hmp32 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 My new to me (used) .45 Square Deal B arrived today! Within 1 hour I had it up and runnig I did order a maintence kit and extra primer tubes from Brian though! Postive Sucess: 1. I loaded 92 rnds =) 2. I found it easy to setup, particularly once I realized the spring/washer goes between the bracket and wingnut on the power release arm 3. Overall the machines operations is *smooth* compare to the lee turret press I have been using. Not so postive things: 1. I got 1 piece of brass way up in the re-sizing die -- PITA to get out. However, I have had to deal with this on the Lee, so I view it as the nature of the beast and not a Dillon specific thing. 2. I can not account for 6 primers. They are not in the pickup tube. If they are in the primer feeding tube, they are not feeding.... Any thoughts here? Newbie proceedure things.... 1. Placing the brass in station one correctly is critical. If it is not aligned correctly, it will jam on the stroke and everything will be off and you have to reset it. 2. remembering to press the handle all the way back so it will prime the case... 3. Going slow... Now I may need to play hookie from work to try out my new ammo =) Loads are based on the lee loads I had developed. Thanks for the awesome info I found here. I think I made the right choice for my needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsonm1 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 2. I can not account for 6 primers. They are not in the pickup tube. If they are in the primer feeding tube, they are not feeding.... Any thoughts here? Welcome to the Dillon reloading family. When yo get the bugs worked out, you'll be crankin' out ammo like crazy! Primers are fed from the tube, into a circular plate in the primer feed station and there is a 6 primer lag. The holes are filled with primers as they step/rotate into proper position to be inserted into the final priming station. Hope this helps you find your primers! Marv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmp32 Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 (edited) Hope this helps you find your primers! I am now down to 5 I cannot account for. And they are not in the machine, I b the primer assembly apart and used a flash to verify the tube was clear. Also, I noticed some of the primers have off center enlongated dent/marks. What could be cause that? I am using Winchester WSP primers with R&P headstamped brass picked up from the range. thanks! Edited January 24, 2006 by hmp32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 2. I can not account for 6 primers. They are not in the pickup tube. If they are in the primer feeding tube, they are not feeding.... Any thoughts here? Welcome to the Dillon reloading family. When yo get the bugs worked out, you'll be crankin' out ammo like crazy! Primers are fed from the tube, into a circular plate in the primer feed station and there is a 6 primer lag. The holes are filled with primers as they step/rotate into proper position to be inserted into the final priming station. Hope this helps you find your primers! Marv Uhhhh......not exactly. That's how it works on a 650, but I think hmp is using a Square Deal B. The SDB has a slide that retracts towards the user on th edownstroke of the handle. In that assembly is the priming punch which picks the primer directly off the bottom of the tube. It returns the primer and presents it to the next case when the handle is lifted. HMP, try unscrewing the knurled nut at the top of the primer housing and gently lift the aluminum primer tube out of the housing. Then you can tell if there's any primers stuck in the tube. If so you might have a deformed tip on the tube (the plastic piece on the bottom). Do you have the plastic primer follower that rests on top of the column of primers in the tube? When all else fails, call 800-223-4570. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Any dents I've seen in the primers has been caused by tumbling media on the primer seating "post". When I notice it, I just pull the case off the station and give it a quick wipe with a Q-tip. The brass way up in the resizing die sounds kind of odd. Did you place the case on top of the shell plate instead of in the shell plate? Sounds like operator error as it is certainly not a "nature of the beast" thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 hmp32 -- Congratulations on the SDB! These handy little machines are highly underrated, in my opinion. I'd much rather load on a SDB than a friggin' 550--I don't want any part of a progressive loader that doesn't auto-index the shell plate. I have two SDBs mounted side by side on my bench downstairs, and between them I have loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds over the past 17 years. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmp32 Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 The brass way up in the resizing die sounds kind of odd. Did you place the case on top of the shell plate instead of in the shell plate? Sounds like operator error as it is certainly not a "nature of the beast" thing. Maybe... I don't think so, but anything is possible. On my Lee Turret press, I do know 9mm gets stuck in the die and the rim pulls through the holder. hmp32 -- Congratulations on the SDB! These handy little machines are highly underrated, in my opinion.Mike Well, I shoot pretty standard pistol calibers (.45,9mm,38/357) and I honestly don't see that changing. If I need an expirimentation machine, then I might get the 550. If I get into rifle enoughh that I need to reload, then a 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Are you cleaining and lubing your brass? If not that could lead to cases that get stuck enough to pull through the shell holder and stick in the sizing die. Cleaning and lubing does take more time and is a little messy but I find it makes the whole reloading process much smoother. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 1. Placing the brass in station one correctly is critical. If it is not aligned correctly, it will jam on the stroke and everything will be off and you have to reset it. Congrats on getting a SDB, I also prefer it to the 550B and for the price it beats the heck out of buying a 650! It is imperative that the case be placed all the way in station 1. What I do is just press with my thumb toward the bottom of the case and have minimal problems with the case jamming up. And in the rare event that it does, from going to fast, I just raise the handle a couple of inches, press the case correctly into station one and re-ram it home. I have never had any problems with double charges or or anything because station two hasn't engaged the powder die to the point of dropping a charge yet. So I don't think you really need to reset anything. I never had too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I've been loading .45ACP on my SBD for at least a couple or so years and it's great. Bought the unit used from a local friend. The little plastic Magazine Orifice (it's red if you're loading .45) tends to take a beating and wear out now 'n then (causing primer failure-to-feed PIAs), but it's an easy fix. Just order a few of 'em ahead of time. There may be one or two already (a couple of different sizes) in the standard Dillon "Spare Parts Kit." I've never had brass get stuck in the manner you mentioned though. Just get into a handling rhythm with each and every casing and you can't go wrong. I did shear off a shellplate bolt once though... ...but that wasn't too difficult a fix, either. I do occasionally see miniscule dings-'n-dots on the seated new primers, but that (like JFD mentioned) is often errant tumbling media, and I just do a frequent canned-air blast at the shellplate every 100 rds or so to get rid of ALL particles of ANY kind. Oh, and don't suck up live primers in the vacuum cleaner. It's a trip if you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrell Spicer Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Also, I noticed some of the primers have off center enlongated dent/marks. What could be cause that? I have found that loose powder can dent the primer also. Watch for powder coming out of the case if you have a round stick in the resize die, cleaning and lubing cases help prevent this problem. Keep it dusted off with canned air as suggested above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I did shear off a shellplate bolt once though... ...but that wasn't too difficult a fix, either. Oh, yeah. I had that happen once on mine. Pow! Scared the hell out me. After stopping to inventory my fingers, and not seeing any smoke I relaized what happened. But for that split-second...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmp32 Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 (edited) Oh, and don't suck up live primers in the vacuum cleaner. It's a trip if you do. [/color] Is this a lesson learned personally? Luckily, the closet that the table I have is sticking 1/2 out of is on hardwood so I can just sweep up. Edited January 26, 2006 by hmp32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Well, the "vacuum and the primers" incident started with my gunsmith's wife (who was not amused when it happened), and then much later that year it happened to ME... the vacuum bag sorta inflated suddenly (to the extent I thought it might actually rupture) and the whole thing made a loud and unusual noise. I'd rather not witness that again. I can't afford a new vacuum cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmp32 Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 (edited) This post is to help others who may be having powder throwing problems with my experience: Well, the 92rnds I made didn't crono too well. I am using 4gr of Clays over 230gr Rainier Bullet in mix-ranged brass. I got 690-710 avg 701. OAL 1.274, Crimp .460. I believe it wasn't throwing consistant measure. One problem I found when trying to make the next batch wat discovering I was throwing half my charages .2 - .3gr under. I can tolerate +/- .1gr. I called Dillon and they claimed +/- .2 - .3 gr was common with powder... but I was under, never over by that much. Once I got my lee stuff running, it was never off by more than +/- .1gr. Anyway, I re-read Dillon's FAQs and decided to take the power system completely apart and cleaned all the parts with rubbing alcohol. I also reduced the belling (which has the effect of making sure the power actuator has more travel) also in the FAX. The first 20 were +/- .1gr and every 5th one was +/- .1gr! Now, hopefully these will be aroud 730fps or so! Now I just have to make my work bench as clean as the powerder system.... Edited January 29, 2006 by hmp32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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