My "New" Dillon 300's!

[seagiant]

Hi,
I at one time tried to wean myself off of progressive reloaders but I have failed miserably. My first fall was for a CH Auto Champ,pulled in by the mechanics I guess. Then at a gun show I see a guy trying to sale a Dillon RL-300,their first reloader and I knew I had to have one! I did not buy that one as it was to high a price for me but started keeping my eye out and found two at a reasonable rate after some searching.

I had intended to completely strip these down and repaint,ect. but after clean up they were not to bad and I then concentrated on getting them in working order. Dillion sold/gave me certain parts and a few things I had to make as the primer system is a little different than the present model 550. I replaced the powder hoppers as they are still the same size and that helped a lot! This is not as fast a loader as a 550 but I enjoy it more!

[Sonnypie]

That's cool!
Good on ya for keeping the old boogers up and running. And kudos to Dillon for helping you with it. ;)

[Alvarez Kelly]

It's nice to see these old presses loved again.

Thanks seagiant. :-)

[Artful]

I love my RL-300 and RL-450's - although I changed to auto disk powder measure to speed up operations.

[jimkim]

I'm glad to see you scored! I'm needing the primer tube that screws in the primer assembly. Do you know it the newer ones will fit?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: nice redos. Do those presses auto advance? I don't see anyway to manually do it?

I see the manual primer feed which is very similar to the C&H, and the push button powder drop.

I also see the brass buttons to keep everyone in place.

Auto advance?

Randy

[wv109323]

I had a 450 that my brother ended up with. I prefer the manual primer feed and powder drop over the set-up on the 550.

[Mike Kerr]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I enjoy your pictoral reports of your "adventures in ancient pressland". I am a pressaholic myself but I am just dreaming to think I can handle the projects you have undertaken.

On this go around I agree with Randy. I need some narrative as to how they work. I have not figured out the mechanics by just lookin at the photos. If you have time - more information please.

Lets see you were getting out of progressives - then you went the CH Auto Champ route. The CH Auto Champ has always appealed to me from a visual standpoint but I really wonder about its mechanical applications.

Now you are Seagiant "In The Land of Ancient Dillons" I will stand by for the next chapter.

regards,

:smile::smile::smile:

[seagiant]

Hi Jim,
The primer tube does not screw into the primer assembly , the primer tube has a collar on it and then the primer shield screws into the assembly and secures the primer tube by the collar. I had to make a collar for a present day primer tube for the new primer tube to work. I can give measurements or make one for you but I'm fixing to fly to Germany next week to go to work so may have to wait! I took some pics!

Hi Randy,
The machine is manual which sort of goes with the slower operation of the primer and powder feed. You advance the shellholder with the case just like a STAR machine. This works very well and becomes a habit (intuitive?) pretty quick and is no problem! These things are hell for stout and I have one in 9MM and the other in 45 acp,which gives you a small and large primer machine so the calibers that can be reloaded are pretty unlimited!

[seagiant]

Hi,
Heres some pics on the primer feed. It is hand operated like the powder and is pretty neat. The primer bar has a spring loaded plunger on the bottom of the hole. The primer falls into the hole and then is carried across to the primer cup,the first pic shows the plunger on the bottom of hole and the edge of the primer cup pushes in the plunger and the primer is deposited on the primer cup. Let go and the primer bar goes back to the assembly and picks up another primer! Alignment is everything of course but once set is good to go!

[jimkim]

Mine has the same primer mechanism, but is missing the support tube. The primer feed tubes are plastic with what appears to be brass inserts. They fit very snugly in my RCBS priming tool. That's where I've been using them. I had primed very few rounds on a press until I found a way to use the RCBS primer-feeder with my LCT priming arm.

[seagiant]

Hi Jim,
You need the primer tubes with the collar and then the screw in primer tube shield. It should not be that hard to do as long as you have a lathe or know somebody that does. I can supply measurements if you want or get it together later for you?

[44Vaquero]

Seagiant, once again very cool!!! It's great to see the old gear in working order, how about a quick video?

[jimkim]

I have access to a lathe. I'm not in a hurry. I can wait on the measurements. Good luck in Europe. Drink a picture of hefe bier for me.

[seagiant]

Hi 44,
No videos I'm afraid! Hope the pics and my poor explanations work somewhat!

[Alvarez Kelly]

Mine has the same primer mechanism, but is missing the support tube. The primer feed tubes are plastic with what appears to be brass inserts. They fit very snugly in my RCBS priming tool. That's where I've been using them. I had primed very few rounds on a press until I found a way to use the RCBS primer-feeder with my LCT priming arm.

The clear tubes are primer pick up tubes. They are NOT the internal, primer magazine tubes. I think I have a screw in blast shield and brass primer magazine tubes that would fit. They came off a very early model RL450. Would you be interested?

[LUBEDUDE]

SG- those are so awesome!

Great job, and enjoy!

[jimkim]

The clear tubes are primer pick up tubes. They are NOT the internal, primer magazine tubes. I think I have a screw in blast shield and brass primer magazine tubes that would fit. They came off a very early model RL450. Would you be interested?

Sure. PM sent.

[r1kk1]

What a beautiful press. What size is the ram and the twin columns?

Huge footprint judging by the pictures.

Wow,

r1kk1

[seagiant]

Hi r1kk1,
The ram is 1.5" and the columns are 1-1/8" as I said before these presses are pretty stout. The ram on my two are bushed with oilite bearings. I know because I talked to the RL-300 expert at Dillon about these for quite awhile (I told him I liked the 300 better than the 550 which did not go over to well) and he told me as they were being made they tried different materials on the ram bushing including "delrin"! Mine are both oilite bronze which I am happy with and I took a pic on the one that is visible. The other machine is the same but the bearing was painted instead of protected from the blue paint.

Having never owned one I'm curious if they stopped bushing the ram on the "new" model 450! Mike Dillon claimed that he lost $100 on every RL-300 that he sold!

The pic on the right shows the die set up. You have to use a small foot print ring for the dies like Lee or RCBS as if you use a larger type ring like Hornady there is not enough room on the die head for everything.

[44Vaquero]

SG, I am actually interested in how the priming system is constructed. I have been playing with a home made push style priming arm that looks very similar. it's a back burner project.

It really is one hell of a stout looking press!

[Alvarez Kelly]

Having never owned one I'm curious if they stopped bushing the ram on the "new" model 450! Mike Dillon claimed that he lost $100 on every RL-300 that he sold!

I have owned or handled at least a dozen RL450s. None had a bronze bushing in the frame.

[seagiant]

I have owned or handled at least a dozen RL450s. None had a bronze bushing in the frame.

Thanks Brian,
Interesting! Maybe after the teeth cutting with the 300 they decided the bushing wasn't really needed, and the years that the 450 and 550 have been used by satisfied customers tend to bear that out! It was also cheaper of course as was the one peice casting that got rid of the solid steel columns! I admit I'm glad mine have the bushing and steel columns but probably more due to snobbery than anything mechanical!

[r1kk1]

Thanks seagiant. That thing must be massively strong. I wish I bought one years ago. I don't think too many were made. I agree, that monster is seriously engineered! I still wished they used bushings in modern presses. Maybe not needed but it gives it that finishing touch. Hard to explain.

Take care and thank you seagiant. The ram on my Champion press is the same diameter as one of your columns!

r1kk1