problems with my dillon 650

MrSchultz

MrSchultz

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hello all,

has anyone had problems with the pickup tubes that come with the dillon 650? i'm trying to load 45acp, almost every time i try to fill the pickup tube the primers jam up inside!! then when i load up a dozen primers in the primer system they get stuck there too!

it's getting really really frustrating, in the last 2 hours i might have reloaded maybe 70 or so rounds :( every time the primers jam up in the tube i have to take everything the priming system apart, fight to get that 1 stuck primer and then put it all back together. I checked the primer tube is not damaged in any way, and I am putting large primers in the large pickup tube and the priming system is set up for large primers. This has been a horrible experience so far with this dillon :( I just started reloading not too long ago and from the beginning i have had nothing but problems.

anyone here experience what I am right now??? so many people swear by this dillon 650, but i just can't get the damn thing to work nice and smooth for at least 100 rounds.

sorry, had to vent, and thank you all for any input.
 
Not sure how similar the Dillon system (not pickup) tube is to the H L&L but inserting a rod (like a ss welding rod) into the primer tube (on top of the primers) on a L&L machine serves as an indicator for how full the tube is and the added weight may improve reliability. Hornady now supplies a small fiberglass rod for this purpose which might work just as well on a Dillon.
 
the dillon has a plasic rod that sits inside the primer tube to indicate when primers are low.

i'm going to try and buy another large primer assembly. if all else fails i'm going to sell this piece of junk and get 550 or just a single stage press.
 
it's almost as if my primer tube is a little too big for the primers and maybe that's why it gets stuck sideways? no idea... really weird stuff going on here. I could not imagine this amazing machine to be such a POS for me.

I would be happy if mine ran like a chinese made clock, would run much better than it is now.

is it safe to lube the inside of the primer tubes? a little bit of gun oil might help, no?
 
florin79 said:
it's almost as if my primer tube is a little too big for the primers and maybe that's why it gets stuck sideways? no idea... really weird stuff going on here. I could not imagine this amazing machine to be such a POS for me.

I would be happy if mine ran like a chinese made clock, would run much better than it is now.

is it safe to lube the inside of the primer tubes? a little bit of gun oil might help, no?
Click to expand...

No. A spritz with some electrical contact cleaner if anything.
 
Had a similar issue with 650 priming system. Took it apart and checked everything, put it back same problem. Took it apart, the third time and found a primer with a little hangnail type thing on it. Tossed it and haven't had any issues since!
My suggestion would be, set aside those primers in it now and use new ones.
Hope this helps!
Also check timing of primer feed disk.
 
Have you tried calling Dillon? They have great customer service and advice and I would be surprised if they couldn't solve your problem over the phone or send you the parts to correct the problem. Phil.
 
Last edited:
Try this when you get a full tube of primers picked up.Turn the tube upside down (quickly) cotter pin on the bottom.Take the black plastic rod from the low primer sensor.Insert it in the end that you used to pickup primers.Position the pickup tube over the primer tube assembly.Pull the cotter pin out releasing the primers, with the extra weight of the black plastic rod, it will keep all your primers lined up.This should help you.
 
florin79 said:
the dillon has a plasic rod that sits inside the primer tube to indicate when primers are low.

i'm going to try and buy another large primer assembly. if all else fails i'm going to sell this piece of junk and get 550 or just a single stage press.
Click to expand...
And Dillons have a low primer alert system.....Also, since the 550 is a manual index system, you actually have a single stage press and a "progressive press in one....
 
florin79 said:
hello all,

has anyone had problems with the pickup tubes that come with the dillon 650? i'm trying to load 45acp, almost every time i try to fill the pickup tube the primers jam up inside!! then when i load up a dozen primers in the primer system they get stuck there too!

it's getting really really frustrating, in the last 2 hours i might have reloaded maybe 70 or so rounds :( every time the primers jam up in the tube i have to take everything the priming system apart, fight to get that 1 stuck primer and then put it all back together. I checked the primer tube is not damaged in any way, and I am putting large primers in the large pickup tube and the priming system is set up for large primers. This has been a horrible experience so far with this dillon :( I just started reloading not too long ago and from the beginning i have had nothing but problems.

anyone here experience what I am right now??? so many people swear by this dillon 650, but i just can't get the damn thing to work nice and smooth for at least 100 rounds.

sorry, had to vent, and thank you all for any input.
Click to expand...

What kind of primers are you using?...As was mentioned, Federal primers can jam in the Dillon primer tube
 
Make sure the plastic end of your feeder tube is engaged in the base properly. When you install the aluminum tube in the steel protective primer tube you have to make sure it is engaged by rotating it until it fall in position. It has a small protruding tab. Do not use force or you can damage the tip. Make sure it is the proper tube end !! The feeder tube end is different than the regular primer tube filler.
This is the tube under the knurled collar on the primer feeding column. Check the end of each primer tube for deformation or damage. Each time I experienced failure was because of dirt or a small piece of the extracted primer that end up in the mechanism.
Only once I had to replace the feeder tube plastic head and this was because I damaged it by dropping it.

If you cant figure it out..call Dillon :)
 
thanks a lot for all the input guys, i will give it another shot. I also purchased a couple extra pickup tubes just to see if that's the problem.

i'll check back with you guys and let everyone know how it went. here goes nothing!
 
ok so i found the problem. there was something stuck in the primer system tube, it was so tiny i could barely notice it. put a coat hanger through it and scraped the inside a bit. 1000 rounds last night :)

out of 1000 rounds loaded, about 10 were without primers or primer was backwards. i can deal with that!

was a lot of fun, and got into a pretty good groove after a while. guess i'll keep this thing after all.
 
question for the 550 users - how do you guys like that press? i'm thinking of buying a second press for loading another caliber but did not want to spend big bucks on another 650xl. I'm thinking of going to the 550. or any other presses you guys recommend? Hornady LNL I heard was pretty decent.
 
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