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Solution for ugly convoluted crimps on Dillon 900SL

5K views 37 replies 17 participants last post by  fastarget 
#1 ·
Been reading the threads to find a practical solution for this issue with AA hulls, but same with others, 1 or 2 out of 25 is fine, but we are running 10 out of 25, the rest of the shells look perfect. Our old Grabber makes such beautiful crimps, but slow.

Took apart pre-crimp on the 900SL, it is all rotating well. Adjusted pre crimp up down, the crimp die up and down, the only thing left if the powder die, but it looks like the drop tube is the same size inside. We thought the drop tube maybe ironing out the old creases too much, and it may still be the problem here, but is there a remedy?

I know many have sold and bought machines, and will recommend other brands, this not possible now with full ATA and 4H schedules, however we would really like a solution if someone has found one. Thank you.
 
#29 ·
Been reading the threads to find a practical solution for this issue with AA hulls, but same with others, 1 or 2 out of 25 is fine, but we are running 10 out of 25, the rest of the shells look perfect. Our old Grabber makes such beautiful crimps, but slow.

Took apart pre-crimp on the 900SL, it is all rotating well. Adjusted pre crimp up down, the crimp die up and down, the only thing left if the powder die, but it looks like the drop tube is the same size inside. We thought the drop tube maybe ironing out the old creases too much, and it may still be the problem here, but is there a remedy?

I know many have sold and bought machines, and will recommend other brands, this not possible now with full ATA and 4H schedules, however we would really like a solution if someone has found one. Thank you.
From your pictures..you're over flaring the hull at station #2 an "ironing out" the skives so when it gets to precrimp, it doesn't fold correctly. Back off your "flare" adjustment at station 2. You need just enough flare at #2 so that when the hull gets to station 3, that the wad doesn't catch the mouth of the hull when being inserted. I think we covered all of this in one of the PowerFactor videos we did on the SL900.
 
#4 ·
I get those with shells that have cracks or are just reloaded one too many times .

it looks like your finished crimps on your good loads are a little dished . Mine were like that on my mec. I went to zero wad pressure, IE about as much pressure as I would need to gently seat the wad with my finger tip .

In general , those mutant crimps look like they are shells that were not right before reloading .
 
#5 ·
Good advice thank you, I will adjust the wad pressure, and have been fine tuning the crimping die as well while measuring all with a Mic. . Older shells for sure raise the odds of the mutant crimps appearing, One of the oddballs in the pics is once fired a few weeks ago, the other "extra light" was shot last sunday by my 11 year old during his doubles match.
 
#6 ·
Make sure your shot bar is going all the way back. I think you are getting some light shot charges on the dished crimps.
I had that problem and it took a bit to figure out. Empty out all the shot and check the bar travel.

The really bad crimps are the hulls, not the loader. Pitch them the next time you shoot them.
 
#20 ·
Far from it. I love mine. I notice he is missing the case collator/feeder. I can’t crank out half again as many rounds on my Dillon as the 9000 I run also. I only have to insert a wad, and pull the handle. I load all my 6 pt crimps on the MEC, the Dillon sucks at those, I’ll admit that. No bushings to change, holds a whole bag or more of shot.
 
#15 ·
I very rarely ever saw that when I loaded tens of thousands of Gun Club hulls. Now I load only STS an N27's and I see it occasionally (1 or 2 per hundred) with my MEC 9000. I fault the hulls. I sort those funky finished shells into a practice box marked for immediate disposable. My cull rate is probably higher than most people's anyway...I don't load gold Remingtons more than 3 times before tossing them. When a poorly crimped shell is fired, it's still obvious that the folds aren't right and it's destined to do it again. They shoot just fine but never make it back to the bench.
 
#23 ·
I was having the same problem on my Dillon. Installed the smooth/paper pre-crimp. Solved the bass-ackward crimps. Now I get some that 2 adjacent petals fold over and look like beaver teeth. AA HS hulls are just problematic.
If the bad crimps bother you, sort them out for practice rounds.
V/r
Maxey
 
#31 ·
One more thought- when you pull the handle, it is without interruption, correct? What I'm wondering is if there is a pause as the shells are starting to go into the dies, it might lead to this sort of problem.

Full disclosure, I don't own an SL900, so my thought may be complete garbage.
 
#32 ·
Yes, no interruption, and a slower deliberate stroke is better than the fast loading speed the machine is capable of.
We have tested it today, and it has improved a great deal, after the powder drop adjustment(also controls the flare), I may try more but I am hearing the wad crackle on the edges of the hull already.
Some hulls just dont want to cooperate....:)
 
#35 ·
I found a solution to the ugly crimps but whoever said that the powder die is smoothing out the crimps too much is correct. I’ll try adjusting that. The solution I found was to roll the top of the shell with my fingers thus starting to close the crimp by hand. Haha is it slow? Yes it is. My grabber does the same thing sometimes. The Dillon is super fast reloader if you just pull the handle and add a wad but I have no need to push out that many rounds and the handle set up on the Dillon is much easier to pull than my Grabber. I’m a slow reloader but I like pretty crimps.
 
#38 ·
Consistent powder drops and crimp will make for consistent loads, my 11 year old, he can feel a 50 fps difference(I want them to feel the same), and he knows we are doing our best to do things right, teach them to compromise one thing now and they will compromise on everything later .
 
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