Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Barrett Twp., Pennsylvania
    (Monroe County)
    Posts
    236
    Rep Power
    19596279

    Default Dillon 650 upgrades

    After using this machine for several thousand rounds, I noticed there were certain actions which caused cases to rotate with the turret not as smoothly as it could, causing grains of powder to spill sometimes as the turret would abruptly index on it's detent stop. This problem seemed to effect fuller-filled rifle cases the most.

    I started looking at some upgrade kits sold on eBay. This guy out of Alaska was selling a kit called the Grand Slam with several improvements in regards to friction and overall ease of setup. It consists of a rubber detent ball, lighter detent spring, and a bronze top center shellplate bearing. Supposedly to smooth out shellplate turret movement. There is also a roller bearing piece that drives the indexing cam (instead of a rounded piece of metal) Making for a very very smooth turret movement. Can't wait to try it out.
    The Grand Slam kit also came with a primer feed shutoff block. It allows you to shut the primer disc advancing mechanism off. Definitely a nice feature to be able to shut that off. For those not familiar, primers are indexed from the primer magazine tube into a disc holding say 10 primers at a time, then from the disc they are indexed into the machine. This disc primer feed assembly was dropped on the new 750, which feeds 1 primer at a time from primer magazine into the machine like the SDB system. Also a case feeder mechanism shut off with a friction reducing roller bearing for the case pusher mechanism rod was included in the kit. This entire setup feels like it reduced the friction about 25%.

    Setting up a fresh toolhead for 45 Colt required me to refer back to the manual, as I haven't done a fresh setup in a few years. After adjusting the "upgrades" to get everything indexing properly I got the sizer/decapper set, and the powder die set for bell. I'll finish the seat and crimp die setups tomorrow night. Then work on the powder setting.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Bedford
    Posts
    685
    Rep Power
    21474842

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    Subscribed

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    next to my neighbor, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    13,589
    Rep Power
    21474867

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    I cant remember what exactly I did to mine to prevent that. I'm thinking I loosened the screw
    at the top of the plate, and maybe cut a coil or two off the spring underneath.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Moscow, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
    Posts
    4,026
    Rep Power
    21474853

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    I have most of that stuff. Next on my list are the casefeeder crud catcher and primer catch upgrades

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Helltown, Pennsylvania
    (Westmoreland County)
    Posts
    1,342
    Rep Power
    447025

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    Friends don't let friends buy Taurus's

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
    Posts
    3,262
    Rep Power
    21474853

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    I did all those same upgrades and I am pleased with the results. The primer shut off is easily the best one.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Posts
    5,440
    Rep Power
    16969192

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    Sticky plate rotation is usually due to one or both of these:
    1. Powder made it's way under the plate.
    2. Plate screw to tight.

    The most common reason why powder gets under the plate is due to a new primer not being pressed into place in the previous station.

    I also put a little gun grease on the plates detent ball.

    Any reloading press needs routine maintenance. Every 3-6 month's my Dillon gets a complete once over, cleaning, and adjustments.
    Toujours prêt

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Barrett Twp., Pennsylvania
    (Monroe County)
    Posts
    236
    Rep Power
    19596279

    Default Re: Dillon 650 upgrades

    I loaded up 100 45 colts Sunday. 220gr. Steel Valley Casting bullets over 7gr HP38, 1.65" COL. Win. L.P. primers.
    Have to do a little tweaking to the indexer bearing piece. My sizing die wasn't aligning with every pull. Also cases were moving after they were dropped from case feeder. They would walk one way or another and jam on case drop hole. Boogered up 3 cases due to that. Otherwise, I'm happy with the upgrades. Primer shutoff is so simple and is very useful. Going to shoot some next week.

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