Need Help with My Dillon 550!!

J

Jamie Young

New member
If I don't hear from Anyone tonight I'll call Dillon in the Morning.
The bolt that holds the shell plate in on My 550 keeps turning with the shell plate. I took the plate off and cleaned underneath it to see if something was dragging. No Matter what I do when I turn the shell plate the bolt "Eventually" starts to turn with it. THIS IS DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!!!!!
 
S

Steve Smith

New member
Ok, you tighten the bolt with your fingers 'till you can't move the shellplate. Back off the bolt just a bit. HOLD the bolt, while seeing if the shellplate moves freely. If it does, raise the ram some, and tighten the set screw.

Should work fine.
 
G

Gewehr98

New member
Yup, that set screw.

Get your shellplate bolt to just the right tension, then lock it with the small allen-head setscrew threaded into the ram. If you need a picture, let me know.;)
 
J

Jamie Young

New member
I got it THANKS!!! I finished reloading 1000rds in the last two days. I've been taking it slow setting everything and getting use to it. I haven't done more than 200rds an hour, mostly because I only have ONE primer fill tube:(

This sure beats reloading .223 on a Single stage press:) Last spring It took me 3 MONTHS to reload 800rds of .223 on My Lee Single Stage:eek: :barf:
 
L

labgrade

Member In Memoriam
That set screw is very easy to forget about when changing out calibers/shell plates - just like I did a couple days ago.
 
S

Steve Smith

New member
Soda, sorry I left you hangin' there...I went to bed! Sounds like you got it.

Hey, if you don't have a manual for your press, you should cal Dillon. They'll get you one quick.
 
J

J.T.King

New member
OH MY...

You mean there is a set screw???

No wonder it was so dang hard to get out that bolt when changing calibers with my 650...

You know, I did not see any detailed instructions for changing calibers with my press or my conversion kits. Were they just left out or does Dillon just assume you will call them???

JT
 
L

labgrade

Member In Memoriam
I dunno re 650, JTK, but is does detail it in the 550 destructions. IIRC, they even say this is one of those things most of us forget to do.

& yes, it makes unscrewing that main screw much harder to remove - known from experience. ;)
 
S

Steve Smith

New member
I had no idea that so many folks had this kind of trouble. I may re-evaluate my propensity to recommend progressives to newbies. :(
 
L

labgrade

Member In Memoriam
I only did it once - honest. ;) But that was enough.

Progressives are fine for what they do - just need a bit of extra attention is all - & loosen that screw. ;)
 
J

J.T.King

New member
Wouldn't consider myself a loading newbie but...

I went through all the documentation that Dillon sent with the 650... I never saw ANYTHING about changing calibers. Only for press assembly and bullet assembly, along with manuals for many of the accessories (powder measure, case feeder, etc...).

When I changed calibers, I looked at the parts in the coversion kit and then installed them. Only hard part was getting out that dang center bolt!!!!

Now I'll go look at it again, but I think maybe I am missing a manual or something.

Doesn't matter if you are a loading newbie or not, if you buy a NEW press, there is always a learning curve.

JT

as usual, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, and all that...
 
L

labgrade

Member In Memoriam
Not to rub any salt in the wound .... under Dillon's 550 instructions/TO BEGIN LOADING section starts off with determing what caliber to load. Details setting up your shell plate, etc.

"Take the brass tipped set screw insert & tighten ... yada ... This screw must be loosened when changing calibers, something that is often forgotten as it's out of sight."

YMMV re 650, etc.

Like I mentioned before, have done it myself.

I've had my 550 up & running a few months & still am in that learning curve. Something about dropping <4 grains of Bullseye in a case that will hold >16-20 & not being able to visually verify (easily) still making me have a leap of faith .... ;)
 
B

blades67

New member
The XL650 instruction manual has a section titled "Conducting the Caliber Conversion" that lists all the steps you will need to take. It is also available on-line.

The set-screw is also detailed in the 650 manual.
 
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