Primer feeding has me ready to chuck this thing
Quote from attenboroughb on December 30, 2023, 9:09 pmPrimer feeding issues has me ready to chuck this XL750. I'm really fed up. I'm constantly experiencing issues with it flipping primers, either sideways or upside down no matter how smoothly or even when really slowly moving the handle. It seems that the bottom of the casing drags across the top of the primer causing it to flip in the cup. I've been struggling with this for over a year and never had the thing load remotely smoothly.
For reference I'm trying to load 300 blackout, with commercial casings, but this happens on every caliber I've tried. And the problem is with almost 50% of the rounds that go through - it's not a small number.
Without cases in place, just cycling the machine, it usually is just fine unless I'm obscenely fast or jerky. Obviously you shake the living daylights out of it, it's good to disrupt the primer. But the shell plate seems to be coming around at least in time to clear the primer without a case. Once there's cases in the shell plate it seems like the bottom of the case drags across the top of the primer and flips it. Again this happens even when very slowly moving the handle.
I've been lurking in the forums here and elsewhere reading answers from other people having issues for months and not been able to resolve this with tweaking the timing forward as much as I can, adjusting the shell plate tension, adding upgrades, taking away upgrades, obsessively cleaning, etc... Right now the only way I can load without losing a significant number of my casings and primers is to prime by hand. This really defeats the purpose of having a progressive loader.
I'd love to hear suggestions from folks that have conquered these issues. Maybe there's something that I haven't tried. My patience is running thin and this thing is going into a dumpster very soon.
Primer feeding issues has me ready to chuck this XL750. I'm really fed up. I'm constantly experiencing issues with it flipping primers, either sideways or upside down no matter how smoothly or even when really slowly moving the handle. It seems that the bottom of the casing drags across the top of the primer causing it to flip in the cup. I've been struggling with this for over a year and never had the thing load remotely smoothly.
For reference I'm trying to load 300 blackout, with commercial casings, but this happens on every caliber I've tried. And the problem is with almost 50% of the rounds that go through - it's not a small number.
Without cases in place, just cycling the machine, it usually is just fine unless I'm obscenely fast or jerky. Obviously you shake the living daylights out of it, it's good to disrupt the primer. But the shell plate seems to be coming around at least in time to clear the primer without a case. Once there's cases in the shell plate it seems like the bottom of the case drags across the top of the primer and flips it. Again this happens even when very slowly moving the handle.
I've been lurking in the forums here and elsewhere reading answers from other people having issues for months and not been able to resolve this with tweaking the timing forward as much as I can, adjusting the shell plate tension, adding upgrades, taking away upgrades, obsessively cleaning, etc... Right now the only way I can load without losing a significant number of my casings and primers is to prime by hand. This really defeats the purpose of having a progressive loader.
I'd love to hear suggestions from folks that have conquered these issues. Maybe there's something that I haven't tried. My patience is running thin and this thing is going into a dumpster very soon.
Quote from jpagec7 on December 30, 2023, 10:23 pmSo, are you saying the primer travels TO the shell plate just fine, but is being flipped once UNDER the shell plate? That would seem like an index timing thing. Call Dillon tech support. My 750 primes perfectly for 380 auto, 9mm, 45acp, 300blk, and 223. Perfectly = 99%
So, are you saying the primer travels TO the shell plate just fine, but is being flipped once UNDER the shell plate? That would seem like an index timing thing. Call Dillon tech support. My 750 primes perfectly for 380 auto, 9mm, 45acp, 300blk, and 223. Perfectly = 99%
Quote from Xiphos on December 30, 2023, 10:40 pmdillon-xl750-manual-english.pdf (dillonprecision.com)
Please, don't be offended by my suggestion you re-read page 39 of the manual and follow those instructions.
Could it be the primer cup is rubbing the underside of the shell plate platform? That would indicate the primer punch set screw has worked loose and has allowed the assembly to creep upward.
There would be obvious signs of scraping on the underside of the platform, if so.
Keep us posted on developments.
dillon-xl750-manual-english.pdf (dillonprecision.com)
Please, don't be offended by my suggestion you re-read page 39 of the manual and follow those instructions.
Could it be the primer cup is rubbing the underside of the shell plate platform? That would indicate the primer punch set screw has worked loose and has allowed the assembly to creep upward.
There would be obvious signs of scraping on the underside of the platform, if so.
Keep us posted on developments.
Quote from attenboroughb on December 31, 2023, 1:11 amThere are no marks on the underside of my shell plate other than a slight track from the index pawl between the detent holes. It "seems" to be dragging on underside of the casings.
No offense at all about suggestions. I will go re-read that section again. Maybe something new will stand out to me!
There are no marks on the underside of my shell plate other than a slight track from the index pawl between the detent holes. It "seems" to be dragging on underside of the casings.
No offense at all about suggestions. I will go re-read that section again. Maybe something new will stand out to me!
Quote from attenboroughb on December 31, 2023, 8:03 pmQuote from 20x11 on December 30, 2023, 10:23 pmSo, are you saying the primer travels TO the shell plate just fine, but is being flipped once UNDER the shell plate? That would seem like an index timing thing. Call Dillon tech support. My 750 primes perfectly for 380 auto, 9mm, 45acp, 300blk, and 223. Perfectly = 99%
I guess I found the culprit. I looked into the section of the manual discussing indexing in section 10.1. My index block was pushed all the way to the rear yet timing was still off - primer not centered in the shell plate. Primer is centered well in the hole in the platform, it was the shell plate it was off center. However, not able to advance any further, I decided to take apart the platform and check out the index ring. It's broke. The turret that the index pawl goes into is broken off and the ring is broken itself right behind that point.
So I guess that explains alot. Just ordered some parts (and an alignment tool) and I guess we'll see how that does. Makes me wish I just did this a year ago vs struggling like this just assuming I was doing something stupid.
Funny thing is, I always assumed, until seeing the picture in section 10.1, that the two pieces in the picture here were supposed to be two pieces. This thing has been like this since day one and I didn't realize till today that it's supposed to be one piece, lol.
Quote from 20x11 on December 30, 2023, 10:23 pmSo, are you saying the primer travels TO the shell plate just fine, but is being flipped once UNDER the shell plate? That would seem like an index timing thing. Call Dillon tech support. My 750 primes perfectly for 380 auto, 9mm, 45acp, 300blk, and 223. Perfectly = 99%
I guess I found the culprit. I looked into the section of the manual discussing indexing in section 10.1. My index block was pushed all the way to the rear yet timing was still off - primer not centered in the shell plate. Primer is centered well in the hole in the platform, it was the shell plate it was off center. However, not able to advance any further, I decided to take apart the platform and check out the index ring. It's broke. The turret that the index pawl goes into is broken off and the ring is broken itself right behind that point.
So I guess that explains alot. Just ordered some parts (and an alignment tool) and I guess we'll see how that does. Makes me wish I just did this a year ago vs struggling like this just assuming I was doing something stupid.
Funny thing is, I always assumed, until seeing the picture in section 10.1, that the two pieces in the picture here were supposed to be two pieces. This thing has been like this since day one and I didn't realize till today that it's supposed to be one piece, lol.
Quote from Xiphos on December 31, 2023, 11:25 pmExcellent detective/troubleshooting work!
We had confidence in ya.
The alignment tool is a must.
Excellent detective/troubleshooting work!
We had confidence in ya.
The alignment tool is a must.
Quote from blake on July 31, 2024, 10:14 pmSo the lesson here is refer to the manual where it discusses the set up for where you're having an issue, and call Dillon tech support.
So the lesson here is refer to the manual where it discusses the set up for where you're having an issue, and call Dillon tech support.