crushed. I looked things over after crushing several and something is just not lining up right. It's off by fractions of fractions. Was using a Dillon sizer/decapper and swapped out to a Lee with the same issue. I even swapped out a Die holder on top, no change. I noticed that the ram area was loose and I tightened the bolts at the top and bottom, all to no change. The ram where shell plate is mounted is tight with no issues, yet it still does not line up by a few thousanths of an inch or even less. The following picture is what happens when it hangs. I'm out of ideas. Vince Edited April 17, 2007 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azone41 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Mine does that when the underside of the shell plate gets dirty where the rim of the shell fits in the plate. I clean the crap out of there and it works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 17, 2007 Author Share Posted April 17, 2007 Ok, I'll check that out, but the funny thing is, if I double seat the case, the problem seems to go away for that piece of brass, but I also don't want to have to do this for every case. It seems like if it were a case where the shell plate is dirty, this would have no bearing on it and even after the second push of the handle, the press would still eat the case. Either way I'll check it out tonight when I get home. Thanks, Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10mmdave Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 (edited) I'm a little confused with your description (that's easy to do to me ) You mention stuff being loose and I do remember a thread about a certain alignment being needed, might need to call Dillon on that. But what I've seen ..... As Azone says, clean everything up but I would also check the spring inside the black cartridge slide thingy, that spring becomes short from continuous use and doesn't push the case as far into the shell plate as needed. When the handle is fully forward (like seating a primer) the cartridge slide thingy should put the cartridge fully into the shell plate. Good luck. <<<< Just saw your reply, I think you really want to look at that spring in the cartridge slide ! Edited April 17, 2007 by 10mmdave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Check for blockage of the small side grooves in the Stage 1 locator as well as under it. Even a small grain of powder will clog the side grooves which are very small. This will result in the symptoms you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 (edited) i was having the same problem with 38 super. i replaced the return spring after 7 years, this seems to have solved the problem. lynn Edited April 17, 2007 by lynn jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 i was having the same problem with 38 super. i replaced the return spring after 7 years, this seems to have solved the problem.lynn +1 and a good cleaning could never hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 17, 2007 Author Share Posted April 17, 2007 I've replaced the spring once after my last teardown and replaced other springs and parts, it's only been 2 maybe 3 years. I've figured out a way to crank out ammo for this weekend, and after that I'll get the parts from Dillon and really get this thing solved. I'm only having the issue on station 1. This press is about 10 years old. Will check all the things suggested here. Thanks again! Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 Ok, I cleaned out the shell plate, but it is still doing the same thing. I moved the sizing die to station 2 so I could deprime on 1 and size on 2, and the same thing happens, it doesn't line up and crushes cases on 2 also. I've figured out a work around for now, only running the 38's through a sizing die on a single stage first, then loading the now sized cases on the 650. I'm using a 44 magnum sizer as a universal decapping die for the 38's, Basically a place to hold the decap portion of the die. This worked without a hitch, except I have to do two times as much work I loaded up about 500 rounds in this way which will get me through the SW regional this weekend. Here I am stumped Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 27, 2007 Author Share Posted April 27, 2007 Ok, so I talked to Dillon today and was placing my order for a replacement spring and just so happened to mention that I needed the plastic index thing. He asked if I had an alignment tool for the indexer thing and of course I said, "What?". He says that most people get away without it, but that it really needs to line up. I think the last time I did a machine tear down, the plastic indexer had split in two and I just replaced it with my spare. This might be the issue I'm running into, the index ring may be out of spec. So as soon as my parts come in, I'll do another tear down and see if the index thing is worn out and needs replacement. And if not, I'll align it and see if that solves my problem. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted May 12, 2007 Author Share Posted May 12, 2007 Just thought I'd follow up. I received the alignment tool from Dillon, lined it all up and one case out of 5 was still not happy. Upon further examination I noticed that the one station that was giving me fits was ever so slightly out of shape, probably from when I became impatient. Called Dillon again and they sent me a new shell plate (love that service) so I replaced the shell plate and now it would randomly not insert the case.. So I removed the return spring on station one like someone else suggested, yep, I think that's it. The old spring was 1/2" shorter than the new one.. I cycled a bunch more 38's through it and now it seems to work just fine, no more hiccups and it goes through all the dies. So all in all it was a combination of things. The return spring, an out of spec shell plate (my fault) and it needed alignment with a Dillon provided tool. Can't want to crank out my ammo for the IRC Thanks again Dillon! Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 12, 2007 Share Posted May 12, 2007 Ain't it wonderful when a plan comes together.... Now I have to read every post about the various whimseys of the 650 as I just got one for myself...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted May 12, 2007 Author Share Posted May 12, 2007 Realize that my wife bought me this press for my 30th birthday and I'm 40 now. I can safely say that that press has probably several hundred thousand rounds loaded and that is only the second return spring that I've replaced. It has it's quirks, but I can't really complain about it all that much, it's probably the best shooting related investment my wife has ever made. I used to load all my ammo on a Rock Chucker, and while I still have that press, I'm happy I upgraded! Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennya Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I am running into this same problem with my 40 S&W. The case doesn't want to line up with the sizing die and I have to put my finger up there and tilt the case into the die. It is only missing by a few thousands. It was starting to get pretty anoying. I am going to call dillon today to see if I can get one of those alignment tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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