Dillon care and maintenance?

MifflinKid · Dec 8, 2015

Ultraplanet, I've been using a RL550B for almost twenty years. It a great press. But it does have one notable weakness -- the priming system.

I did some polishing of the primer bar and that did help to smooth out its operation. I made sure I cleaned the press, the primer bar and the primer feed tubes periodically. But that darn primer bar seemed to jam or jerk and flip primers all too frequently. The problems seemed to happen mostly when using small primers but I had problems with large primers, too.

In late August I bought a Dillon 550B 550 Primer Track Bearing Plate. I got the second generation version that has a bearing for the left side of the primer bar.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/231640878049?

For less than $30 it seems to have cured my priming problems. Since August I have loaded around 1K of rounds and have had just one small primer turn sideways on me. If you start having problems with your priming system, and I am pretty sure you will eventually, get one of these.

guthook · Dec 8, 2015

My 650 has a small hole in the cam portion that I put a drop of oil in every once in a while. My friends newer 650 actually has grease fittings on it. A bit of lube on the shaft is all I've ever needed to keep things running smoothly. These are well built machines.

As far as parts, I've only snapped off a toolhead pin while carelessly tightening down a die ring. Dillon had the part shipped to me in a couple of days, gratis.

ultraplanet · Dec 9, 2015

MifflinKid said:
Ultraplanet, I've been using a RL550B for almost twenty years. It a great press. But it does have one notable weakness -- the priming system.

I did some polishing of the primer bar and that did help to smooth out its operation. I made sure I cleaned the press, the primer bar and the primer feed tubes periodically. But that darn primer bar seemed to jam or jerk and flip primers all too frequently. The problems seemed to happen mostly when using small primers but I had problems with large primers, too.

In late August I bought a Dillon 550B 550 Primer Track Bearing Plate. I got the second generation version that has a bearing for the left side of the primer bar.

For less than $30 it seems to have cured my priming problems. Since August I have loaded around 1K of rounds and have had just one small primer turn sideways on me. If you start having problems with your priming system, and I am pretty sure you will eventually, get one of these.

I am up around 3k rounds now and have only had one sideways primer but I've had to tweak the primer bar a couple of times to keep it lined up under the hole in the shell plate.

The problem seems to be the amount of dirt and debris this press generates. Spent primers all over the place and the carbon that gets displaced during depriming doesn't really get caught by the little flippy primer catcher. I can see where all the dirt raining down on the primer bar will cause on-going problems. Thanks for the tip MifflinKid.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dillon-550B-550-Primer-Track-Bearing-Plate-W-Ball-Bearing/231766494352?

MifflinKid · Dec 9, 2015

Ultrapanet,

Spent primers all over the place...

Yeah. Some of them bounce off the back of the spent primer cup.

Cut the ends off of an aluminum soda or juice can and then make a cut from top to bottom. Flatten it to make a rectangular sheet. Measure the width of the inside of the spent primer cup and the height of the cup. Add two inches to that height. Cut out that size from the sheet. Stick it into the back of the cup and slightly bend the upper two inches back toward your loading bench.

Now when primers drop out of the expended primer chute they will not be able to bounce off the back of the primer cup.

camobob · Dec 20, 2015

Well over 20 years on my 550 as well. There have been a few minor issues but as was said Dillon CS is first rate. The only real weakness to the machine is the primer feed. My original tray (the piece the feeder slides on) caused problems with primers flipping after about a zillion rounds. Dillon sent me the tray and the whole primer tube system free of charge. All I installed was the tray and it solved the issue. I've seen people a fabricate longer tray and mess with the springs but don't think that's necessary. Keep the tray clean and lubed and the system should work as designed. If it doesn't then call Dillon - something is wrong. The tray will wear (teflon coating) at the end eventually and will rock and stick That seems to be what flipped the primers, at least in my case. Figure on replacing the tray and primer tube tips every 50k rounds or so. Other than that, keep it cleaned, dab a little 3 in 1 oil here and there and run the snot out of it.

Jmorrismetal · Dec 20, 2015

Spent primers on Dillon's.

A sliver of 1/2" box tube tacked to the bottom of the factory 650 bracket will keep them from getting out.

You can also drill a 44 mag/spl case and insert the rim between the factory bracket and ram to attach a hose.

Can do the hose on an SD with a 38/357 case too and I have made a few myself that keep the bucket.

A cut down .223 case works for the 1050 to attach a tube.

phipp13 · Dec 20, 2015

ultraplanet said:
Interesting. I see that it included the spare parts kit. Does it include any how-to instructions?

No it did not come with any instructions but i have the manual for mine (square deal B model) and that is all i need. plus i take pictures with my I phone as i break it down to assist in the rebuilding of it. I have not had to rebuild mine yet but i break it down annually to clean it and lube it up. I show my Dillon much love and it returns the favor with thousands of rounds ,trouble free. good luck V/R Phipp Merry Christmas http://www.mdshooters.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166413&stc=1&d=1450663573

Pinecone · Dec 21, 2015

I just use mine.

I have lubed the ram many 2 -3 times in over 20 years. Have loaded 10s of thousands of rounds. It keeps right on going.

Biff_N · Jan 1, 2016

Pinecone said:
I have a bunch of once fired mil .223.

I do two passes on the Dillon. First pass is Lee Universal Decapper on Stage 1, with a FL Sizing die on Stage 2.

Lube, and run through a lot of cases. Tumble in corn cob with Dillion polish. Swagew with Dillon 600.

Then second pass is no die in Stage 1. And the rest normal. And without the pressure of sizing, things move QUICKLY.

How do you trim cases to length when needed?

Pinecone · Jan 2, 2016

I have a WFT with .223 and .308 collets.

DaemonAssassin · Jan 2, 2016

Pinecone said:
I have a WFT with .223 and .308 collets.

Why?

Dillon care and maintenance?

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