Qestion for Dillon 650 experts

Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean

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Hi guys and gals,

New to reloading as I just got a used 650xl and need to ask a question: I am reloading 9mm and when I pull the handle it seems jerky in spots. bullets comes out fine, but not as smooth as I expected it to be. Am I doing something wrong? All dies/conversion kit are new from Dillon. When there are no bullets being made it goes up and down real smooth.

Using 124 gr round nose FMJ, used miscelaneous brass, 1.125 OAL

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers
 
I get that too. At the powder station, a case is belled and when you push back the lever, sometimes, the case sticks on the flairing thingy, making the action a jerky. A highly polished case will stick a little less. You can also use some case lube like Hornady One Shot, it will make your press run uber smooth.
 
If you're not lubing your cases, in all liklihood its the case sticking in a die somewhere along the line. Do a bit of problem solving (have your bullet puller handy) :D.

With a case in each station as is usual, take one case out of a station leaving it blank and see if you get the sticking with this configuration. If you do, viola! You've found where the issue is, if not, replace a case in that station and try the next - until you find the point where the sticking happens.

Now for advice, lube your cases - it makes things go a lot smoother. You could try a bit of graphite lube on a few case mouths at the belling station (powder drop) to see if that smooths things out. If it does, you could continue to lube or just be patient and slow as your press will wear in after a bit.

Good luck
 
I'm a new dillion 650 owner too, and I found the action on mine a bit jerky too. I'm also loading 9mm, and mine would jerk so hard as I brought the handle back up and the shell plate was moving to the next station that the powder was spilling out of the cases:eek:
If you remove the shellplate, (check the diagrams in your manual) you'll find a ball bearing with a spring underneath it in the aluminum plate it mounts to. The ball bearing helps the shellplate index to exactly the right spot when you raise the handle. I trimmed the spring alittle bit at a time until all the jerkiness was gone from the movement. Nice and smooth now.
Hope this helps.:)
 
As TGT40 said lube your cases. i use both Dillon and BDX lube on my cases (which ever one is handy when i fill the hopper.) the other thing you can do is use a small bearing with two flat washers on the centre bolt. it helps smooth out the jump of the bearing lock.
 
Don't trim anything unless you have a spare!
It sounds like A; too much bell causing sticking on the way down.
B; no lube on sticky 9mm cases.
I would put some lyman spray lube on the brass and see if it helps and if that doesn't do it I would lessen the amount of bell you put on the case.
My 2 cents
 
I have a xl650 been using it for a couple of years,mainly for 9mm and 38/357( Dillon Carbide Dies) loaded about 20,000 all kinds win,fed,speer,amt-47.I do sort my cases by manufacture..When I set up the powder funnel to flare the case,I only flare it enough to hold the bullet no more....which means (minimum amount of flare) with both nickel and brass cases.I have NEVER lubed any of my pistol cases.I hand tighten the bolt for my shell plate,so that it doesn't get to tight and start to drag...over tighten,which causes the plate to jerk when it moves.Now the powder checker.......broke the plastic housing 3 times(roll eyes)but Dillon replaced it nc even though it was my fault.I never had any major problems with it.
 
You don't lube 9mm...

Check underneath the shellplate for stuff (powder any other crap)

Loosen your shellplate bolt a little bit... the shellplate should move with no friction.. I have lubed the underside of the bolt..

You might need to lube the advance mech or the tooth ( it's on the underside) there are 2 triangles...


I'll give you this advice... take it with a grain of salt.. the press should run smoothly if it doesn't something is wrong or out of adjustment.. If something causes the press to stop or bind; DO NOT FORCE IT you will break something.. You have more force available the the components or many parts the press or bullet can handle..
 
You can lube any cases if you want. You don't need to lube but it just make the whole process much easier. Hornady One Shot is the best lube I tried so far. It won't contaminate powder so you don't need to worry about a dud.
 
Antoine22 said:
You can lube any cases if you want. You don't need to lube but it just make the whole process much easier. Hornady One Shot is the best lube I tried so far. It won't contaminate powder so you don't need to worry about a dud.
Click to expand...

And you can load 8 grains of 231 in a 45 ACP case under a 230 grain bullet .. Not that I'd recommend it


If you are having to lube 9mm there is something seriously wrong with your press or your gun...
 
38 spl and 357 mag doesn't stick in the powder station. Why does 45 acp and 9 mm stick? I tried adding/removing flare, it doesn't do anything. I tried to polish the powder funnel and still the same.Also, nickel plated cases sticks more than brass. Lubing my cases takes 5 seconds and doesn't have any downside.
 
Antoine22 said:
You can lube any cases if you want. You don't need to lube but it just make the whole process much easier. Hornady One Shot is the best lube I tried so far. It won't contaminate powder so you don't need to worry about a dud.
Click to expand...

I always use case lube, carbide dies or not, it makes everything run much smoother.
 
9mm is a tapered case, and many guns are shipped with chambers a little on the loose side. The normal result of firing and sizing a case is a slightly thicker base,but it's quite noticable in the 9mm. Setting up a 9mm size die with a slight crush fit to the shellplate means that in the last few mm of travel, the case is being squeezed with a poopload of force. Carbide or not, there is a fair whack of resistance.

The shake, rattle and roll of the press when loading 9mm is likely the sizing die as the brass releases from the carbide ring. Is lube required? No. Will it hurt? No. Dillon spray lube applied right will smooth the process, and comes off by tumbling the loaded ammo in clean corncob media for 15 minutes.
 
Thanks to all for help here. I took the whole machine apart, cleaned everything, loosened the shell pate a tad, took a little less bell out of the brass and lubed a bunch of brass.

Then ran the machine. It is better, but still a little jerky. As Canuck 223 says this may be as good as it gets. I agree with the shape of the brass because after it comes out, you can actually see the bottom 1/3 of brass is discolored from the pressure of being re-shaped.

I did not cut any spring out yet (kinda chicken yet LOL) but if this will help, which one and how much? As stated above I dont have a spare so I am cautious here.

All in all better, but not where I would like it. Seems most resistance is in stage 1 and stage 2. Powder still flies out if I try to pick up any sort of speed.

If this is rated at about 500 rounds per hour, I am closer to about 200.

Still good fun on a cold day!!:D

Cheers
 
Hey Mr. Bean,
The spring I trimmed was the "index ball spring" if you check the diagrams in the back of your manual, it should be there. I just trimmed off a little bit at a time....maybe an 1/8" or so, until the shellplate stopped "jerking" into position.
Keep in mind, I'm no expert on reloading or dillion presses:redface:
All I'm saying is it worked for me.
Proceed with caution.:)

BTW: I checked the dillion website, and a new spring costs like $2.99 or something.....
 
Softail99 said:
Hey Mr. Bean,
The spring I trimmed was the "index ball spring" if you check the diagrams in the back of your manual, it should be there. I just trimmed off a little bit at a time....maybe an 1/8" or so, until the shellplate stopped "jerking" into position.
Keep in mind, I'm no expert on reloading or dillion presses:redface:
All I'm saying is it worked for me.
Proceed with caution.:)

BTW: I checked the dillion website, and a new spring costs like $2.99 or something.....
Click to expand...

IF you need to trim the index ball spring your shellplate is way too tight...

IIRC the index ball spring on the 650 is not the same on both ends.. the wider end goes up..
 
Last edited:
The sticking appears to be when depriming and belling in powder funnel (If I understand the machine properly) When running one brass at a time this is where the resistance was felt. I reduced the bell to where a bullet barely stays in place. I also eased the shell plate bolt back to what I thought was just tight enough, but I can see if I can back it off some more.

Cheers
 
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