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Dillon 550c Troubleshooting


Lucky Lead Pepper

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I say I need help troubleshooting, but this may be a "feature" of my new press and I don't know it.  I got my new 550 mounted and mostly setup but I have a nagging problem with the powder measure.  When a case engages the powder measure there is a little binding that happens on both the upstroke and downstroke.  One of the two bars that the powder measure failsafe return arm actuates is snagging on the bottom of the powder measure.  See the photo for reference.  The slower I go the worse the rubbing/ binding is.  The failsafe arm is mounted IAW the Dillon instructions. 

 

Anyone ever see this issue?

550C Problem.JPG

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It's normal.  You can use a small spring to help return the charge bar to it's normal position.  Sorry, I don't have the ability to take pics or explain it better right now.

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20210127_071704.jpg

20210127_071653.jpg

 

As Chief Rick stated, the situation is normal. The positive return is one of the "improvements" added over the years. The pictures above illustrate springs installed above the powder bar and below the powder hopper. They used to come with one spring, this one has two. The extra spring was installed by the person that I bought the measure from. It works pretty good on the bar return but does have resistance on the powder drop. Strictly my opinion, do not attempt to bypass the fail-safe.  If the powder bar does return all the way to the original position, the powder will not meter correctly and you will have low powder/no powder loads. 

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I added the updated positive return kit to an older used 550 that I had purchased (just like the powder return on the one you just bought) and the binding/jump was excessive.  I may be speaking sacrilege here, but I used a small file and a little emery paper to smooth it out a little.  It still jumps, but it's not nearly as annoying.  I still use one of the springs (like the ones pictured above).  My powder drops are very consistent with light loads for wife's .32 Single Six revolvers.

 

I did the same thing to my new 650 Dillon 15 years ago and it has always dropped consistent powder charges.  I also use a single spring on the powder system of this press. 

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2 hours ago, Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 said:

Lucky I run a 550. If you have questions call me.

 

Imis

 

I may take you up on that if I can't straighten this thing out.

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On my SDB I found the excessive jumping was caused by the plastic bushing on the other end of the rod not remaining seated in the bracket. It would slide down on the up stroke of the ram and then on the down stroke it would catch on the bracket before the spring tension forced it back up and into place.

 

A small zip tie now holds mine in place.

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It's hard to tell and has nothing to do with the hangup but the powder bar does not appear to be fully returning to the hopper. Does the upright post on top of the slide bar return fully to the edge of the hopper assembly?

 

Edit; I would call Dillon on this matter. I only have one of the measures of this design and it's nowhere near that bad. They may have to send you another or fix the one that you have. 

 

 

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Mine dose the same thing but I load black so am not dropping powder and just let it happen.  When dropping a full load of smokeless it can bounce the powder out.  Just tried it on .44WCF case.  I weigh my charges if using smokeless.  Will follow this as I may change to using the powder measure for SASS loads.  

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47 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

It's hard to tell and has nothing to do with the hangup but the powder bar does not appear to be fully returning to the hopper. Does the upright post on top of the slide bar return fully to the edge of the hopper assembly?

 

No, it does not travel all the way to the post.  I ordered a second powder measure for a quicker caliber conversion, I'll install that one tonight and see if I have the same problem.

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2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Did you weigh the rounds and check for inconsistent powder charges? 

 

I haven't dropped any powder yet.  This was discovered while setting up the new press adjusting the bell on the case.  It just doesn't seem like this is normal.  I watched a 76Highboy video on YouTube at lunch today and his powder measure is smooth, nothing like mine.

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Watched your video in slow motion. The catch is occurring when the part that looks like a hatchet head hits the  left bottom corner of the power measure. I'll try to get a screen grab later and highlite the spot.

 

You can watch in slow motion by clicking on the little gear icon at the bottom of the video and selecting playback speed.

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10 hours ago, Lucky Lead Pepper said:

Here's a link to two videos of what is going on.

 

 

 

Completely normal that is on there for getting the measure to drop completely and settle the powder it helps in consistent powder charges Put a spring around the measure and the aluminum pin up by the adjustment knob and it will help the measure come all the way back and i also seems to smooth things out.  before the powder fail safe system came out the spring is what brought the measure back closed.  I still use several measures with just the spring and no fail safe Put powder and dies in it and  start loading. I have been on a 550  (converted from a 450) for more years than I care to calculate. and when I got my first measure with the fail safe I thought the same thing.  I called Dillon and that is what they explained to me.  Good luck  

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When I ordered my press I also ordered a caliber conversion for 38 special with an extra toolhead and powder measure.  I removed the powder measure shown in the video and switched over to the other powder measure.  It works much differently...much better.  It operates like the ones I've seen in videos.  I loaded it up with powder and got it set up to meter consistently.  I'm groovin' now.  Clearly there is something wrong with the first one I tried.  I'll reach out to Dillon and see if they can sort it out.

 

Thanks for all of the tips and advice. 

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In the videos posted in this thread,I noticed the failsafe rods were inserted from left to right.I have always assembled mine right to left ,or from front to rear.I have 5 different powder measures set up like this,and they all run fine,with no "jumping".

Any thoughts?

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21 minutes ago, Choctaw Jack said:

In the videos posted in this thread,I noticed the failsafe rods were inserted from left to right.I have always assembled mine right to left ,or from front to rear.I have 5 different powder measures set up like this,and they all run fine,with no "jumping".

Any thoughts?

 

Every piece of Dillon literature says to go left to right.  I wondered if that may be the issue, so I pulled it and tried to go the other way and it was worse.  I thin I just got a bad powder measure.

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15 minutes ago, Lucky Lead Pepper said:

 

Every piece of Dillon literature says to go left to right.  I wondered if that may be the issue, so I pulled it and tried to go the other way and it was worse.  I thin I just got a bad powder measure.

GuessIve been lucky,then.

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Did no one watch the last video I posted. That video while not the best shows exactly what causes the catch. You can also see it when watching the OP's videos in slow motion.

 

The red arrow points to where the catch is occurring. The part his finger is touching hits the raised boss on the body of the powder measure. It takes very little to change the amount of engagement between these two parts. In the case of the video adjusting the "S" bend in the Fail safe rod is all it took to correct the problem. Or it could be the amount of offset it the portion of the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly that hits the powder measure body. Or is could be that the bolt holding the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly to the powder measure body needs to be either tightened or loosened. 

 

1228157357_DillonPM.png.2189b445edd51183eeb8d2307c5f7904.png

 

Here is a screen grab from the OP's second video it clearly shows where the problem is occurring.

 

1884277670_Dillon2.png.8788ee211f962deb1b15a67faf64fbe0.png

 

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2 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Did no one watch the last video I posted. That video while not the best shows exactly what causes the catch. You can also see it when watching the OP's videos in slow motion.

 

The red arrow points to where the catch is occurring. The part his finger is touching hits the raised boss on the body of the powder measure. It takes very little to change the amount of engagement between these two parts. In the case of the video adjusting the "S" bend in the Fail safe rod is all it took to correct the problem. Or it could be the amount of offset it the portion of the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly that hits the powder measure body. Or is could be that the bolt holding the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly to the powder measure body needs to be either tightened or loosened. 

 

1228157357_DillonPM.png.2189b445edd51183eeb8d2307c5f7904.png

 

Here is a screen grab from the OP's second video it clearly shows where the problem is occurring.

 

1884277670_Dillon2.png.8788ee211f962deb1b15a67faf64fbe0.png

 

 

I watched it several times. IMO, if I'm going to pay that much for a reloader, it's up to the manufacture to make it right....not for me to have to rig it so it works. I'm sure that Dillon would and will make things right as I have had zero problems that haven't been resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.

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7 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Did no one watch the last video I posted. That video while not the best shows exactly what causes the catch. You can also see it when watching the OP's videos in slow motion.

 

The red arrow points to where the catch is occurring. The part his finger is touching hits the raised boss on the body of the powder measure. It takes very little to change the amount of engagement between these two parts. In the case of the video adjusting the "S" bend in the Fail safe rod is all it took to correct the problem. Or it could be the amount of offset it the portion of the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly that hits the powder measure body. Or is could be that the bolt holding the Lock-Link Bell Crank Assembly to the powder measure body needs to be either tightened or loosened. 

 

I did watch the video.  His problem is the same as mine but a different cause.  I looked at everything he pointed out in the video and none of it matched what I had going on.

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