New XL 650 on the way !
Quote from Reloader on March 3, 2010, 12:23 amHey Everybody, First post here...looks like a great place to hang my coat. I just order my new XL 650 today ! I couldn't take all the back orders on ammo anymore and I think I will enjoy loading my own. Looked long and hard at all the brands of presses but kept coming back to Dillon. Any pointers as far as do's and don't that anyone has before I set mine up would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Walther Guy
Hey Everybody, First post here...looks like a great place to hang my coat. I just order my new XL 650 today ! I couldn't take all the back orders on ammo anymore and I think I will enjoy loading my own. Looked long and hard at all the brands of presses but kept coming back to Dillon. Any pointers as far as do's and don't that anyone has before I set mine up would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Walther Guy
Quote from Reloader on March 12, 2010, 9:02 pmWalther Guy,
You did the right thing by going with Dillon. I've had my xl650 up and running for 5 years and I am still happy. You will find that the Dillon folks are always there for you. Just call and they will help you out with parts or information. I know when I first started w/ my 650 questions were many. It takes a few thousand rounds, instruction review and caliber coversions but eventually it gets pretty simple. If your stuck, call Dillon and they will have the answers.
The famous NO B/S warrenty is real. I have had broken parts replaced that were probably my fault, and they still took care of it.
This is my first post to the Dillon Forum but I'll bet we both can learn from the other reloaders here who have 20 years and more under their belts.
Have fun, it will be a learning and enjoyable hobby I,m sure.
Bruce
Walther Guy,
You did the right thing by going with Dillon. I've had my xl650 up and running for 5 years and I am still happy. You will find that the Dillon folks are always there for you. Just call and they will help you out with parts or information. I know when I first started w/ my 650 questions were many. It takes a few thousand rounds, instruction review and caliber coversions but eventually it gets pretty simple. If your stuck, call Dillon and they will have the answers.
The famous NO B/S warrenty is real. I have had broken parts replaced that were probably my fault, and they still took care of it.
This is my first post to the Dillon Forum but I'll bet we both can learn from the other reloaders here who have 20 years and more under their belts.
Have fun, it will be a learning and enjoyable hobby I,m sure.
Bruce
Quote from Reloader on March 21, 2010, 7:15 am1) Follow the directions, and 2) Make sure the bench does not rock especially front to back. If it does you will on occasion get insufficient handle movement and not get either full sizing and depriming in station #1 or you will not get full primer seating in station #2. I just got a new press 1 week ago and that is what happened to me. I added extra weight to the bench before reloading but that did not cure the problem. I finally made a bracket and secured it to the wall.
1) Follow the directions, and 2) Make sure the bench does not rock especially front to back. If it does you will on occasion get insufficient handle movement and not get either full sizing and depriming in station #1 or you will not get full primer seating in station #2. I just got a new press 1 week ago and that is what happened to me. I added extra weight to the bench before reloading but that did not cure the problem. I finally made a bracket and secured it to the wall.
Quote from Reloader on March 21, 2010, 4:34 pmGet cases...lots of cases
Clean cases.... lots of cases
reload cases...lots of cases
got to the range... stay a long time
return home..
repeat...... oftenenjoy.......
Get cases...lots of cases
Clean cases.... lots of cases
reload cases...lots of cases
got to the range... stay a long time
return home..
repeat...... often
enjoy.......
Quote from Reloader on March 29, 2010, 9:23 pmI've got an XL650 and an SDB. My advice is to take your time, go over it slowly with the book and/or DVD, and get the feel of the machine. I'm still adding to mine, and it's nice that you can expand the accessories so that you have it the way you want it, and have everything close to hand.
I've got an XL650 and an SDB. My advice is to take your time, go over it slowly with the book and/or DVD, and get the feel of the machine. I'm still adding to mine, and it's nice that you can expand the accessories so that you have it the way you want it, and have everything close to hand.
Quote from Reloader on April 14, 2010, 10:02 pmWalther Guy, I think you will be very pleased. What caliber are you reloading? Did you have a reloader before?
A couple of suggestions.
Find a nice quiet place where you will not be disturbed for a couple of hours as you setup your machine. You don't need distractions at this point.
When first you get the machine, carefully unpack it, and with the use of the very good Dillon XL650 operations manual, try to identify and become familiar with the various parts of the machine.
If you don't have the XL650 DVD get it. For the money you will have invested in the machine and the reloading components and accessories you can't afford not to. It gives you a very good review of what you will be doing. Watch it a couple of times, it isn't that long.
Then carefully follow the steps and photos in the manual as you assemble the machine. Don't rush it. Go one step at a time. As you are assembling the machine look at how various parts relate to each other.
Once you have all the dies installed and adjusted and the powder measure calibrated for your load then slowly start the reloading process. You should have made a couple of powderless rounds as you do the initial setup. The last thing you do is to load the powder and adjust to the proper weight. You should already have purchased a good scale and measuring calipers before starting to setup the XL650.
Take it easy on the lever, don't jerk it. If the lever feels like it is jamming on something, STOP! Look to see what the issue is and call Dillon if you can't figure it out yourself. Don't force it.
As you start cranking out cartridges try to get a feel for what the process feels like. You will feel the machine deprime, size, reprime, etc. as you move the lever up and down. Try to get a slow steady pace at first. Go from top to bottom and back to top. Don't short stroke the lever.
Check your powder weight frequently at first. Check your rounds with calipers to be sure they are to spec with your reloading manual so that they will work in your gun.
Lastly, get and read the powder and bullet manuals that you will be using in your reloads. Use the minimums they suggest. Crank out a few, try them and see if your gun operates satisfactorily.
I wish Dillon had a directory of reloaders willing to spend a couple of hours with a new reloader helping with the initial setup.
Enjoy!
Walther Guy, I think you will be very pleased. What caliber are you reloading? Did you have a reloader before?
A couple of suggestions.
Find a nice quiet place where you will not be disturbed for a couple of hours as you setup your machine. You don't need distractions at this point.
When first you get the machine, carefully unpack it, and with the use of the very good Dillon XL650 operations manual, try to identify and become familiar with the various parts of the machine.
If you don't have the XL650 DVD get it. For the money you will have invested in the machine and the reloading components and accessories you can't afford not to. It gives you a very good review of what you will be doing. Watch it a couple of times, it isn't that long.
Then carefully follow the steps and photos in the manual as you assemble the machine. Don't rush it. Go one step at a time. As you are assembling the machine look at how various parts relate to each other.
Once you have all the dies installed and adjusted and the powder measure calibrated for your load then slowly start the reloading process. You should have made a couple of powderless rounds as you do the initial setup. The last thing you do is to load the powder and adjust to the proper weight. You should already have purchased a good scale and measuring calipers before starting to setup the XL650.
Take it easy on the lever, don't jerk it. If the lever feels like it is jamming on something, STOP! Look to see what the issue is and call Dillon if you can't figure it out yourself. Don't force it.
As you start cranking out cartridges try to get a feel for what the process feels like. You will feel the machine deprime, size, reprime, etc. as you move the lever up and down. Try to get a slow steady pace at first. Go from top to bottom and back to top. Don't short stroke the lever.
Check your powder weight frequently at first. Check your rounds with calipers to be sure they are to spec with your reloading manual so that they will work in your gun.
Lastly, get and read the powder and bullet manuals that you will be using in your reloads. Use the minimums they suggest. Crank out a few, try them and see if your gun operates satisfactorily.
I wish Dillon had a directory of reloaders willing to spend a couple of hours with a new reloader helping with the initial setup.
Enjoy!