Tips and Tricks for the first session on a new rl550b

[sirAIG]

I broke down and ordered a new shiny dillon rl550b last week which will be arriving tomorrow. I prepped myself by casting a few hundred boolits and cleaning a spot on my bench. I am so excited to get the press that I thought maybe it was a good idea to post this up and ask for some tips and tricks to a loader setting up his first metallic progressive press. As far as I have read/know - it shouldnt be a difficult transition at all.

[Zymurgy50]

Keep the primer slide clean, you might have to play with the tension on the indexer a bit, and cast more boolits!
I deprime on my single stage press and clean primer pockets before the brass sees the Dillon.
When you set up the toolhead, make sure you have a case in each station when you adjust the dies.

[btroj]

Go slow, pay attention to what is happening at each step. Even run a single case thru each step one at a time. See what happens, how it feels when right, and know the problem areas.

[engineer401]

Go slow, pay attention to what is happening at each step.

This is best advice that can be offered for a manual indexing press. You don't want to double charge a cartridge. I am very happy with my 550B. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

[Daddyfixit]

Buy extra heads!

[David2011]

Congrats! Mine's 22 years old and going strong. First, eliminate all distractions includng significant other, kids, pets, tv/stereo. You'll need the concentration.

I built my bench 42" tall so I didn't need strong mounts for 3 presses to get them at the correct height for me- determined by not having to bend my lower back to complete the down stroke. I prefer to load on progressives while standing but sit for single stage loading.

+1 on keeping the primer slide clean. It's the 550's Achilles heel but easily managed. Develop the feel and get used to the sounds it makes. If something changes, stop and figure out what and why. When setting up the dies, get brass in each position and tighten the locknuts on the dies with the stage in the up position and cartridges in the dies for the most precise centering. The manual says to do this but it's easily overlooked. Develop a rhythm and don't ty to go fast. Speed will develop naturally. You'll be making 400-500 per hour before you know it.

I use carbide dies and do all operations on pistol cartridges on the press. Tapered cartridges like .223 get processed, trimmed, etc. beforehand. I start with priming on the 550. If you load .45-70 or similar, treat them like pistol cartridges.

Set up a light so you can look into every cartridge before sitting a boolit on the mouth to verify that it has powder and looks to be the same amount as the others.

Have fun and enjoy!

David

[fredj338]

The 550B is a great do all press. Simple, easy to change from one caliber to another. The priming slide is the critical element to a smooth running press. Make sure it's aligned properly & keep it clean by brushing or using canned or compressed air.
Personally, I would use it as an inverted turret to start. That is load one round thru the cycle at a time, paying attention to all the steps. Then after 100rds or so, you should feel comfortable about running the press as a progressive with all stns loaded. ALWAYS visually check the powder drop before placing a bullet. I place the bullet as I advance the shell plate. It makes it almost impossible to double charge or squib.

[MrWolf]

I also deprime first with the Harvey Deprimer. Good advice above - go slow and take your time and make sure there are no distractions. Good luck

[sirAIG]

What is the Harvey deprimer?

I'm setting the beautiful blue press up now!!!

[engineer401]

I've never heard of a Harvey deprimer before either. I Googled it and found this site http://www.harveydeprimer.com/. It is a hand deprimer that looks a lot like a hand primer.

[Alvarez Kelly]

My brother uses the Harvey deprimer. He likes it a lot. He can deprime all his cases, regardless of caliber, while watching the tube. It has plenty of leverage, so his son enjoys helping out.

[engineer401]

My brother uses the Harvey deprimer. He likes it a lot. He can deprime all his cases, regardless of caliber, while watching the tube. It has plenty of leverage, so his son enjoys helping out.

Where do the spent primers go?

[KYShooter73]

Never raise the ram twice in a row. Get a bullet tray and a strong mount if you don't have them. The powder adjustment knobs are real nice too. Can never have too many tool heads. I've had mine 15 or 20 years. Only thing I modified was the used primer catcher. If you have problems with it sticking, bore out the hole a bit and replace the pin with a larger one. I dont use the priming system cause I'm anal about primer pockets and buy range brass. I like my pockets clean and any crimp removed. You will love this machine.

[Alvarez Kelly]

Where do the spent primers go?

Out the top I think. Take a look:

http://www.harveydeprimer.com/

[EDG]

You have a set of loading safety habits that will not fit the Dillon. It will be work to develop new safety habits.
You did not say if you are a pistol or rifle loader.
If you are pistol loader and use those tiny powder charges beware.
You will most likely mess up by either double charging or not charging a case.
If you double charge a case because you look away or get distracted it will disassemble your handgun.

[Alvarez Kelly]

You have a set of loading safety habits that will not fit the Dillon. It will be work to develop new safety habits.
You did not say if you are a pistol or rifle loader.
If you are pistol loader and use those tiny powder charges beware.
You will most likely mess up by either double charging or not charging a case.
If you double charge a case because you look away or get distracted it will disassemble your handgun.

I load mouse fart 38 Special loads on my Dillon 550. Never had a problem. Never had a double charge. Never had any kind of problem with the ammo my 550s produce. Why would you say such a negative thing about the OP? Why would you think he would most likely mess up?

I think he'll do just fine. All he has to do is use common sense and stay focused.

[gunlovingsob]

When you lower the handle on any dillion press there is a click by the spring on the shot and powder bar rods, the spring will snap each time because it sits a little off center, then snaps as it pops into the retainer bushing.
i used a few small pieces of electrical heatshrink tubing on the spring unell the spring is just big enough the the spring will stick inside the white spring bushing, now with the spring and bushing as one piece there is no snap snap snap.

[MrWolf]

Where do the spent primers go?

Falls/shoots out the top. I just place/point them in a plastic shopping bag I keep next to me. The bag catches them and keeps any dust down and away from me. I have deprimmed thousands with only having to tighten it once. I never liked the idea of depriming with my dies after seeing how much crud can still be there. I wash my cases first as there is usually sand or dirt in my pickups in a bucket to remove the worst, dry (food dehydrator) and deprime. Works for me.

[r1kk1]

I just load and keep things clean. I really like the strong mount and bought one when they first came out. A rock solid mount will end priming and powder woes. You can load 1 cartridge at a time or 4.

Take care

r1kk1

[sirAIG]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Loaded a hundred or so real slow and taking my time. Started to get into the groove of things and noticed that I started to get primers upside down in the primer seating cup. I know for a fact I loaded all of them the proper way as I got a primer flip tray just for loading the pickup tubes. Any idea what could be causing this?