My fat fingers often have trouble lifting out the locating pins used for each stage on my Dillon 550 press. The pins match up with the shell holder for each caliber to hold the brass in the correct location for each station. I often pull the pin on the powder drop station to check the dropped weight of the powder while setting things up.

And occasionally as I'm trucking along I'll check my drop weight. But I have discovered that as my fingers have "enlarged" and become less nimble over the years, I drop the doggone pin and have to search for it.

Then I saw an item that I thought would solve my problem. A little blue plastic tab that the pin drops through, and it certainly made them easier to remove without dropping them.


As I began loading some .357 ammo I started occasionally crushing the lip of the case at the powder drop station. I checked numerous settings, double checked that I had the correct pins and shellplate, and even called Dillon Tech Support!
I re-tightened everything, checked for bushing wear, and scratched my head a lot before finally figuring out the problem.

The little plastic doohickey that was helping me out, was the cause of the miss-allignment of my brass to the powder funnel! The plastic tab is about the same thickness as the rim on some of the brass, thus allowing the brass to wiggle out of position, and not line up with the powder funnel. Thicker rims worked fine. (I don't sort my brass by brand) Then all of a sudden I'd feel contact again. I wasn't crushing them totality, just moreless crushing a section of the lip of the brass. Just enough that I couldn't use them.

It's only happened at the one station so far, seating and crimping seem to work okay for now. I sure was liking those little boogers for a little while. I might still try to thin down the plastic a bit and see if it'll work. Didn't seem to bother me when loading the 32 H&R magnums though.

Just a "warning" if you happen to try them yourself. Forgive me if it's already been discussed here, and call this a "reminder".

Attached Images

	Pin Tab 1.jpg (64.1 KB, 48 views)
	Pin Tab 2.jpg (56.7 KB, 40 views)

I use a 5" Tweezer to grab the alignment pins and anything else I drop into tight areas of my (1984 & upgraded a few times) press. I have bought several aftermarket accessories over the decades and found that most are not worth the time to read the add!

From what you said, you really only need to access station 2. You might consider making the same idea from a bread bag tab, they are thinner, or buy some big tweezers.

Ivan

I made some of these pin tabs by cutting up the clear plastic top to a chocolate-covered nut container, used a hole punch and also made them a little longer so that they are easy to grab.
They are very thin and do not cause the issue that you're having.

My local gun show usually has a guy that sells various dental tools, picks, etc. I’ve got tweezers that you both squeeze to open and close. They really help getting those pins out.

All good information. I'll probably make my own if I can't thin down those peckerwoods I bought. I'd loose tweezers....... unless I put them on a leash.

I have a souvenir glass from my High School Prom next to the press. In it I keep several flux brushes (5/16" wide plumbers paint brush) some old tooth brushes and other oddball but useful tools. Over the rim of the glass I have the large tweezers in both straight and angled configurations.

There is a tool kit and holder that Dillon sells for each model of press, it has all the Allen wrenches and a die nut wrench. I thought it was a little pricey, but it sure is handy! You could make your own and add the tweezers to that. If you don't have the 550 spare parts kit, you ought to get one of those too. Even though Dillon CS is great about getting free replacement parts to you, in normal times that is days. The parts kit keeps you running, and the replacement parts just go in the kit for next time! I keep replace decapping pins for each brand of dies in there also. You alignment pin tabs would make a good addition too!

My press is on the Dillon Strong Mount (I had a homemade 2x8 set up to prove the concept for 5 years before I bought it), and keep the parts kit and primer tubes right below the press. The glass with brushes is behind and to the right, just past the ammo tray for easy access. When I was active in Cowboy Action Shooting, there were days I loaded 3000 to 5000 rounds. To get that kind of production, you need to be organized!

Ivan

I understand the problem and had it myself including having the pins drop somewhere and get lost. I have a tweezer that has curved tips which are small enough to get under the pin. It's still possible to drop and lose though. Reasonable care required.

The pic you showed of a 650 shows no tab at the priming/powder drop station.

__________________
Bob.
SWCA 1821

The 550 is the only Dillon press I own. I had removed all of the little tabs previously, and just popped the one back in under the powder hopper for the picture.

I'm thinking now that I do have a set of tweezers that open with a pinch, and close with release. Might have to look for them. Haven't used them since the 70's.