h4444 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I've been out of the game a while and getting back into it. Well,,,,two years ago my press was disassembled and rather poorly stored,,,,then it was moved twice with one of the moves being about half way across country. So, my poor 550 has seen better days. I've already contacted Dillon and have my RMA, so I'm sending her in for their cleaning/lube service and refurbishment. I know I've got some missing parts I'll have to buy, but I'm looking forward to getting back something usable. Now, the race will be on. I'm going to send in the press and hopefully before it comes back, I will have built a gazebo (to get the materials out of the way) and built the new reloading bench that will go where said gazebo materials are currently sitting. Nothing like a little motivation, eh? Next up after all that - Do I want to start casting my own bullets??????? Byron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) Get up and running and dial in some good loads. Then if you have time, and you want to think about casting, go for it. I wouldn't. FMJ in bulk is cheap enough and shoots very well. Edited June 11, 2012 by Youngeyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyreb Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I have two 550s that I bought used and in rough shape. I sent both back to Dillon and they did a great job. All missing or worn parts were replaced. As I recall, they only charged me for shipping and a couple extra die sets I ordered at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Get up and running and dial in some good loads. Then if you have time, and want to you can think about casting, go for it. I wouldn't. FMJ in bulk is cheap enough and shoots very well. Certainly,,,,gotta get the press up and running and a good place to work/new bench first. Casting is down the priority list and I only will do it for practice ammo and ONLY if I can secure a supply of free scrap lead. Kyreb, Definitely looking forward to getting it back fully functional. Fortunately, I've got probably 500 rounds of .45 leftover from before my hiatus from the game, so that'll be plenty to get me by till the press gets back. This press too is in rough shape, it was stored very poorly, so it has a lot of surface rust,,,,I don't think there will be any pitting. I know I'm missing some stuff, so it'll cost me some bucks for some new parts plus I'm ordering a few extras to go along with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bshooter Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 You will enjoy reloading on your 550, but casting your own bullets may discourage you. I have recently learned that wheel weights, which make excellent bullets, have been changed from lead to steel. A mechanic that works for a tire place told me this. If you find enough lead to cast your bullets, you have to size and lube them. It is a rather time comsuming process. I did it for a long time and now shoot so much I wouldn't have time to cast. Just call SnS Casting and get a good quality bullet for a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 You will enjoy reloading on your 550, but casting your own bullets may discourage you. I have recently learned that wheel weights, which make excellent bullets, have been changed from lead to steel. A mechanic that works for a tire place told me this. If you find enough lead to cast your bullets, you have to size and lube them. It is a rather time comsuming process. I did it for a long time and now shoot so much I wouldn't have time to cast. Just call SnS Casting and get a good quality bullet for a good price. Thanks for the insight on the wheel weights. The costs of our sport have certainly gone up a smidge (heavy sarcasm implied) in the 4 to 5 years since I last competed regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Based on my experience, you won't recognize your 550 when it comes back and Dillon won't charge you a cent beyond what you were quoted for the refurb service. Dillon remains the Gold Standard in customer service. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Based on my experience, you won't recognize your 550 when it comes back and Dillon won't charge you a cent beyond what you were quoted for the refurb service. Dillon remains the Gold Standard in customer service. Enjoy! Looks like I just beat Dillon. I finished my bench tonight. But, earlier today I got the call that my press will be on its way back probably as of Monday. Now, to scrape together some components. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osageid Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Based on my experience, you won't recognize your 550 when it comes back and Dillon won't charge you a cent beyond what you were quoted for the refurb service. Dillon remains the Gold Standard in customer service. Enjoy! Looks like I just beat Dillon. I finished my bench tonight. But, earlier today I got the call that my press will be on its way back probably as of Monday. Now, to scrape together some components. Did your press make it back to you yet? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Based on my experience, you won't recognize your 550 when it comes back and Dillon won't charge you a cent beyond what you were quoted for the refurb service. Dillon remains the Gold Standard in customer service. Enjoy! Looks like I just beat Dillon. I finished my bench tonight. But, earlier today I got the call that my press will be on its way back probably as of Monday. Now, to scrape together some components. Did your press make it back to you yet? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD OH YEAH!! :-) And I can't rave enough. It looks brand new. I swear they just replaced my strong mount all together as it looks new, the press body looks new and I know I had some parts missing, but they fixed, cleaned and added so many extras I don't think I could list it all. When it came back, I bought a new set of .45 ACP dies and when the press got here they were installed and ready to rock. The only things I had to mess with at all really was the Powder system. All I had to do was confirm everything else was set how I wanted it and I think I tweaked the seating die a smidgen and that was it. Their clean and refurb service is advertised at $67.00, I paid more as I ordered some parts and had some missing parts which isn't covered under the clean and refurb, but I know they didn't charge me for anywhere near what they provided. My press was a mess with surface rust and just a pile of parts really, I needed a set of dies, new scales, another primer flip tray, a new case gauge for .45, a new primer system, and a ton of small parts needed to be replaced or were missing. I can't tell you the last time I dealt with a company and felt like I got anywhere NEAR the value of the service I got from Dillon. It is almost like I expect another bill to show up.. LOL. I've got the press back up and running, I'll post some pictures on this thread soon. I had to place another order with them, I'm waiting on a new bullet tray and a new case bin/bullet bin/strong mount bracket combo. Once those arrive and I get everything mounted up I'll post pics as I have built my new loading benches as well. Now, if I could just do something about the sweltering heat in my garage...... If we could only get a congregation of hydrogen and oxygen atom in our area, it has been stupid hot and desert dry here in central Ky as of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Another small delay on getting my pics out. I was missing the cartridge chute that attaches to the strong mount, so I had to order one of those. I now have the bullet tray bolted up, and once I get my cartridge chute I'll have the cartridge bin and brass bin mounted up and I'll get some photos posted. Since I'm setup with two benches in an "L" shape, it looks like how this is evolving is the bench to the left is turning out to be my brass processing station for sorting, cleaning, and etc and the right bench is the reloading station. I can see already I will need to modify my right side bench to add some shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Congrats on getting it back an staring to get it together. It also looks like you kind of got your wreathed wish as the temp dropped but the humidity has sky rocketed. Where are you shooting at green river or rockcastle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Bud's Gun warehouse and range on Thusday's here in Lexington. The nice thing about that is when the guys remember to start the AC early enough it is nice and cool in there. :-) I am easing back into the game,,,,,,as I still have a house full of little kids so the weekends are pretty full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAK1494 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Is the turn around time about two weeks? I just sent my "New to me" 650 in. UPS says Dillon will receive it on Friday. I guess it probably depends on what needs to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osageid Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Glad it looks like new!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Is the turn around time about two weeks? I just sent my "New to me" 650 in. UPS says Dillon will receive it on Friday. I guess it probably depends on what needs to be done. Mine was done faster than two weeks,,,,but ground shipping cost me several days from Ky. I would have had it back sooner, but the folks at Dillon left a voice mail that got checked but nobody told me about so I lost a few days there. They were calling for method of payment as I bought some other goodies and to confirm things. All in all, they were faster than I expected, I can't wait till my replacement cartridge chute arrives and I can get everything completely assembled so I can load a bit more efficiently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAK1494 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Good to know thanks. And I was thinking two weeks was good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpspinner Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Congrats on your new press! I had sent back 450 that was partially converted to a 550 with some fairly nasty and some missing parts. I was quoted a refurb fee, but they sent me back the press looking like it just came off the production line with all new parts and didn't charge me a penny! Dillon is #1 in my book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 (edited) At long last, the benches and the press are all together and ready to rock on the same weekend. I've had the benches pretty close to done for a while now, I added the shelves on the loading station today. Yesterday my cartridge chute arrived so I was able to get the cartridge bin and case bin attached and up and running. The quality of this picture isn't the greatest, but the press really does look like new. So far, the bench on the left has served mostly as a brass processing station for sorting and etc, hence all the boxes. I'm guessing this will be the first/last day that it looks this neat, but I'm happy to have to have everything up and running and to have built the benches myself. My 8 year old daughter asked what this was for and what the "blue thingy" was. I showed her what the benches were setup for and went all the way through the process to loading a round. She said, "Wow, Dad,,,,that's just like a factory or somethin'!!" Edited content....... Sorry, had to pull the pic temporarily,,,,,looking for a better way/place to host it. Would rather not host it on facebook. Second Edit..... Here's the photo, back again. Benches and Press Byron Edited July 15, 2012 by h4444 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpspinner Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I use photobucket. It's free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I use photobucket. It's free. Thanks much,,,,editing the post above to add the link/photo back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpspinner Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Nice work! My only complaint is that it will never hold all the presses and equipment you're going to get. Here's the photo linked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 Hey, hey,, give me some credit... :-) That is precisely why I went with a modular system. :-) When I run out of space I will just build another table. I can easily go from "L" shaped to "U" shaped with another table. And when I build my storage building I can rearrange my garage by moving out some steel cabinets and add even more tables..... How did you post and get the image to show? When I try to post and image it says I am not allowed and I have had to post links....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanopistol Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 If Apple had the same customer service that Dillon does, I'm quite sure they would dominate the mobile market...um....wait...why do I have an iPhone? I called them once, asked how to fix Glock-bulge .40 brass; the technical assistance fella I talked to said buy a Redding GR-x. That's customer service for ya! By the way, has anyone been able to use their GR-x on a Dillon 550? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Check with Redding,at one time they made a few adapters to allow use of the Grx die on the RL550. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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