This makes sense on the priming system, even with my limited experience of loading my first 500 rounds. Even if you forget to check the primer pickup, you can always feel when it skips a primer and just pull the case before advancing. This way you don’t wind up spilling powder from a case without a primer or having to pull it down later.My first Dillon was a 450 bought new probably over 30 years ago. It did not have Tool Heads, and the Powder Measure and Priming System were both manually operated. Great press, but it needed a Star Wheel Bad. You rotated it using a shell in the press.
It was sold, and I upgraded to an early version of the 550. I owned it for a long time, then I got an opportunity to buy a later model version with a few upgrades dirt cheap. The original owner decided to get into 600 yard Bench Rest. He started ordering things he thought he would need for loading TWO Rifles without consulting with a REAL Bench Rest Shooter. He bought two 550's and started adding a few aftermarket improvements. Then he got with a REAL Bench Rest Shooter and learned that he really needed different Reloading Equipment to win with. He put his 550 up for sale, and my brother and I bought both of them. I then sold my old 550 to a buddy of mine.
A note on the priming system. I have Cleaned, and I have Polished, and Dry Lubed, and Aligned the Priming System multiple times. It will work great for a while, then start skipping picking up primers again when it gets a little dirty. What I have ended up doing is visually checking to make sure I have a primer picked up and facing up every time. If it starts skipping I will start pulling the slide all the way back by pulling on the vertical pin on the back with a finger to make sure that it comes all the way back, until I decide to tear it down and clean it again.
I would not trade my Dillon for any other press for loading handgun ammunition.
Bob R
No kidding. Back then affording bullets was my problem. I had a few thousand primers and plenty of W231 on hand.Amazing how fast you can runout of components .
Primer tubes need to be clean also. After extensive use, they get dirty inside from primer residue and primers have a tendency to stick/skip.This makes sense on the priming system, even with my limited experience of loading my first 500 rounds. Even if you forget to check the primer pickup, you can always feel when it skips a primer and just pull the case before advancing. This way you don’t wind up spilling powder from a case without a primer or having to pull it down later.
I was planning on using my cleaning kit for my 17HMR to clean the primer tube. As far as the plastic lips go, my primer tube has a brass tip on the end, no plastic. I assumed the plastic tips included in my parts kit are for a newer model 550, as long as the slider comes all the way to the rear it always picks up a primer, but occasionally I find it just not quite going all the way. I did bend the wire activator thingy for a little more pressure which helped tremendously, but I’d say maybe once in every two hundred rounds or so I’m still failing to pick up a primer.Yes, do clean the tube. One of the long pipe cleaners used for AR gas tube cleaning and a little alcohol pushed down inside will tell you if it's dirty. If so, pull it off and use a .177 pellet gun cleaning rod and patches for the best effect.
Also, the plastic feed lips on the primer tubes wear out and have to be replaced periodically. They're included in your parts kit, but I don't know if you tried changing yours.