Original Dillon 550

ACORN

ACORN

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After many years in storage I broke out the Dillon 550 I bought back in the 80s.
I came to see that the later versions had oil holes for the linage pins. Mine has no holes.
Anyone have one that can tell me how it’s holding up.
Should I consider modifying it for lubing?
 
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I would think they’ll stand up to a lot of use as-is.
But several years ago after lots of use I managed to break the right link arm and the crank on my older 550. I called Dillon and they sent me new parts along with the newer style link pins with grease fittings. Free of charge.

I think the grease fitting are the difference between a 550b and a 550c, but I’m not real sure on that.
 
I have a 550 that I bought in the early 80s. It had +- 100,000 rnds loaded when, several yrs ago, the "crank" broke (not related to lube holes). Dillon sent me the parts, which included the updated lube fittings, to fix it. It has been up and running like new ever since.

Use your recently unpacked 80s 550 and never look back, it will most likely outlast you.

Paul
 
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Mine is a 450 from 1984 that around Y2K and 200,000 rounds I upgraded to 550 status. The changeable tool heads are nice. The automatic case feed is only OK! Tou can't load rifle rounds with it in place. There is no speed advantage! It is expensive and requires more maintenance and several small expensive parts per case change.

I'm currently just shy of 450,000 rounds.

What would I do differently? No case feeder! Second 550 to keep from changing primer sizes.

My best friend bought a used 450, When Dillon saw a post about it, they emailed him letting him know it is still under warranty!

My advice to anyone that owns one:

Buy all the shell plate conversions and different powder funnels you may ever need NOW! The price is only going to go up! I started with all they made in 1984/85 except for 45 Auto Rim & 8mm Lebel. New rounds have made me buy 4 more over the years and about 7 extra funnels. and now feed ramps for case feeder and the colored retaining ports.

Extra Powder measurers are an expensive luxury, so I only have 4.

If you don't have a Roller handle, you really need one! Same for the parts kit!

When you set your bench up, have lots of light!

Ivan
 
I have a 550 of about the same vintage as yours.I took it apart once to clean it, and I’m not sure that was even necessary. Runs like a Swiss watch.
 
I would suggest that you take a look at the Dillon web site, they have several videos about maintaining the 550 presses. I stumbled on it and learned a bunch of stuff that I never knew that helped a lot. Especially, about lubrication and maintenance. I have had my press for about 30 years and didn't have a clue. I have used synthetic motor oil on the ram and some grease in the pins, but now much else. But it still functions very well anyway after a few 100,000 rounds of reloading.
 
My first 450 has over 600,000 rounds...but only 100,000 by me. I sold it to a friend years ago...he did the rest. He upgraded to 2 550...1 LP 1SP. Over the years we went to gun shows and bought Dillon stuff that people were disposing of. He told me he has every cal conversion except 8 Lebel...cheap..Last weekend I bought 5 cal conversions 4 die sets on die plates 2 powder measures and some small parts for 150 dollars....the powder measures look unused...only part missing was one of the brass pins in the 38/357 cal conversion Got a Dillon 30-30 32 S&W and 45 Colt die sets...45-70 dies were Redding. I got a couple extra powder funnels in the small parts. Ts stuff can be found for 1/2 price...except the presses. Powder measures are 150 bucks now...if you find em broken/worn out at a show Dillon will fix 'em...just like new...and for tech advice they can't be beat
 
cadmike said:
I use automotive grease.
Click to expand...

Nightowl said:
I would suggest that you take a look at the Dillon web site, they have several videos about maintaining the 550 presses. I stumbled on it and learned a bunch of stuff that I never knew that helped a lot. Especially, about lubrication and maintenance. I have had my press for about 30 years and didn't have a clue. I have used synthetic motor oil on the ram and some grease in the pins, but now much else. But it still functions very well anyway after a few 100,000 rounds of reloading.
Click to expand...

I went to the site but didn’t see much on the original 550.
I have been reading that if you disassemble them you have to use a special tool Dillon has to realign it.
Supposedly Dillon will send it free of charge.
I have an email in to them.
I’m going to remove the arms and pins and grease ‘em up.
 
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ACORN said:
I went to the site but didn’t see much on the original 550.
I have been reading that if you disassemble them you have to use a special tool Dillon has to realign it.
Supposedly Dillon will send it free of charge.
I have an email in to them.
I’m going to remove the arms and pins and grease ‘em up.
Click to expand...

If you call Dillon, they may offer to send you the platform alignment tool for free. The tool is not 100% necessary but it does help.
 
I'm using a 450 and an early 550 without lube holes ans with many, many rounds through them I have no issues with them.
 
My Dillon 550 started out as a 450 and was upgraded many decades ago. It also has been upgraded since then. The time before last Dillon had grease fittings installed and the last time (just a year or so ago) I sent it to them and it came back like a completely new press, with NO GREASE FITTINGS. If I were you, I'd take it apart, clean everything very well and lube it and put it into operation. Just about what you'd do with a gun that had been stored for years!
 
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Purchased my first 550 in 1986 and it is still running fine. I probably have used all the wrong lubricants on it but it never complained. It will outlast me.
 
Disassemble and lube the pins with white grease. At least once a year, quarterly if you're really loading a lot. It's not hard to do.

My 450-550 conversion recently started to bind up. The link arms were just flat worn out. Dillon sent me a new pair under warranty. They're aluminum and the pins are steel, and I've loaded a lot of ammo on it since the early 80's.

The bottom piece that connects the link arms to the ram can be converted to the new style for about $85. The new one has a system to lubricate.
 
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