Dillon XL650 Punch Support Bracket Wear?

[Venti30]

So, I've been struggling with light strikes in only one of my guns, My P365. roughly 5-7% click no bang rate.

I've been through the press and for those that don't happen to have one, there isn't an adjustment for primer seating depth.

I measured the depth on some primers on rounds I had made a week or so ago and found it ranged from .001" to .008" primer depth. So, I'd be willing to bet that the 5 or 7 per 100 light strikes that I've been getting with my P365 was on the lesser depth primers as some have suggested here.

Of course, Im willing to admit freely that most of the time when I've had issues with my press consistency, it can be attributed to consistent lever cycling by me.

So, I took these 100 rounds that I sat and depth tested the primers on, and ran them back through station 2 only to see if I could seat them more deeply by using added force, above what I thought I'd normally use when in full progressive mode. I remeasured, and then took those to the range and they all ran through my P365 with zero light strikes or failure to fires.

Looking even harder at my press, after the initial inspection to make sure everything was tight, I have found that the top of the support bracket that the primer seating punch is forced against to set the primer has objectionable wear.

So my question for the Dillon 650 users is, do you have wear like this on yours? I suspect that the wear is a couple thousandths deep, but I'm not at home to actually measure it, so best I can do is ask if any of you have similar wear.

I've already contacted Dillon for a replacement.

The part number is # 13488

 

[Unclenick]

I have two Dillons, but neither is the 650, so I can't speak to wear there, but on mine (Square Deal and 550) the primer depth is a function of force I apply to the arm, same as you've discovered. What made this go more smoothly for me is I got their Super Swage 600 and found that even with non-crimped commercial brass, if I swage it first, I get more consistent primer seating. The primers just slip in more easily.

Be careful about running loaded rounds through for deeper primer seating. Several YouTube videos show people setting them off behind cover on purpose. With pistol powders, the pressure develops faster than the bullet is moved out of the way and the cases fragment like blasting caps. Not something you want to do without some kind of shield in place.

 

[Bimus]

I have no wear on my Dillon 650 not even a mark where yours has cut a grove .
Is there any wear on the seater assembly ?

 

[jmorris]

I've been through the press and for those that don't happen to have one, there isn't an adjustment for primer seating depth.

It’s how much effort you push the handle back on the ram down (handle up) stroke.

Remove the case from station #2 and push the handle like you are seating a primer. Now notice how high the primer is above the shell plate. At that point you will realize, the press isn’t the problem.

There is more than enough stroke to fully seat a primer properly.

Might try this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgW6yvWpXSs

 

[Venti30]

It was pointed out by a gent that I hadn’t updated my findings here.

Based on the reseated rounds working 100%, and subsequent loads where I really focused on consistent handle press on the striker seating action that ran without fail, I’m satisfied that it was me short cycling the press.

As an aside, Dillon has sent me the punch and support bracket which did have excessive wear but I haven’t been around to install it.

Thanks all for the time.

 

[jmorris]

Glad you figured it out, happy loading.

 

[KEYBEAR]

A long time ago I found clean primer pockets made life a lot better , I load a bunch of 44 Mag after I shoot I size and deprime all my brass . Then I clean all primer pockets then clean the brass . Now i load using a Dillion 650 with two sizers one before I prime and one after the bullet is seated and crimped . Yes some work I really do not need to do but 99.9% of all my loaded rounds fall in the cylinder and out .