Question for Dillon SDB 38/357 owners

[anothernewb]

Was going to work up some .357 tonight, when I ran into something that's giving an issue.

loading typical MBC .357 action bullet profile on my SDB. I've loaded it's 38 counterpart many times with zero issues, but this is the first time I've run .357 brass through it.
What I'm running into is that I have to have the seating stem backed so far out for proper seating depth, that it's nearly out of the toolhead. It's so completely loose, I can turn it by hand easily.

I bought the conversion kit off ebay - I'm starting to think there's perhaps supposed to be an additional spacer maybe to bring the toolhead height up higher?

I'm a little lost - there's no consistent way to load rounds as things stand now.

 

[ljnowell]

Screw the die itself out further. Then screw the seating stem back in.

 

[Toprudder]

Dillon press? Which press? Dillon dies?

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Are your dies 38spl only. You can screw the dies out further but it's not the normal practice.

I only neck size my .357mag target loads because cases fit the chamber better by doing this, but if your using them for self defense you had better full length resize them to make them fall into the cylinder quick if you have reload in a hurry.

 

[anothernewb]

geez, I missed an obvious, Sorry about that It's a dillon SDB - not the "usual" type of dies. - which is why I'm unsure of how to proceed. Don't post stuff when you're tired - you often miss important details.

 

[sawdustdad]

Also using the SD for .38 and .357.
Do you have the blue spacer on your tool head? My adjustment range accommodates both cartridges. Just bought another tool head which I will use next time to reduce time spent adjusting...

 

[anothernewb]

Yep, have the blue spacer in place, wonder if they come in different thicknesses?

Thinking of possibly having my seating stem machined down a bit. even loading wadcutters in 38 cases, it's still got probably a 1/4 inch of threads sitting above the top of the tool head. taking off the difference in case length off it probably isn't going to matter much.

Either that, or wrapping some teflon tape around the threads to see if that holds it tight enough.

Probably going to just call dillon too - who knows maybe I've got it set up all wrong.... Given how many SDB's have been sold -and few people complain about them. Human error is still probably the largest factor.

 

[lauderdale]

I don't think they come in different thicknesses but I bet you might be able to stack if your looking to get more beefier/or maybe keep tightness? I keep extra on hand 2 or 3 just in case?

 

[anothernewb]

Well, called dillon. They thought might be a bad stem. I even told them I bought the toolhead used. Love his response.

"well we can't have you unhappy with your machine. I'm going to go ahead and send you out a complete set of replacement seating stems. Let us know if that takes care of it"

Now THAT, is customer service.

One thing that came up is that it's possible that what I thought is the SWC stem isn't, (I only got the one stem when I bought the tool head used) or the odd possibility that it's not actually a 38 stem and got mis-stamped. either way - I'll wait till the mail comes and take another stab at it then.

 

[Jim Watson]

Nice of Dillon.
If the replacements don't include one short enough, you will at least have some to experiment with cutting off.

 

[Toprudder]

I have a 550 with Dillon dies (9mm). I had a problem seating bullets so I called them. They had shipped it with the wrong seating stem. Sent out a new one right away.

FWIW, they said the stem I had was for 38, flat wad cutter on one side and SWC on the other side. The one they sent me was RN on one side, SWC on the other. The strange thing - BOTH were marked "9/38".

Back to topic, I'm not sure how the SDB dies work, different beast from the 550.

 

[cfullgraf]

Back to topic, I'm not sure how the SDB dies work, different beast from the 550.

The main difference with the SDB dies is that they are not 7/8"-14 threads like standard reloading dies.

Also, if I remember correctly, the position locking of the die is accomplished by part of the tool head but i've slept since I last looked at mine and I am too lazy to go downstairs to look at them.

 

[mahansm]

Dies for the Square Deal B are in two (at least) pieces. There's the actual die, of tool steel, with carbide insert ring (size die only) that slip down into the holes in the frame of the SDB head. There's the toolhead, which is a steel plate that sandwiches a plastic plate (threadlocker) and holds the adjustable, threaded part of the dies (and seating punch on the seat die). The dies float and are pushed up against the adjustable part by the casing in the shellplate when the ram is raised. The size die is not adjustable; the powder funnel, seat die, seat plunger, and crimp die are individually adjusted. Each die has a recessed ring near the top that's stamped with the caliber and a number 1-4 indicating the proper position.

 

[rogerstg]

What I'm running into is that I have to have the seating stem backed so far out for proper seating depth, that it's nearly out of the toolhead. It's so completely loose, I can turn it by hand easily.

I bought the conversion kit off ebay - I'm starting to think there's perhaps supposed to be an additional spacer maybe to bring the toolhead height up higher?

I'm a little lost - there's no consistent way to load rounds as things stand now.

Mine seems to be similar. There are a couple turns of threads into the toolhead, but not enough to make contact with the plastic spacer that provides some tension. It is easily turned with fingers.

I just mark the seating die with a mark to let me know if it moves. I've considered adding some blue locktite or a piece of tinfoil to the threads, but haven't yet.

 

[anothernewb]

Mine seems to be similar. There are a couple turns of threads into the toolhead, but not enough to make contact with the plastic spacer that provides some tension. It is easily turned with fingers.

I just mark the seating die with a mark to let me know if it moves. I've considered adding some blue locktite or a piece of tinfoil to the threads, but haven't yet.

That's my situation exactly. Since I'll be getting a spare set of stems from Dillon, I'm thinking of dropping my existing one off at a local machinist and having him cut one back a bit.

It works well with the same bullet in a 38 case, so I figure if I just have him cut the stem back the difference in case lengths I'll have a dedicated 357 stem that will still be tight in the press.