Dillon 550C upgrades.

[b money]

Alright I will finally be getting a Dillon 550C as a Christmas gift. What are some mods that are nice to have or need to be done to it? I’ve been looking at inline fabrication a lot. I also work at a machine shop so I can make anything I want also.

[daboone]

The only thing I've added to my 550 was the light from inline fab. I've tried their roller handle on a friends 550 but I like the baby sock (I stole from a granddaughter) placed over the handle's ball better. Cheaper too. I don't think it really needs any upgrades. I don't deprime on it but I know there is a simple DIY improvement that help keep the spent primers going into the container.

[Pipefitter]

If this is your first Dillon I would suggest extra primer tubes and maybe the spare parts kit (primer tube pick-up tips, primer dispensing tips, etc.).

[b money]

Ok it is indeed my first Dillon. I figured I’d go this roughy because I don’t need to load 1000 rounds a week. But it’s a huge upgrade from my rock Chucker. I didn’t think of extra primer tubes good point

[dragon813gt]

I have an Inline Fabrication lighting system and a primer track bearing plate on mine. It’s on a quick change ultramount but that’s not really an upgrade. I guess I have knobs on the powder measures as well. They simply give a reference point for adjustments.

[LUBEDUDE]

Congrats on your Christmas gift! That’s a great move. I went from a Rock Chucker to a 550 over 30 years ago and kicked myself for not doing it sooner.

If you don’t have bad height restrictions, the mounting system from Inline or Dillon is great. I don’t like presses blocking under bench shelves or drawers, and being a knee knocker as well. I didn’t figure that one out till 20 years ago, another great move for me.

Enjoy!

[Budzilla 19]

Plus a100 on the light system and the track roller bearing system!!! Also the bearing under the holdown bolt on the shell plate, can’t remover the name of the company I got it from! Boy, did it make it easy to index. Just my opinion. Welcome to the blue madness!!! Hahaha!!!

[dragon813gt]

Ballistic Tools is one company that makes a shellplate bearing kit. I have no issues w/ the stock bearing. I like that it takes some effort to move and the stops are positive. I don’t run it rely fast so there are no powder spillage issues.

[knifemaker]

I also started with a RCBS rockchucker, still use it for rifle hunting ammo, and bought my first Dillon 550 about 16 years ago. Only after market item I bought for it is a LED light that mounts in the center hole of the die holder so I can see the powder level in the case to prevent possible squib loads or worse, double charge. Make sure you mount the press at a height that allows you see down inside the case to check the powder level. It will be a different height if you reload sitting or standing up.

[Crash_Corrigan]

Of all the upgrades done to my 550B the primer ball bearing mount is the best. I have always had priming problems with this press and with this upgrade all the cases are properly primed. The inline fabrication folks are the best around to deal with. Their light system rocks. I also have a rack to hold loaded primer tubes on the press and the knob on the powder dispenser. It really helps to have written down the exact number of turns and to what number on the knob of all your loaded rounds. In this manner with a known value on the knob you can duplicate the same amount of powder at a later date if you are using the same powder. I have Dillon 3 SD's and each is dedicated to a caliber. One for .45 ACP, one for 45 Colt and the last for .44 Special's. I use the 550B for .41 Magnum, 30-06 Springfield and other rifle and pistol calibers. The XL 650 is dedicated to 9MM and 327 Fed Magnum rounds. I have a Lee 4 hole turret press, a Rockchucker, a Lyman Spar T, a Lee Hand press, a Lee Challenger and a no name single stage press. I pretty much use them all at various times. I use the Lyman Spar T for blackpowder 50-90 Sharps, the no name single stage for decapping brass and the rest get used on a regular basis. I like the 5th station on the XL 650 as I like to utilize a RCBS powder sensing die to ensure the proper level of powder in my cases but the cost of the conversion tools necessary is holding me back from converting all my reloading chores to the big blue machine.

[jmorris]

KNS squared UFO light.

[derek45]

extra primer tubes

Frankford Arsenal Vibra-Prime

Roller handle

[EddieZoom]

I'd say in order of priority:

Strong Mount (If you didn't order one from Dillon with the press)
Light
Roller Handle

Also, do a search on spent primer cup mods. I used to have primers all over the place until I made a "funnel" out of construction paper and fit it inside the cup...problem solved.

[Iowa Fox]

Strong Mount
Light.
Bullet Tray

Get a good feel for the machine before you buy anything else.

[b money]

Alright I think I’ve got some pretty good ideas here. And I’ve got an idea for the primer funnel. I have a spare primer chute for a rockchucker that a member on here made a few years back, I think I will modify that to mout on the Dillon

[jmorris]

I had a “strong mount” once and decided that that named it that because it sounded better than “Two Z shaped sheet metal brackets that allow you to mount the press higher off the bench”.

If you have a decent bench top, nothing will be more ridged than mounting the casting directly to it. A side benefit is that you don’t have to pay extra to place your bullets at press height as you just set the box beside it on the bench.

[LenH]

The only upgrade I have done was to get a strong mount and jerry rigged a led light to the center hole. I bought a LED light from Wally World and used a 12 volt transformer
and it fit ring into the center hole. I did get a roller handle and hated it and went back to the ball handle. I might have to get one of my grandson's socks to put over the ball.
I had a guy make me a bracket patterned after the bin holder for the loaded ammo bin and mounted it for a bin to make a bullet tray.

I also got extra primer pick up tubes.