Dillon 550 forum ?

[markm87]

I've been running a 550B since the late 80's. I just received my 3rd powder measure,as I had worn out the first two. It looks like there are several of us here that can help you.

Lloyd

Interesting that you mention that. I have an old one where the plastic piece that goes into the powder bar broke. Does Dillon still take care of this no questions??

And did you call in your issue or email? My 9mm tool head is out of commission!

 

[markm87]

My experience with a 550B started when I purchased one in the early 90s. They are a great little press, although the priming system is a little finicky.

That is a diplomatic understatement. The priming system is complete crap.

I removed the priming arm on mine decades ago and only load primed brass on the machine. My blood pressure dropped greatly after doing this. I'd really be mad with the primer smashing with the cost of primers now!!

 

[DDRanch]

Interesting that you mention that. I have an old one where the plastic piece that goes into the powder bar broke. Does Dillon still take care of this no questions??

And did you call in your issue or email? My 9mm tool head is out of commission!

Call Dillon

 

[markm87]

Call Dillon

Thanks. I actually filled out an online support ticket on their website after posting. I'll give them a shout if I don't hear anything by Friday. I could drive up there Saturday, if needed.

 

[padom]

That is a diplomatic understatement. The priming system is complete crap.

I removed the priming arm on mine decades ago and only load primed brass on the machine. My blood pressure dropped greatly after doing this. I'd really be mad with the primer smashing with the cost of primers now!!

Same, I only use my 550c for precision rifle ammo and I dont prime on press... I have 2xXL650's for 45acp, 300blk and 10mm.. And 2x1050's with Ammobot for 5.56 and 9mm

I tumble my precision rifle brass in corn cob then spray them with my linolin mix, run them through my 550c brass processing toolhead which deprimes, bumps shoulder and squeezes neck down 0.004 under loaded neck diamter (LE Wilson SS FL Bushing die) then run them through a 21st Century TiN mandrel to open necks up 0.002 for a final 0.002 neck tension then tumble in CC to remove lube.

I then run them through my Henderson trimmer if they need trimmed, otherwise I just chamfer and debur and prime with a 21st century SS click adjust primer and put in my loading block.

I then charge them with my A&D/V3/IP powder setup and then seat bullets with my K&M arbor press with force pack using LE WIlson SS Micrometer seating dies. There are only a few cartridges I still seat on the 550c anymore....

This process makes extremely accurate ammo...

https://imgur.com/QQs6xTk

 

[hoz53]

That is a diplomatic understatement. The priming system is complete crap.

I removed the priming arm on mine decades ago and only load primed brass on the machine. My blood pressure dropped greatly after doing this. I'd really be mad with the primer smashing with the cost of primers now!!

do you still size on the dillon?

 

[1shot]

Interesting that you mention that. I have an old one where the plastic piece that goes into the powder bar broke. Does Dillon still take care of this no questions??

And did you call in your issue or email? My 9mm tool head is out of commission!

Contact Dillon Precession at 800-223-4570 and explain your situation. I'm sure they will make it right with you.

Lloyd

 

[Hoser]

For the priming system.

I made two thin washers out of feeler gauge so I can lock the assembly down snug and also let the primer bar slide freely. I am also using the JW Primer Track Bearing.

I have not had a single issue since.

 

[markm87]

do you still size on the dillon?

Nope! Big Boss II. Size and prime on that. Added years to my life.

 

[UndFrm]

My 550 basic didn't come with a chute or a ramp (and a bin) that ejects a round after the 4th station. Is there an accessory that I can buy to mitigate this? Other than making my own ramp to leads into a bin or a box?

 

[padom]

My 550 basic didn't come with a chute or a ramp (and a bin) that ejects a round after the 4th station. Is there an accessory that I can buy to mitigate this? Other than making my own ramp to leads into a bin or a box?

Call Dillon. If it cant, I know guys that have sent in there old 550's to be fully serviced and upgraded to 550c for free or very little money....

 

[hoz53]

My 550 basic didn't come with a chute or a ramp (and a bin) that ejects a round after the 4th station. Is there an accessory that I can buy to mitigate this? Other than making my own ramp to leads into a bin or a box?

you can get all that stuff from dillon

 

[hoz53]

Nope! Big Boss II. Size and prime on that. Added years to my life.

thanks for that info. Ive got several single stages i could size/prime on—. ill look into that.
for a pistol i think a person could actually bell/powder drop on station 1 and put a powder check die in station 2 then seat station 3 and crimp on 4. i will try it.

 

[padom]

thanks for that info. Ive got several single stages i could size/prime on—. ill look into that.
for a pistol i think a person could actually bell/powder drop on station 1 and put a powder check die in station 2 then seat station 3 and crimp on 4. i will try it.

I couldn't imagine loading pistol on a 550.. I loaded on a 650 with bullet feeder and case feeder for years and ran out of stations for everything I needed so I now run an automated 1050 (and still wish I had 1 more station!)

Hahaha

 

[hoz53]

I couldn't imagine loading pistol on a 550.. I loaded on a 650 with bullet feeder and case feeder for years and ran out of stations for everything I needed so I now run an automated 1050 (and still wish I had 1 more station!)

Hahaha

that is about the truth but i bet overall people load more pistol on 550s than rifle cartridges. Id have to start shooting alot more pistol to make it worth getting into a 1050.

 

[UndFrm]

you can get all that stuff from dillon

Perhaps I'm using the wrong term but I can't find it, ejector ramp/chute?

 

[hoz53]

Perhaps I'm using the wrong term but I can't find it, ejector ramp/chute?

its on their webpage- they just dont make it easy to find. why dont you just call them
oic youre in canada

 

[hoz53]

Same, I only use my 550c for precision rifle ammo and I dont prime on press... I have 2xXL650's for 45acp, 300blk and 10mm.. And 2x1050's with Ammobot for 5.56 and 9mm

I tumble my precision rifle brass in corn cob then spray them with my linolin mix, run them through my 550c brass processing toolhead which deprimes, bumps shoulder and squeezes neck down 0.004 under loaded neck diamter (LE Wilson SS FL Bushing die) then run them through a 21st Century TiN mandrel to open necks up 0.002 for a final 0.002 neck tension then tumble in CC to remove lube.

I then run them through my Henderson trimmer if they need trimmed, otherwise I just chamfer and debur and prime with a 21st century SS click adjust primer and put in my loading block.

I then charge them with my A&D/V3/IP powder setup and then seat bullets with my K&M arbor press with force pack using LE WIlson SS Micrometer seating dies. There are only a few cartridges I still seat on the 550c anymore....

This process makes extremely accurate ammo...

https://imgur.com/QQs6xTk

do you shoot all this ammo you make? i think by the time i loaded all that i wouldnt have time to shoot it all!

 

[padom]

do you shoot all this ammo you make? i think by the time i loaded all that i wouldnt have time to shoot it all!

Sure do. I have a teenage son. We go through 9mm very quickly which I load the most of.. Multiple AR9s, MP5 and pistols banging steel and practice on paper. ammo goes fast with 30rd mags on suppressed PCC/MP5's.. It got to the point where I make my son load his own mags now and help run the automated 1050's because he was dumping 30rd mags then handing them to me to reload. Now that he has to load his own mags and help run the machines he slowed down a LITTLE bit... I run 5000rd about every 2-3 months. More often in warmer months, less often in colder months... Just ran another 5000rd Sunday.

5.56 we shoot second most. I run 10,000rd on my dedicated 5.56 automated 1050 about twice a year.. Got my son a new JP15 AR 5.56 last year.. Upgraded from his Aero build I built him a few years ago so he likes to shoot that a lot now. I shoot multiple SBR's and 16" AR's pretty regularly...

Ive been shooting a LOT of 10mm lately so that probably gets loaded the 3rd most on one of my 650's and then I run some 45acp here and there on the second 650....

 

[padom]

i think by the time i loaded all that i wouldnt have time to shoot it all!

As a business owner with 3 kids, I dont have a lot of time. Thats why I have 2 dedicated automated 1050's with all the options, bullet feeders, case feeders, on press automatic trimmer, setup for the 2 calibers we shoot the most (9mm and 5.56).

I can run off a LOT of ammo very quickly with these 2 machines otherwise I wouldnt be doing it..