Dillon 450 help

[thwkman]

Pardon the balthering stream of consciousness,


I inherited this Dillon 450 setup for 9mm. I've manually loadsed a few 9mm rounds and the basic components seem to work fine execpt priming. It look like I am missing what I believe is called the "primer magazine small". I've got pickup tubes andnt ey work great for picking up those pesky primers, but it's obvious to me that the primer feed tube is to big to funnel small primers ) or large for that matter. It appears that something like a tube within a tube is required which I surmise is the function of the primer magazine.

So my 1st question is can 550B primer mags be used on a 450?

Next when I examine the primer fee mechanism id appear that the little pin that blocks the primer mag tube is too low. I fashioned a make shift primer mag from a primer pickup tube and I had to Dremel down the tip so that the porimer cup could pass under it. The problem seems to be that the primer pin is so low that the primer slips downs to rest on the pin and when the pirmer cup retracts to pickup the next primer, instead of it dropping into the cub, the cup pushes it laterally toward the back of the primer mechnism. And the pimer lodges behind the primer cup meaning that the cup can't get directly under the shell, hence primers don't feed.

My 2nd question is will a real primer mag somehow mitigate this issue?


Any help greatly appreciated.

Ron

 

[DILLONHELP]

A correct primer magazine should correct your problems, along with a replacement pin. Does the black primer shield have a threaded cap on the top? If so, then it will accept the 550 primer magazine. If not, contact Dillon for an upgraded manual priming system.
The primer is supposed to rest on top of the retaining pin. When the primer slide moves back, the top of the primer cup pushes the pin back allowing one primer to drop into the cup. It could be that the cup and punch aren't fully seated into the primer slide, but try a replacment magazine of the correct diameter first.

 

[thwkman]

Parts list

Thanks for the quick reply.

The primer shield cap is knurled metal (bronze or brass maybe?) and is threaded.

As to the pin/cup relationship:

I see how the primer cup assmbly is supposed to push the pin back as the primer slide is retracted. The issue seems to be the primer feed stop pin contacts the primer seating cup on the wide portion rather than the cup on top, meaning the pin clears the primer before the cup is under the tube. It seems to be off by almost 3/4 of the cup diameter. What happens is the primer drops onto the primer slide ahead of the primer seating cup preventing the slide from fully retracting.

It appears that if the primer seating cup were lowered the primer seating pin would strike the cup itself and then as it is retracted the cup would be under the mag tube. However this would lower the cup under the mag tube meaning the distance the primer needs to drop is increased perhaps leadsing to more issues.

It appears I also have a large primer seating cup and punch? The cup size will hold a large pistol primer. A small primer has plenty of space to move around. This is probably part of the problem alsop?

So it looks like I need a small magazine, small seating cup, small seating punch? Is there anything else needed for a switch to a small primer setup?

I guess my final question is what is the cost of the primer replacement assembly.

I think once the primer issue is resolved the press sh9ould be fine for what I want it for which is loading 9mm targt loads. I tend to shoot less of these overall so speed of loading is not a major factor now.

Thanks again.

Ron

 

[thwkman]

Order a spare parts kit for the 550B

Should I just order the spare parts kit for the 550B? Would they be useable on a 450?

thanks.

Ron

 

[1911user]

call dillon at 1-800-762-3845
They normally don't watch the gun boards.

 

[highlander 5]

primer tubes for the 450/550 are interchangable IIRC as I have had both machines. If you call Dillon for the parts you need ask about the up grade kit to convert your 450 to a 550b Ijust looked in the catalogue but couldn't find it with the upgrade priming and powder charging are automatic no more pushing two buttons

 

[gns4me]

Been following this closely due to the fact that I haven a 450jr.B . I dont have the primer feed on mine so I cannot be of any help there. I manually drop 1 primer into the primer cup each time. I have had the machine since the very early 90's and had to replace very few parts. Dillion has always been there with help when needed and replacement partsare available. I load all my pistol calibers on the 450jr.B and it has seen some very good use. I have been very happy with it.

 

[DILLONHELP]

If you remove the primer slide from the machine, use calipers to measure from the underside of the primer slide to the top of the primer cup. This should measure between 1.215"-1.220". If it is too tall, the cup hits the primer instead of sliding underneath it, flipping the primer. Use a clamp or vise to fully reseat the cup and punch into the slide, then tighten the set screw.
On the RL-450, you exchange the primer cup and punch on the end of the primer slide when changing primer sizes. Rl550 primer cups, punches are identical to those for the RL450. You would also need a small primer pickup tube to pick up primers from a flip tray and load them into a magazine.