Dillon 550

[AZ-Stew]

I have never gotten my primer system to run smoothly on my 550. Dillon has sent my new parts various times. They never work for that long. The only way I can keep it working is to polish everthing every couple hundred primers. I wish I could figure out how all you are able to make it work.

Graphite all sliding surfaces and brush the dirt out with a toothbrush occasionally. Dale's idea of using compressed air to remove the dirt is also a good one.

Regards,

Stew

[unclebill]

Only complaint with the one I have is I hate the bolt head used to adjust the powder bar. Found me a 5/16's flower rosette knob at the local Home Depot and have not complained since.

Sure does make adjusting the powder bar a whole lot easier.

Tom

yep
i got some little knobs too.

[DukeInFlorida]

Are you using the black plastic rod that goes in on top of the primers, and pushes them down??? Just the weight of that plastic rod makes all the world of difference. It's called a "Follower Rod"

It comes with the early warning accessory, or you can buy it separately, part number 13707, a mere $7.95.



Some people even put a 45 ACP upside down on the top of that rod, to add a small amount of weight.

Having the right sized tube (large tube for the large primers, with the appropriately sized primer slide assembly, etc.) makes sure the primers don't tumble in the tube.

Lastly, the plastic tip that catches the primers at the end of the tube..... has a notch in it. That has to be aligned with the notch in the primer tube main assembly, or else you can crush the plastic tip, making it not work at all. It's that plastic tip that does all the magic. See part referenced 14003 in the drawing, mentioned below. You'll see the notch that is the alignment notch. Those come in two sizes, one for each size primer tube.

The Dillon "Spare Parts Kit" comes with most of those replacement parts (tips), and is always a good item to have on hand.

The list of basic parts is shown here:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/conte...r_System_parts

And, here's the large version of that drawing:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/docs/...mer_System.pdf

Dillon Spare Parts Kit Description:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con...pare_Parts_Kit

I have never gotten my primer system to run smoothly on my 550. Dillon has sent my new parts various times. They never work for that long. The only way I can keep it working is to polish everthing every couple hundred primers. I wish I could figure out how all you are able to make it work.

[btroj]

Only time mine hangs up is when. Spent primer falls into the path of the primer slide. I push it put of the way and move on.
I have never though of using a brush to clean all the crud from the priming system area. Will have to try that one.

Brad

[DukeInFlorida]

I was spending some time with my 550b today, whipping up some 357 Sig rounds, when I happened to notice a few primers falling onto the slider bar............

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....", says I.....

I looked at the operation while moving the lever arm, and see the problem.

The "catcher chute" (part #13899) pivots on a skinny cotter pin (#13998), and should fall open by gravity when it isn't being forced to close at the top, and open at the bottom by bumping into the slider bar itself.

What was happening was that the cotter pin was bent, and was causing the chute to NOT OPEN as it was designed to. I yanked out the bent pin, and replaced it with a straight pin, and was careful to not bend the ends too close to the roller bracket assembly. I used a pair of needle nose, and bent the ends of the cotter pin well away from the assembly.

It now opens and closes the catcher chute like a hungry shark every time the machine is cycled. I'm no longer dropping any primers, and no debris is getting onto the slider area.

So, check your cotter pin, and see if the catcher plate is opening under gravity like it's supposed to.

[btroj]

That darn chute is a pain in the .......
I cut the bent end off mine last night. Seems to have made a differnce. When the chute doesn't close you end up with primers all over.
This little chute is the only trouble I have with my 550. I have no other problems at all. Ress does all I need it to. Never load more than 300 rounds at one time so speed is not really an issue.

Brad

[Dale53]

I have loaded TENS of thousands of rounds on my Dillon 550B's (most of them were loaded on my older machine. I often will run 1000 rounds or so at a time. A few days ago I ran 1200 .45 ACP's. I am NOT a speed demon but time IS important to me. Probably a character flaw, but I want things to go well and good production is mandatory, for me. The Dillon 550B gives that to me with a minimum of fuss. I DO maintain my machine and am sensitive to it's needs (which are minimal).

FWIW
Dale53

[unclebill]

I have loaded TENS of thousands of rounds on my Dillon 550B's (most of them were loaded on my older machine. I often will run 1000 rounds or so at a time. A few days ago I ran 1200 .45 ACP's. I am NOT a speed demon but time IS important to me. Probably a character flaw, but I want things to go well and good production is mandatory, for me. The Dillon 550B gives that to me with a minimum of fuss. I DO maintain my machine and am sensitive to it's needs (which are minimal).

FWIW
Dale53

i am not mechanically inclined but i got stuck a couple times when i 1st got it.
and when something started acting up.
i would look very carefully at everything while i was slowly pulling the lever.
and eventually figured everything out.
i load 100 rounds at a time.
almost exclusively pistol food.
a while back i did load 500 .308 rounds on it.
i love this press and for what my needs are i couldnt have gotten a better one.

[cardonasharp]

All I can say is clean clean clean. I own two 550B. I bought one here on the forum for a good price and sold the stuff I did not need. I now have one set for large and small primer.

[Down South]

Two are needed, one for lg and one for small primers.

Bill

Yup, that's the very reason that I have two of them.

[Down South]

Graphite all sliding surfaces and brush the dirt out with a toothbrush occasionally. Dale's idea of using compressed air to remove the dirt is also a good one.

Regards,

Stew

+1 on using powdered Graphite on all of the sliding surfaces. I dump a little on a Q-Tip and work the Graphite into the metal real well.

[MtGun44]

Small paintbrush and dry moly powder. Same difference.

Bill

[pls1911]

daddtfixit's right on..
I've had my 550b a LONG time and loaded countless rounds in several calibers.
Anytime a part was needed or I wanted a spare, I always had it in two days no charge.
I chose the 550B over the 650 because of the design simplicity...fewer parts to coordinate or break, but still higher production than most folks will ever fully utilize.
LOVE Em, especially Mike Dillon's customer's bill of rights.... THAT"S what American quality is all about...