Dillon XL 650 and 9's, AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

[gun'sRgood]

When I started loading some 40 years ago with my little Rock chucker single stage I never had an issue. BUT! It was the bras I had shot and bought and reloaded. Now I have a few 5gl buckets around here with who knows how many head stamps. So put these together, my XL 650 and range brass. I get soft primer strikes to around 4%. But that 4% sucks. If I retry the round in the same gun it won't fire. But, most all of these soft strikes will fire in another one of the 9's. Some will not fire in anything. A buddy thought the powder that likes to "pop" up as the 650 indexes leaks to a space under the case holder? Another thought the first strike was setting the appropriate primer depth. But if that's right, wouldn't it fire on the next attempt? And, all the 9's will have an issue. We take about 6 different 9's to the range. CCW to heavy stuff 47 oz guns. It's driving me nuts. all the stuff passes plunk test. I bought a sizing block just for this. I also drop soft stuff strike into the 9's barrels and retest the plunk? Another friend thought that I might have old primers. No idea. Thoughts?

 

[EricBu]

I've had a few failures from hard primer cups with Murom primers. All were either striker fired or light weight DAO revolvers, or guns with trigger jobs or bobbed hammers.

 

[jmorris]

Primers have to be well seated, out of my 650’s primers are noticeably by feel below flush with the base of the case.

If your ammunition runs in other guns with the exception of one, that firearm is where I would focus my attention.

Where did you get the primers, when and how were they stored?

Do you still have the RC? If so, load up 100 rounds, using proven to you methods and see if it’s a loading (seating problem) or component issue.

 

[WeekendReloader]

Look at the primers when the rounds are in the ammo box. Look from the side to see if the primers are visually seated all the way. This should be a quick and easy check.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I tell you what… I see why people setup there Progressive for one caliber and leave it alone. or buy new heads.

 

[gifbohane]

That is why I have never upgraded to a Dillon. For me just too many moving parts all going on at the same time. But I still lust after getting one.........

 

[JEBruns]

What exact primers are you using? I can tell you that I did not have that issue with my 650XL loading 9mm using CCI/Fed/Win small pistol and small rifle primes.

 

[Blue68f100]

If this is only happening in 1 gun, I would look at the gun. With that gun I would start with a good detail clean just to make sure everything is in good working order. Now if it happens to have the Ti FP, there lies a problem. There is no safety margin when using the Ti FP. Everything must be right for it to work.

Now if multiple guns, load some on your SS press and see if the results are the same like jmorris said.

 

[Mark_Mark]

If this is only happening in 1 gun, I would look at the gun. With that gun I would start with a good detail clean just to make sure everything is in good working order. Now if it happens to have the Ti FP, there lies a problem. There is no safety margin when using the Ti FP. Everything must be right for it to work.

Now if multiple guns, load some on your SS press and see if the results are the same like jmorris said.

Progressive press are technical, like timing a valve job

 

[mcb]

Now I have had my 650 XL for 15+ years and I have to say I love this press. I can chance it from one cartridge to another in about 15 minutes included changing primer size, I could do it faster but this is a hobby so I go slow and enjoy the work. You just have to be methodical in setup for each station. I have reloaded everything from from 9mm to 450 Bushmaster on mine, mostly pistol cartridge but some rifle too.

Make sure your pushing the handle forward firmly (not fast, just firm) when seating the primers. As other have already indicated put your reloads in a box and look and feel the primers for high primers. The fact that the second strike does not work in the first 9mm but often does in another handgun really does point to the primary problem being the gun not the reloading press. The fact that a few don't go at all sort of points to a bad or poorly stored batch of primers.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Make sure your pushing the handle forward firmly (not fast, just firm) when seating the primers. As other have already indicated put your reloads in a box and look and feel the primers for high primers. The fact that the second strike does not work in the first 9mm but often does in another handgun really does point to the primary problem being the gun not the reloading press. The fact that a few don't go at all sort of points to a bad or poorly stored batch of primers.

These are my thoughts also.

It is very important that all you primers are below flush

 

[Buzznrose]

Progressive press are technical, like timing a valve job

Im a newbie, but I don’t think this is right. I mean, with a single stage, you have to set up everything right or it won’t run. Same with a turret. Dies all have to be adjusted properly. But on these, you are only working one station and one process at a time.

In a progressive, you do all the stations at one time simultaneously, not others timing.

My 550 is a manual index press, but doesn’t matter, if all dies are right, you feed a case, align a bullet, pull the handle. All stations do their thing. Then push forward to seat the primer, release handle and done. Then, I manually index the platform, quick visual on everything, and repeat. No timing involved.

 

[Buzznrose]

I tell you what… I see why people setup there Progressive for one caliber and leave it alone. or buy new heads.

Again, I’m a newb, but switching calibers is about 10 minutes if I keep same primer size and powder bar. And I’m slow.

this assumes I bought a tool head for each caliber and it’s already set up.

 

[EricBu]

Im a newbie, but I don’t think this is right. I mean, with a single stage, you have to set up everything right or it won’t run. Same with a turret. Dies all have to be adjusted properly. But on these, you are only working one station and one process at a time.

In a progressive, you do all the stations at one time simultaneously, not others timing.

My 550 is a manual index press, but doesn’t matter, if all dies are right, you feed a case, align a bullet, pull the handle. All stations do their thing. Then push forward to seat the primer, release handle and done. Then, I manually index the platform, quick visual on everything, and repeat. No timing involved.

And what happens when your auto-indexing press is out of time? Which is what the OP is using. Oh and at some point, after you've been running that 550 for a while, you'll run into a timing problem as well, just won't be as obvious because you're manually indexing, and then you'll learn all about the alignment tool.

 

[Buzznrose]

And what happens when your auto-indexing press is out of time? Which is what the OP is using. Oh and at some point, after you've been running that 550 for a while, you'll run into a timing problem as well, just won't be as obvious because you're manually indexing, and then you'll learn all about the alignment tool.

When you are out of time, nothing would line up, right? So primers should not even align to seat…or am I missing something?

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Progressive press are technical, like timing a valve job

Really???
I find it funny people think running a Dillon is this complex machine that requires a degree from MIT, but have no issues driving 80 mph down an interstate.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Really???
I find it funny people think running a Dillon is this complex machine that requires a degree from MIT, but have no issues driving 80 mph down an interstate.

I have the Dillion SBD .45 acp and it’s not as easy as a Rock Chunker! But, I’m learning, as learning, I mean buy new tool heads

 

[thump_rrr]

Again, I’m a newb, but switching calibers is about 10 minutes if I keep same primer size and powder bar. And I’m slow.

this assumes I bought a tool head for each caliber and it’s already set up.

But are you running a case feeder and a bullet feeder?
On the Hornady it takes me about 20-30 minutes if I have to swap from 9 to 45.
That includes shell plate, primer punch, tube and shuttle, case feeder plate, tube and shuttle, adjust bullet feeder, powder drum, and change dies.
I make my ammo in big batches so I only do each caliber about once a year.

Good record keeping is a must when doing this so you know what powder, how much, which primers etc. were used.

 

[243winxb]

range brass

Problem.

The COL for each of the 6 guns will be different. Find the 1 gun that needs the shortest COL. Use this COL for all.



Sizing dies are not all the same. Carbide ring vs carbide sleeve.

 

[gifbohane]

I just flashed on something about the Dillon progressive.

How do you lube the cartridge to size it?

 

[mcb]

I just flashed on something about the Dillon progressive.

How do you lube the cartridge to size it?

Loading pistol cartridge using Dillon's carbide sizing dies you don't need lube at all. I personally mix a little bit of liquid Turtle Wax in my tumbling media. The was dust down, and though not needed, make the brass run that much slicker through the carbide dies. It also helps keep the brass from tarnishing later in storage.

With my rifle brass I lube it with Hornady One-shot and run it just through the sizing station only on the 650 or a single stage depending on what I am doing. After sizing, I clean the lube off and trim if needed. I then rerun it through the 650 with the sizing die removed doing all the other stations.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Easy.

Grab a gallon sized zip lock bag, two sprays of lube. Dump in brass, roll them around. Dump in case feeder.

 

[BIZERKO666]

29 years running an XL650, (9mm, 48ACP,.357 Magnum, 44 Magnum) never encountered any light strikes cause by my machine or firearm for that matter. Let us know if you figure it out, sounds like the firearm..JMO.

 

[gun'sRgood]

Primers have to be well seated, out of my 650’s primers are noticeably by feel below flush with the base of the case.

If your ammunition runs in other guns with the exception of one, that firearm is where I would focus my attention.

Where did you get the primers, when and how were they stored?

Do you still have the RC? If so, load up 100 rounds, using proven to you methods and see if it’s a loading (seating problem) or component issue.

I did not know that! I thought that primers had to seat up to contact with the brass?

 

[gun'sRgood]

Problem.

The COL for each of the 6 guns will be different. Find the 1 gun that needs the shortest COL. Use this COL for all.

View attachment 1064430

Sizing dies are not all the same. Carbide ring vs carbide sleeve.

Yup. I thought this was the problem and started seating deeper. But, they all pass plunk and after changing seating depth, they no longer came into groove contact. Thanks. I really thought that this was it.