New Dillon 650 growing pains

[sammy]

I have loaded about 300 rounds on my new Dillon 650 and I have worked a few bugs out but I can't wrap my head around this. I had a primer get seated SIDEWAYS and almost seated flush! I have no idea how it did not detonate. I also found another round without a primer but found the primer crushed in the bottom of the bin. This has me worried for good reason. I don't see any way of preventing this. I operate the machine with full strokes and am taking my time. What am I missing? Thanks, Sammy

crush.jpg

[ar15barrels]

They just do that once in a while.
As you get smoother and figure out when to speed up and when to slow down in your stroke, they do it a lot less.
Dillon presses really prefer Winchester primers nd really don't like CCI primers.
Stay with Winchester primers when possible.

[anyracoon]

Once you get used to it you will be able to feel when a primmer pocket is out of round or has not had all of the crimp removed. Alot of times I'll rotate a shell a 1/3 of a turn or so if it feels like to much force is being used to seat the primmer. When something is hanging up you will notice that more force/pressure is needed. That is the time to stop, look & firgure out want the problem is before something breaks.

[grywlfbg]

If you're loading rifle cartridges I'd say check for crimped primer pockets (is pistol brass ever crimped?).

Otherwise, as others have said, you'll get a feel for when the primers aren't seating. I've also loosened the bolts holding the primer assembly and with the handle forward (so the primer ram is pointing through the primer wheel) and kind of wiggled the assembly so it's centered over the ram.

[thmpr]

They just do that once in a while.
As you get smoother and figure out when to speed up and when to slow down in your stroke, they do it a lot less.
Dillon presses really prefer Winchester primers nd really don't like CCI primers.
Stay with Winchester primers when possible.

I initially had problems with Federal primers and had no issues with any other primers. After taking a closer look at the primer feeding tray, there is a slight taper to it. Modified the taper a little furter in with a reamer. No feeding issues with any brand after the modification.

[Franksremote]

Smooth and steady operation of your press, don't rush the stroke. Also check for crud in the primer disk. You may have belled and filled a case without a primer and it left powder at/under the station causing the weird primer seating to happen.

A biig part of it is a feel thing. Make sure the case has stopped in the station and push on the handle slowly to "feel" the alignment of the inbound primer vs case position over the primer and punch.

It does happen, so unless this is an everytime occurance, things will settle in. If all else fails, call Dillon, they're great at walking folks through the troubleshooting process and shipping you replacement parts should they think something is broken, etc.

[CAT_101]

[QUOTE=grywlfbg;1050208]If you're loading rifle cartridges I'd say check for crimped primer pockets (is pistol brass ever crimped?).QUOTE]

I just ean into a batch on 45ACP fedral bras that was crimped. I just toss it, theirs not enough cases to keep thim and fix em. would be a waist of time for me.

[Paratus et Vigilans]

After a while, you'll start to get the feel of it, and learn that, when you are seating the primer and feel ANY unusual resistance at the top of that upstroke that seats the primer, just back off, pull the case out of the station, and check things out. More often than not it's going to be a case with a crimped primer pocket (look for the NATO logo on the headstamp) that got past you and into the case feeder without getting special treatment. So, take it aside, ream the crimp out of the primer pocket with a hand tool or, if you have a swager, use that, slip it back into the station (after checking that you've got a good primer in there to seat - - if not, ditch the bad one and slip a good one in there by hand), seat, continue!

Sometimes, you just get one in there sideways for one reason or another. Also, if you are getting unusual resistance as the press indexes from one station to the next, you might want to stop everything and take off the primer feeder - - you may find that one of the primers has gotten sideways in the little carousel and that is the source of the resistance. It should NEVER be stiff to advance, and that is a major warning sign that something's wrong. Don't ever just force it - - stop and diagnose and cure it before going on.

[CSACANNONEER]

I ran into a bunch of GI .45 acp loaded for MGs and the primers were crimped and sealed with red or purple sealant.

[ar15barrels]

I ran into a bunch of GI .45 acp loaded for MGs and the primers were crimped and sealed with red or purple sealant.

That's why I run 1050's with Dillon dies.
They will knock out crimped primers like nobody's business and then swage the primer pocket on every case that goes through the press.
Crimped primers don't matter anymore.

[TonyM]

<other good advice snipped>

If all else fails, call Dillon, they're great at walking folks through the troubleshooting process and shipping you replacement parts should they think something is broken, etc.

Most likely Dillon will tell you it's a dirty priming disk. That's what they told me, and after focusing my attention on making sure it's clean, I rarely see this problem now.

Good luck!

[Turbinator]

After a while, you'll start to get the feel of it, and learn that, when you are seating the primer and feel ANY unusual resistance at the top of that upstroke that seats the primer, just back off, pull the case out of the station, and check things out.

Just a comment on this - good advice but sometimes when I feel unusual resistance on the priming motion, it's nearly impossible to remove the brass because what force I've already applied to the reloading handle has semi-primed the brass, making it difficult or impossible to remove from the shell plate. I often just have to go through with the priming motion and hope for the best.

Turby

[ar15barrels]

sometimes when I feel unusual resistance on the priming motion, it's nearly impossible to remove the brass because what force I've already applied to the reloading handle has semi-primed the brass, making it difficult or impossible to remove from the shell plate. I often just have to go through with the priming motion and hope for the best.

Yep, but then check it afterwards to see if it's OK or if it's fubar.

[sammy]

I just took everything apart and found quite a bit of powder under the shell plate. I cleaned it up and indexed the primer magazine and everything looks good. Thanks guys. Sammy

[randy]

Listen to Randall. Dillon was going to use his garage for an add in the Blue Press. He single handedly kept them afloat when he purchased his what is it now Randall 10 presses?