daboone

There is a Lee universal decapping die and decapping is all it does. Lee sizing dies do both sizing and decapping. Lee dies need to be screwed down to almost the bottom of their threads before being correctly set. I find the Dillon lock rings are required because so few threads are left to lock it down. I've read that the Lee lock rings can be used upside down for securing the die.

Under a March 2015 federal court order, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required to reanalyze the impacts of recreational target shooting in the 486,400-acre Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM). This reanalysis will determine whether and to what extent recreational shooting will be allowed in the SDNM in the future. Three public meetings have been scheduled: Feb. 24: 5:30-9:30 p.m., Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086 Feb. 25: 4-8 p.m., Gila Bend Community Center, 202 N. Euclid Ave., Gila Bend, AZ 85337 Feb. 26: 4-8 p.m., Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, AZ 85338 It is of utmost importance that NRA members who cherish their freedom to target shoot on federal public lands attend at least one of the public meetings listed above and submit comments to the BLM at the address below. The NRA will be submitting comments to the BLM later this month and will post those comments in another alert. You can be certain that those who have been fighting to close the SDNM to target shooting and who are responsible for the lawsuit that lead to the court ruling last year will be attending the meetings and submitting comments. Please dont let their voices be the ones that the BLM hears. Mail comments to the BLM's project manager, Wayne Monger, at 21605 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027, or fax to (623) 580-5623, or e-mail to BLM_AZ_SDNMtargetshooting@BLM.gov.

My granddaughters sock covers the plastic ball and make the ball very comfortable. It add just the right amount of slip/sliding during the cycle against my hand.

My bad, I stand corrected. I have viewed and searched that section. However in the short time I've lurked, participated and learned here it seem most of the new information gets posted in this area thus I stopped looking there.Thanks for the redirect.

When I got my 550B I spent several hours searching this forum for instructive information about the my new press. I'm a newbe to this site so forgive me it these suggestions are outta place but it won't be the first time I've offered suggestions and opinions over the last 70 years. I think it would be nice if there were subforums for each of the Dillon presses. The current format has tons of information for all the presses but it's jumbled together. I don't have a clue what it takes to run/maintain a site like this so I don't have a clue what kind of headaches doing this would create. I am not suggesting the current information be "mined" out of this "Dillon Precision Reloading Equipment" section and replaced into separate subforums. It would certainly simplify future searches and a specific press's learning curve if each Dillon press had it own subcategory. Lastly I recently saw that the Dillon rep mentioned the new maintenance videos they had produced. Maybe they should be added to the pinned "Dillon Lubrication" section? Again I apologize if these comments are inappropriate. I certainly appreciate this site and the amount of information I've gleaned from it. My suggestions are not meant to discredit or disparage this excellent resource. Thank you for operating and maintaining this excellent site.

What is the order number for the 550B alignment tool?

Please give us a shout/poke when that happens.

I'm a new 550b user, just a couple of months of use. Like you I mounted the press directly to a very sturdy bench. I can't see any reason to for any of these addons/aftermarket "improvements". I've already loaded about 3000 223R and 2000 9mmL without a hickup other than getting the initial setup done correctly and a few things tightened and a few new users errors. A tip I learned here was placing a baby's sox over the ball handle which made cycling the lever arm much smoother and easier. Thus I don't even see the need for the roller handle you added.

If cost is your concern Lee sizing dies are simply the least expensive, about $21. To adjust that die it will need to be screwed down to the top of the threads. I needed Dillons lock nuts for all my assortment of dies as most others are to wide and overhang binding the toolhead to the press's frame.

I use Imperial dry neck lube. Same guys that make the sizing wax. It's a graphite base lube in a container with "birdshot". Just dip twist and tap to remove excess. Kind of hard to keep it off your fingers, etc but it is a good neck lube, just messy.

What this new 550B press has taught me. Tweak the shellplate/shellplate bolt till cases don't wobble and but the index ball/spring give good indexing "bump" yet lets the shellplate rotate without binding. This took this new user some time to learn what felt right. Thus far the indent ball "bump" hasn't cause any powder flipping out if I do my part and don't rush it. Adjust the dies one at a time and again with a full shellplate. Don't forget the brass tipped screw Don't forget hook up the Primer Slide Return Spring The only lock rings that fit with out binding the toolhead onto the press (because they overhang) are Dillon's. The dies sets I am using are mix of RCBS, Hornady, Redding and Lee. I've heard that flipping the Lee lock rings will work but I just switched to the 1in Dillon's for all 7 toolheads. It took me some time to learn the operating rhythm, feel and sounds of the press and not getting in a hurry. Rushing the process cause me to screw up in various ways but the most common problem, due to trying to be faster, was/is flipping powder out of the case as it exits the powder funnel while lowering the ram. Dillon's advice about SS pin cleaning and brass adhering to the powder funnel was a factor as well. Inside necks lubed with graphite lessoned the problem. I'm switching to Armor All wash in wax to see if that will make a difference. Some parts did loosen up and need to be checked, cleaned and/or lubed from time to time. Thus far "as is" from the factory with out any aftermarket add-ons it functions very very well if I remember to continue to do what it's taught me thus far. I don't seem to have most of the problems I've read in the FAQs and various post. I fact I get the impression that many of those issues had already been address by Dillon at the factory by the time I got mine.

If you're using the Lee Auto disk with their powder thru expander die take a look at the expander. The neck of the expander may need to be polished to remove the machining marks. Be careful if you do this as it is easy to remove some of its flaring potential.

This may sound defensive but let me assure you I'm am NOT slamming the handle or anything like that. This 550B is just the newest of 4 presses I have and regularly use. I been reloading for over 40 years, very actively for the last 15 years. I've learned to look, listen and feel my way in the handloading processes. Again I'm not at upset with the press but have concerns about the things that this looking, listening and feeling has indicated to be potential problems. I do understand "Anything will loosen with use" so thanks for letting me know these things are to be expected on this press, just a bit surprised that they occurred so quickly. I'll continue to keep an eye on these areas.

I'm a new member here with a brand new RL550B and a couple of questions about its maintenance that I've notice after just 3 weeks and some 2500 rounds. First question: the part # 14280, Roller Bracket Shell Platform, becoming loose. I found the answer for correction here on this site started by atbarr on Apr 08 2013 07:26 PM (not yet allowed to post the link). The responses they gave in that link seems to indicate this is uncommon but my machine is brand new. I don't know if the 550B came that way or if it's just occurred. I don't know what it was supposed to be like in the first place (apart of adjustment to the learning curve ;-)). Certainly tightening this platform up helps inserting cases into the shellplate. Is this a common problem? Is there supposed to be any play (looseness) in this platform? I don't deprime on this machine so don't know if that looseness has anything to do with that operation. Second: I noticed the Primer Seating Punch, Small part # 13757, was snapping with every entry into the shellplate. This was easily remedied by adjusting the parts # 14037 Clamp/Bracket Screw and 13898 Primer Slide Stop Nut. Now the punch slide in with out catching. I'll repeat myself here because I don't know if the 550B came that way or if it's just occurred while in use.(?) Are there similar concerns to watch for in the future? If this post sounds like I'm complaining I'm not, just on the the new user's learning curve. Thanks in advance for any/all responses. daboone

Is there a list of what's approved and what isn't? For example, will the spent primer chute and hose void the warranty? Will a powder baffle? How about the uniquetek micrometer? I am being completely serious, I don't want to lose my warranty. Ditto this question. I'm a new 550B user. At this point the only thing I want to add to this fine press is the Inline Skylight. I can't imagine how that could affect the warranty. However I'm also interested in the roller arms. Who's and what's OK and what's not kosher. I don't see a reason for the Turbo-Bearing at this point but I like to know what happens to this great warranty if I change my mind.

This is my first post here. I've just finished reloading my first 1000 9mmL and 1000 223R on my new 550B and I have a couple of comments/questions about your recommendations. I mounted this press on a heavy and stable bench. I haven't noted any flexing during any of the operations so it is very "stable." After the initial setting up and adjusting of the dies I'm using I am getting consistent results of powders dispensed and COALs. I think for this bench adding the strong mount would change my ability to look down into the case at station #2. Is there any other reason for the strong mount? Your bullet tray suggestion a must. I added an extension to the ejected case bracket to add another bin so prepped cases were in a convenient location for picking up and placement into station #1. See attached photo. When previewing this attachment I see it's a thumbnail so I don't know if the bracket extension clearly shows the case pickup bin. I'm thinking about your roller handle suggestion. How is the Inline Fabrications better than the Dillon's? Are there other choices? Being an old and ornery my eyes do require better lighting. I wasn't aware of the UniqueTek's light so I just ordered the Inline Fabrications unit. I hope this choice was a good one.