Dillon Let Me Down..Again

[hankfan79]

While reloading (550b) for a state IDPA match tomorrow, my Dillon goes whack yet again. This is starting to happen more and more often when I need it most.

After exactly 112 rounds, it decided it doesn't want to pick up primers(small)anymore. Out of instinct I took it down and wiped the parts clean with alcohol as that usually does the trick...NOPE!

It is just barely not reaching the primer tube. I can use my hand to pull it back the rest of the way but that defeats the purpose of a progressive press.

Any ideas? I have to leave early in the morning and this seems to always happen. I don't think I have loaded a full 500 rounds without this happening at least once.

Please advise ASAP and don't tell me to read the FAQ's. I skimmed through them fast and didn't see anything.

[atbarr]

While reloading (550b) for a state IDPA match tomorrow, my Dillon goes whack yet again. This is starting to happen more and more often when I need it most.

After exactly 112 rounds, it decided it doesn't want to pick up primers(small)anymore. Out of instinct I took it down and wiped the parts clean with alcohol as that usually does the trick...NOPE!

It is just barely not reaching the primer tube. I can use my hand to pull it back the rest of the way but that defeats the purpose of a progressive press.

Any ideas? I have to leave early in the morning and this seems to always happen. I don't think I have loaded a full 500 rounds without this happening at least once.

Please advise ASAP and don't tell me to read the FAQ's. I skimmed through them fast and didn't see anything.

The # 13869 Operating Rod has become weak. Take it out and bend it towards you. That gives it more tension.

A.T.

[mildot1]

Not being a wiseass but get out the manual and start reading.

If that don't work call the 1-800 number and talk to the tech while standing at the press.

They will work with you LIVE to figure it out.

Good Luck

Mildot

[bbbean]

The # 13869 Operating Rod has become weak. Take it out and bend it towards you. That gives it more tension.

A.T.

+1! Made that adjustment on mine just a few weeks ago.

[Vespid_Wasp]

If the primer system operating rod walks out to the right of the press, it won't actuate fully. A slight bend might fix what a touch to the rod where it fits in the frame will cure.

[jmorris]

I remember a friend showing how he fixed his with a bracket and small bearing, 10-32 bolt in the center maybe ½ OD, that guided the back end. It ended his problems, the position was probably in the same place that your finger touches to solve the problem.

[warpspeed]

I had an old 550 that got second hand. It had loaded over 200K rounds when I got it and the primer system behaved exactly as described.

I fought it off and on for a while. I thought it was the little plastic part at the end of the primer tube but replacing it did nothing. I bent the rod every possible way until it worked but it never lasted log. Then I called Dillon Precision.

Dillon sent me a new spring, primer bar & rod. It worked perfect from there on out. The primer bar was worn and had a ton of slop. I thought it was designed that way until I tried the new one.

[hankfan79]

Not being a wiseass but get out the manual and start reading.

If that don't work call the 1-800 number and talk to the tech while standing at the press.

They will work with you LIVE to figure it out.

Good Luck

Mildot

Manual mentions nothing about this issue.

Also, I dont think Dillon has operators 24 hrs. I am willing to bet they are closed at the moment.

I did the adjustment as recommended and it worked! Thanks guys.

Rod was out of adjustment.

[atbarr]

I did the adjustment as recommended and it worked! Thanks guys.

Rod was out of adjustment.

A.T.

[Sarge]

If it acts up again call Dillon. When mine did this bending the rod would help for several hundred rounds then it would start doing it again. Dillon rep said I had a primer bar that was out of spec somehow and sent me a new one. Thousands loaded since with no problems.

[High Lord Gomer]

I fought my primer ssytem doing similar things for the first couple years I had mine. I finally started swapping parts with my local dealer until we figured out that the threaded inserts in the primer tube housing weren't straight and when tightened cause the primer bar to bind. Dillon replaced that and it has worked perfectly ever since.

ETA: I got over-enthusiastic with trying different bends on the actuator rod and broke two of them. (I don't learn too quickly).

Edited October 22, 2010 by High Lord Gomer

[rvb]

While reloading (550b) for a state IDPA match tomorrow

...

Any ideas? I have to leave early in the morning...

My idea... don't wait till the night before a major match to load ammo!

-rvb

[jid2]

This happened to me, and was fixed with a little bending of the tension bar as well. All that stuff needs to be clean, well aligned and the bar tensioned. After that it should work no problem. Glad you got it running again.

[glynnm45]

You ARE your Avatar .............

[benos]

My typical 550 priming thread littering:

550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes:

• Thoroughly polish frame, wherever priming slide touches it, with green Scotch Brite. (Approx. every 3000 rounds)
  
• Wipe off Primer Slide with solvent or alcohol. Leave it all dry.
  
• At rest primer slide adjustment: Set so that one primer, dropped down the tube, goes all the way into the Primer Seating Cup, 10 times in a row.
  
• Angle of Primer Slide Operating Rod (13869) - Release rod from rollers and swivel it 180º so it's pointing straight up - it should be parallel with the Primer Housing Shield, or maybe outward "a little"; it should not be "inward" at all.
  
• Be sure both screws (14530) that tighten Roller Bracket Shell Platform (14280) from bottom (to the Shellplate Platform) are tight!
  
• Make sure Priming Seating Punch Assembly is fully bottomed out before tightening screw (13996): Measured from bottom of Primer Slide (13920) to top of seated Primer Seating Cup (13284/5), dimension should be between 2.125 - 2.220 inches.
  
• Be sure Priming Operating Rod Bracket (13887) is adjusted so it's within a few thousands of an inch from the top of frame/Toplhead.
  
• Be sure the plastic tips of all your Primer Pickup Tubes and the plastic tip on the bottom of the Priming Magazine are seated fully against the tubes.
  

[Emerson]

The # 13869 Operating Rod has become weak. Take it out and bend it towards you. That gives it more tension.

A.T.

This will fix it 99% of the time.

[kevinj308]

My typical 550 priming thread littering:

550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes:

• Thoroughly polish frame, wherever priming slide touches it, with green Scotch Brite. (Approx. every 3000 rounds)
  
• Wipe off Primer Slide with solvent or alcohol. Leave it all dry.
  
• At rest primer slide adjustment: Set so that one primer, dropped down the tube, goes all the way into the Primer Seating Cup, 10 times in a row.
  
• Angle of Primer Slide Operating Rod (13869) - Release rod from rollers and swivel it 180º so it's pointing straight up - it should be parallel with the Primer Housing Shield, or maybe outward "a little"; it should not be "inward" at all.
  
• Be sure both screws (14530) that tighten Roller Bracket Shell Platform (14280) from bottom (to the Shellplate Platform) are tight!
  
• Make sure Priming Seating Punch Assembly is fully bottomed out before tightening screw (13996): Measured from bottom of Primer Slide (13920) to top of seated Primer Seating Cup (13284/5), dimension should be between 2.125 - 2.220 inches.
  
• Be sure Priming Operating Rod Bracket (13887) is adjusted so it's within a few thousands of an inch from the top of frame/Toplhead.
  
• Be sure the plastic tips of all your Primer Pickup Tubes and the plastic tip on the bottom of the Priming Magazine are seated fully against the tubes.
  

This has solved all my problems. Particularly the second to last bullet point. The lower the operating rod bracket goes the longer effective stroke of the rod. And also the 4th point, the rod must be operating straight out from the press, again to achieve maximum stroke and fully actuate the primer slide. Over time and with alot of use the bracket that holds the rod can be driven up the primer tube and or twisted to one side. Both things serve to shorten the effective stroke of the rod and shorten the travel of the primer slide. I screwed up a couple of rods trying to bend them to fix things when all I needed to do was adjust the bracket. Hope this helps.

Kevin

Edited October 23, 2010 by kevinj308

[dcmdon]

Go call dillon durring the day, tell them what the problem was. Tell them how bending the rod fixed it. They will send you the parts necessary to fix it right. But if it happens again at 10:00 pm on a friday, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

[benos]

Thanks for the follow up Kevin.

be

[Mat Price]

Thanks for the follow up Kevin.

be

AHHH HAAA! I was having the same problem. My primer slide just wasn't going back far enough to drop a primer. I just chalked it up to primer crud and had taken to just a quick tug on the slide after it started haning up after about 300 after cleaning.

point 7 my rod bracket was about 3/4 inch above the tool head. I think this should fix my issue.

Mat

[hankfan79]

But if it happens again at 10:00 pm on a friday, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

Uh no. Doesn't matter what time it happens. The malfunctioning part is not my fault.

I guess I just rely on my Dillon to perform flawless just a little too much. After all, it is just a machine.

I'm thinking of sending it back to Dillon for a overhaul.

[dcmdon]

But if it happens again at 10:00 pm on a friday, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

Uh no. Doesn't matter what time it happens. The malfunctioning part is not my fault.

I guess I just rely on my Dillon to perform flawless just a little too much. After all, it is just a machine.

I'm thinking of sending it back to Dillon for a overhaul.

Uh yes.

My point had nothing to do with anything being your fault. My point was now that you got it going again with chewing gum and bailing twine, take the time to fix it right by replacing the parts that need to be replaced. Thats all.

(and if you don't bother to fix it right, its your fault if it fails the same way again. It gave you ample warning.)

Edited November 2, 2010 by dcmdon

[JimmyZip]

If I have the time, I'm sending it in. It comes back fixed and pretty too! Wish my car dealership was as good as Dillon has ben to me.

[Forrest Halley]

If I have the time, I'm sending it in. It comes back fixed and pretty too! Wish my car dealership was as good as Dillon has ben to me.

+1 to this.

I was a complete newbie to progressive reloading and the folks at Dillon talked me through the buying process to get what I needed, not what I thought I needed. They seem like great people and willing to stand behind their products.

Thanks for the tip about the priming system mine was running a little spotty as well but the bar trick fixed it up. Sure beats a single stage no matter how many little things I have to tweak. Look at it a little more relatively and life is good with Dillon....or I could just go back to my singel stage...nah!

[BayouSlide]

[*]Be sure Priming Operating Rod Bracket (13887) is adjusted so it's within a few thousands of an inch from the top of frame/Toplhead.

Thanks, Brian. Don't know how I missed this in the past but this has resolved a frustrating series of primers problems I've been having for quite some time.

Curtis