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Thread: Dillon 550 owners-

  1. #21
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    Bimmer, didn't realize they were that pricey, but I haven't had to buy any outright recently.
    Dillon had sent me the new 'failsafe' powder measure, and I contacted them that my old charge bars were binding in the new measure.
    I had acquired a number of charge bars over 30 years, and, God bless 'em, Dillon replaced them all. Their customer service is first rate.
    But I concur, even if you have to flat out buy them; huge time saver, and it prevents mistakes as well.
    Moon

  2. #22
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    Dillon 550 owner here. Not had much trouble with the powder bar set up. Good info on keeping extra powder bars. It’s the primer feed bar that is a problem for me. After 2-300 rounds, it has to be cleaned thoroughly or it sticks pretty bad. I need to send it back to Dillon and have the press rebuilt and cleaned thoroughly. 8 years, thousands of rounds....

  3. #23
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    Deuce', I lube my ram, but sparingly, because it will migrate on to the primer shuttle, and gum things up. I keep the exposed parts of the shuttle wiped down. But I don't have to actually tear down the primer assembly, except perhaps once a year. And a bunch (I mean a bunch )of rounds have been thru' it.
    BTW, as regards tearing down the press...are they willing to pay for shipment? They wanted $75 for shipping, and I was too cheap. I've rebuilt it twice already, (had it since '88), so one more time didn't hurt. I usually break the crank.
    If you're halfway handy, it really isn't that tough. And it will help you understand the press better.
    BTW, is your primer shuttle coated with the gray, teflon-ish material? You can get a new shuttle (both sizes?) from Dilllon.
    Let me know.
    Moon

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by halfmoonclip View Post
    Deuce', I lube my ram, but sparingly, because it will migrate on to the primer shuttle, and gum things up. I keep the exposed parts of the shuttle wiped down. But I don't have to actually tear down the primer assembly, except perhaps once a year. And a bunch (I mean a bunch )of rounds have been thru' it.
    BTW, as regards tearing down the press...are they willing to pay for shipment? They wanted $75 for shipping, and I was too cheap. I've rebuilt it twice already, (had it since '88), so one more time didn't hurt. I usually break the crank.
    If you're halfway handy, it really isn't that tough. And it will help you understand the press better.
    BTW, is your primer shuttle coated with the gray, teflon-ish material? You can get a new shuttle (both sizes?) from Dilllon.
    Let me know.
    Moon
    Moon,
    I polished the primer shuttle underside with a scotch bright pad and even with a dremel on a low setting. I was told to never lube the primer assembly as bad things can happen. Some people have used graphite lube. I think my large and small primer shuttles are of the old type. I will check when I a home again. I am fairly handy, but if I eff up the disassembly/assembly it would have to go back to Dillon anyway. I may call them to see if I can get shipping paid for.

  5. #25
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    You do have the steel insert that sits under the primer shuttle? Yeah, get yourself some new ones.
    BTW, a rebuild usually isn't necessary unless you actually break something. Are the big nuts on the outside of the crank tight? If not, that can cause the primer punch to be off center.
    Good luck!
    Moon

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by halfmoonclip View Post
    You do have the steel insert that sits under the primer shuttle? Yeah, get yourself some new ones.
    BTW, a rebuild usually isn't necessary unless you actually break something. Are the big nuts on the outside of the crank tight? If not, that can cause the primer punch to be off center.
    Good luck!
    Moon
    Yes, I have the steel insert and I try to keep it clean. Ok, it has had probably north of 5000 pistol rounds reloaded through it. Just curious on a round count for when a rebuild should be done.

  7. #27
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    5000 is nothing. I have WAY more then that done on a 650 and haven’t had to rebuild anything except my wallet.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #28
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    You don't really need to rebuild the press unless something breaks. In my case, it was the crank, which simply broke.
    Take down the primer mechanism, get new primer shuttles, wipe the ram down thoro'ly and lube it carefully, reassemble.
    Is anything else really acting up? The primer shuttle is a PITA.
    Don't forget to tighten the nuts on the crank.
    Moon

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by duece71 View Post
    Just curious on a round count for when a rebuild should be done.
    I send mine back every 35 years whether it needs it or not.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by duece71 View Post
    It’s the primer feed bar that is a problem for me. After 2-300 rounds, it has to be cleaned thoroughly or it sticks pretty bad.
    Quote Originally Posted by halfmoonclip View Post
    Deuce', I lube my ram, but sparingly...
    Me, too. I put a drop or two of 20w-50 under where the primer shuttle goes back and forth.

    Mine is smooth as silk after 27 years and tens of thousands of rounds, and I can't remember it ever misfeeding a primer.



    Quote Originally Posted by Kenneth View Post
    5000 is nothing. I have WAY more then that done on a 650 and haven’t had to rebuild anything except my wallet.
    Quote Originally Posted by halfmoonclip View Post
    You don't really need to rebuild the press unless something breaks...
    Amen. I dribble a little 20w-50 over the shiny moving parts and pump some into the holes around the bearings and then wipe it all down, but that's it.

    Knock wood, I haven't managed to break mine yet, though I did have a near-miss when I thought I'd lost the little plastic square in the powder measure...

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