PDA

View Full Version : Need help with Dillon 650/9mm issue.


melliw
09-27-2014, 7:15 AM
I have been having a problem with reloading 9mm on my Dillon 650 and am looking for some advice.

The problem that I have been having is that cases are getting hung up on the first station when they make contact with the lip of the decapping/resizing die.

I have to reach in and push on the top of the case slightly tilting it inward thus allowing it to enter the die. This happens with about 70 percent of the cases. I checked to see if it was a particular type of brass and found that there was no pattern. The cam has been adjusted forward to its maximum position to ensure that the cases are being seated into the shell plate. Speaking of shell plate, I have taken it off and cleaned out the groves that the brass fits into.

I also load .45 and .223 and have not had this problem with those loads. Dillon focused on the shell plate but it did not resolve the issue. Has anyone had a similar problem? Thanks for taking the time to read.

USPSA GM
09-27-2014, 7:38 AM
Sound like the shell plate is too loose.

Pauliedad
09-27-2014, 7:50 AM
I agree plated might be loose but if its not......

When it hangs up have you tried moving the handle forward again. The forward motion should push the case all the way into the plate.

Die issue?

Gremlins?

mjmagee67
09-27-2014, 10:05 AM
Sound like the shell plate is too loose.

Bingo snug up the shell plate.

hemiguy55
09-27-2014, 12:38 PM
I had a small tiny little grain of something in the round part of the shell plate once. So every time a case was inserted into that spot on the shell plate it wouldn't go in 100% and I'd end up smashing the case because it wasn't centered with the die. But that doesn't sound like your problem.

melliw
09-28-2014, 7:06 AM
I replaced the shell plate with a new one and ensured that it was tight. In addition, I replaced the toolhead but the problem still exists.

Upon further inspection with a piece of brass in the shell plate and the brass touching the bottom of the die, I can see that they are not aligned. the brass touches the lip of the die and is about 1 or 2 mm off from being able to enter die on its own. the slight push is needed to have the upper edge of the brass tilt and enter the die.

Guess I will try a new die.

Thanks to those who offered a solution.
Al

drdarrin@sbcglobal.net
09-28-2014, 8:31 AM
Is the tool head securely locked in place? Any burrs on it that might allow it to be slightly out of place?

If you rotate your die 180 degrees, does that eliminate the problem or move the point where the casing impacts the die? If it does, your die is not centered.

Is your sizing die locked in place or loose. If locked down, did you lock it down when you had a case run up into the sizer? With it not locked down, you'll notice there is a slight amount of looseness in the die.

Hope that helps you find your problem.

melliw
09-28-2014, 1:44 PM
Thank you Dr. D. You have given me more to work with. I cleaned out the slots where the tool head slides into the press and even changed the tool head. Neither helped.

Moving the die did not make a difference. The die is locked down tight but what I did not do was to lock it down with a case inside while attached to the shell plate. The shells have a very small amount of play while in the shell plate especially in the first position. The amount of movement on the top of the shell is about 1 to 2 mm but it is enough for the case to get hung up as I try to move it into the die. I like your suggestion and am going to try it now. Thank you.

CSACANNONEER
09-28-2014, 1:46 PM
Just curious, what brand of dies are you using?

klewan
09-28-2014, 1:59 PM
Is the tool head securely locked in place? Any burrs on it that might allow it to be slightly out of place?

If you rotate your die 180 degrees, does that eliminate the problem or move the point where the casing impacts the die? If it does, your die is not centered.

Is your sizing die locked in place or loose. If locked down, did you lock it down when you had a case run up into the sizer? With it not locked down, you'll notice there is a slight amount of looseness in the die.

Hope that helps you find your problem.

You're obviously very good with spatial relationships. That's a pretty rare skill from my experience...it seems progressive presses are one of the hardest tools to understand...

drdarrin@sbcglobal.net
09-28-2014, 2:50 PM
You're obviously very good with spatial relationships. That's a pretty rare skill from my experience...it seems progressive presses are one of the hardest tools to understand...


Thank you although I'm not sure the praise is deserved. I trouble shoot for a living.

Let's see if my suggestion works.

klewan
09-28-2014, 3:50 PM
Thank you although I'm not sure the praise is deserved. I trouble shoot for a living. Let's see if my suggestion works.

I did too. Do that for a while and you develop your pattern of what to look at...

bruce381
09-28-2014, 8:43 PM
readjust the case pusher thing, its not supaosed to "over" push the case in just get it to seat.
try that.

emy
09-28-2014, 8:51 PM
Did you modify the spring the pushes on the detent bearing. could be weak spring on the detent ball. Also watch that your case is getting push all the way forward when you push the handle

Eldraque
09-28-2014, 8:59 PM
What brand of dies are you using?

Pauliedad
09-28-2014, 9:24 PM
Good thought on tool head swap.
At this point I'd pull die and be up on a ladder looking through the now empty #1 hole and see how it lined up with shell plate.
Because you said it's not an issue with the two other cartridges you load for I too would be thinking shell plate.
All that's left is the die. So as others have asked, what brand die? Or just try another 9mm set.

JMP
09-28-2014, 11:32 PM
On your up stroke (that primes station 2), is the case being inserted 100% into the shell plate? Before you pull the handle down, check to see if the case is completely snug in the shell plate. There could be something inhibiting a full forward push from the feed ramp. If the shell isn't going 100% onto the shell plate, this will happen. It could be that you need to lubricate or polish up the feed ramp.

melliw
09-29-2014, 9:49 PM
First of all I want to thank my fellow Calgunners for offering so much advise on this issue.

The die is a Dillon.

I put a new shell plate, cam, and cam spring. Detent spring is not cut.

I took the pins that hold the tool head onto the press out, loosened the die and cycled the press stopping at the top. Once the brass was in the die, tightened the die to the toolhead. At this point.......the pins would NOT go into the holes for the tool head to secure it to the press. There is clearly an alignment issue. With this said, I loaded about a K with the press set up this way. It worked a lot better but still hung up.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to offer suggestions.

Oh by the way.....does anyone know of non-Dillon dies that have a bevel at the mouth to correct for this alignment issue?
Al

huckberry668
09-29-2014, 10:32 PM
I'm not sure changing sizing die will help. Dillon sizing dies do have a large enough mouth when compared to my other 9x19 sizing dies.

It'd seems to me to be tool head alignment issue. Did you try using a different/known-good tool head? Or even the lock ring may have some bur causing the die to be locked crooked?

melliw
09-29-2014, 11:23 PM
I agree that it seems to be a toolhead issue. The two that I have tried have both been Dillon. I have yet to try changing the locking ring but will try that next. Thanks for the suggestions.

mjmagee67
09-30-2014, 6:26 AM
I may have missed this, but- did you contact Dillon directly? Dillon has the best customer service in the business, I'm sure they have heard this before and have a fix. The press has a life time real warranty, use it
.

buruli
09-30-2014, 7:12 AM
Here's my sequence when I get this problem -- 1) Be sure no powder or other debris is stuck in the grooves in the shellplate. 2) Check to see that the "case insert slide cam" the "pusher thing" as someone referred to it above inserts the case fully into the shellplate. 4) Be sure shellplate is fully indexing and is aligned with the "Station 1 locator" 5) Be sure no burrs on the "Station 1 locator" (this is the little silver track that the case rides on when its going into the shellplate.

melliw
09-30-2014, 7:46 AM
I did contact Dillon and had a head scratching conversation. The solution was to send a new shell plate. It was inserted but the problem continued.

The Dillon tech said that he experienced this problem as well with small caliber shells. No solution.

Buruli, each step you suggested was addressed except for the "Station 1 locator" It does have burrs but guides each shell without issue. I am going to call Dillon again.

Thanks again for responding. The outpouring of help has been reassuring.

Jeep67cj5
09-30-2014, 8:00 AM
As you are placing the projectile in the case on the 4th station, keep pinching the projectile until it goes into the seating die as you pull down the handle. For some reason this worked on mine, I guess it would keep the shell plate more steady and the cases that were dropping down would load correctly into the first station...