Lee Dies in Dillon 550 w/o Lock Nuts - How?

jtduncan · April 14, 2002, 06:49 PM

Lee Dies in Dillon 550 w/o Lock Nuts - How?

As some of you know, i just picked up a second Dillon press. An older Dillon 550 for 45 ACP and 44 mag.

Well I had cleaned it all up, lubed it, and was just tinkering with my die settings and noticed that my Lee factory crimp die (FCD) can't sit in position 4 in the toolhead/die plate unless I take off the lock nut. I tried flipping it upside down and that didn't work.

I looked at putting it on the bottom with some Dillon thinner lock nuts and it was to thick and would hit the indexing star.

Do I need a lock nut on my Lee FCD to keep it in place on the toolhead?

Or do you need locknuts on your dies at all?

Was thinking of just not using a lock nut on on that die. But would that get out of alignment and screw itself out?

Solution?

JimmyDee · April 14, 2002, 11:21 PM

Bummer! I've always noticed that dies made by someone other than Dillon always seemed to "ride low" in the tool head but I never came across this. (I use Lee FCD for a couple rifle cartridges only.)

I would not run the thing without somehow locking the die and I suspect that a bit of glue (too slow for me) or floss wrapped in the threads might do the trick. I'd probably make a mark on the die and toolhead so I'd know where to crank it to and so that movement would be noticable.

Let us know what you decide to do...

Jim Watson · April 15, 2002, 11:05 AM

Lee now advertises that their dies have longer threaded sections to work in thick headed presses. Call 'em up and see if they will give you an exchange or at least a discount.

Clint Tickler · April 15, 2002, 05:10 PM

A friend of mine had the same problem and drilled and tapped the tool head so that he could run a set screw in from the side and lock the die in place. You don't need to torque the set screw too tight or you'll bugger up the threads on the die.

maxwayne · April 16, 2002, 05:46 AM

Did you try a thinner Dillon nut on the top? I have had the same problem and have used the thinner lock nuts. Some of my dies are screwed down pretty far.

jtduncan · April 16, 2002, 05:47 PM

I'm going to have the run the Lee dies with the Dillon locknuts on the bottom.

I'll just not have a full downward stroke when I raise the shellplate up to the dies/toolhead.

Seems that is the common solution.

Oh well!

Thanks.

JimmyDee · April 16, 2002, 10:46 PM

Does this mean that you'll lower all the other dies in the toolhead?

There are a couple other things that happen when the ram tops out at the bottom of the pull stroke. The most troublesome, it seems, is that the primer bar won't be pushed all the way under the primer tube unless you raise the anchor for the primer bar actuator.

Another undesirable thing, I'd guess, is that the shell plate base will be taking force from the base of the die(s) and not something nice and soft like the brass case that is usually being resized in position 1. It seems to me that those allen head cap screws will be stretched.

jtduncan · April 17, 2002, 03:28 PM

I tested it and all seemed fine by just lowering the dies and adding locknut to bottom.

April 14, 2002, 06:49 PM	#1
jtduncan Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Posts: 1,686	Lee Dies in Dillon 550 w/o Lock Nuts - How? Lee Dies in Dillon 550 w/o Lock Nuts - How? As some of you know, i just picked up a second Dillon press. An older Dillon 550 for 45 ACP and 44 mag. Well I had cleaned it all up, lubed it, and was just tinkering with my die settings and noticed that my Lee factory crimp die (FCD) can't sit in position 4 in the toolhead/die plate unless I take off the lock nut. I tried flipping it upside down and that didn't work. I looked at putting it on the bottom with some Dillon thinner lock nuts and it was to thick and would hit the indexing star. Do I need a lock nut on my Lee FCD to keep it in place on the toolhead? Or do you need locknuts on your dies at all? Was thinking of just not using a lock nut on on that die. But would that get out of alignment and screw itself out? Solution? __________________ The Seattle SharpShooter Reloaded .223 Rem, 9mm, 40SW, 357 SIG, 10mm, 44 Mag, 45 ACP Today?

April 16, 2002, 05:47 PM	#6
jtduncan Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Posts: 1,686	I'm going to have the run the Lee dies with the Dillon locknuts on the bottom. I'll just not have a full downward stroke when I raise the shellplate up to the dies/toolhead. Seems that is the common solution. Oh well! Thanks. __________________ The Seattle SharpShooter Reloaded .223 Rem, 9mm, 40SW, 357 SIG, 10mm, 44 Mag, 45 ACP Today?

April 17, 2002, 03:28 PM	#8
jtduncan Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Posts: 1,686	I tested it and all seemed fine by just lowering the dies and adding locknut to bottom. __________________ The Seattle SharpShooter Reloaded .223 Rem, 9mm, 40SW, 357 SIG, 10mm, 44 Mag, 45 ACP Today?

April 14, 2002, 11:21 PM	#2
JimmyDee Member Join Date: December 30, 2001 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 79	Bummer! I've always noticed that dies made by someone other than Dillon always seemed to "ride low" in the tool head but I never came across this. (I use Lee FCD for a couple rifle cartridges only.) I would not run the thing without somehow locking the die and I suspect that a bit of glue (too slow for me) or floss wrapped in the threads might do the trick. I'd probably make a mark on the die and toolhead so I'd know where to crank it to and so that movement would be noticable. Let us know what you decide to do...

April 15, 2002, 11:05 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,545	Lee now advertises that their dies have longer threaded sections to work in thick headed presses. Call 'em up and see if they will give you an exchange or at least a discount.

April 15, 2002, 05:10 PM	#4
Clint Tickler Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 1999 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 184	A friend of mine had the same problem and drilled and tapped the tool head so that he could run a set screw in from the side and lock the die in place. You don't need to torque the set screw too tight or you'll bugger up the threads on the die.

April 16, 2002, 05:46 AM	#5
maxwayne Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2001 Posts: 402	Did you try a thinner Dillon nut on the top? I have had the same problem and have used the thinner lock nuts. Some of my dies are screwed down pretty far.

April 16, 2002, 10:46 PM	#7
JimmyDee Member Join Date: December 30, 2001 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 79	Does this mean that you'll lower all the other dies in the toolhead? There are a couple other things that happen when the ram tops out at the bottom of the pull stroke. The most troublesome, it seems, is that the primer bar won't be pushed all the way under the primer tube unless you raise the anchor for the primer bar actuator. Another undesirable thing, I'd guess, is that the shell plate base will be taking force from the base of the die(s) and not something nice and soft like the brass case that is usually being resized in position 1. It seems to me that those allen head cap screws will be stretched.