Alvarez Kelly

Some people PREFER the old dies. Sell them now while they are HOT! :-)

It's basically the same as an other powder die, but it has a step machined into the top for the funnel, that comes with it. And yes, you need the corresponding powder funnel too. It uses a set screw to hold the funnel, like the old 450 powder dies.

Some movement is normal. It should not be "locked down" tight.

It shouldn't "pop" out if it is installed correctly. That does not apply, of course, if the part is cracked... Also, be sure to check the tightness of the bellcrank assembly.

No.

What he said...

Start with the basics: Make sure you have the correct magazine tube for the primers you are using. Lots of folks have dropped small primers through the large magazine tube. It works, sorta... Best to check it... Inspect the plastic primer dispensing tip. If it is damaged at all, replace it. Make sure it is indexed correctly when you reinstall it. It only fits in one way. Gently tighten the nut on the top of the primer magazine. Overtightening it WILL cause the primer tip to deform and will cause problems. Is your primer cup (on the slide) lining up perfectly with the shellplate and shellplate platform? If not, you will need to loosen the primer magazine bolts and realign the assembly. Dillon will send you an alignment tool and instructions if you can't sort it out. I'm sure others will add... Let us know if you found the problem. It'll probably end up being something simple.

My bench has 2 550s... one set up for small primers, and one set up for large primers... and toolheads for each caliber I reload. Life is good. :-)

Sorry, it just looked wrong in the 2nd photo. This is not something to worry about. Actually, the black ones are easier to remove when you want to dump the powder. Some prefer them. Enjoy!

Don't forget... those 550 powder measures work just fine on a 1050...

Now THIS is some good advice. The 550 is a great press. Manual indexing is NOT a big deal, especially for a novice reloader. It sounds like you have almost everything you need to load .40, or you can swap a powder measure and/or a toolhead to get a conversion kit and/or dies you might need. Then... if you are cash poor, you can sell the 1050 outright if you need to. Or not, if cash flow is good. Good luck, regardless of your choice. :-)

The "new" white ones are a newer design. There is nothing wrong with the older style black ones. The "cup" side is supposed to contact the spring, under the failsafe arm. If it was me, I would re-install it correctly, and load some ammo.

But I LIKE the buzzing thing! It keeps me from screwing up!

Many have added an upside down 45ACP case to the top of the rod for a bit of insurance. The extra weight helps make sure the rod actually causes the alarm to go off. You don't want it too heavy though.

Yep. What Sarge said.

Yep. A call to thank them for making such a reliable machine would be in order... :-P

There are extra locator buttons in the small parts kit. If you don't have a small parts kit, you might consider getting one. It'll prevent you from being out of operation for want of a small part...

Has anyone tried the blue 1050 tabs on a 650? Do they work?

Glad to hear you got it sorted out! I never would have thought about that part... because I have never moved any of mine! Something else to store in the old memory bank. :-)

It's been a LONG time, but I recall having a problem with primers after loading my first 500 to 1000 rounds on a 550. It was very frustrating! I ended up removing the entire primer assembly, only to discover all kinds of spent primer residue jambing up the works. I couldn't see any of it with the priming mechanism in place. Just a reminder to look in every nook and cranny. Spent primer gook can cause all kinds of problems. Also... it was mentioned above, but worth repeating... The red and blue plastic tips for the primer magazine tubes have an indexing "tab." They can fall into the slot only one way. If they are not aligned perfectly, and this is usually done by feel, you will have a problem. And should you tighten the nut holding the magazine tube in too tight, you will have a problem. Hope you can figure it out! Let us know what it ended up being... :-)

Some of the early measures can be "upgraded" and some cannot. There were several different castings. If you send the whole press in for overhaul, they will likely just return it to you with a brand new powder measure. At least that's what they have dome for me on several occasions.

The AT500 powder die has a larger opening in the top, made for the funnel top fit into it. I don't believe the Dillon plastic funnel would fit the standard powder die.

Only because everyone here has already done it once.... You can say that again!

... can the existing powder measure be converted to auto? No. The castings are completely different. ...Or do I have to buy the whole new model measure assembly? Yes, if you want the automatic functions. If I'm understanding correctly to fully upgrade it to a 550B it will cost just about $100 short of a brand new RL550B. No. It would actually cost more than buying a 550 outright.

I have had several and still have one. It's a well made old press. Enjoy! :-)