Saving for a blue machine

I've adjusted the pawls according to the instructions. I think I have that figured out. I'm using all Hornady equipment on the press. I don't know if it's normal to have a variance of .007 in OAL between rounds in 9mm, but I never had that kind of difference when using Lee single stage press and dies.
 
Case feeder is on the list of getting after the machine. That's what my 6 year old son will be for. Always wants to help. Here fill this tube with these shells. I figure I can get a good 45 minutes to an hour out of him per run.
 
Back when I picked up my first 650 I made the case feed tube longer and made extra case drop tubes out of PVC, pretty much a large cheap version of the primer pickup tube. Load 25, grab an extra tube of cases and drop them in, load another 25, repeat.
 
That's a good idea until I can get the feeder. Machine is the inportant part at this point. Just time to upgrade from the single stage.
 
Upgrading from a single stage to a progressive alone is going to seem like you've been granted extra years on your life. Casefeeder is not a necessity at first. If finances are an issue, as they are with most of us, the difference between a casefeeder and buying more components is a tough argument to make for the casefeeder.

Well, except casefeeders still exist and gunpowder has gone extinct.
 
That is so true on powder. I have about 24lbs rifle and 4lbs pistol. Can't find the elusive pistol powder. Plus side I have the next 12-14 weeks laid up so maybe I can hawk the net and get lucky one of these days for pistol powder. I'm not greedy, I'll take 8lbs and walk away for the day I promise.
 
I just got back in town and measured my reloads in .40 using Lee dies on my LNL.

I have no more than .002 variance in the OAL.

There are a lot of issues that can cause the OAL to vary with any loader.
 
There are a lot of issues that can cause the OAL to vary with any loader.
Click to expand...
A big one can be what bullet/seat die combination you are using.
 
On the OAL issue. I get .007 or so from initially setting the die while single loading and then when loading up the shell plate fully it will get longer and I have tweak it down just a bit. The shell plate and ram linkage do have some clearance so if you are getting varying resistance from round to round that may be it. Check the easy thing first and make sure your shell plate isn't too loose. Then look at your bullets. The ogive will vary some on all bullets from one to the next, especially pointed rifle bullets. If I'm under .005" variation from round to round I don't sweat it. On pistol calibers it's usually well under that once everything is dialed in and you are running. The idea is to apply force to the ram consistently from round to round.

Dillon 650 user here, but most of my dies are Hornady, I dig their seating dies quite a bit.
 
I sold my LNL's a while back so I don't remember how their shell plates worked but I think they were like the 550.

In that the base of the case sits on the platform mounted directly to the ram. In this case the shell plate is only a factor in pulling the brass back out of the dies and not a factor in seat depth.

The SD, 650 and 1050 the base sits on the shell plate.
 
Mike, I'd say just use the ball-knob handle until you find you need the roller handle. I learned a long time ago to purchase accessories only on a "need" basis (not "think I need"). Just my take on the matter.
 
Speaking of blue machines, has anyone here taken advantage of Dillon's Super 1050 easy pay plan? It's awfully tempting, but that's a lot of cheese, made more so by the temptation to throw in bunches of add-ons, since I plan to die in a 37-car pileup on I-44E near Marshfield, MO in one year, 14 days and won't have to pay it off.
 
I don't do layaway, or dump it on a credit card type of purchases. Having a hand full of hundred dollar bills when you make a buying decision has you making a lot better buying decisions generally.

That's comming from a guy that has several of them.
 
The 650 honestly sucks to use without a case feeder. The 550 and the LNL are both designed to operate without one and work fine with no aggravation. If I were you I'd brown bag it to work a little bit more or something and get one when you make your purchase. Save the roller handle, bullet tray, and powder check for later upgrades.

Honestly, work a few weekends, hit some overtime, work a holiday, whatever you have available and get a case feeder.
 
This is why I knew this was the perfect spot for a no BS answer. Case feeder is on the definite list. Yeah will have to save a little longer. Missed out on a used one great price. A day late seeing in. Wasn't meant to be at this point. I'm just waiting for my Aflac to kick in and there will be my 650 money and some other extra stuff too, but I need my hospital, surgery, ambulance and all that fun medical documentation all start rolling in.

Never even looked at the 1050 because I want to do 2 calibers eventually and I heard the 1050 is a PITA to caliber change just to get a 650. Still not looking at it. Trying to also get a Vortex Optic around same time.
 
I prefer to have two of each, of any progressive. If you don't have to change the primer system they are all a lot easyer.

If you have bills comming in and waiting on someone else to pay them I certainly would not suggest a payment plan.
 
nope cash money to pay for my shooting. Aflac money should be found money. Plenty of sick time saved so I shouldn't even touch vacation time for next year. 2 progressives would be nice but going to need money to feed the machines. Can't have 2 pretty machines and nothing to run threw them.
 
I hope you have better luck with Aflac than I did. I was off work for eight weeks and Aflac send me $200.00 for the eight weeks. I quit Aflac after that BS.
 
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