Quote:
Originally Posted by BB57
I can't comment on the C model, but on the B model having the primer slide jam is very rare.
When it does happen, it's the result of grit getting under the slide or under the plate below the slide, or it's the result of a serious mis-alignment issue.
When I swap from large to small primer slides, or vice versa, I just leave the screws under the primer assembly slightly loose until I lower the shell plate over the primer cup. With the shell plate in the lowered position I then snug up the screws with an allen wrench with finger pressure on the short arm to "torque" it.
Mine never needed any filing, nor did it require loose screws. In terms of cleaning I brush the whole area clean when ever I change shell plates or switch primer slights with a small brush, like the small paint brushes I use to remove swarf on my lathe - just without cutting oil on them.
There are third party primer slides available that use a roller bearing that are probably less likely to jam due to dirt, but I've never seen it as a large enough problem to bother getting one.
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I've owned my 550B for about 20 years and it's seen between 10,000 and 20,000 rounds per year.
The only issues I have had are:
- a screw under the tray that feeds the shell plate periodically loosening so that it would not allow the shell plate to go all the way down, resulting in high primers (it was hard to diagnose the first time it happens, the other two times I knew exactly where to start);
- the plastic cracking on the clamp for primer alarm (which was no big deal as I never found it to be useful - you can feel when you don't seat a primer and the visual indicator from the follower is plenty of warning, no audible warning is needed);
- dirt, or a spent primer falling in front of it, interfering with the primer slide; and
- the cotter pin that serves as a hinge for the spent primer chute getting bent and preventing the chute from pivoting(you'll find better replacements in the form of a small nail, a 4-40 bolt, or even a heavy duty paperclip).
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The dealer I purchased the Dillon from, who knows me from other reloading I do, suggested this 550C, said it was bullet proof. I trust that, and he’s been so busy with his wife and chemotherapy, I just hated to call him, but he’s repeatedly asked me to if I had problems.
This morning I hit him up, described the problem, he said the exact same thing about the primer chute, he asked I replace the cotter key with a heavy duty paper clip, then smooth the edges with sandpaper. In his shop he’s got every Dillon set up for the customers to view, and he personally loads on a 550C, but owns a 650 also. His selling point was I could load my .270 max ammo on this press, which is straight up wildcat. You mentioned the alignment of the primer bar as well. I’ve assembled this press from the box, but it was set up for small primers, thus 38’s. So I didn’t have to go into the powder bar, but now I want to approach this issue with a shotgun approach, you know, check & replace cotter pin, check alignment of the slide, make sure the slide bar is clean, smooth off any rough edges, then resume operation, and see if any or all of that solves my problem.
In agreement with my dealer, folks have loaded 10’s of thousands of rounds on this press without switching to ball bearings etc.... I’d like to solve the issue, then upgrade later b/c it’s beneficial to saving me time, not to fix a problem with a band aid or masking it with an aftermarket part. Myself, I love to reload, and find it therapeutic to getting my mind off of everyday problems like this Corona Virus, and after years of working on Mec’s from single stage to progressive, I like the challenge of troubleshooting the issues, but I get stumped time to time. I really have owned this Dillon 550C literally 3 days. So I’m still discovering it’s quirks, and you guys owning this machine are very beneficial. I just hope I can return the favor sometime for y’all with a machine I’m more familiar with.
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