I got my 550, and...???

Mikul · August 15, 2000, 12:52 AM

Thanks to all who helped me with my equipment purchase. It came today. I set it up tonight, and somehow managed not to shoot the thing before I finished.

I have a few questions now that it SEEMS to be set up. FYI, I'm doing 9mm.

PRIMER DIE
1) Is it supposed to reduce the neck size too? Mine is reducing it around 0.005 inches.
2) Do the spent primers EVER fall into that cup?

POWDER DIE
1) Is it only supposed to open the neck around 0.001 inches (as per Lyman)?
2) Is it normal for the die to sit up a LOT higher (1/2") than the others?

POWDER MEASURE
1) Is it supposed to move smoothly, or are one of the gold metal parts supposed to "catch" on the way back? One of the gold parts appears bent.

BULLET SEATING DIE
1) How do you get the bullet to stay in there on its way up?

CRIMPING DIE
1) Is it okay as long as it's within the manual's parameters?
2) Is there such a thing as too little crimp?
2) Do you need to crimp even if the neck size is okay after seating the bullet?

Is it normal to be up until 2am fiddling with this thing?

beemerb · August 15, 2000, 01:20 AM

primer die
That is the resizeing die and yes it neck sizes.
Yes they do.Check and make sure that it is not binding.It should be open and then close on the way down and let the primer out the bottom(This peice is under the plate and drops the primer in the cup)
Powder die is set to bell the top of the case.It doesn't take a lot of bell.Just enough to hold the bullet on the next operation.
Yes it sets up higher

Powder measure
You might need to lube some of the external parts.DO NOT LUBE ANYTHING THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE POWDER
bullet seating die.
see above under powder die
Crimping die-Sorry did not see the 9 mm part of the post.Yes you need a taper crimp on them.Set you taper crimp die down to the point that it slides over about 10 to 15 thausands of the case.Then try them in you gun barrel.SHould drop right in.This works if you do not have too much bell on the cases.If 15 will crimp right put less bell on the cases.
What are you reloading?Pistol or rifle?
Pistol are you using a taper crimp?You will need a crimp on all rounds to prevent the bullets from moveing.Recoil in wheel gun or feeding in a auto.Pushing a bullet back into the case has very bad effects on chamber pressure.
Email me direct and I will try to answer as many questions as I can
Is it normal to be up a 2 with thing.Yes some of my best loading is at that tim,e of the morning.If I can't sleep it gives me something to do
I sure I helped a little.So much easer hands on.Remember dillons toll free help line if you get stuck too bad.They are very good over the phone.

------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.

[This message has been edited by beemerb (edited August 15, 2000).]

Mikul · August 15, 2000, 10:58 AM

Got my Q's answered from beemerb and from Dillon. Here they are for the curious:

1) Is it supposed to reduce the neck size too?
Yes. If I had looked closely at the Lyman manual, I would have seen that.

2)1) Is it only supposed to open the neck around 0.001 inches?

Yes. That's the way it's done.

3) Is it normal for the die to sit up a LOT higher (1/2") than the others?

Yes. It's not unusual.

4) Is it supposed to move smoothly, or are one of the gold metal parts supposed to "catch" on the way back?

It is supposed to catch. This is a modification that Dillon made because some people were not getting a full charge.

5) How do you get the bullet to stay in there on its way up?

Dillon suggested opening up the neck another 1/1000th to make this easier.

6) General crimping advice from Dillon for the 9mm is to bring the die down on an empty case until it puts a shiny ring around the neck.

When I read the Lyman carefully, it says to not put a crimp on it.

Mikul · August 15, 2000, 11:01 AM

I forgot one!

7) Do the spent primers EVER fall into that cup?

There is a chute under station #1 that is supposed to open and direct the spent primer down toward the cup. It sounds as though mine is not opening. I'll loot at it when I go home.

WOO HOO! It looks like I'll be loading my first rounds tonight... sounds like a good night for a midnight trip to the range!

Hutch · August 15, 2000, 01:37 PM

The bullet usually needs to be held in place carefully with the left thumb and forefinger as the case is entering the seating die. If you load cast bullets with a beveled base, it'll go easier.

I once heard of someone who had a neighbor whose press would occasionally deposit a spent primer in the cup. At least he claimed it did.

PS: For five bucks or so, you can get a video tape of how to operate and maintain your press, direct from Dillon. They rock.

Mikul · August 15, 2000, 02:19 PM

I am going to bell the case a little more. In actuality, it's only .0007" larger with my current setup, but adjusting that die is a PITA.

The primer measure seems pretty accurate. I measured 10 rounds, and they were within 0.1 grains.

ol blue · August 15, 2000, 05:49 PM

My 550 wouldn't hit the cup with the primers either when I first got it. I took a pair of pliers, and bent the lip out a little bit on the spent primer catcher chute, (the mechanism that holds the spent primers until the up stroke when it releases them into the cup). Worked like a charm. All the primers go into the cup now....ol blue

Mikul · August 16, 2000, 10:49 AM

100 Rounds into the primer cup last night.

Now if I can only figure out why the primer retriever won't go all the way back. It gets almost all the way back and gets stuck.

Unfortunately, the loads that I made up are too weak to cycle the action... I think I'll make a smaller batch of increasingly more powerful loads tonight. I snagged the Winchester manual online. That is helpful.

I'm having fun.

ol blue · August 16, 2000, 02:27 PM

I'm not sure what the "primer retriever" is, but if you are talking about the primer slide assembly not sliding well, your problem could be powder getting in underneath it. Spilled any powder lately? You probably will have to take the primer housing off and clean it up. Otherwise you might want to talk to Dillon about it. By the way, if you spill powder clean it up right away, it tends to get under your primers and deform them, as well as causing an unsafe situation. A shop vac works good for cleanup. Definitely take your loads from a good manual, go slow, and be safe....ol blue

Mikul · August 16, 2000, 03:47 PM

Thanks Old Blue. I took that whole section apart last night although I wasn't looking for powder. Maybe I'll check again tonight.

I've taken this thing apart so many times, that I could do it my sleep.

The big fun last night was fishing a bullet out of the primer measure resevior. Don't ask.

I think Dillon should film some first-timer setting one of these things up and ship to every new owner about 2 weeks after the press. We'd all get a hoot watching the guy do the dance we did two weeks ago. They should also keep an on-screen asprin count going for every time he takes one.

I think we'd all watch an hour of: "Stare at the manual. Stare at the press. State at the manual..."

They should then show a 10-year-old setting it up in fifteen minutes.

beemerb · August 16, 2000, 06:22 PM

You might want to lube the primer arm.I have found that it goes both direction easer and makes for better operation.You have to tear it down about every 5000 rds to clean and relube.

------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.

Steve Smith · August 18, 2000, 12:45 PM

Hmmm. The local Dillon rep and dealer loans out the appropriate Dillon video with every press he sells. I had my press operational in about 20 minutes after watching the video. It went like this: Watch the whole video, begin working on the press, get stuck, watch that part of the video again, hit pause, dope slap myself, do some more on the press, get stuck, whatch video, pause, dope slap, for about 20-25 minutes. Poof! Ammo was flying out that 550B so fast I thought my reloading room would fill up!

[This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited August 18, 2000).]

August 15, 2000, 12:52 AM	#1
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	Thanks to all who helped me with my equipment purchase. It came today. I set it up tonight, and somehow managed not to shoot the thing before I finished. I have a few questions now that it SEEMS to be set up. FYI, I'm doing 9mm. PRIMER DIE 1) Is it supposed to reduce the neck size too? Mine is reducing it around 0.005 inches. 2) Do the spent primers EVER fall into that cup? POWDER DIE 1) Is it only supposed to open the neck around 0.001 inches (as per Lyman)? 2) Is it normal for the die to sit up a LOT higher (1/2") than the others? POWDER MEASURE 1) Is it supposed to move smoothly, or are one of the gold metal parts supposed to "catch" on the way back? One of the gold parts appears bent. BULLET SEATING DIE 1) How do you get the bullet to stay in there on its way up? CRIMPING DIE 1) Is it okay as long as it's within the manual's parameters? 2) Is there such a thing as too little crimp? 2) Do you need to crimp even if the neck size is okay after seating the bullet? Is it normal to be up until 2am fiddling with this thing?

August 15, 2000, 01:20 AM	#2
beemerb Junior member Join Date: October 2, 1999 Location: AZ Posts: 1,759	primer die That is the resizeing die and yes it neck sizes. Yes they do.Check and make sure that it is not binding.It should be open and then close on the way down and let the primer out the bottom(This peice is under the plate and drops the primer in the cup) Powder die is set to bell the top of the case.It doesn't take a lot of bell.Just enough to hold the bullet on the next operation. Yes it sets up higher Powder measure You might need to lube some of the external parts.DO NOT LUBE ANYTHING THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE POWDER bullet seating die. see above under powder die Crimping die-Sorry did not see the 9 mm part of the post.Yes you need a taper crimp on them.Set you taper crimp die down to the point that it slides over about 10 to 15 thausands of the case.Then try them in you gun barrel.SHould drop right in.This works if you do not have too much bell on the cases.If 15 will crimp right put less bell on the cases. What are you reloading?Pistol or rifle? Pistol are you using a taper crimp?You will need a crimp on all rounds to prevent the bullets from moveing.Recoil in wheel gun or feeding in a auto.Pushing a bullet back into the case has very bad effects on chamber pressure. Email me direct and I will try to answer as many questions as I can Is it normal to be up a 2 with thing.Yes some of my best loading is at that tim,e of the morning.If I can't sleep it gives me something to do I sure I helped a little.So much easer hands on.Remember dillons toll free help line if you get stuck too bad.They are very good over the phone. ------------------ Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed. I'm old and deceitful. [This message has been edited by beemerb (edited August 15, 2000).]

August 15, 2000, 10:58 AM	#3
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	Got my Q's answered from beemerb and from Dillon. Here they are for the curious: 1) Is it supposed to reduce the neck size too? Yes. If I had looked closely at the Lyman manual, I would have seen that. 2)1) Is it only supposed to open the neck around 0.001 inches? Yes. That's the way it's done. 3) Is it normal for the die to sit up a LOT higher (1/2") than the others? Yes. It's not unusual. 4) Is it supposed to move smoothly, or are one of the gold metal parts supposed to "catch" on the way back? It is supposed to catch. This is a modification that Dillon made because some people were not getting a full charge. 5) How do you get the bullet to stay in there on its way up? Dillon suggested opening up the neck another 1/1000th to make this easier. 6) General crimping advice from Dillon for the 9mm is to bring the die down on an empty case until it puts a shiny ring around the neck. When I read the Lyman carefully, it says to not put a crimp on it.

August 15, 2000, 11:01 AM	#4
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	I forgot one! 7) Do the spent primers EVER fall into that cup? There is a chute under station #1 that is supposed to open and direct the spent primer down toward the cup. It sounds as though mine is not opening. I'll loot at it when I go home. WOO HOO! It looks like I'll be loading my first rounds tonight... sounds like a good night for a midnight trip to the range!

August 15, 2000, 01:37 PM	#5
Hutch Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2000 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 1,124	The bullet usually needs to be held in place carefully with the left thumb and forefinger as the case is entering the seating die. If you load cast bullets with a beveled base, it'll go easier. I once heard of someone who had a neighbor whose press would occasionally deposit a spent primer in the cup. At least he claimed it did. PS: For five bucks or so, you can get a video tape of how to operate and maintain your press, direct from Dillon. They rock.

August 15, 2000, 02:19 PM	#6
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	I am going to bell the case a little more. In actuality, it's only .0007" larger with my current setup, but adjusting that die is a PITA. The primer measure seems pretty accurate. I measured 10 rounds, and they were within 0.1 grains.

August 15, 2000, 05:49 PM	#7
ol blue Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Location: USA Posts: 62	My 550 wouldn't hit the cup with the primers either when I first got it. I took a pair of pliers, and bent the lip out a little bit on the spent primer catcher chute, (the mechanism that holds the spent primers until the up stroke when it releases them into the cup). Worked like a charm. All the primers go into the cup now....ol blue

August 16, 2000, 10:49 AM	#8
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	100 Rounds into the primer cup last night. Now if I can only figure out why the primer retriever won't go all the way back. It gets almost all the way back and gets stuck. Unfortunately, the loads that I made up are too weak to cycle the action... I think I'll make a smaller batch of increasingly more powerful loads tonight. I snagged the Winchester manual online. That is helpful. I'm having fun.

August 16, 2000, 02:27 PM	#9
ol blue Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Location: USA Posts: 62	I'm not sure what the "primer retriever" is, but if you are talking about the primer slide assembly not sliding well, your problem could be powder getting in underneath it. Spilled any powder lately? You probably will have to take the primer housing off and clean it up. Otherwise you might want to talk to Dillon about it. By the way, if you spill powder clean it up right away, it tends to get under your primers and deform them, as well as causing an unsafe situation. A shop vac works good for cleanup. Definitely take your loads from a good manual, go slow, and be safe....ol blue

August 16, 2000, 03:47 PM	#10
Mikul Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Posts: 1,396	Thanks Old Blue. I took that whole section apart last night although I wasn't looking for powder. Maybe I'll check again tonight. I've taken this thing apart so many times, that I could do it my sleep. The big fun last night was fishing a bullet out of the primer measure resevior. Don't ask. I think Dillon should film some first-timer setting one of these things up and ship to every new owner about 2 weeks after the press. We'd all get a hoot watching the guy do the dance we did two weeks ago. They should also keep an on-screen asprin count going for every time he takes one. I think we'd all watch an hour of: "Stare at the manual. Stare at the press. State at the manual..." They should then show a 10-year-old setting it up in fifteen minutes.

August 16, 2000, 06:22 PM	#11
beemerb Junior member Join Date: October 2, 1999 Location: AZ Posts: 1,759	You might want to lube the primer arm.I have found that it goes both direction easer and makes for better operation.You have to tear it down about every 5000 rds to clean and relube. ------------------ Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed. I'm old and deceitful.

August 18, 2000, 12:45 PM	#12
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	Hmmm. The local Dillon rep and dealer loans out the appropriate Dillon video with every press he sells. I had my press operational in about 20 minutes after watching the video. It went like this: Watch the whole video, begin working on the press, get stuck, watch that part of the video again, hit pause, dope slap myself, do some more on the press, get stuck, whatch video, pause, dope slap, for about 20-25 minutes. Poof! Ammo was flying out that 550B so fast I thought my reloading room would fill up! [This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited August 18, 2000).]