Dillon XL650 - Review and First Rounds

[proforguns]

My 550b is the first and only press Ive ever had .Can you guys see inside the brass after the powder drop stage ? I built my table height so that when sitting in my chair I can stare down into the brass and visually check the charge.I am terrified of squibs and like to see the charge.my friend loads on a 650 and had a squib and now has to weigh about 500 rounds individually to make sure they all have powder.Ive only started loading this year and have only made harmless mistakes (thank God) but after 3000 rounds loaded I'm hooked good luck all.

 

[nolanwb]

You don't have to champfer case mouths on pistols, that's why the powder die bells the mouth. It's nearly impossible to shave a bullet with a good bell.

I probably got $1000 or more into it.

Just be sure to degrease the powder drop tube before using it. I had to do a house call on an attorney's 650 around midnight once. He was a friend. When I got there he showed me
some .38 Super cases that had case mouths shaped like the bell of a bugle. When the powder die didn't drop enough powder, he just adjusted the die until it did. When I disassembled
the powder die it was full of "greasy powder." I asked him if he had de-greased the powder drop before using the machine and he said "What?" All he had was some
rubbing alcohol, so I used that to clean up the die. After it was readjusted and installed, things worked perfectly. Folks, read the instructions... <grin>

 

[Texas1911]

My 550b is the first and only press Ive ever had .Can you guys see inside the brass after the powder drop stage ? I built my table height so that when sitting in my chair I can stare down into the brass and visually check the charge.I am terrified of squibs and like to see the charge.my friend loads on a 650 and had a squib and now has to weigh about 500 rounds individually to make sure they all have powder.Ive only started loading this year and have only made harmless mistakes (thank God) but after 3000 rounds loaded I'm hooked good luck all.

4th stage is the seating die, so yes, you can see inside the case really well. I don't know how I missed it but I did.

The upside of the 650 is you can run the powder check die on #3 ... I have one, but it wasn't set on the machine when I had my one squib.

 

[Heiliggeiste]

I run .223/ 5.56mm on my dillon 650, it has over 10,000 rounds thru it so far.Love every minute of it. One day i'll buy the roller handle though, after about a 1000 rds in one sitting you get blisters with the ball handle.Make sure you get the powder check!
I Run .40 s/w and .45 acp on my Dillon 550 with all the auto upgrades.Both machines are absolutely worth the money. John

 

[Texas1911]

500 Rounds Later ...

Winchester NATO brass can suck butt wind. I hate that trash.

Federal Primers work awesome in undersprung Glocks / light mainspring guns. I'm going to stick with them as much as possible. They also seem to seat in damn near anything, S&B included, which some people seem to have issues with.

The priming system isn't that bad after all, I'm just a retard. I do think however, that I might devise some sort of extension on the primer tube, along with a dowel rod for quick checking how many are in it.

The machine likes lube ... keeping that big press slicked up really helps cut down on the chunkiness of the action.

 

[barhob]

to cure the ''ball handle blister / sore palm'' problem.

get a old sock without holes in the toe area and slide over the ball handle.
pull sock down tightly and push a 'plastic tie strap' through the sock and hole in the handle.
trim off excess sock and tail end of the tie strap.
the ball on the handle will now slide in your hand as you cycle the arm.

 

[Brian8474]

Bought the Dillon XL 650 for my very first press and i love it!! You definitley need the case feeder! It eliminates that filling the tube step..Love it!

 

[vmax]

I;ve got a case feeder that wears size 11 shoe and works for free ammo

I'd love to get a Dillon case feeder for my 650 someday

 

[Acera]

1,149 days! Is that a new thread bump record????

 

[Shorts]

lol Definitely a necropost. But it did remind me I need to get off my tail and make some more reloading progress.

I'm particularly interested in a complete newb jumping straight into the 650. Glad to hear he enjoys it. Hope he "gets it" too.

 

[Phoneguy]

Well I'm interested in reloading 9mm at some point. Priorities are an AR, then an 870, then a Dillon 650. So depending on overtime at the new job...
Once I get it, I'll have tons of questions. Some of those questions will be asked face to face bribing whomever with the beverage of choice.