Dang Dillon junk...

[imashooter2]

My SDB went and broke on me this morning. Snapped the end of the frame off. Not even half a million rounds through it. :(

http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/SDB-bit.jpg

Dillon will fix it, but they're demanding I send it back. They'll ship me any part to fix it myself except the frame. After being initially POed, I guess I can see their point. Call for a free frame today, a free ram tomorrow and pretty soon you have a free press.

Anyway, I thought for a bit and came up with this:

http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/SDB-clamp.jpg

A distributor clamp from a '68 Chevy straight 6 and I'm back in business. I can finish my session and send the press back at my leisure.

Still undefeated!:cool:

[35remington]

So.....was that from a Chevy 250 or a 292?

Gotta be prepared if the same thing happens to me.

LOL

[imashooter2]

It was a 230 ci from a Nova that I swapped into a '67 Tempest after I found out that the valves in the original OHC engine will hit the pistons somewhere around 120 mph (very long, very steep hill). Ah, the stupid stuff I've lived through.[smilie=1:

The repair is holding well. I have another 700 rounds of .45 ACP in the can and I believe I'm going to switch it over and put some .38 on the shelf before I send it in.

[Lloyd Smale]

i had one break in the same place last year. round count on that one had to be over a million too. I sent it in and it came back looking like new. I think they replaced everything on it.

[crabo]

When you get it back, they will have replaced all the consumable parts and it will be ready for another 500,000 rounds for the cost of shipping one way. Send everything back that you have that came with it. They did a powder measure upgrade when I sent mine in.

Crabo

[imashooter2]

I have one each of the old style and new style measures... I believe I'll hold on to my old style. I also have an old style primer system that I drilled and reamed to accommodate the longer new style return spring. I think I'll put that one on the press and see if they replace it for me.

Frankly, whatever they do besides replace the frame is gravy. That press doesn't owe me anything.

[imashooter2]

i had one break in the same place last year. round count on that one had to be over a million too. I sent it in and it came back looking like new. I think they replaced everything on it.

The newer ones I've seen have an improved casting with no hollows underneath and a thick rib and boss on the top. I imagine they replaced more than a couple frames before they changed the casting.

[Lloyd Smale]

I had another that actually broke about in two. The main frame cracked in half close to where the handle bosses are. That was a few years ago and they rebuilt that one too. It to had an unbelievable round count and like you said owed me nothing. I couldnt have gotten mad if they didnt even warantee these two presses as for what you pay for them even if they gave up the ghost at a million rounds theyd be well worth the money. I love those little square deals. Ive got 5 of them now and would actually rather load on one then on a 650. There not as stoutly built but with the short stroke I can load just as fast on a square deal as i can on a 650 with a case feeder if i have a routine down and everthing within easy reach.It seems to me too that with the short stroke there actually easier on the body in a long loading session. I know when i switch to my 550 it seems like im dreaming and trying to walk stuck in mud.

[imashooter2]

I hear you Lloyd! I just recently picked up a 550 myself. For years I'd been reading posts about how much better the 550 was than the SDB... First time I used it I determined that was all BS. The SDB is absolutely elegant next to the 550. IMO, the only thing the 550 has going for it is the ability to handle rifle cartridges.

[Dale53]

You guys are making me feel foolish. I just ordered my second 550B so I wouldn't have to change the primer feed when changing calibers. NOW you tell me the 550B is no good! What's a feller to do? Well, in self defense, I'll just ignore you guys[smilie=1: (otherwise I'd have to do something drastic:roll:).

Have a good day...

Yours in fellowship,
Dale53

[Springfield]

I've had 2 SD's and sold them both, finally went and bought a second used 550. I hated the SD, too dang small for me, coudn't see anything or get my hands in there. Hated the auto indexing too. Although it DID seem to have more leverage when sizing, although Dillon said it didn't . Maybe it was the shorter stroke. Whastever it was, I still like my 550's better.

[Dale53]

Springfield;
Thank you! Now, I won't have to sell my two 550B's. whew-w-w!!

Just funnin', guys. It is just hard for some of us to realize that not all of us are of the same mind. Mostly that's good, however, with the elections going the way that they are, we may have to suffer under a democrat for a president next term. 'Nuff to make a feller take the pledge, or somethin'!!:confused::confused:

Dale53

[LAH]

I broke a handle but never a frame. You guys need to lay off the coffee. HEE HEE

[Dave Berryhill]

When you get it back, they will have replaced all the consumable parts and it will be ready for another 500,000 rounds for the cost of shipping one way. Send everything back that you have that came with it. They did a powder measure upgrade when I sent mine in.

Crabo

+1 For the price of shipping and a little patience you'll pretty much get a new press.

[pumpguy]

I am still on my first SDB that I bought from Scrounger about a year ago. At about a jillion rounds of .357 mag and counting. I think I am going to order another one for 9mm and maybe one for .44 mag. I am going to need a bigger house!!

[PatMarlin]

That distributor hold down clamp is the same on every Chevy engine from the 6 bangers to the V-blocks that used a point spark distributor.

Pretty sure maybe even the later electronic distributors but I haven't seen one in awhile so I've forgotten.

[Lloyd Smale]

far from it dale. My 550 was my first dillon and i wouldnt be without it. To me its a handier press then a 650. Its definately slower but nice when you want to do some single stage loading and i like the primer system on the 550 much better then then the 650. The 550 is also a hell of alot stouter press then a square deal and usually takes less tweaking to run and i tend to break less parts on it too. Problem with them is speed. I know it doesnt mean much to alot of guys but its why i buy a progressive press. If i wasnt worried about speed id load on a single stage press. I had to laugh when i went to bryan enos websight and he claims on there that the 550 will do more rounds an hour then a square deal. I dont know what planet he lives on but it must have differnt gravity then earth. I laugh at it again when i seen his speeds are right in line with prices. The more you spend the more he claims you get in output. HOGWASH! My buddy is kind of a dillon freak. Hes got a 1050 a 550 and 4 650s with case feeders and a square deal that his daughter uses. With primer tubes loaded and bullets and brass put within an easy natural reach i can load just as many per hour manually feeding a square deal as i can with a 650 with a case feeder. The shorter stroke makes up for the case feeder. I wish dillon would come out with a case feeder for the square deal cause then youd have the fastest press dillon could make. Im sure part of the reason they dont is it would hurt the sales of there more expensive 650s and 1050s.
You guys are making me feel foolish. I just ordered my second 550B so I wouldn't have to change the primer feed when changing calibers. NOW you tell me the 550B is no good! What's a feller to do? Well, in self defense, I'll just ignore you guys[smilie=1: (otherwise I'd have to do something drastic:roll:).

Have a good day...

Yours in fellowship,
Dale53

[Larry Gibson]

imashooter

The problem is not with the Dillon, it's with your bench. The top is flexing (as little as it) when you are operating the SDB. That flex is what broke the Dillon. Get a 3/8 - 1/2" x 8" x 8" piece of steel and bolt it to the bench at he 4 corners. Then bolt the SDB to the top of the steel and the Dillon won't break like that again.

Larry Gibson

[swabbie]

+1 for what Larry just said...Have used Dillons (both SDB and 550) for 12 years now.My curent bench is 3..2x4 screwed together both ways to eliminate any flexing. 2 -2x4 won't do it.
Loading similar calibers,with spare primer tubes filled and components handy,the SDB will hang with the 550 every time.I lent my SDB to my son and he won't give it back

[imashooter2]

The bench is an old plywood based counter top with additional plywood attached for stiffening. Each layer was attached with liberal use of screws and construction adhesive. Total stack height is 3 inches. It's pretty stiff. At very least, it's as stiff as that sheet metal "strong mount" they sell.

BTW, the distributor clamp is holding very well. I've put another 1,400 .38s in the can and I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just save the shipping cost and run it like it is.

[be603]

My old bench (cabinet actually) had too much flex at the edge for my liking. I fashioned a couple corbels to mount as stiffners under the front edge.

That cabinet was just holding my old RCBS JR so I didn't have worries about cracking equipment bases. That press really took some "oomph" when resizing bottleneck cases.

[Dale53]

Lloyd;
I am VERY happy with my 550B's (my second one arrived Friday). I am setting up for "speed caliber changes" like some others on here have discussed. I had two Dillon powder measures and a new one came with the new press. In addition, I have two Lee Pro Auto Disk measures (far better than the standard measure). I will have four caliber quick changes with powder measure already connected for my most frequently loaded calibers. One measure will be a "floating" measure for a variety of calibers that aren't used all that much. I actually prefer Lee's little measures for small powder charges (like Dillon's for the larger charges).

This will make a typical caliber change take just a couple of minutes. That'll be real progress. We tend to only count actual reloading time and ignore set up time when talking about the fabulous loading rates with our presses. I have actually loaded 500 rounds in 54 minutes on my press (with all primer tubes filled before starting). Having extra primer tubes pre-loaded is a big help. I have never done it, but a feller could load them while watching TV, I guess.

There are a couple of strong reasons I have for picking the 550B. First of all, it does rifle cartridges, too. Secondly, I can get decent production without straining anything:mrgreen:. Third reason is the relatively low cost of the caliber changes (compared to the 650 and 1050). All in all, even tho' I picked the 550B as my MAIN press the first year that they hit the market, I still stick by my choice. Dillon's excellent NO BS warranty is icing on the cake. Dillon is a REALLY good outfit!

I firmly believe that Lee's innovations and pricing structures have kept prices of ALL reloading equipment far more reasonable than otherwise and Dillon's NO BS warranty has lead the way for other companies to follow along just to stay competitive. As a result, I support BOTH of those companies.

Dale53

[colbyjack]

i clamped my down also. hard to see in the pic, but i bolted it down with lag bolts into a 2x4. then put this round metal plate ontop of the frame and ran a 3" deck screw into the 2x4. so far no problems.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/hawgz/IPSCjuly037.jpg

what do you guys do for maintence or what do you clean on your square deals? all i do is dump the primers out. should i be lubing or doing anything else? -chris

[Larry Gibson]

imashooter2

You might think it's "pretty stiff" but from the broken base it is not. Doesn't take much flex times 500,000 flexings to add up to a broken base. The stell base will keep it from happening again.

Larry Gibson

[imashooter2]

what do you guys do for maintence or what do you clean on your square deals? all i do is dump the primers out. should i be lubing or doing anything else? -chris

I bought the press used and when I got it, I did a complete disassembly and cleaning then lubed with a good moly grease on the sliding/pressure points. If I have to take the press apart to replace a broken part, I do the same again. That makes twice in the time I've had the press. Call it a couple dozen rounds between lube jobs.[smilie=1:

I do use a one inch paintbrush to dust off the shell plate regularly. That helps keep crap out of the guts.

The only thing I really maintain is the priming system. I disassemble, clean and lube every 5K or so. New flat spring on the primer retaining pin and inspect the pin for wear. Check the plastic tip on the primer magazine tube. The slot in the ram that the primer slide bearing rides in gets attention every time I change primer sizes. I have 2 primer systems. Really speeds up caliber changes.