Set screws

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KY DAN

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I have a dillon rl1000 that is damaged where previous owner locked the dies in with set screws in tool head and will no longer accept dies. I acquired a 7/8-14 tap and will chase the threads, I want to avoid doing what previous owner did and intend to use either a brass tipped or nylon tipped set screw instead of a steel cup pointed unit.

Which should I use brass or nylon tipped, I am leaning towards brass fir long term durability but I always have a open mind.
 
I have one of those Harbor Freight leather punch tools and use it to cut at a thicker plastic container making little plastic discs of varying sizes. A couple under the set screw does about the same as a piece of lead shot.
 
I absolutely HATE set screws.

For setting dies, for mounting sights, in anything where they're involved...

I tend to think of them as a half - a**ed approach to proper design.
 
MEHavey said:
I'll be honest.... I'd just put a piece of lead shot (or tiny scrap lead) ahead of the screw, and call it a day.
Same lock effect / EZ unlock/adjust with no damage to threads
Click to expand...


That was RCBS solution to their brass set screws in dies. Don't know if they still do that?
 
KY DAN said:
I have a dillon rl1000 that is damaged where previous owner locked the dies in with set screws in tool head and will no longer accept dies. I acquired a 7/8-14 tap and will chase the threads,....
Click to expand...
Are you saying that the previous owner drilled and tapped holes for set screws in the tool head instead of using die locking rings?
 
I would use nylon. Brass may be hard enough to distort threads. Rather then mess with a bunch of DIY fixes, McMaster Carr has nylon tipped set screws in probably every thread, every head (hex socket, slot, phillips, torx and any other type), every material and strength, cheap. Good pricing and normally 3 day shipping. Last time I bought a box of 50 even though I only needed one...

https://www.mcmaster.com/nylon-tipped-screws/
 
Last edited:
So the 1000 uses set screws instead of locking rings. ? Some locking rings have set screws but haven’t see that on the presses them selves. I have the 550 and others. None use set screws.
As to the tool head wouldn’t it be easier to just replace the tool head.
There again I know nothing of the 1000.
 
higgite said:
Are you saying that the previous owner drilled and tapped holes for set screws in the tool head instead of using die locking rings?
Click to expand...

No sir, the each station has a set screw from factory.

whughett said:
So the 1000 uses set screws instead of locking rings. ? Some locking rings have set screws but haven’t see that on the presses them selves. I have the 550 and others. None use set screws.
As to the tool head wouldn’t it be easier to just replace the tool head.
There again I know nothing of the 1000.
Click to expand...

The rl1000 has not been manufactured in 30+ years by dillon precision and what ever parts they had are all gone with the exception of a few odd parts. This press is supported by the help of other reloaders and machinist who recognize quality and wish to ensure these presses see the future and not a scrap pile. These presses are truly amazing and it is a privilege to be able to own and use one. I thought I would never own one until I found 6 rl1000s in south Carolina. I called the guy and made a deal and broke every speed limit I could getting to him to buy all 6.
 
:)
KY DAN said:
No sir, the each station has a set screw from factory.



The rl1000 has not been manufactured in 30+ years by dillon precision and what ever parts they had are all gone with the exception of a few odd parts. This press is supported by the help of other reloaders and machinist who recognize quality and wish to ensure these presses see the future and not a scrap pile. These presses are truly amazing and it is a privilege to be able to own and use one. I thought I would never own one until I found 6 rl1000s in south Carolina. I called the guy and made a deal and broke every speed limit I could getting to him to buy all 6.
Click to expand...
As I mentioned, ignorant of the 1000. Thinking of the 1050 I was. :)
 
higgite said:
Sorry, I guess I was looking at the wrong manual and thought it was 1000. I see the set screw in the 1000 manual. https://dilloncdn.com/manuals/dillon-rl1000-manual-english.pdf
Click to expand...

Not an issue we are all here to learn, there are very few people with knowledge of this press due to the affects of time.

I have only ran into 1 shooter whose age is 74 locally who bought his 1000 brand new in 1978 still there and usable with all the extra parts and shell plates one could want. Unfortunately he won't sell and I don't blame him, we both made a new friend got to talk about this amazing press.
 
KY DAN said:
No sir, the each station has a set screw from factory.



The rl1000 has not been manufactured in 30+ years by dillon precision and what ever parts they had are all gone with the exception of a few odd parts. This press is supported by the help of other reloaders and machinist who recognize quality and wish to ensure these presses see the future and not a scrap pile. These presses are truly amazing and it is a privilege to be able to own and use one. I thought I would never own one until I found 6 rl1000s in south Carolina. I called the guy and made a deal and broke every speed limit I could getting to him to buy all 6.
Click to expand...
I have had a Star reloader since the mid 1970's. Love the machine and how well it's made. Met a guy who also shot combat pistol and rifle in the 1980's who had a RL1000 by Dillon. How I lusted over that machine. Seemed to me like a grown up Star. Take good care of them...truly nice machines.
 
Austin Albright said:
I have had a Star reloader since the mid 1970's. Love the machine and how well it's made. Met a guy who also shot combat pistol and rifle in the 1980's who had a RL1000 by Dillon. How I lusted over that machine. Seemed to me like a grown up Star. Take good care of them...truly nice machines.
Click to expand...

I have a star universal and two star progressive and I love the quality and dependability of those presses, however my dislike is the fact the tolerances of the ball that locates shell plate position is to tight and at the most inopportune time fails to locate and the dirt can not be removed dismounting the press from bench and dissembling. Dillon addressed this issue by making the hole a oval shape to allow dirt to simply fall out of the press bottom. If worst came to worse and the auto index failed on a rl1000 you could run manually and still have an enjoyable loading session.
 
The older RCBS dies I have had a lead tipped set screw which you needed to hit lightly if you wanted to re-adjust them. The newer RCBS dies for some reason did not have the lead tip and it didn’t make sense to damage the threads so I dissected a #6 copper plated shotgun shell. 1 bb, flattened just a bit, seemed to be perfect for that application.
Depending on the size of the set screw, I wouldn’t count on an all brass set screw as they’re soft compared to steel and the hex heads are prone to stripping the smaller they get. Good luck.
 
I would use nylon myself. The lead shot and weed eater line solutions would also work.

This is the RL1000, although the set screws on the tool head are not really needed because the dies all have nuts locking them in place.

9AAC71B3-DD88-48B6-8627-8A945BDC4886.jpeg
 
KY DAN said:
I have a Dillon RL1000 that is damaged where previous owner locked the dies in with set screws in tool head and will no longer accept dies. I acquired a 7/8-14 tap and will chase the threads...
Click to expand...
Sorry, Dan. You probably won't be doing that because the set screws are almost as hard as the tap.


KY DAN said:
Which should I use brass or nylon tipped.....
Click to expand...
The best way is the "pinch type" lock rings (like Hornady) that don't drive anything into the thread of the die.

FNapk8dl.jpg
 
I wish to comment on the subject of die lock rings.
In 1974 when I started reloading (RCBS JR) I thoroughly detested the aluminum lockrings with set screws that bear on the threads(nylock) I was pleased when split lock rings with clamp screws entered the scene.. Of late I have been using the RCBS black hex nut lock rings I do not use the set screw. I use the appropriate open end wrench to tighten(Williams 1 3/16 in thin head service wrench, available Amazon for a nominal price.)
I adjust each die individually each time I set up. It works for me I have retrofitted all dies with the RCBS hex lock rings. Available from RCBS or Amazon.
Thank you
 
Dunno about other reloaders, but when I chased some threads I took all set screws out first...

I have seen die threads ruined, not by setscrews but being distorted by over tightening. I bought two RCBS die sets that I had to recut the body threads (I'll never buy dies from ebay again, I could have returned them but I took the repairs as a challenge and fixed all threads, body and set screw/adjusting threads, cleaned up channel lock gouges and rounded flats/heads)...
 
lordpaxman said:
The older RCBS dies I have had a lead tipped set screw which you needed to hit lightly if you wanted to re-adjust them. The newer RCBS dies for some reason did not have the lead tip and it didn’t make sense to damage the threads so I dissected a #6 copper plated shotgun shell. 1 bb, flattened just a bit, seemed to be perfect for that application.
Depending on the size of the set screw, I wouldn’t count on an all brass set screw as they’re soft compared to steel and the hex heads are prone to stripping the smaller they get. Good luck.
Click to expand...
KY DAN said:
I have a star universal and two star progressive and I love the quality and dependability of those presses, however my dislike is the fact the tolerances of the ball that locates shell plate position is to tight and at the most inopportune time fails to locate and the dirt can not be removed dismounting the press from bench and dissembling. Dillon addressed this issue by making the hole a oval shape to allow dirt to simply fall out of the press bottom. If worst came to worse and the auto index failed on a rl1000 you could run manually and still have an enjoyable loading session.
Click to expand...
What you say is true. I have had that exact problem more than once and it takes awhile to get machine cleaned up and chugging along again. I've got a Dillon 750 now, like it very much except for priming on the upstroke. Wish it primed like my Star. The only thing I remember having a real issue with on the Star was with the brass powder bushing and Bullseye powder. It was creating horrible gouges on the top of the brass bushing. I stopped using Bullseye powder and have never had another issue powder related.
 
W/Vickers1938 said:
I wish to comment on the subject of die lock rings.
In 1974 when I started reloading (RCBS JR) I thoroughly detested the aluminum lockrings with set screws that bear on the threads(nylock) I was pleased when split lock rings with clamp screws entered the scene.. Of late I have been using the RCBS black hex nut lock rings I do not use the set screw. I use the appropriate open end wrench to tighten(Williams 1 3/16 in thin head service wrench, available Amazon for a nominal price.)
I adjust each die individually each time I set up. It works for me I have retrofitted all dies with the RCBS hex lock rings. Available from RCBS or Amazon.
Thank you
Click to expand...
My first bench mounted press was a RCBS JR. I think I was a junior in high school in 1968.....still have it. I had been using a lee hand tool in 38/357. Compared to the Lee the RCBS was a vast improvement. Thought I had died and gone to heaven. I no longer had to pound out a box of shells while watching "Gunsmoke" with the family. They like the quiet too.
 
edwardware said:
Every set screw I own gets 2-3 pieces (depending on size) of #8 lead shot under it before first use. Cut open a shotgun shell, and you'll have a lifetime supply.
Click to expand...
Redding does this from the factory, if I'm not mistaken.
 
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