550 Primer seating adjustment

[Matt in TN]

I have a relativley new RL-550B. I've loaded a thousand rounds of .45ACP on it without a hitch, but I'm having some problems now with .308. The primers are being seated slightly off center in the primer pocket, so it's shaving/crushing/seating crooked sometimes.

This is surplus brass with crimped primers, but I've run them through a Lyman primer pocket reamer and then a Lyman primer pocket uniformer. Thinking I still had crimp problems, I even tried running a few over a large chamfering tool on my drill press (just to make sure the crimp was gone).

I see where you can adjust in and out where the primer is placed, but it looks like once it's i. the pocket of the shellplate there's no room for small adjustments. Is that true, or is there a way to adjust exactly where the primer seats? Or maybe adjust exactly where the brass is held?

Strange that I didn't have this problem with .45ACP...

[Pat Miles]

Call Dillon! It's a toll free call.

Pat

[Youngeyes]

I have a relativley new RL-550B. I've loaded a thousand rounds of .45ACP on it without a hitch, but I'm having some problems now with .308. The primers are being seated slightly off center in the primer pocket, so it's shaving/crushing/seating crooked sometimes.

This is surplus brass with crimped primers, but I've run them through a Lyman primer pocket reamer and then a Lyman primer pocket uniformer. Thinking I still had crimp problems, I even tried running a few over a large chamfering tool on my drill press (just to make sure the crimp was gone).

I see where you can adjust in and out where the primer is placed, but it looks like once it's i. the pocket of the shellplate there's no room for small adjustments. Is that true, or is there a way to adjust exactly where the primer seats? Or maybe adjust exactly where the brass is held?

Strange that I didn't have this problem with .45ACP...

Once the primer comes through the shellplate platform it is lined up to be inserted. If it's not concentric with the case then the shellplate is off or the brass has issues. Check that you are using the correct size primer cup. If the brass is small primer and you are using a large cup(you said you were loading 45) that can cause your problems.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Youngeyes

[John Wayne]

You may need to align the machine with the alignment tool.

[rinconjoe]

50 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes:<br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">

• 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.
• Grease the short end of the op-rod where it inserts into the bracket clamped around the primer shield.

update after finally calling dillion and we took the whole primer system apart he talked to me through whole thing again making some adjustments along way most important one seems to be this rod guess they need to bend them some more at factory any way twice now been able load 250 rounds in one setting that is much better than 20 to 50 rounds top . thanks all :

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.
• Grease the short end of the op-rod where it inserts into the bracket clamped around the primer shield.

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