I have had this press for a few months and noticed that on 44 mag I was fairly consistantly peeling one side of the bullet in the seating process. To adjust for this I dialed in a little more bell. I also notoiced that the fully seated and crimped bullet bulged slightly more on one side than the other.

Fast forward to 45 ACP. I now have the same problem but to a much more noticable degree. This is with the dies in a seperate tool head than those of the 44 dies. The bullet is definitely tilted when seated and crimped. I attribute the more noticable symptom to the much shorter bearing surface of the 45 cal bullet compared to that of the 44.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Dillon customer service wants me to send the press back, which at some point I will do.


In the photo bellow I have attemted to show the distorted reflection that the bulge creates and how pronounced it is on this side.



In this photo I have rotated the same bullet approximately 180 degrees so as to show the relative lack of bulge.

Im thinking your shell plate is not adjusted properly and not indexing to the center of the die

I used to have this problem with 32ACP on a Dillon550b. Some things to consider:
1. Foreign brass? Sometimes its thinner.
2. Are the bullets true to advertised diameter? Calipers are essential to diagnosing this problem.
3. Like Ken said, check that you index the shell plate correctly.
4. Case diameter after full length resizing: its doubtful, but your dies might be out of spec; again with the calipers.
5. Expander plug traveling too deep within case? Sometimes, its necessary in order to bell cases enough for proper seating. Its unsightly, but do your rounds chamber? This is mentioned in Handloader Mag #266, June 2010, in regards to .380ACP.

Also, I noticed there is a ring on the top of the bullet where the seating stem makes contact. Are you seating and crimping in one operation? I strongly recommend seating and crimping in separate operations. As the seating plug contacts the bullet, the case is usually already crimped and this forces the plug to dig into the bullet. It could possibly be exacerbating the case bulge as well.

Thanks guys, I'll run down your lists in order.

The shell plate has been adjusted from loose to tight with no change in result.
The plate indexes to the ball bearing and seems therefore to be factory set, in my mind.


All brass is new Starline, as this is a new caliber to me.

Bullets are of same advertised diameter. Different bullets in both 44 and 45 caliber give the same results.

All rounds do chamber and, in 45 cal, all rounds cycle properly.

Seating and crimping are done in independent operations. I see the ring also and it looks like the seating plug has a sharp edge on the ring that contacts the bullet.

What brand of dies are you using? When I started using my Dillon I used RCBS dies and had a slight problem with the case lining up with the mouth of the dies. This was with 45acp and 357mag. I have since of a period of time replaced all dies with the Dillon brand and have no problems. Well one small problem finding time to load.

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U.S.A.F---E-7--Retired

Pretty basic question, but are you sure you are using the correct bullet seating plug?

Fine grit sandpaper should remove any burrs on the seating plug. Loading about 1,000 rounds has the same effect. Whatever you decide to do, know that Dillon will unquestionably stand behind their product.

It appears to be a misalignment of the die or shellplate not a problem with the Dillon 550.

The dies are Dillon.
The bullet seating plug is for round nose, the other side is for semi wadcutter.
So far I have loaded 500, 45 ACP rounds and every one looks exactly the same and clocks exactly in the same position.


The only adjustment I can make for the shellplate/die interface is to loosen the plate on top of the ram and rotate it. The problem with this is that the bullets are tilting toward the center of the ram. For this reason I am now thinking the frame where the tool head slides in and the ram are not exactly parallel. To further this thought is the fact that it occurs with two seperate die sets and tool heads.

You don't have the shell plates mixed up do you?

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U.S.A.F---E-7--Retired

Shell plates are not mixed. The new set of dies, 45, and shell plate came on the same day and were all set up together.

When you initially install the dies into the tool head you might create that problem .
Because of the very coarse loose fitting thread which is standard on dies and tool head it is possible to move the dies to a less than perfect alignment .
I adjust the dies with cartridge cases in all four stations , with the ramp up , only then I tighten the lock nuts .
Hope that helps . If not , Dillon will stand behind their product , "don't suffer in silence" .

This is a good idea.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Try to seat a few rounds in a single stage to see if you have the same problem...

I notice that the impression of the seating plug corresponds with the bulge, ie, it does look like things are not hitting squarely. Recheck your first station, sizing/decapping die. If it is not adjusted properly it may be causing the toolhead to tilt. Since it is 180 degrees from the seating station I think this is where the problem may be.

Ran across this snippet over at brianenos.com, poster had a similar problem:

"I called Dillon tech support this morning mentioning everything I had tried based on the forums recommendations and he went through all possibilities. Bottom line was the sizing die was not seated properly even though I followed Dillon's assembly and instructional DVD. I had previously raised the shellplate all the way up and tightened the sizing die until it touched the shellplate. Per the DVD, the next step would be to back off the die by 1/4 turn - the video shows only backing off about 1/8 turn which I duplicated. Dillon tech said that was misleading and that properly seating the sizing die included holding down the handle and hand tightening the die as tight as possible...then tightening the die lock ring while still putting downward pressure on the handle...something I have never down before as was not in the manual or video. He said that just tightening the lock ring w/o pressure on the handle can result in improper placement..."

Rocketblend's idea to run one case around at a time is a good way to see if the problem is at the seating station or somewhere else. I also think that Beerjman's reco to loosen the lock rings and then tighten with the ram up and a case in each station is a very good idea. And, make sure the shellplate is sufficiently tightened down to prevent any tendency to tilt.

HTH

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It's possible the platform is misaligned on the Mainshaft. I had mine work loose on my 650 and I had all kinds of strange problems.

Today I adjusted all dies with cases at the top. I also adjusted the sizing die with the handle held down and tightened it as tight as I could by hand and then tightened the lock ring.

All rounds cycle with the same result.

I also sent some through one at a time with the same outcome.
I did notice that after sizing, one side of the case was scratched and the other was not. More asymmetry?

Check the bottom of the shellplate to see if any crud has accumulated in the groove for the case rim. This can hold the brass slightly too far out and cause misalignment.

jt

Is this your first attempt at reloading? It appears you have a very limited comprehension of mechanics. Perhaps you should consider using a single stage press to gain proficiency prior to using a progressive loader.

If you don't understand why the OP did what he described, it may be you who has a limited understanding of mechanics. If he has a problem on a progressive it is not going to be solved by telling him to get a single stage.

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peppercorn,
perhaps you can find a colleague that has a 550 as well and have a mentor go through set up with you. Another set of experienced eyes can catch something that we can easily overlook.

I was fortunate in having the original owner of my 550 tutor me while I was getting used to it. I did the the set up and changing of things like small to large primer and back etc. while he guided me through.

Helped ME greatly. Maybe it will work for you as well.

Randy

Not to speak for pepper, but I did help him set up his 550 and get him going, and he's turned out a ton of good looking ammo in the short time he's been at it. Unfortunately our schedules have not allowed me a chance to get back over to his place since he first posted, so I have just tried to help over the wire. Doesn't really do it compared to seeing and touching, though.
Although, just as an aside, I noticed that upon close (really close) inspection of my own ammo loaded on my 20 year old 550, it does show a little of the same bulge on some of the rounds. I attribute this to the differences in the case diameter and bullet and figure that if the rounds are chambering and shooting well then I don't really have a problem other than cosmetic. I would still like to see if his seating plug or shell plate appear to be contributing to the issue, but I suspect if any 550 users gave their rounds the kind of micro-inspection that peppercorn gives his they would also see some variances. IMHO

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I had a problem with my old 550B. The Dillon Rep sent me an Alignment Fixture to attempt to cure the problem.
The Fixture positions the Platform in correct alignment for propper operation. The 1/2 page of written instructions for a 550B has 23 steps to follow. Not a real big deal, and cured my alignment problem.
The Number on the package is 13713 Alignment Fixture

Bob

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ICORE MO2908

^^^^^
Excellent and helpful information!
Thanks Bob, I'll pass the info on to pepper if he doesn't show up here first.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

As previously suggested, adjust & tighten all 4 dies w/ cartridge - or case in place. This will help improve die alignment.

Also, I would suggest backing off your sizing die a bit. Not TOO much - maybe 1/4, or 1/2 turn off the shell plate. I've noted that Dillon sizes down a little farther the really necessary. It's done in the interest of safety, I'm told. Regardless, backing off the sizer has helped me, w/ the same common problem you describe.

You will want to assure that partially sized / loaded brass chambers fully - before loading up a ton...

For the record, concentric ammo is helpful w/ a tight chamber. Throw moon clips (for your mod 625) into the mix, & an even bullet bulge is essential.

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Regards - GCF

One thing I don't think has been mentioned is how much case mouth bevel are you putting in at the powder stage? If you have too little bevel for the bullet to sit into the case mouth it can cause the bullet to catch and possibly tilt.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

From personal experience, I suggest a little more bell on the case mouth when you dump the powder. Get the shell holder alignment fixture to check alignment between the ram/shell plate, and toolhead. If all the tolerances go one way, your problem happens with regularity. If the tolerance stackup varies or goes to zero, you get perfect ammo. The alignment fixture minimizes tolerance stackup.

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S&WHF 366

I think that when a problem occurs, we frequently go looking for one bogeyman as the cause - when TOLERANCE STACKING is the true, overlooked issue. Thanks for the reminder.

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Regards - GCF

I just hit the Dillon site looking for one of these items, but no cigar. Anyone got a link?

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Regards - GCF

I had the the same problem on my 550. It was the bell at the mouth. I increased it slightly, and the bulge went away. Dillon certainly stands behind their products. It's a good machine.

I have owned a 550 for many years and have loaded several pistol and rifle calibers, perhaps 20,000 rounds so far.
It is typical for my 45acp rounds to show the bulge that you describe, but all the way around instead of only on one side. Same with my 38 special and 357 magnum rounds. I have the impression that the resizing die sizes the case to below its original diameter, and that pressing in the new bullet bulges the case (where the bullet is) back to the necessary diameter to house the bullet. I have never had functional or safety problems associated with this, and case life has been very good.

2hawk...good for you in helping set the 550....hope you find the REAL problem, I suspect not enough belling on the powder die station....let us know how it all turns out.

Randy

The first thing I would check would be the neck bell, certainly. However,you may have a separate problem, not involving a faulty press or shellplate alignment. By the look of the OP pics, you have way too much crimp. You should only use a very light taper crimp on .45acp rounds. The excessive pressure placed on the case during the roll crimp may be causing the case to collapse. Too heavy crimp plus lack of sufficient neck belling would certainly produce results similar to the OP's. Also, an incorrect seating plug would explain the rings on the bullet itself.

Just food for thought.

Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2

Hmm, I am looking at the photos on my cell phone and it's kind of difficult to see the images well. I just noticed that the bullets are lead cast. At first glance I thought they were copper plated. My previous comment about crimp was based on what I thought appeared to be a roll crimped plated bullet. Unfortunately I can't see the pic when I am typing a comment. Sorry about that.

However, why does the cast bullet appear to be so wide for case? I don't load cast bullets in .45acp so without looking up bullet profiles in a reference manual I am not familiar with common round nose bullet base shapes. That said, to my inexperienced eye it looks like the seated bullet us significantly wider than I would expect for a played round nose bullet. Is this common?

I guess I better spend some time researching lead cast bullets and the common dimensional differences between them and their plated bullet counterparts. It never hurts to be better informed. Cheers.

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Out of curiousity, what type and weight of bullet is that in the OP photos? Anyone know off hand?

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I have received 2 Alignment tools from Dillon. I think one came with a primer feed upgrade and one with a powder mesasure upgrade. When I ordered a second powder measure, I cancelled the alignment tool during my conversation with Customer Service. I believe the Alignmet tools are free, if you have a need.

Increase the case mouth bell and verify correct taper crimp may solve your case bulge. Tummy bulge requires greater effort (exercise) .

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S&WHF 366