Need some help with a Dillon 550B primer feeder.

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
I have a 550B that has been giving me fits. The primer slide keeps hanging up in the primer feed housing. If I take out the primer cup the slider move fine. I can see where the cup is rubbing on the right hand side of the housing. If you tap or pull the slider it will come back to full position and make the primer pickup, then some times it will hang up on the in stroke also. I called Dillon and they were not a lot of help. I have made every adjustment I can think of and tried replacing the parts (Slider, Primer cup, primer push rod, ect). This side of polishing the right hand side of the primer housing to get it to clear I am at wits end. Anyone had this sort of an issue and know of a fix?

Thanks for any advice.
WB

 

[cmhellie]

Have you tried a little dry graphite on the slide? Do you have any contamination on the slide (bits of spent primer, powder residue...?)

 

[gahunter12]

What ever you do, DO NOT polish the parts, and do not use any oil. Remove the primer feed housing. Look on the side of the housing where the threaded holes are for the screws. On the inside do you see any bulge where the screw holes have bulged? If so take a file, and file down the two high spots till its level, and smooth. I had the same exact problem, and called Dillon. The tech told me to do the same. Be said he had to do it to his before. It's from over tightening the two Allen screws. Make sure everything is clean, and dry. I use denatured alcohol to clean my primer system.

 

[blue32]

I found that aligning the angle of the push rod corrected most problems of the primer cup not retracting all the way. You have to finagle it to a sweet spot but you'll figure it out. Cleaning the bottom of the charge bar and the plate it rides on with alcohol goes a long way too.

The priming system was the only thing (besides bridging Varget in the powder hopper) I never liked. But I've tried about everything to get it to work and its mostly trouble free for me now. If its still not working, could you post pictures? There are a lot of little fixes and sometimes it helps to know EXACTLY where it is dragging.

I forgot to add: the screws which go in through the underside of the press will bind the bar in the housing if secured too tight. Have you tried loosening those?

 

[rfwobbly]

WB -

All the above are excellent responses.

On my 550, although the primer slide moved in fits and jerks for the first 100 loads, it soon wore in and rough spots quickly worked themselves in.

Lubricate only with graphite from the 'lock section' of your local hardware store.

A huge number of issues come with over-tightening. Use your hand on the LONG length of Allen wrench to loosen fasteners. Use your hand on the SHORT section of Allen wrench to tighten. The 2 screws securing the primer tower only need about 6 inch-pounds of torque to stay in place and operate correctly.

Hope this helps !

 

[SWThomas]

I take mine apart every thousand rounds or so and clean all the sliding surfaces. I spray all the surfaces with Remington Dry Lube. Works great for me.

 

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
Thanks for the response's. Its not the slide that's dragging its the primer cup so its catching way up in the feed assembly (near the primer orifice). I ran a feeler gauge in one side and I had clearance. It stick on the other side and cant pass the primer cup. I tried the file on the flat part for the screw bulge but that was not the issue. Its been cleaned and cleaned again. Rubbing alcohol only. No lube applied to it. I will see if I can get some good pictures of it tonight or tomorrow and post them up.

The only other think I can think of is out of spec primers but I don't think that would cause the issue.

Thanks
WB

 

[Maj Dad]

Rather than all of us trying to guess the problem, call Dillon: they will walk you through the entire process & get you going. I speak from experience (though from about 15 years ago ), and it simply doesn't make sense to beat your head against the wall when you can get the help needed, toll-free at 1-800-762-3845

 

[blue32]

WB, the only thing I can figure at this point is the spring was not fully depressed under the primer cup when you installed it with the small allen lock screw. Beyond that, I would say the spring under the primer cup is out of spec, too long, etc. Then again, the plastic tip on the primer feed tube could be deformed enough to prevent the feed cup from clearing. Check that thing for burs and make sure its concentric.

Just to cover as many things as I can think of: the spine on the plastic primer feed tube should be oriented on the opposite side of where the primer feed cup inserts.

Longshot but might be an issue: There is also a metal shim on the outside of the primer feed housing. When the primer bar rides into the housing it makes contact with a small white opaque thing (no idea what its called), and this forces the shim back which allows the primer cup to fully enter the housing. There is an allen nut holding that shim in place - it may be too tight and preventing the primer bar from coming back enough.

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