dpaultx
02-13-2012, 03:59 AM
I have an old Dillon RL450 that I bought new in about 1984 which spit out thousands of rounds of 45ACP and 223REM over the next 17 years or so. It has set virtually unused ever since untill now as my twenty something son is getting into IPSC and into reloading and I'm limbering up the old Dillon again to run both 45ACP and 40S&W.
At one time or another I must have let some old powder sit too long in the powder dropper and it discolored the clear plastic material of the powder tube. Doesn't hurt the functioning of course, it just sort of bugs me.
I've completely disassembled the dropper but can't get the plastic powder tube to separate from the metal base housing. I think it must be glued into the base as there are no other obvious signs of any mechanical means of attachment.
I feel like a little heat would probably make the tube let go (or worst case the old Dremel tool would certainly do the trick), but Dillon no longer lists parts for the old push-style manual powder dropper. It appears that the powder tube of the newer automatic style dropper for the 550/650 is mechanically attached to its base metal housing with two thumb screws.
It would be no problem for me to drill and tap two holes in the sides of the 450's base housing for the two thumb screws, but I don't know if the actual plastic powder tubes of the old 450 dropper and the newer 550 dropper are the same diameter.
Does anyone know if the old and new tubes are the same size and if they are basically interchangeable?
TIA . . . Doug
At one time or another I must have let some old powder sit too long in the powder dropper and it discolored the clear plastic material of the powder tube. Doesn't hurt the functioning of course, it just sort of bugs me.
I've completely disassembled the dropper but can't get the plastic powder tube to separate from the metal base housing. I think it must be glued into the base as there are no other obvious signs of any mechanical means of attachment.
I feel like a little heat would probably make the tube let go (or worst case the old Dremel tool would certainly do the trick), but Dillon no longer lists parts for the old push-style manual powder dropper. It appears that the powder tube of the newer automatic style dropper for the 550/650 is mechanically attached to its base metal housing with two thumb screws.
It would be no problem for me to drill and tap two holes in the sides of the 450's base housing for the two thumb screws, but I don't know if the actual plastic powder tubes of the old 450 dropper and the newer 550 dropper are the same diameter.
Does anyone know if the old and new tubes are the same size and if they are basically interchangeable?
TIA . . . Doug