Dillon XL650 problem and solution.

[Matthew Duncan]

Dillon XL650 problem and solution.

 

Remember the dox-matrix printers?  The print fading was so gradual you didn’t realize it (just like our freedoms today, but then I regress).   You finally decided to put a new print ribbon in.  Man!  Difference between night and day!

 

Well I had the same experience with my Dillon XL650.  Reloaded thousands of 45 Colt, 5.56 and a few other calibers.  Half way through the downward stroke of the lever there was a “hitch”, like something had a little difficulty going over center.  Greased the Zerks and lightly oil the metal to metal moving parts helped a little.  Press is over 10 years old, guess that’s just the nature of the beast.

 

Recently I reloaded 9mm for my first time.  I started getting brass jammed between the shell plate between Stations 1 and 2.  Must be the small 9mm cases are problematic?

 

Everything is reloaded for 2021.  Winter is only half over and I’m bored.  My mind started wondering to the XL650.  Was that “hitch” there from day one or was it something that developed gradually over time that I hadn’t been aware?  I started pulling the XL650 lever slowly as I touched different parts of the 650 feeling for anything that could be moving rough or sticking.

 

The Case Insert Slide was sticking causing it to move jerky along the Platform of the Primer Punch Assembly.  Case Lub along with fine powder had accumulated along the sides of the Platform the Case Insert Slide slid on, gumming up the works.  A rag with Hoppes cleaned off the goop where I could reach.  The Slide worked a little better but there was still that “Hitch” on the downward lever pull.  Bet there is more old lub back in there so I decided to remove the Case Insert Slide from the Platform of the Primer Punch Assembly.  Being a typical male I didn’t bother looking at the parts schematic to see how to.  Bet if I use a small screwdriver to compress the Case Insert Slide Spring Cap…POP…something fell down the spent primer tube into the bottle…a spent primer!  I pulled the lever and no more “hitch”!  A spent primer had somehow flipped into the spring.   Like the dot-matrix printer ribbon that had faded from use the primer interfered with the spring had worsened the “hitch” until I finally took notice.

 

[twelve mile REB]

Well I'm glad you found it.  Those little irritating things always nag at me.  Happy loading to you.