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Dillion 550 running like crap


jtrump

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This isn't exactly the right forum section for this so I'll just vent here..

Saturday is my first SS match, I'm nervous as expected. I sat down today to fine tune and make some really good reloads on the brand new dillion 550 and the same thing is running like crap.. Prime pickup is catching and not coming forward because the plastic roller is getting stuck on the back.. To me it seems like the rod is mis-shaped, as it does not always follow on the rollers. I take the primer pickup apart and clean it as I've loaded about 3k rounds with zero problems up to this point put it all back together now the primer seat dose not line up with the hole in the shell plat anymore even though I never touched the screw to adjust it's travel..

I have some bullets loaded, they have all been running without problems but for the match I was case gageing everyone just to make sure etc. I suppose I'll be picking out the best rounds I have loaded to take with me and hope everything goes well ;(..

just no idea why I'm cranking out rounds 500 at a time for a week straight and then I go to reload after it sits and nothing has changed for a few days and it dosen't work all the sudden.. THE BLACK CLOUD FOLLOWS ME.

Wish me luck..

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Saturday is my first SS match, I'm nervous as expected. I sat down today to fine tune and make some really good reloads on the brand new dillion 550 and the damn thing is running like crap.. Primer pickup is catching and not coming forward because the plastic roller is getting stuck on the back.. To me it seems like the rod is mis-shaped, as it does not always follow on the rollers. I take the primer pickup apart and clean it as I've loaded about 3k rounds with zero problems up to this point put it all back together now the primer seat dose not line up with the hole in the shell plat anymore even though I never touched the screw to adjust it's travel..

I have some bullets loaded, they have all been running without problems but for the match I was case gageing everyone just to make sure etc. I suppose I'll be picking out the best rounds I have loaded to take with me and hope everything goes well ;(..

just no idea why I'm cranking out rounds 500 at a time for a week straight and then I go to reload after it sits and nothing has changed for a few days and it dosen't work all the sudden.. THE BLACK CLOUD FOLLOWS ME.

If you know a fix let me know, if not wish me luck ;)

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I merged your two posts.

You need to loosen the screws for the primer housing and line up the cup with the shell plate before tightening them back down. It sounds like the primer bar got crud on it and starting sticking. When you cleaned it, you never realigned the cup. Raise the ram a little and set the cup under the hole. Lower the ram and make sure the cup smoothly slide into the hole. Reconnect the small return spring and tighten the screws. Reconnect the rod and recheck. Raise and lower the ram and make sure the cup is not catching on the edge of the shell plate hole. Good luck in SS.

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If the primer rod-thingy is not staying on the white plastic rollers have you tried experimenting with different depths of how far the primer rod is inserted into the press frame?

When you screwed the primer assembly back onto the press, did you line up the primer cup with the shell plate with the handle in the up position? What I do is place the primer assembly back on the track, lift the shell plate and set it back down so the primer cup is where it should be (in the hole). Then insert the two screws to hold everything together but don't tighten them down, give the handle a crank or two to make sure everything is lined up, then tighten the screws. The spring goes on last.

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Lube the primer bar with some graphite. Don't over tighten the screws or they will bulge the inside and make it stick. Check to make sure there isn't an old primer restricting travel.

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Ahh It looks like I did not follow the steps to re-install the primer bar correctly.

I have experimented with the actual steel bar that rides on the rollers as far as how far in the hole of the press it goes. I called customer support, first one person told me to lubricate it with white lithium grease and bend it outward "toward" me some from the machine, didn't seem to help much.

They said the rod may be out of spec from the factory and they are sending me another, I find it odd though I reloaded 3k rounds or so without a hich and then all the sudden. Gonna go line up that prime pocket now and get that fixed atleast.

Thank you for the input.

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I got the primer feeding situation fixed thanks to all of you're input, I did not realize you had to align that up prior to tightening down the the two screws on the bottom of the primer feed.

Now, I've got dillion sending me another bar as it seems mine is somehow deformed, walks in and out of the machine/sticks and does all kinds of crazy things.

I am having one more problem and I'm sure you guys have the answer for it.. Even when trying to do the press in a single stage fashion when I go to stage 2 to flare and throw powder, " I don't have a huge bell but enough to not shave any lead off my bullets just barley" The bell gets stuck, and takes a significant amount of force to pull the cartridge out of the housing, this just recently started happening as well...

I thought it may be the fact I was using brass that I tumbled with stainless media, but I tried some I did with regular corn cob with the same effect, I even tried a little shot of "One Shot" case lube and it still didn't help. "dillion said to scrub it with a brilo pad/scouring pad. Tried that but didn't seem to help, although I can see striations in the flare tube from where it comes in contact with the brass.

Any tips greatly appreciated, thanks again guys!

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Reset your powder die. It may have loosened. Did you take the powder measure from the press for any reason? Could you have put the wrong funnel in? Either way. reset your powder die and flare from the start. Back it off and slowly turn down til you just get a light bell and lock it up with the case in the die. Make sure you have all stations full when you do it.

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Reset your powder die. It may have loosened. Did you take the powder measure from the press for any reason? Could you have put the wrong funnel in? Either way. reset your powder die and flare from the start. Back it off and slowly turn down til you just get a light bell and lock it up with the case in the die. Make sure you have all stations full when you do it.

I don't think he's having a problem with the actual powder drop or the belling of the case, but the sticking of the powder funnel in the case after the actual powder drop. Chuck the funnel in a drill and polish that sucker with some Flitz until it shines shines shines.

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Yup, my Dillion ran like crap too, so I broke down and

bought a Dillon - runs like a champ for 20 years now. :devil:

Sorry, couldn't resist it. :cheers:

I see what you did there!

No i have not changed or removed my powder die for any reason, it's locked in there good as it always has been. I believe I may need to remove and polish it like the above mentioned. Didn't expect that after only 3k rounds though.. Will give it a try thanks for the tips.

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Funnels sticking is common with Dillon machines. There are countless threads on it in here. Just search it out and follow the trail of fixes most of us have done. There are a few ways to skin that cat.

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