The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Dillon SDB problem

Casey · January 25, 2001, 01:02 AM

After talking to Dillon, I did try to adjust station two the way that they had suggested. I was unable to make any difference, it would still twist and mangle the brass.

What I did do was to very slowly raise a case up in station two and watch what was happening. As the case slipped over the material which bells it out, it would tilt towards the front of the machine. At first, I thought that perhaps it was a matter of not indexing enough, as Char923 suggested. But all of the other stations were working perfectly, with absolutely no alignment problems. In addition, the primers were seating perfectly (which for me, on a SDB, is a miracle of no small proportion).

After studying and thinking for a while, it appeared to me that the station two lock ring was forcing the die over when it was tightened down. I could leave it just a quarter turn loose, and it the case would slip up just fine. When I tighened the last quarter turn (and I wasn't overtighening it, either), it would pull the die off center.

I guess I did the obvious thing, I shimmed the lock ring with a piece of cardboard from a Federal Rifle primer box. What else would you use?? Just one small piece, between station two and the screw that holds the plate on, allowed the ring to tighten down and align perfectly. I have loaded a couple of hundred rounds with it, and it still works fine. Eventually, I will call Dillon and straighten this out, or replace the cardboard with a peice of metal shim.

By the way, the shell plate bolt was a thorn in my side for a very long time. I had continual problems with these, breaking two each in each of my SDB's. I finally figured out that if you use high quality grease on them, and tighten them down tight (but not TOO tight), you will have a lot fewer problems.

The primer feed tubes and the primer seating are far and away the worst problems that I have with my SDB's now. The SDB that I use for 45 ACP STILL has a problem with it's feed; after trying numerous solutions, I finally have the other SDB feeding and seating primers with no problems other than every so often adjusting the tiny allen screw that locates it when you are ready to seat a primer. It won't last, though.

Casey

January 25, 2001, 01:02 AM	#4
Casey Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2000 Location: Delaware, OH, USA Posts: 279	I forgot to update this post!! After talking to Dillon, I did try to adjust station two the way that they had suggested. I was unable to make any difference, it would still twist and mangle the brass. What I did do was to very slowly raise a case up in station two and watch what was happening. As the case slipped over the material which bells it out, it would tilt towards the front of the machine. At first, I thought that perhaps it was a matter of not indexing enough, as Char923 suggested. But all of the other stations were working perfectly, with absolutely no alignment problems. In addition, the primers were seating perfectly (which for me, on a SDB, is a miracle of no small proportion). After studying and thinking for a while, it appeared to me that the station two lock ring was forcing the die over when it was tightened down. I could leave it just a quarter turn loose, and it the case would slip up just fine. When I tighened the last quarter turn (and I wasn't overtighening it, either), it would pull the die off center. I guess I did the obvious thing, I shimmed the lock ring with a piece of cardboard from a Federal Rifle primer box. What else would you use?? Just one small piece, between station two and the screw that holds the plate on, allowed the ring to tighten down and align perfectly. I have loaded a couple of hundred rounds with it, and it still works fine. Eventually, I will call Dillon and straighten this out, or replace the cardboard with a peice of metal shim. By the way, the shell plate bolt was a thorn in my side for a very long time. I had continual problems with these, breaking two each in each of my SDB's. I finally figured out that if you use high quality grease on them, and tighten them down tight (but not TOO tight), you will have a lot fewer problems. The primer feed tubes and the primer seating are far and away the worst problems that I have with my SDB's now. The SDB that I use for 45 ACP STILL has a problem with it's feed; after trying numerous solutions, I finally have the other SDB feeding and seating primers with no problems other than every so often adjusting the tiny allen screw that locates it when you are ready to seat a primer. It won't last, though. Casey __________________ "Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have." Richard Salant, former President of CBS News "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln