can anyone explain this to me

[sv44]

I have a dillon SDB and use it to load 41 magnum. long story a little shorter.. i had a new case get really stuck on the sizing die and it took a lot to get it off, but when i did the shell plate no longer advance as i pull the handle to progress the press. Can anyone explain how the auto indexer works on the SDB, i am bound and determined to figure out what gave but would like to understand how it works normally before i start taking things apart that have a less than even chance of getting put back in the correct way.

any thoughts? any help would be greatly appreciated

[georgerkahn]

There is a spring which gets tension on it as press handle is operated. When operated, a catch releases, to advance to next station. Perhaps pictures are better than words, and Dillon has a neat YouTube video linked at https://www.dillonprecision.com/squa...8_1_25237.html
Further, this page has a link to the operating manual with a pretty clear parts printout.
Best I can do from a distance -- not knowing what's now out of whack on your machine -- but my sincere wishes you get is working! Dillon advertises a no bovine excrement guarantee where no question you may ask them is dumb; and, I understand they'll just about bend over to help a customer in need. Give them a call at 800-223-4570 -- and/or they offer a service where you provide your 'phone number and they call you.
BEST wishes!
geo

[sv44]

Thank you

[kevin c]

There is a spring loaded pawl on a Delrin arm mounted on the side of the ram furthest away from the handle. It engages holes on the underside of the shell plate to advance it. The arm bears against a bolt in the frame that makes it rock back and forth as the ram moves up and down.

I'm guessing that if you needed to really crank down (up, actually) on the handle, the pawl or arm may have been damaged. The bolt is steel and probably would not be damaged. That's what comes to my mind, but there could be another issue I'm not thinking of.

Dillon will send you a replacement pawl and arm (they may ask for the damaged part), but if you're not confident about messing with the press that way, or not sure what is actually damaged, they can issue you a RA and you can send the press to them for repair. The part, repair and return shipping is covered by their warrantee.

[sv44]

thank you..
I took it apart, mostly to see how that thing worked. it wasn't obvious at first but, when i took a close look at the index unit (the delrin and pawl and spring unit) the pawl is slightly damaged (probably not enough to cause the issue but, the small post that the pawl rides on seemed to have worked out a teeny bit and the force i used seemed to really start to deform the hole it sits in normally, the result,the pawl will move but not freely and hangs up when i advance the shell plate . at least that's what it seems like.
i am waiting on a reply from dillon for a replacement delrin piece
thanks for your help on this

[1006]

When I had a SquareDealB, the screw that holds the shell plate in place was designed for the screw’s head to pull off if the press ram could not lower. The screw had to be replaced twice. It would break when nickel plated 45ACP cases would get stuck on the powder funnel.

All this to say: your shell plate screw may have started to have its head pull off, and the shell plate is not stable for the pawl to push.

Three of us loaded Many thousands of rounds on that press. It is a great press.

[David2011]

That pawl was one of the few pieces that had to be replaced on my SDB. I got it used from a buddy that loaded 9mm for USPSA; no telling how many times the lever had been pulled.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I have replaced those parts on a couple of square deal b presses , always good to keep a spare of those in your parts kit , also keep the press clean and use a little lube on the parts that use it , makes the press run a lot smoother .

[kevin c]

That pawl was one of the few pieces that had to be replaced on my SDB. I got it used from a buddy that loaded 9mm for USPSA; no telling how many times the lever had been pulled.

I just reviewed my reloading logs, and was suprised to see that I've loaded about 275,000 rounds on my SDB.

During that span of over twenty years, Dillon has replaced just about every part of the press except for the ram and the dies. The pawl has been replaced twice, IIRC, because of jams where I tried to cycle the press through main force. That nicked the bearing surface of the pawl where it rides against the indexing holes on the bottom of the shell plate, making for rough and jumpy advancement with tilted bullets and bad seating, along with spilled powder. I tried stoning the pawl, but it was easier to fess up to the mistake and get a replacement from Dillon.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I found that when something hangs up on a square deal b , it was better to stop assess the situation and use a little finesse , learned that the hard way breaking a part , or two .

Had parts fail from normal use , or were already stressed by previous owners , have bought 3 new from dillon and 6 used . have paid for as many parts or more then I have got under warranty , as I have replaced link arms and I wanted spares so press is not out of service .

Dillon is a fine company and I like the square deals , I sometimes think about a progressive for the rifles , but am happy using the old single stage press .