Dillon 550b primer seating

[PolarFBear]

Loading Winchester brass, 45ACP. Not from same lot, # of firings unknown. Loaded 10, using CCI primers, all OK. Next one in the primer feed "felt" OK but the primer was just a touch pround. I then prepped all primer pockets on a Lyman case prep machine, never had to do this on pistol brass before. Did find some primer holes (not the pocket just the flame hole) a bit large and discarded that brass. Cleaned the primer mechanism on the press with a brush and canned "air". Tried again and still primers are standing "pround" by a couple of thousandths. Any Dillon "pros" on site? Directions to a Dillon website? I've loaded quite a few rounds over the years on this press. Never any real problems: 'til now.

 

[Unclenick]

The Dillon seating force is low to try to let you feel the seating become complete. That never worked for me because what felt right on one case was too little for another. I did two things: I tried different primers, finding Federal and Winchester least likely to stand proud (easiest to seat). I started almost punching the priming handle forward to complete the stroke and eliminate high primers.

I found a lot of brass from overseas, IMI in particular, has primer pockets about -0.0003" smaller than U.S. average. That probably gives them long case life, but you have really push hard to prime them, and a tool like the one built into the Forster Co-ax press works best for that. I've bought IMI match brass in the past in both .308 and .45 Auto and had to run them through my Dillon 600 primer pocket swager before they would seat in the Square Deal or the 550B. A 1050 would have had no problem with them.

 

[Old_School]

Loading Winchester brass. Not from same lot, # of firings unknown. Loaded 10, all OK. Next one in the primer feed "felt" OK but the primer was just a touch pround. I then prepped all primer pockets on a Lyman case prep machine, never had to do this on pistol brass before. Did find some primer holes (not the pocket just the flame hole) a bit large and discarded that brass. Cleaned the primer mechanism on the press with a brush and canned "air". Tried again and still primers are standing "pround" by a couple of thousandths. Any Dillon "pros" on site? Directions to a Dillon website? I've loaded quite a few rounds over the years on this press. Never any real problems: 'til now.

Are any of the primer pockets crimped?

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

[jetav8r]

I have two 550b's. one small primer and one large primer. Never had a proud primer on the machine set up for small primers. However like Unclenick, I found the need for a lot of force when seating large primers in .45 ACP cases.

 

[Jim Watson]

Loading Winchester brass.

What caliber?

The Dillon seating force is low to try to let you feel the seating become complete.

That might be their legend but I think it is because of where the priming takes place in the press stroke, at a point of low leverage. That was just where they could fit it in.
If you think the 550 is bad, try .45 ACP on a Square Deal.
There is no feel in the 1050, it socks the primer home to a mechanical stop.

Something to check; there is a height spec for the primer cup above the bar.
I will bring it in from the shop after a while... if I remember.
Or look it up or call Dillon.

Got it, 1.215 - 1.220".
I think bottom of bar to top of cup but it will be obvious when you take it out.

 

[Unclenick]

If you are talking about the 1050, its priming ram height is adjustable. For the other presses, I don't recall reading that spec, but I've owned my copies for closing on 30-years, and I haven't had much occasion to reread the instructions in that time except to look for specific details.

The Square Deal is what I do all 45 Auto on (it's dedicated) and is where I learned to give the handle a good shove forward to seat primers. I also found any flexing of the mounting makes it harder to seat primers. I originally mounted the SD with holes through a wood benchtop, but later got an 8×10×1/4" HR steel plate I drilled to match the press, so now that is what makes contact with the bench. It made the shove easier to complete as long as the bench was hard against the wall.

I don't have a way to know whether the "feel" claim was made up after the fact for CYA purposes or not. But I do know they could have used a stop to make the seating complete a little earlier in the stroke when the mechanical advantage has been reduced less.

 

[PolarFBear]

Unclenick: My press is mounted in the Dillon steel riser. It is bolted to the bench. I've had great success with the Dillon 550b. Most of my presses are Lee (3 Pro 1000's, Loadmaster, a four holer and OLD three holer. Priming on a Lee, any of them except the less complex models, has always been a "challenge". The Dillon was a breeze. A few years ago I did have to replace the primer track bearing, the plate under the slide bar. Dillon suppiled the parts gratis. Maybe that has gone again. Like you, I haven't had much need to review the Instruction Manual over the years: unlike the Lee manual that is worn to tatters. But, I do see a diagram on page 5 showing a 1.215 -- 1.220 inch height measurement on the primer slide assembly. I will check that when the sun comes into the window of the shop tommorrow morning.Thanks, PFB sends.

 

[Ben Dover]

I've never had any problem at all seating primets by feel on any Dillon 450, 550 or 650.

9MM brass is found on the range from so many different manufactrurers that I now just run all of them through my "super-swage" before first loading to maintain consistency.

 

[PolarFBear]

I confirmed my primer bar slider is wthin specs @ 1.2175 inches. Cleaned all working parts with mineral spirits. Confirmed that the thumb wheel is properly tightened. Ran a couple - OK. Then a few were not. My work space is 40 degrees, maybe it is just to cold to work properly. I'll delay more loading until the temp rises a bit.

 

[oley55]

Ok, you guys have me confused now, or my ole 1980's RL450 primer system and press work way different than a 550.

If the primers are seating proud why wouldn't you simply adjust the primer seating depth? That's the hex head bolt (with jamb nut) that screws into the bottom side (front) of the shellplate platform and bottoms out against the press frame. Screw in further to increase seating depth.

Got no clue what this feel thing is. That bolt bottoming out against the frame is a pretty darn mechanical feeling. Just shove that operating handle forward until it stops.

Edit: on the feel thing, yea if the primer doesn't fully seat you won't feel the stop. And for sure you can feel when you are trying to press a primer into a crimped pocket. Also, I wouldn't think you would want so much leverage that you can easily crush primers.

Edit #2: been rethinking the issue and perhaps the way you pump the handle IS different with an auto-primer feed. That being, that when I shove that handle forward and don't get that solid stop, I'll pull the handle back an inch and then shove it forward again. Perhaps that method won't work with the auto-powder/primer gizmos.

 

[PolarFBear]

Oley55. Thanks for the input. I've never handled a 450. It does have a different method of "working" the primer. On the 550b, I give the handle a FIRM push AND pull the frame forward. The frame doesn't actually move but it does give me support for that firm forward push. My handle will come to rest on the frame. Adjustment of the primer cup is a bit more involved on the 550b. It has to be set with a certain spec. Setting that height is a "pain". I've even tried rotating the brass shell 1/4 turn and then another 1/4 just to make sure the shell is not cocked. No luck. It is either this load of Winchester brass or my reloading space, in the garage, is to cold. I'll try different brass AND tommorrow is supposed to be a warmer day.

 

[oley55]

Bear, I presume you have already checked these (cut n paste from Dillon manual):

Problem One. Primers not seated deep enough.
A. Shellplate too loose.
B. Shellplate upside down. You should be able to see a
stamped shellplate number facing up.
C. The crimp in the primer pockets of military brass will
cause this problem. Crimps can be easily removed by use of
a Dillon Primer Pocket Swage.

The shellplate too loose mentioned makes me wonder if there is a chance the shellplate platform bolts have worked loose. Unlikely as I would expect progressive station misalignment between cases in the shellplate and the dies. But it would hurt nothing to pull the shellplate and check the platform bolts. Just don't loosen or remove them as that would require an alignment tool from dillon.

With that, I'll sit back (quietly) and wish I had the bucks to upgrade. Best of luck my friend.

 

[Unclenick]

PolarBear,

If you can, pick up a box of Federal 150 primers and see if the issue stops. I used to have to eschew CCI primers in my Square Deal because they were too tight. In 1992 (IIRC) they revamped their primer lines and got rid of the burrs that originally made them hard to seat, but I've only had occasion to buy CCI for rifle loads since then, so maybe you would find the Federals still seat more easily. I also bought Winchester LP primers one time when Federal was unavailable, and had no problem with them, either.

 

[PolarFBear]

Unclenick. I will try some Federal's. The preplexing part is the last time I loaded on this machine I used these same CCI primers. Talked to Dillon. They said DO NOT exceed the 1.220 inch limit on the primer cup height. I thought that I might adjust it up a "skosh" but NO. Dillon is sending a new primer slider assembly with bar, pen, cup, spring, and slider bearing. All "gratis". Cheers for Dillon: answered on the second ring and gave good advice. Now, I'll wait for Monday's parts shipment. Oh, I thought it might be temp related at 40 degrees. Dillon says temps should not affect the mechanism. Today the shop is at 52 degrees and still some brass loads; some does not.

 

[pete2]

Federal primers seat easier than any of the others. The last batch of Win WLP were horrible, flattened a bunch of them seating them. I did use a couple hundred CCI Large Pistol a couple years ago, no problem with the CCIs. I won't buy the Win again.
I was testing primers for my tuned 625 revolver, Win, CCI and Remington. Win and Rem both too hard, lots of misfires. The CCI fired 199 of 200. I think the misfire was on a high primer, it fired the second time. I cleaned the pockets on the 2nd 100 and made sure no high primers, all 100 fired. Make sure the shell plate is all the way down, if loose you'll have problems.

 

[kerreckt]

I've never had any problem at all seating primets by feel on any Dillon 450, 550 or 650.

9MM brass is found on the range from so many different manufactrurers that I now just run all of them through my "super-swage" before first loading to maintain consistency.

I agree 100%. I have a 450 and (2) 550's. Once you get the "feel" your seating problems go away. The muscle memory becomes intuitive. Often times I can feel problem brass when de-priming. Reloading ammo is a great tactile exercise. I love it!

 

[PolarFBear]

Problem solved. Switched to Federal Large Pistol Primers. AND, Dillon replaced the primer slider bar and slider plate bearing. Still crunched three out of 45 primers. Believe that was "operator" error. Still can't figure what went wrong with the old primer bar.

 

[PolarFBear]

popshooting445: I think your "finger" method is sufficient. That is my final quality check - combined with a visual. My "eye" micrometer indicates about .001th of an an inch is the proper depth.