AFDavis11 Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Wow! Ok, got myself a SDB. I've managed to load one round in five hours. Ranks up there with the worst monetary decision of my life. Not only did it arrive already broken but I suppose I need to rebuild it from scratch and send new engineering diagrams to help them out. Should I just chuck it or keep working on it for a few months. Is this stuff kinda common? I don't really have time to dork around, should I just buy any other brand? Maybe a 550? The tech guy was so unsurprised that mine arrived broken that he didn't even bat an eye, just said "Yea, a replacement part is already included" So here is an unusual question. I'd like to buy a progressive reloader THAT ACTUALLY WORKS! Any suggestions? I guess I'm just stuck searching the internet for 1000 reasons the SDB doesn't work and hope for the best, in the meant time I'm out of the shooting sports and into Engineering 101. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 Ok, I don't think I can describe all the things that are wrong but so far I've gotten 3 more bullets in the last hour by tearing out pieces that weren't in right and reinstalling. So far the entire priming system is still hosed, powder drops through the shell do to the lack of a primer (is there a loading method around a broken priming system?). The cycling plate goes too far on the 3rd stage (does that mean it needs to be "tuned"?). And, the Strong mount bolts don't line up correctly and therefore the loader leans forward. A dramatic problem I've discovered and may be contributing to the primer feeding problems. Yuck! I think I'll wait for a few replys because I don't want to have a 4 hour conversation with the Tech guys. I think I'll try to realign the strong mount or remove it completly. Luckily I do have a blow torch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Sorry you are having problems... My primer problems ceased when I checked and adjusted the travel - just slightly. I went by the manual and it made it work correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 Thanx, I'll spend the night reading through the manuals again. The solutions from here, now that the parts are installed correctly should be workable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 As silly as it sounds most problems - nearly All of mine - with the primer system I have ran into are caused by a lose primer or trash getting behind the bar where it does not travel the full stroke. Those little rascals are hard to see and seem to magically appear right in the way of the sliding bar. Adjusting the primer slide is not that hard to do. I will trry to find a link here detailing how it is done. I remember Benos and several others have some very good explainations on how to do this. Once the primer thingy works every time the rest is cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 11, 2006 Author Share Posted May 11, 2006 Things are slowly getting better. I've loaded 5 bullets now. I flipped the Strong mount base around and found a scratched out paint mark which I assume says "This side Up" ...LOL. Priming system is still screwed up but I can only fix one thing at a time. The powder system works well, atleast I can revel in that. The priming system looks broken in a few key function points, everything from loading the primer to seating. I've fixed the shell turner. Back at it tomorrow night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 (edited) Something new that doesn't work will drive me nuts in a hurry. However, regardless of the trouble, Dillon will make it run. Please call them. Call and talk for a couple minutes, and see if they can clear it up before you ship it back. There is no doubt in my mind that if all of the parts are intact and where they should be, the SDB will load like no tommorow. You couldn't have bought a better press for loading less than 2500rds. per month. I have one, and I will buy another. Edited May 11, 2006 by JD45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Heck, mine's been running fine and chugging out .45ACP for a couple or so years and I even bought it 'used'. Only replaced a couple of parts along the way, and it was pretty clear what they were at the time and what I needed to replace. He's right about Dillon probably helping you out. Their customer service is famous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Mr. Davis How about a progress report? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEP44 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 The only thing I've had with the SDB priming sytem, is that I screwed on the top of the tube too tight after inserting the inner tube. Somehow no primers came out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Actually I've been too depressed to mess with it much, I'm still at about 5 rounds an hour when I can get the primers to sortof work but I haven't tried messing with the adjustments yet. I'll probably spend some time with it this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Actually I've been too depressed to mess with it much, I'm still at about 5 rounds an hour when I can get the primers to sortof work but I haven't tried messing with the adjustments yet. I'll probably spend some time with it this weekend. Dude... If you are shooting with some guys that reload get one of them who has some Dillon experence to come over and give you a hand! Where are you located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 I'm in Fairfax VA. I spent another hour working on the priming system and it sure isn't reliable. Everything from the pickup tube to the holding tube gets screwed up. Every time I try it something different becomes the failure point. I was able to load about 10 rounds this morning in about 10 minutes. One round out of 10 failed to recieve a primer and I ended up with powder everywhere, but, technically it worked. I am checking the brass after the powder, but before I seat a bullet and loading one bullet at a time on the little merrygo round thingy (I don't think this press deserves any real technical jargon). I'll try again tonight. I think I'm close but those tubes are giving me fits. Green is pickup and red is drop in. ?????? The primers feel like they don't always want to fit down the tube. I'm puzzled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddrod Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 What caliber are you loading? One thing I did with my SDB is to take the primer slide and the primer housing and polish all the surfaces that touch, especally the top and bottom of the slide and the surface that the slide rides on and make sure you keep this area clean. Also, make sure that you get all the cleaning media out of your cases as this can cause a major headache with the priming system. You asked about green(pickup) and red(drop) tips so I guess you are loading large primers. If you are getting primers all over the place then it sounds like the primer tube inside the black protective pipe is not seated correctly. Try turning the primer tube slowly until you feel it slide into place. The slot on the red tip has to go into the slot in the bottom of the primer housing and make sure you have a good red tip on the tube. The 2 prongs that hold the primers at the end are not very strong and bend/break very easily. Another thing to do is to reset the height of you your punch. To do this take an Allen wrench and losen the small Allen bolt on the side of the punch. Then take the entire priming slide and punch and compress the spring all the way down by placing it on the ram of the press (just as if you are going to size a case). Once the spring is compressed titen the Allen screw again very tite. If this does not work then it could be that the length of travel of the primer slide needs to be adjusted, This is in the manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 You either have the worst SDB ever or just possibly don't have the knack for this sort of mechanical device. Best bet is get a knowledgeable reloader from your local club to check it out. With the kinds of problems you're having, and what I'm understanding from your posts, I don't know how much good Dillon phone support would be. The only problems I've ever had with my 3 SDBs was a single bad primer orifice (red thingy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 The only problems I've ever had with my 3 SDBs was a single bad primer orifice (red thingy). Yep, I ran about 15k of 45 auto through mine and the ONLY problem I had was that about every 5000 rounds the "red thingy" would go TUD, I'd replace it and be good for another 5k! Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 14, 2006 Author Share Posted May 14, 2006 Thanx! Yea I need to spend some time with it and get the feel of whats going on with this thing. From here I think the problems are with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R/T Performance Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Thanx! Yea I need to spend some time with it and get the feel of whats going on with this thing. From here I think the problems are with me. Keep us posted I love my b and if it fails to seat a primer you should feel that weird sticky feeling from the set up check. I have about 5000 rounds and no problems with mine just wish it was bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Thanx! Yea I need to spend some time with it and get the feel of whats going on with this thing. From here I think the problems are with me. I sure cussed at my 550 as I learned how to get everything going correctly...but.... once the learning curve is past... its a thing of beauty. Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Practically the first and nearly only problem I had with mine was a tendency for that magazine orifice to wear out easily. I eventually just caved in and bought three or four of 'em and now I'm prepared, by God! That sheared shellplate bolt was another matter altogether, however... but not unheard of. You might want to buy one of those, too (part No. 13328). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Don't know if this would be an idea for you, as I was having the primer problem you were describing when I was first setting up my Square Deal. As it was used, and a friend who got me interested in reloading suggested that I call Dillon for their $29.99 "tune up" deal. After struggling with the same primers missing the cup or bending/breaking the red primer release? I decided to call Dillon ask about their "tune up" and when the said go ahead and send it in, off it went. In about a week and a half of time, it came back with a whole bunch of new parts including a powder hopper and I've had no problem ever since. This was just late fall of last year. I'm not sure if they still have that available as a service, but it sure saved me a lot of time and continuing aggravation. Good luck. By the way, I now have 2 Square Deals, 1 for 45 and the other for 9mm. -Albert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 14, 2006 Author Share Posted May 14, 2006 Thanx for the support guys/ladies. I'll be taking a break from posting. I'm going to have a custom bench built to support this thing as I think that will help. Last night I noted for the 4th or 5th time that the primers are sliding down the tube with horrible resistance so I worked on cleaning the tube out. I can tell though I'm getting a lot closer to getting this thing running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Whenever possible, please phone us when you can be in front of the loader. This way we can render the best possible technical support to you. Our phones are open from 7 AM mountain Standard Time (we don't do daylight savings time) until 6PM Monday through Friday, and from 8AM through 3 PM Saturday. Call us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFDavis11 Posted May 17, 2006 Author Share Posted May 17, 2006 Got it! I'm makin' bullets. Woo hooooo! I had to clean out some parts, tighten stuff up, get a different bench, and spend the week "tuning it up", but I got it working. I think my last issue may be the bench not levelled properly. Once I got the priming system running things got better fast. After getting the parts replaced that weren't working I think my big mistake was testing the powder system without getting the priming system running first. Thanks guys for all you input. Amazingly, I needed ALL your input to get things going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R/T Performance Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Glad to here it my bech is built into the wall so very strong. I have had Zero issues with my b other than setting the crimp the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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