Dillon 550 cartridge spring solutions?

[Equanimous Phil]

I recently started reloading and bought a (probably quite old) used Dillon 550. While reloading .45 Colt yesterday, a primer flipped 90 degrees before or while being seated and got stuck sideways in the pocket. The shell plate couldn't be turned anymore and I had to disassemble it. Stupidly, I first tried to remove the shell by messing with the cartridge spring which is unusable now...  I am talking about this part:

It's included in the RL 550 Spare Parts Kit. But before I order that kit, I'd like to know if there are any better solutions for that function, maybe an aftermarket part or DIY solution?

 

And a follow up question: Is it common that a primer flips like that and how can I prevent it?

 

Any tips will be highly appreciated 

Equanimous Phil

 

 

 

 

[Hoss]

I’ve never seen an aftermarket replacement part for that part. But, as I’m sure you know, Dillon will replace it for free. Biggest advantage of buying spare parts kit is having the part on hand when something breaks, then you don’t have to wait for replacement part. 

As for  primer flipping, make sure that the primer cup is clean. A piece of crud in there will cause problems. I keep a little squeeze bulb for puffing air into parts I can’t reach. You also need to be sure your shell plate is adjusted just right. It’s a fine line between just right, too loose & too tight. 

[Ozark Huckleberry]

I've had primers flip on the 550 because the primer slide would hang up, then jerk forward. If the 550 was used, it might have some crud built up under the slide. Clean it up with some alcohol on a swab, hit it with a little dry lube, and check your primer slide adjustments.

[Equanimous Phil]

Thanks to both of you, thats's helpful advice!

 

16 minutes ago, Hoss said:

But, as I’m sure you know, Dillon will replace it for free.

I know, but I kind of hesitate to ask for a part that I broke myself...

 

22 minutes ago, Hoss said:

As for  primer flipping, make sure that the primer cup is clean. A piece of crud in there will cause problems.

I must confess I paid too little attention to that. I reloaded the first rounds one by one (after initially setting up every stage), so there was a lot of possibility for crud to get in the cup.

 

26 minutes ago, Hoss said:

You also need to be sure your shell plate is adjusted just right. It’s a fine line between just right, too loose & too tight.

Maybe the plate was a tad too loose when I first installed it. After reinstalling, it is definitely a bit tighter now. That are the things that are hard to get from a youtube video...

 

14 minutes ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:

I've had primers flip on the 550 because the primer slide would hang up, then jerk forward. If the 550 was used, it might have some crud built up under the slide. Clean it up with some alcohol on a swab, hit it with a little dry lube, and check your primer slide adjustments.

That may be the case, I will watch for hang ups and will disassemble, clean and lube the slide. I have to inform myself on how to make the slide adjustments. I just used it the way it came with the large primer set up. (The press is from a club pard's friend who passed away)

[Hoss]

Don’t be shy about calling Dillon. They sell their presses with a “No BS” warranty.  
 

FWIW, I bought a used RCBS Grand Shotshell press. I needed several parts for it, expected to pay for them. RCBS sent them no charge. 

[Mudflat Mike, SASS #20904]

The primer can  flip 'cause the press is not attached to a solid, stable platform.  If the table moves, it can allow the primer to do that.  Clean the primer assembly 1st.

[Eyesa Horg]

My SDB will flip a primer every now and then. Usually upside down,but sometimes sideways. Don't hesitate to call Dillon, they will likely send you a couple. If you need any other spare parts like springs, ask while on the phone. They are most accommodating.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Primer flipping can be

 

the seating punch/spring/cup has slipped in the primer slide and is not vertical or completely seated into the socket on the slide arm.  Loosen set screw and straighten things out

 

re-center the primer slide assembly to be centered so the ram/cup is concentric in the shell plate hole (loosen the holding screws for slide housing, lower the shell plate over the primer cup, then retighten the screws)

 

dirty slide or housing with jerky travel over the primer slide bearing (plate)

 

I REALLY like the extended slide support plate on 550s.  Reduces jerkiness in the slide due to the return spring pulling the slide down slightly at forward part of travel because the slide is not very well supported.  Uniquetek has a nice extended primer slide "bearing" plate.

https://uniquetek.com/product/T1571

 

Worn or dirty plastic tip at the bottom of the primer feed tube.  New tips come in the 550 spare parts kits, or Dillon will usually send you a few free.  Worth replacing every year or so.

 

really fast cycling and slamming of the operating handle

 

The primer feed system is the weak part of a Dillon 550.  As it is in almost every progressive loader (metallic or shotshell) that has ever been made.  But the system is simple enough that it can usually quickly be fixed with a little cleanup and realignment.

 

Any dirt, crud, tumbling media, or primer residue that falls out of the case while depriming the case tends to drop RIGHT onto the slide arm track.  A little compressed air every 50 rounds or so will head off a lot of problems.

 

good luck, GJ

 

 

[Flying W Ramrod]

Be sure you have the correct size primer cup installed. If you have the large primer cup, the primers will flip most the time. If it's the small one, make sure it's aligned properly and clean.

regards

[Michigan Slim]

You can use a large paper clip in a pinch for that.

[Irish Dan O'Shootem]

A JW Systems Dillon 550 primer track bearing plate with ball bearing fixed my primer flipping. 

[Equanimous Phil]

Many thanks for all the good inputs! I've only loaded a few hundred rounds so far on the Dillon and there's much to learn for me. Maybe the flipped primer was caused somehow by myself, a careless movement. Before and after, the seating seemed to work fine to me. But the next time I go to my reloading room I will have a closer look at the smoothness of the primer feed system and maybe make a video. If it's not smooth, I will clean it and check if it got any better. I think cleaning is the way to success in the long run, but I didn't want to disassemble and clean the parts before I understand how everything works. That extended Uniquetek plate or the JW Systems plate with the ball bearing also look promising if the problem remains.

 

The table I made for the loading equipement is quite sturdy and attached to a wall, but maybe still needs some improvement... My handle pulls are rather slow, as is my whole workflow. The output (including primer picking and measuring the powder now and then) is about 100 rds/h   And I check every load by eye yet. It's easy using the bulky Vihtavuori N32C/TinStar, but slow. An RBSC lock out die is waiting on my work bench but I cannot use it with the current Dillon die set with the single seating and crimping die. An RBSC set with combined seating/crimping is on order.

 

I will only load cartridges with large primers which make things a bit easier. I started with .45 Colt and later some .45 ACP. Probably, I stay on my single stage for the few 38-55 I need.

 

I'll see if I can make a paper clip work as a spring replacement, or maybe the original one bend back in shape. Probably, the spare parts kit is a good idea to have also new feeder tips etc as Garrison Joe mentioned. There's one right available in a shop here. Please consider that I live in Switzerland and shipping overseas from Dillon would take some time.

 

Equanimous Phil

 

[Michigan Slim]

The one real weak point to that wonderful system is that the crud can gum up the primer feed. I clean mine frequently, depending on the powder used and crud from depriming. 

[Griff]

Having 2 550s, I've probably experienced every conceivable mishap involving a 550.  I've also used several of the enhancements available in the marketplace for the 550.  The ones from Uniquetek, are probably the most useable.  Especially the extended primer slide with the side mounted roller bearing to keep the slide aligned.  Have no fear about asking Dillon to send you a new spring... slide, or whatever!  I've also broke parts, thru sheer stupidity, trying to over-muscle something that needed to be finessed... And in calling Dillon, in every case... they've said, nope, that's on us!  on a few occasions, even sent more'n one of an item... And, rather than me typing for days... trying to describe how to set and adjust your Dillon... THEY'LL gladly do that with you on the PHONE!  Next best thing to having a tutor right in the room with you!  Whether you bought the machine, new, used or it was a gift from mother's favorite nephew's 3rd cousin, 5 times removed... You having a machine that works, you're pleased with, and functions correctly seems to be their major function and their most satisfying goal.    I know... seems weird in today's society, huh?    So... CALL 'EM!

 

P.S.:  If nobody calls them, they'll be out of a job... do you want to be responsible for someone losing their job??? 

[Cypress Sun]

As Hoss and others have stated, call Dillon. Dillon will replace any part (at no charge) that is not electronic. Don't think for a minute that that No BS warrantee is free, it's not, it's built into the pricing structure just like any other company that offers a warrantee. That said, Dillon builds the best of reloaders imo.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

6 hours ago, Equanimous Phil said:

An RBSC lock out die is waiting on my work bench but I cannot use it with the current Dillon die set with the single seating and crimping die. An RBSC set with combined seating/crimping is on order.

 

As an interim solution, if you have dies other than Dillon's you can put the lockout die in the third slot, the seater die in the fourth slot, and crimp the case on the single stage press.  Also, 100rds/hour is fine as you're starting.  You'll get faster with practice.

[Throckmorton,23149]

once u have the shell plate where u want it don't forget to re tighten the allen scres on the main shaft.Yu'd be surprised how many posts i've read where this got overlooked. The more snug the plate...within reason,..the better chance your primers will be seated right. And don't be timid about leaning into the handle a tad for a second to maker sure they seat,other wise no 'bang' until u go around and hit it again. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Cypress Sun said:

As Hoss and others have stated, call Dillon. Dillon will replace any part (at no charge) that is not electronic. Don't think for a minute that that No BS warrantee is free, it's not, it's built into the pricing structure just like any other company that offers a warrantee. That said, Dillon builds the best of reloaders imo.

Please note the OP's location 

That will be a pricey call....

[Cypress Sun]

22 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Please note the OP's location 

That will be a pricey call....

 

Oops, maybe a nice yodel will be cheaper.

["Big Boston"]

The Dillon 550 is a good tool, but not without a few nuances. I find it to be timesaver and before buying my first Dillon 550, my arthritic shoulders were giving out loading on my old turret. I was set up with spare turrets and was making nice ammo. The kicker was that for every 100 rounds there was an accompanying 400 handle operations. I was getting beat up. The 550 is a cowboys friend. 

 

I've not experienced a primer flip, persae, had a few come out of the primer tube that way, but as I had an issue loading the tube, it was most likely operator error. 

 

One issue to check is worn linkages, which can introduce a bit of wiggle, messing with the indexing. I've covered this in a post a while back, and although the correct solution would have been to send it back to Dillon for a rework, the postage from Canada and the time wait encouraged me to take out the wiggle myself.

 

IMHO the ram should have a witness device, a keyway, instead of relying on the linkage to keep the ram aligned, but I digress. This bit of wiggle can cause a bit of a primer issue, as the primer cup can catch the plate as the ram is lowered. The 550 does require some lube, all the pivots are just surface to surface, no bearings or bushings, so without lubrication, the press slowly wears itself out. My first 550 was not a "B" or "C", with no easy provision for lubrication. It was well wore out before I bought it and I took it to sloppy within a year.

 

 

I used shims and red locker to reduce the clearance, and modified the parts, adding the same lube passages as in later models, I have a "B" to use as a pattern. If this is your issue I can show you what I did in a bit more detail. 

 

BB

[Chert Rock Chuck]

On 4/8/2022 at 6:18 AM, Ozark Huckleberry said:

I've had primers flip on the 550 because the primer slide would hang up, then jerk forward. If the 550 was used, it might have some crud built up under the slide. Clean it up with some alcohol on a swab, hit it with a little dry lube, and check your primer slide adjustments.

Fancy bumping into you here. Lol

This just happened to me this morning and I use graphite, dry lock lube from the key area at any hardware store.

I also use it on my charge bars along with the typical rubber band hack.

[Equanimous Phil]

Thank you all for the additional info!

 

I loaded another 100 rounds last Saturday (for the Sunday shoot) without a primer flip. The primer bar runs very smoothly forward to provide a new primer and shoudn't cause the flipping. On its way back it's a little bit "jumpy", but that doesn't matter.

 

My guess now for the flipped primer: Normally, the new primer isn't yet in the primer seater when inserting the shell. But as I wasn't sure sometimes if the process is still properly working, I skipped the new shell now and then (or also just forgot it a couple of times...) for one or two strokes. When that happened, a new primer was already in the seater when inserting the shell. I might have flipped it then with the shell.

 

One of the new rounds had no primer at all. I thought (and still think) that I would feel a missing primer while seating. So, probably I've forgotton to push the handle forward one time. Hope, that it doesn't happen again.

 

There's still the issue with the cartridge spring. I reinstalled the old one, but it doesn't keep the shell firm enough in the plate and sometimes a shell misses the resizing die. But a spare parts kit with a new spring is on its way which should solve that problem.

[Equanimous Phil]

On 4/9/2022 at 2:27 AM, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Please note the OP's location 

That will be a pricey call....

 

On the plus side: I could make the call during Dillon's business hours while sitting in my reloading room late in the evening