Dillon RL550B tips and Tricks

[Don Quixote]

I recently started reloading. I purchased a Dillon RL550B. So far I really like it and have loaded some nice ammo. (9mm and 38). I was hoping to speed up my learning curve by using the accumulated knowledge of POOFA. I am sure there are plenty of tips, tricks, hacks and pitfalls to be learned so I thought this would be a good thread to start.

As I said, I just started so I have little to contribute, but I did run into a problem and came up with what I thought was an elgant solution.

Every so often, the little chute that holds the spent primer in place before it drops into the cup kept getting stuck in the open position which would result in a primer getting caught somewhere in the mechanism. Apparenty the cotter pin got a little bent (not sure how). straightening it enough was impossible. I pulled the pin and drilled a slightly larger hole and now it does not bind.

Second trick, I bought a little AAA maglight, wrapped a zip tie around it so it does not fall through and inserted it in the center hole of the tool die for a nice, cheap light.

One problem I have not yet figured out is why the primer bar sometimes binds up..... there is no loose primer in there because I looked. I tried cleaning it and also spraying some lube but still gets stuck from time to time.

[Delkal]

For the primer bar, when you do a final tighten of the screws that hold it in place cycle it a few times to make sure it is alined. If it is canted you might have a problem.

[Don Quixote]

For the primer bar, when you do a final tighten of the screws that hold it in place cycle it a few times to make sure it is alined. If it is canted you might have a problem.

I will check for that. Thanks

[bogey1]

I have a 650 and find graphite to be better than grease or oil. Powder doesn't stick all over it.

[frankski]

Spraying lube can gum up the primer bar. It runs better dry. Try cleaning it with Hoppes and wipe it clean.

As Delkal noted, alignment is key. Also don't overtighten the hex screws that hold the primer assembly in place.

You'll find a wealth of good info on Brian Enos forum: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=78

Dillon's forum is also useful, but awkward to search. http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/the_forum.html

Good luck!

[Jim8300]

Spraying lube can gum up the primer bar. It runs better dry. Try cleaning it with Hoppes and wipe it clean.

As Delkal noted, alignment is key. Also don't overtighten the hex screws that hold the primer assembly in place.

You'll find a wealth of good info on Brian Enos forum: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=78

Dillon's forum is also useful, but awkward to search. http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/the_forum.html

Good luck!

I was just going to add these links. Here are a couple of others you may want to check out.

http://inlinefabrication.com/product...the-dillon-550

http://ballistictools.com/store/dill...s-enhancements

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296...te?keys=dillon

[Fred762]

Tips for loading 9mm I have learned. I still use my old trusty Dillon 550 from back in the 1980s..they still support that gear!!! Dillon is great!!

1. inspect all cases to make sure some are not Berdan primed..[2 tiny "flash holes" in the bottom] as seen from INSIDE. Why..bks berdan cases cannot be DE-primed easily and will BREAK yer depriming pin on yer resizing die...$$$$ and pizz u off!!

2. 9mm cases are slightly TAPERED from base to mouth..smaller at the mouth. This helps them extract of course, but can lead to a problem I was having. When I began loading 9mmx19, some cases were bulged (kinda gourd-shaped) by a few 1000ths down near the extractor groove area AFTER resizing..a couple of times this lead to the LIVE rounds getting STUCK feeding into the chamber..even in a "loose gun" like my Glock. Anyways, once we even had to take the loaded weapon to a gunsmith to have it removed safely! Pain in the keester and $$$.

Solution #A: I measure base diameter of all 9mm cases after tumbling, to make sure they are within specs..only about 5/1000ths mm in diameter larger than a std LOADED factory case, as measured just above the groove.
I don't even try to de-prime and resize any which are outside that diameter..which ends up being about 2% of all 'range' cases I guess. I have to LOOK into the cases anyways to eliminate berdan cases, so mic-ing them is done at that time. A bit slow, but worth the time.
Hint: Invest in a digital micrometer..saves time! I save all OUTSIZE cases in case I ever have to send any back 'in trade' to factory reloaders..they have machines which full-length resize all 9mm cases and don't seem to care.

Solution #B: On advice of those here, I finally bought a "undersized" resizing/depriming die for the 9mm..it is about 2/1000ths smaller (inside diameter)and allows the cases to be resized all the way down to the groove, so that I have no problems w gourd-shaped bulged cases now

A lot of 9mm cases seem to have small tight primer pockets. My solution to that issue has been to swadge all 9mm cases on my Dillon primer pocket swadger i bought..again..a bit slow, but I get cases which don't jam up new primers at all, so I guess its worth it.

I am a neat freak w reloading..so I clean all cases after resizing..as well: First I check to make sure all gunk is out of primer pocket and soak'em all in detergent water for 24 hours(about 200-250 cases at a time)..then rinse in clean water. I then a soak all cases in white vinegar(reuasable so save it) for a few hours.
I get cases which are completely resized, with swadged pockets and clean & shiny as new..ready for re-priming.
But, just be sure to SAVE that vinegar for next batch and be sure to rinse all of it off the cases!! I dry my cases, 200+ at a time on a dry towel next to my furnace vents...for at least 24 hours. If yer inna hurry, u can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying of cases, but I'm retired and never inna hurry. LOL basically I end up with batches of 200 cases which LOOK like factory new and are ready to load.

I re-prime'em 1 at a time, using only stage 1 of the Dillon, sliding each primer in along the feed tray by hand, then inserting a clean case and shoving the handle gently away to seat that primer. Some folks use a hand primer, but I've found the Dillon works great for me...again a bit slow, but I don't have to mess w those primer feed tubes and will never get an explosion in one either! I re-prime them about 200 at a time and set them aside to be loaded later in batches.. Hint..unscrew that resizing die several turns to give you more room under that ram...

I load'em using the last three stages of the Dillon 550.. You must take OUT the brass "locating" pin at stage 2 so u can slide'em in!! hint: you should gently hold the primed case IN place at stg 2 with yer finger until the case slides up into the belling/powder-drop die..don't let the finger get caught. That way you do not have to put that little brass "locating" PIN back in every time!

So basically here are my steps: tumble, mic the diameter, resize and deprime, clean pocket, swadge pocket, soak in water, soak in vinegar reprime and then load using the last 3 stages of my Dillon 550.

Hope that helps. G'luck Oh..btw..IF you hate the smell of a GYNECOLOGY Clinic(vinegar lol), use pure Coca Cola..it is as acidic as vinegar or more. It is sticky tho, while vinegar is not. It looses its 'fizz' but seems to clean as well as vinegar! I reuse the vinegar or cola about 3-4 times b4 discarding it. You can clean primer pockets w a very small bristle brush or a small screw driver, gently swirling it in the pockets to get out the junk..before soaking of course!

[Don Quixote]

Tips for loading 9mm I have learned. I still use my old trusty Dillon 550 from back in the 1980s..they still support that gear!!! Dillon is great!!

1. inspect all cases to make sure some are not Berdan primed..[2 tiny "flash holes" in the bottom] as seen from INSIDE. Why..bks berdan cases cannot be DE-primed easily and will BREAK yer depriming pin on yer resizing die...$$$$ and pizz u off!!

2. 9mm cases are slightly TAPERED from base to mouth..smaller at the mouth. This helps them extract of course, but can lead to a problem I was having. When I began loading 9mmx19, some cases were bulged (kinda gourd-shaped) by a few 1000ths down near the extractor groove area AFTER resizing..a couple of times this lead to the LIVE rounds getting STUCK feeding into the chamber..even in a "loose gun" like my Glock. Anyways, once we even had to take the loaded weapon to a gunsmith to have it removed safely! Pain in the keester and $$$.

Solution #A: I measure base diameter of all 9mm cases after tumbling, to make sure they are within specs..only about 5/1000ths mm in diameter larger than a std LOADED factory case, as measured just above the groove.
I don't even try to de-prime and resize any which are outside that diameter..which ends up being about 2% of all 'range' cases I guess. I have to LOOK into the cases anyways to eliminate berdan cases, so mic-ing them is done at that time. A bit slow, but worth the time.
Hint: Invest in a digital micrometer..saves time! I save all OUTSIZE cases in case I ever have to send any back 'in trade' to factory reloaders..they have machines which full-length resize all 9mm cases and don't seem to care.

Solution #B: On advice of those here, I finally bought a "undersized" resizing/depriming die for the 9mm..it is about 2/1000ths smaller (inside diameter)and allows the cases to be resized all the way down to the groove, so that I have no problems w gourd-shaped bulged cases now

A lot of 9mm cases seem to have small tight primer pockets. My solution to that issue has been to swadge all 9mm cases on my Dillon primer pocket swadger i bought..again..a bit slow, but I get cases which don't jam up new primers at all, so I guess its worth it.

I am a neat freak w reloading..so I clean all cases after resizing..as well: First I check to make sure all gunk is out of primer pocket and soak'em all in detergent water for 24 hours(about 200-250 cases at a time)..then rinse in clean water. I then a soak all cases in white vinegar(reuasable so save it) for a few hours.
I get cases which are completely resized, with swadged pockets and clean & shiny as new..ready for re-priming.
But, just be sure to SAVE that vinegar for next batch and be sure to rinse all of it off the cases!! I dry my cases, 200+ at a time on a dry towel next to my furnace vents...for at least 24 hours. If yer inna hurry, u can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying of cases, but I'm retired and never inna hurry. LOL basically I end up with batches of 200 cases which LOOK like factory new and are ready to load.

I re-prime'em 1 at a time, using only stage 1 of the Dillon, sliding each primer in along the feed tray by hand, then inserting a clean case and shoving the handle gently away to seat that primer. Some folks use a hand primer, but I've found the Dillon works great for me...again a bit slow, but I don't have to mess w those primer feed tubes and will never get an explosion in one either! I re-prime them about 200 at a time and set them aside to be loaded later in batches.. Hint..unscrew that resizing die several turns to give you more room under that ram...

I load'em using the last three stages of the Dillon 550.. You must take OUT the brass "locating" pin at stage 2 so u can slide'em in!! hint: you should gently hold the primed case IN place at stg 2 with yer finger until the case slides up into the belling/powder-drop die..don't let the finger get caught. That way you do not have to put that little brass "locating" PIN back in every time!

So basically here are my steps: tumble, mic the diameter, resize and deprime, clean pocket, swadge pocket, soak in water, soak in vinegar reprime and then load using the last 3 stages of my Dillon 550.

Hope that helps. G'luck Oh..btw..IF you hate the smell of a GYNECOLOGY Clinic(vinegar lol), use pure Coca Cola..it is as acidic as vinegar or more. It is sticky tho, while vinegar is not. It looses its 'fizz' but seems to clean as well as vinegar! I reuse the vinegar or cola about 3-4 times b4 discarding it. You can clean primer pockets w a very small bristle brush or a small screw driver, gently swirling it in the pockets to get out the junk..before soaking of course!

MAN, that's a lot of work! Thank God you are retired. If you accounted for the cost of your time it might be cheaper to shoot factory premium ammo! It's amazing what we do for free that we would not do if someone paid us. LOL

I clean the brass with some water, vinegar, a little salt and some dish soap. I saw this online somewhere and it works well. I just put them in a bucket and swish them around with my had for a while, soak them for 30 minutes, swish them around again and then rinse. Then I dry them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 250 degrees.

I use a Dillon press but Lee dies. The Lee Factory Crimp die seems to resize the full case. Works very well.

The only issue with sizing I ever have is when I reload lead bullets. At first I did not flare the case mouth enough and I was shaving some lead causing it to stick in the case gage. I flared it a bit more, then I make sure I set the bullet nice and straight in the case and it seems to have fixed the problem. I till get a few that shave and I have to scrape the lead off the side but not too foten.

[JoshIronshaft]

Man, I just tumble my 9mm and load them on the 650. You guys have too much time.

[Don Quixote]

Man, I just tumble my 9mm and load them on the 650. You guys have too much time.

I don't have a tumbler. I don't think the way I do it is very time consuming. Drop them in a bucket, swish them around, rinse them and dry them.

They don't come out shiny but they are clean