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550 Camming over?


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HI all.

I'm doing a reset on my tool head, and based on the Dillon manual, its states to raise the platform and screw the sizing die down until it douches the shell plate.

With the handle allt he way down, it feels as if the press is camming over a little.

With the die set as per the book, at the bottom of the stroke, its is a very mushy feel as press cams over... almost like a heap of flex also..

To get rid of this, the die has to be wound in approx another turn.

I can't see this being of any issue, althoguh I thought I'd ask 1st :)

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I ALWAYS set the sizing die up so that it cams over, but it should be pretty minimal, shouldn't feel like you are flexing the press. Back it out until it clears, raise the ram fully, screw it down until it touches, lower the ram and screw the die down about 1/16th of a turn. Raise the ram, repeat the 1/16th turn as necessary until you feel the toolhead go solid, at that point you are done. With the ram fully raised lock the die down.

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Caliber doesn't matter in this instance as the press camming.... there is no NEED to do it for production, it more the issue of camming not being right?

HSMITH- The manual states to have clearance, althoguh it doesn't feel right when running the press.... but screwing the die to the toolhead; that goes against he manual (no issues there) BUT it also takes any cam out of the equation, which I think is the right way (as per a single stange press setup)

It just feels wrong! :)

Dillon - anyone esle

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It is my opinion that manuals are written for the densest customer a company can reasonably expect to have. That guy will set his press up to cam over HARD and flex the heck out of it if the manual says to have it touch. He will wreck the press in short order. Have a little clearance and the press will work OK for everyone. But, with pistol ammo I want the sizing die absolutely as low as it will go, as a side benefit I don't have OAL variations from full shell plate to partial shell plate, I don't have any use for the toolhead clamps, and my ammo is as consistent as it can be.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've stripped my pres a few times, tried different calibers and toold head.. its still caming over at top of stroke... or flexing when loading.

I've orderd a strong mount and will see how it des.. it never did it when I 1st got it, so hopefully its just the bench getting old.

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With the die set as per the book, at the bottom of the stroke, its is a very mushy feel as press cams over...

Check your bell crank/bell crank stop.

(My terminology)

I'm on my third one in 3 years.

And I don't shoot/reload much.

The original crank lasted for years and I shot a lot back in the day. :surprise:

Maybe I'm getting stronger with age! :roflol:

FM

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I ALWAYS set the sizing die up so that it cams over, but it should be pretty minimal, shouldn't feel like you are flexing the press. Back it out until it clears, raise the ram fully, screw it down until it touches, lower the ram and screw the die down about 1/16th of a turn. Raise the ram, repeat the 1/16th turn as necessary until you feel the toolhead go solid, at that point you are done. With the ram fully raised lock the die down.

Howard, if I understand your procedure the die is now set so that on the downstroke it goes farther past the point where it touches the shellplate? Do you do this for 1050s as well? I have always set them up as dillon states and I now have a newer die that does not size far enough. It came with my new 1050 and I was getting ready to contact dillon on this but I will try this setup and see if it adds enough stroke to take out that last little bit. I am surprised by how much their dies vary.

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I ALWAYS set the sizing die up so that it cams over, but it should be pretty minimal, shouldn't feel like you are flexing the press. Back it out until it clears, raise the ram fully, screw it down until it touches, lower the ram and screw the die down about 1/16th of a turn. Raise the ram, repeat the 1/16th turn as necessary until you feel the toolhead go solid, at that point you are done. With the ram fully raised lock the die down.

+ 1

This is how I do it on my 650s and 550.

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Larry,

Careful! 1050 Shellplates = $$$.....

Yup, in the past I have been concerned about damaging the shellplate. This is why Dillons instructions have always made sense and until now I have never had an issue with a die not sizing sufficiently. I guess there should be some small amount of spring to the shellplate and as long as the SP never bottoms out hard, no damage should occur?

Edited by larry cazes
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With the die set as per the book, at the bottom of the stroke, its is a very mushy feel as press cams over...

Check your bell crank/bell crank stop.

(My terminology)

I'm on my third one in 3 years.

And I don't shoot/reload much.

The original crank lasted for years and I shot a lot back in the day. :surprise:

Maybe I'm getting stronger with age! :roflol:

FM

THATS IT!

What is the bellcrank you're talking of?

I can't think of what it could be.. name sounds familar lol

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  • 5 months later...

Update from a new months ago....

Have strong mount.. no difference.. with the die not touching the shellplate, I get the cam over feel.. sigh...

Maybe I should drilla nd tap the stop and put a bolt with lock nut on it to limit the travel a touch?

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Update from a new months ago....

Have strong mount.. no difference.. with the die not touching the shellplate, I get the cam over feel.. sigh...

Maybe I should drilla nd tap the stop and put a bolt with lock nut on it to limit the travel a touch?

Check your shellplate. Make sure it's tight. Loose one can feel mushy with a cam over. I have mine set with just a little pressure. Not enough to feel any thru the handle, but enough to raise everything and take the slack out of the machine.

Edited by 98sr20ve
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  • 5 months later...
  • 2 months later...

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