Dillon 550B Help?

[Porky6331]

My Dillon 550b when you pull the handle down it will not drop a primer. If you pull the primer slide back 1/32 or 1/64 of an inch it drops the primer fine. Dillon has replace the primer slide 3 time. There must be something else wrong. I have also replace the bule tip on the primer magazine and that does not help. Anyone with a 550B have an idea.

 

[SDC]

My first thought is that your primer actuator rod might be bent in (this is the rod that curves between two roller wheels to push the primer slide back when you pull the handle down). As long as you can pull the slide back manually to get a primer to drop, that's the only thing I can think of that might be causing it.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

It sounds like you need to adjust the arm that brings the primer holder back. Adjusting it up and down will change (to some extent) the travel of the holder (a slight bending helps too). Try adjusting it up till the bottom is just over the wheel when the handle is fully down.
One other thing I have found is, the primer holder bar gets real dirty, and every so often (once a month or so) I have to take it apart and clean and lub the bar. If it gets gritty, it will do just what you say (although I doubt that is the problem if they have replaced it three times).

 

[mc223]

Do Not lubricate the primer bar! Clean the primer bar and the slide it rides on with alcohol and reassemble dry. And as posted above check the actuator rod.

 

[Porky6331]

I will look and see if anything is bent. I clean this with alcohol every 500 round per Dillon. They didn't tell me every 500 rounds I just do it, and I will try to adjust. With me pulling back on the slide everything loads fine I just have to keeping looking to make sure a primer is loaded.

 

[Ares45]

Do Not lubricate the primer bar!

Ahhh, but there is a solution...

http://www.graphitestore.com

Available at your local hardware store or locksmith.

The primer actuator rod sounds like it might need some "adjustment". If that doesn't work try loosening the two bolts that hold the primer assembly to the press just a LITTLE bit. You've got it right when you barely notice some free play at the top of the primer magazine tube. Run the press through the motions with it loose. If the problem disappears then your primer system was in a bind. You can get it right by adjusting the the primer slide, magazine assembly, and shim plate back and forth. When you get it working tighten up the two bolts lightly and you're good to go.

 

[DILLONHELP]

A couple of other things to check: The operating rod fits into a bracket clamped around the primer shield. Be sure this bracket almost touches the frame of the machine. It should be within .003-.004" of touching the frame.
Next, be sure the roller bracket shell platform mounting bolts are tight. This is the cast aluminum piece you slide the case across when pushing the case into the shellplate, has a bent paperclip-looking spring bolted to the top of it. If the mounting screws are loose, then this part isn't able to exert sufficient force to the operating rod to move the primer slide all the way back.
Finally, when cleaning the priming system, use steel wool or a scotch brite pad to scrub the sides and bottom of the primer slide, and the top of the frame. Then wipe with solvent.

 

[loadedround]

I had the same thing happen to me several months ago. A call to Dillon straigtened me out and got got me up and running again in two minutes. As memtioned previously, the problem is in your primer rod. Remove it and give it a slight more bend, or in other words increase the bend for more tension. This will solve yur problem for sure. Do not lube any part of your primer system. Dillon's still the best.

 

[Sheldon]

There is a cap head screw that controls the overtravel of the primer slide. It sounds like yours need adjusting. It controls the rearward stop of the primer slide. It is right above where the primer slide comes back when it picks a primer out of the magazine in the primer housing. It has a little locking nut on it to keep it locked at its adjustment. Just loosen that jam nut and turn the screw out till it allows the primer slide cup to center up with the primer magazine and then lock the jam nut down.

 

[loadedround]

Porky: Whatever you do, don't touch that primer adjustment screw! That is factory set and unless it is finger loose, and both of my presses have lock nuts on them to keep them from loosening, leave it alone. You will spend a great amount of time realigning your primer slide if you touch that screw. As I mentioned before, the problem is in your primer arm. If in doubt, call Dillon and verify. Again, Good Luck!:banghead:

 

[SDC]

Ditto; if you can manually PULL the primer slide into the proper position, then the problem isn't with the adjustment screw.

 

[Porky6331]

I did the suggestions and will check this weekend when I reload. Thanks

 

[Deanimator]

One other thing I have found is, the primer holder bar gets real dirty, and every so often (once a month or so) I have to take it apart and clean and lub the bar. If it gets gritty, it will do just what you say (although I doubt that is the problem if they have replaced it three times).

+1 except for the lube. When it gets gritty, friction impedes proper function.

Another issue is improper installation of the primer magazine tube. Don't put in one bolt, then tighten it down as hard as you can. Put one in loose, then the other, then CAREFULLY align the primer feed mechanism while hand tightening the bolts. Once it's on straight and feeds primers properly, tighten the bolts down. If the magazine housing isn't on straight, the slide can drag on it.

 

[Porky6331]

Dillon sent me primer rods.