Dillon 550 issue

Moorvogi · Jul 2, 2019

I’m not mechanically inclined and might say the wrong part names.

My reloading press that I inherited has two issues. The primer catch malfunctions more than it catches. It’s like the trap door doesn’t open/close properly so there are hundreds/thousands of spent primers all over haha.

Also, the primer bar that has the cup... sticks from time to time. Every 5-7 rounds I have to give it just a gentle wiggle to encourage it to retract back under the caliber plate thingy.

It worked for a while, several thousand rounds... now I feel I need to lube it again or something. Anyone have experience with these issues?

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inkd · Jul 2, 2019

Moorvogi said:
I’m not mechanically inclined and might say the wrong part names.

My reloading press that I inherited has two issues. The primer catch malfunctions more than it catches. It’s like the trap door doesn’t open/close properly so there are hundreds/thousands of spent primers all over haha.

Also, the primer bar that has the cup... sticks from time to time. Every 5-7 rounds I have to give it just a gentle wiggle to encourage it to retract back under the caliber plate thingy.

It worked for a while, several thousand rounds... now I feel I need to lube it again or something. Anyone have experience with these issues?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My spent primer chute had the same issue. I use a thin piece of wire through the holes with a slight bend at each end to keep it from sliding out. The cotter pins supplied with the machine never worked right for me.

As far as the primer slide. I clean mine out with a Q-tip and alcohol every so often. I don't recall ever lubing it though. It gets pretty dirty in there with the primer residue. I think lube would really gunk it up.

Dillon's website has some very good videos on basic maintenance too.

Scrounger · Jul 2, 2019

If the spent primer door hangs up, sometimes it just takes a little tweaking. Remove the cotter pin to see if the door isn’t dragging on the sides, if it is just bend it outward. Then make sure the cotter pin is loose and allows the door to move freely.

There are two problems that usually cause the primer bar to stick, dirt or adjustment. With an empty primer magazine, using an allen wrench remove the primer feed. Take a clean rag and wipe the press body where the primer bar slides and the primer bar down. I prefer to use acetone since it not only cleans but leaves no reside. To reinstall the primer feed, lift the shell plate and place the primer cup under the plate inline with the primer hole, then lower the plate. Then install the primer feed leaving the two bolts just barely loose. Reinstall the return spring. Then raise the shell plate and pull the primer bar out and see if it moves freely, it should. Then tighten the feed bolts. Repeat checking for ease of movement on the primer bar. There is enough “wiggle” room to position the primer feed so the bar can move freely.

The same adjustment with the bar applies when changing primer sizes.

Dillon 550 issue

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