17 replies to this topic

[JGH4445]

I've owned my 550 for about 2-3 years and am finally getting to the point that I have time to do some reloading. I guess I have about 500 ( yeah...hundred) rounds loaded in total the whole time I've owned it. Been working for 2 hours tonight trying to get the primer slide to go inside the primer housing and pick up a primer..it won't. Kinda hits on the side of the housing. . finally got that tightened down straight and it still wont go all the way in and pick up a primer. The spring won't return the slide all the way back out where ( if you COULD get a primer in the seater) it would seat one. Any Dillon 550 experts around Montgomery, Dothan, Auburn? I'd buy dinner if you'd help me get this thing up and running! I've read this forum for days...taken every piece apart and reassembled the primer mechanisim..cleaned everything that can be cleaned...there is just some little thing I'm overlooking. Gosh......can't wait to get to the powder measure,,,,wonder what new and exciting adventures await me there???? I'm really close to just going and buying a box of 45 ACPs LOL...

[Flatland Shooter]

Don't flame me if you feel this is a stupid question, but is the thin metal piece that extends from the primer assembly up beneath the shell plate in place? This is a black piece of steel about 2" long and 3/4" wide that the primer slide ride on. If sitting somewhere on the loading bench, install it. If its on the press, consider removing it, polish it nice and smooth, and replace it.

I don't know if its still available, but a few years back Dillon had a small tool that assisted in lining up the primer pocket with the shell plate. Back then they were free, but even if they are just a few bucks, us handymen with two left hands find it helpful.

Bill

[JGH4445]

Thanks Bill. Yeah, the little "shim" as I call it is in place and has been polished smooth. That's the one with the little "cut outs" for the screws in the bottom of the primer housing right? Wonder why the housing needs a shim in the first place? Couldn't it have been made to tolerance to start with? Methinks too many moving parts are at work here.

[Flatland Shooter]

Thanks Bill. Yeah, the little "shim" as I call it is in place and has been polished smooth. That's the one with the little "cut outs" for the screws in the bottom of the primer housing right? Wonder why the housing needs a shim in the first place? Couldn't it have been made to tolerance to start with? Methinks too many moving parts are at work here.

Yes, that's the piece I'm thinking of. As an experiment, loosen the two screws on the bottom of the primer assembly and see if the primer slide will move properly. If it does, you might get a little more clearance by cleaning or even sanding down the bottom of the primer slide.

Also pull the inner primer tube and see if the slide will move further back (i.e. is the inner tube is set too low in the primer assembly and catching the primer cup). I've had this happen in the past.

Excuse my homespun nomenclature. I've not looked at a Dillon manual in over 15 years.

Bill

Edited by Flatland Shooter, 29 May 2012 - 07:34 AM.

[Mike7461]

Some things I learned to always check for concerning the 550 priming system. I hope this helps.

1. Make sure that you have the correct primer tube (Large/Small) inside the primer assemble.
2. Make sure that the primer tube in primer assembly is seated properly. There is a little notch. Lightly rotate that notch until it drops into the correct position. Keywords.. lightly rotate.
3. Do not overtighten the 2 bolts that connect the primer assemble to the press. If it's too tight it's going to stick after a while of use. Also, before you tighten the primer assembly down make sure that you have the handle pressed all the way towards the press so that you align the primer into the hole into position # 1 on the shell plate.
4. If primer bar still sticks make sure that there is no primer stuck in the slide assemble, which happens more often to me when I am not loading smoothly or if your bench moves too much.

Edited by Mike7461, 29 May 2012 - 10:37 AM.

[Youngeyes]

Raise the ram and loosen the two screws holding the primer housing. Maually move the slide back and forth. If it goes smoothly the slowly tighten the screws. Keep checking for binding. If it binds up and can't be smoothed out with some very light sanding then have Dillon send you a replacement.As a check, do you have a different primer slide? If yes, try it out and see if that one works. Low odds of having two bad slides. Also check the set screw in the back of the housing to be sure it's set properly and allowing full travel.

Edited by Youngeyes, 29 May 2012 - 12:52 PM.

[JGH4445]

Had just changed from small primers to large. Didn't think of trying the small primer slide to see if the problem exists there also.Just removed it and replaced the primer tubes, slide, etc. with the large. Good idea..thanks. I'll check it Friday when I get back home.

[Alvarez Kelly]

It's been a LONG time, but I recall having a problem with primers after loading my first 500 to 1000 rounds on a 550. It was very frustrating! I ended up removing the entire primer assembly, only to discover all kinds of spent primer residue jambing up the works. I couldn't see any of it with the priming mechanism in place. Just a reminder to look in every nook and cranny. Spent primer gook can cause all kinds of problems.

Also... it was mentioned above, but worth repeating... The red and blue plastic tips for the primer magazine tubes have an indexing "tab." They can fall into the slot only one way. If they are not aligned perfectly, and this is usually done by feel, you will have a problem. And should you tighten the nut holding the magazine tube in too tight, you will have a problem.

Hope you can figure it out! Let us know what it ended up being... :-)

Edited by Alvarez Kelly, 30 May 2012 - 10:21 PM.

[JGH4445]

Thanks. I'll be sure and check it. I've already removed the entire assembly and cleaned it. Used the green scotch brite, alcohol, wipe clean, spray graphite, wipe clean, dremel buffing wheel, wipe clean, etc. One of my problems is that the primer cup hits the side of the primer housing upon entering. It ( the primer cup) wants to lean to the right and hit the side of the housing. I think I got that fixed. The cup doesnt go into the housing far enough to depress the primer drop. The heigth of the cup looks about right. The plate comes down and the primer seater plug kinda bite on the side of the hole causing a "clicking" sound but then finds its way into the hole. There is just something about the alignment that I don't have right yet The set screw behind the housing is set far enough back that the primer bar isn't touching or stopping the cup from going in the housing any further. I'll be sure and let y'all know what the problem was/is when I get home tomorrow. Going to devote the whole weekend, if I have to, to get this beast up and running.

Edited by JGH4445, 31 May 2012 - 11:13 AM.

[Youngeyes]

Thanks. I'll be sure and check it. I've already removed the entire assembly and cleaned it. Used the green scotch brite, alcohol, wipe clean, spray graphite, wipe clen, dremel buffing wheel, wipe clean, etc. One of my problems is that the primer cup hits the side of the primer housing upon entering. It ( the primer cup) wants to lean to the right and hit the side of the housing. I think I got that fixed. The cup doesnt go into the housing far enough to depress the primer drop. The set screw behind the housing is set far enough back that the primer bar isn't touching or stopping the cup from going in the housing any further. I'll be sure and let y'all know what the problem was/is when I get home tomorrow. Going to devote the whole weekend, if I have to, to get this beast up and running.

Check the height of the cup.If the hex screw holding the pin loosened it could be too high and is causing the stopage.

[JGH4445]

Update
OK Got home and started adjusting. Made sure the primer cap was at correct height by putting it in a vise and tightening the screw. Now it goes into the housing and picks up a primer, almost, almost means the primer is in sideways. Adjust the tube and the primer falls in place. Great. Now I raise the handle and the plate comes down and the primer slide goes toward the plate but isn't lining up with the primer hole and isn't going far enough forward to get the cup under the hole even if it did line up. Remove the primer housing, clean under it really well, re assemble manually moving the primer bar into the correct position under the plate and tighten both screws underneath. Now it should work. Nope. The primer bar lacks a quarter of an inch going far enough forward to get the cup under the plate. Spring on the bottom of the primer bar looks fine, not sprung. Push the bar forward with my thumb, lower the plate onto the cup, looks good, raise the plate and the primer bar springs back at me about a quarter inch. Go figure. Gotta be pressure somewhere...can't find it. CALL DILLON!!! Get the tech on the line and we go thru everything step by step. Slide clean....check...spring not stretched....check.....black shim under the primer housing all the way to the left....check...primer operating rod moving forward when the handle is lowered....check.... rod goes back downas the handle is raised...check...making contact with both rollers....uhhhhh no, not at the bottom. Its only in contact with the bottom, large roller. Not touching the small roller on top. No sir, not with the handle in the up position. Is there tension on the rod? Yessir. Ok how far is the primer tube bracket above the frame of the press? About a half inch. Is the rod touching the frame? Yes. Puttin pressure on the rod at the bottom? Yes. Lower the bracket to about an 8th of an inch above the frame so the rod isn't touching the frame. OK..cycle it. Works great! Is the rod now in contact with both rollers? Yes. Good. Thats the way it is supposed to work. Anything else? Nosir...thanks so much! My pleasure. Another example of great CS from Dillon!!! Thanks to you guys here too!

Edited by JGH4445, 01 June 2012 - 03:10 PM.

[Youngeyes]

Doesn't that feel good when a problem is solved? Bet that's the first thing you'll check if you ever have a primer problem again.

[mike_in_md]

Excellent. I'm happy to hear the good news. Dillon support is great.

[JGH4445]

Just finished a very slow, leisurely run of 250 .45ACP's and not one glitch or stoppage. If I did'nt enjoy loading so much, I'd say it was plum boring. Allison Krauss in the background was awesome.

[2004play]

After reading the outcome of this story in so glad I just bought a 650,i can't believe how dillon stands behind there product and even helps to diagnose problems.
And to think I almost bought a red press lol

[JGH4445]

Dillon certainly stands behind the product but the real amazing part is that the guys ( and gals ) they have as CS reps, actually know the machines inside and out. You tell 'em what its doing and they'll tell you why its doing it and how to stop it. These folks are good and I mean real good!

[Alvarez Kelly]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out! I never would have thought about that part... because I have never moved any of mine!

Something else to store in the old memory bank. :-)

[chevyoneton]

Glad you got it sorted. It appears that something either moved or was never set right. If you had loaded before and it was OK what happened for it to move? I will agree that the priming system on the 550B is the weak point but once you get the feel for setting it up and trouble shooting, it works like a champ. I spent a LOT of time being agravated with my 550B's priming years ago when I first got it. Since I have gotten older, wiser and slower I don't have as many issues with it. Its' more than a little amazing how my 550B has actually gotten BETTER with age!