Dillon 550/650 Strong Mount Flex

[Dolton916]

Flex seems same as all mine, but man that's a big variance. Theoretically if the shell plate reaches full range into the seating die there should be no variance, allowing everything else is correct, that dimension shouldn't change regardless of stroke "Style' or flex or if the press was just laying on the floor.

I just indicated my 650 and got a average of .184 lateral deflection over 20 .45ACP 230gr FMJ rounds, all rounds are within .0012 COL

 

[Dolton916]

Is it just me or is your handle mount hitting the strong mount at or before full stroke?

 

[CB45]

wow! It does look like it's not applying the load evenly to be able to shift like that. Id take the mount off and make sure the bends are the same on both sides (same angles)... If you have a large carpenter square I'd look to see the press is square to your bench... doesn't look like the metal itself is flexing (at least what can be seen in the vid) but the whole assembly is shifting over...

as for the die.... is it the same die you had been using on your 550 or a new one? stem get flipped?
0.007" is a lot (but I've never been so good to see 0.001"... usually ~.003" min/max range).

-rvb

No this is a new die. See above.

I ran the 550 with Dillon Dies. That thing was a beast. My load was 1.1650 +/-0.0002 99% of the time. Sometimes a high primer would mess up my results.

 

[CB45]

Is it just me or is your handle mount hitting the strong mount at or before full stroke?

It doesn't hit. Its the cameral angle.

I know a consistent stroke really helps with consistent o.a.l.

I am going to reset all the dies tomorrow and see if that changes anything.

 

[rvb]

No this is a new die. See above.

I ran the 550 with Dillon Dies. That thing was a beast. My load was 1.1650 +/-0.0002 99% of the time. Sometimes a high primer would mess up my results.

So put the old die in! you may have two issues. trouble shoot w/ as few variables as possible (not easy to do w/ new press, but that seems easy enough).

-rvb

 

[CB45]

I wish I still had those dies right now... sold them with the 550.

I thought this would be easy.

 

[rvb]

btw, I'd say this is the "typical" roller handle mount. I couldn't tell from the vid how you have yours mounted. looked like working it underhand? (good triceps workout!)

-rvb

 

[BGDave]

Wild guess here, but I'll bet you are a big strong guy. With the leverage you are getting with the rollar handle things got to move. Try the ball handle that came with the press. Still going to check mine. Hold one for the gimp to get downstairs.

 

[rvb]

ah, didn't realize you sold the old press...
May be worth buying a dillon die since you had good luck with it and your load previously.

-rvb

 

[BGDave]

Not kidding about the gimp business. Broke my heel bone in a tree trimming-ladder-peter pan incident. Went and looked. My 650 is mounted on a tall 550-650 mount. It will move a little if I put a lot of preasure on it on the downstroke. (I tip the scales at 199 pounds) Moves nothing upstroke (prime). Thickness of my strong-mount is .125. I mounted my press and SM with 1/4x 20 bolts and washers both sides. Mount was attached with 1/4x 20 bolts through the work bench top. Saying all that, bullet tips are not that uniform. The seater die seats the bullet on the ogive. Look for the seater die mark left on the bullet when it seats. I apologize if you already know this. I learned this in spades when I bought some factory second bullets from Star bullet company. (they shot just fine though) Also check your seater die for bullet lube build-up.

 

[BGDave]

I will buy your 650 for $300.00

A humanitarian.

 

[rvb]

The seater die seats the bullet on the ogive. Look for the seater die mark left on the bullet when it seats.

This is why I'm wondering if it's not two problems. The dillon die can seat off the ogive or the bullet nose by switching the stem. The MG bullets have a flat nose, so I would expect good results when using the flat side of the stem. If (big "if" since I'm not familiar w/ the redding die) it uses ogive somewhere on the side of the bullet, the variation may be greater since it's no longer seating off the same point you are measuring...

-rvb

 

[Rob377]

This is why I'm wondering if it's not two problems. The dillon die can seat off the ogive or the bullet nose by switching the stem. The MG bullets have a flat nose, so I would expect good results. If (big "if" since I'm not familiar w/ the redding die) it uses ogive somewhere on the side of the bullet, the variation may be greater since it's no longer seating off the same point you are measuring...

-rvb

It does.
Competition Bullet Seating Die for Handgun & Straight Wall Rifle Cartridges | Redding Reloading Equipment: reloading equipment for rifles, handguns, pistols, revolvers and SAECO bullet casting equipment

 

[CB45]

Well crap. Now I've confused myself.

 

[rvb]

Well crap. Now I've confused myself.

Welcome to my world!! Glad I could "help."

-rvb

 

[CB45]

Well I made some improvements to my bench. It absolutely does not move.

And yet the lateral flexing still exists, just like I thought.

Off to see Profire tomorrow! Maybe they have some ideas.

 

[Slawburger]

I just checked my 650 on a 650 Strong Mount. It doesn't seem to flex on a normal smooth cycle. I can make the casefeeder jiggle a little by moving the handle all the way to the bottom of the stroke, putting a lot of weight onto it, relax slightly then lean into it again. I can't picture it flexing in normal usage.

 

[IndyGunworks]

When you changed presses did you redrill the holes for the strong mount? Perhaps if you reused the same holes the lower part of the legs are closer together than what they should be for the 650? I don't have a 650, but my 550 w/ a strong mount doesn't flex laterally AT ALL with my roller handle. I have a grossly overbuilt bench though.

 

[CB45]

Thanks to Andrew and the crew at Profire. Swapped out the SM and bam, no flex.

Thanks to those who actually tried to help.

 

[rvb]

Cool. Something was definitely out of whack w. that mount.

and the oal deviation? Did it help that?

-rvb