550B checklist

**Palerider** · February 21, 2004, 23:29

I just found an RL550B in the basement of a home I acquired.
It's set up for .308 with powder still in the hopper and primers in the magazine.
Judging from the dust and corroded impliments left on the bench, it's been abandoned for several years. What should I look at as far as maintenance before I put it back into service? I think I'll finish running the material left behind by the former owner first and crank out the .308 brass, bullets & powder into finished cartridges. His notes say 42 grs of WC846 behind the 163 gr bullets gave 2630fps-seems reasonable.
Thanks,
Pale

giillie · February 22, 2004, 00:15

dam ..like winning the lottery ...just clean out the hopper by actuating the charge bar .....pull handle youll see a small set screw on the main post loosen it and remove star drive cap screw ....clean under that put it back together maintaing same shell plate height .....remove all the old primers ....and go ....he he ...if your not familiar with dillon reloaders you just got the BEST... IMO and if it breaks for any reason dillon replaces it for free ...mine has never screwed up and have loaded 10 k or more of pistol ammo ....nice machine

knievel · February 22, 2004, 00:26

I can't believe some of your guys' luck. If I had bought that house, it would have been a Lee Loader with a bent mallet.

Aifwikir · February 22, 2004, 02:01

Look around on the bench and try to find an old reciept or manual for it. See if the guy left his old customer number behind on them. What a gold mine of a find!! With the cutomer number you can get parts replaced (if needed). Check out Dillons web site at Dillon's Precision
You may find something there to help you out with operating it.

Aif

NoNotAgain · February 22, 2004, 09:24

Palerider

Toss all the old powder, pull all loaded ammo down, and take all of the primed cases to the range and make them go boom.

Contact Dillon and get a manual for the press and start from scratch with set up after cleaning everything.

The powder charge the the previous owner used my work fine with his rifle, but who knows on your's.

Great find, just wish it would have been me.

OHLAR · February 22, 2004, 10:54

Or you can send it to Dillon and they'll overhaul it for free, about 3 wk turn around. Dillon has a bomb proof lifetime warranty. The warranty goes with the machine no matter how many times it may have changed hands. Enjoy ! Ohlar

**Cava3r4** · March 05, 2004, 11:43

Just clean it up.
YOu might want to watch someone who has had a dillon to teach you what to look out for. Like every now and then the primer bar will not move smoothly (dirty), or the little rod that pushes the primer bar needs to be cleaned where it pivots, etc.
They are a great press. You just saved yourself about $329
Bob

February 21, 2004, 23:29	#1
Palerider Member Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 9006 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 455	550B checklist I just found an RL550B in the basement of a home I acquired. It's set up for .308 with powder still in the hopper and primers in the magazine. Judging from the dust and corroded impliments left on the bench, it's been abandoned for several years. What should I look at as far as maintenance before I put it back into service? I think I'll finish running the material left behind by the former owner first and crank out the .308 brass, bullets & powder into finished cartridges. His notes say 42 grs of WC846 behind the 163 gr bullets gave 2630fps-seems reasonable. Thanks, Pale

February 22, 2004, 00:26	#3
knievel Registered FALaholic #: 7835 Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 373	I can't believe some of your guys' luck. If I had bought that house, it would have been a Lee Loader with a bent mallet. __________________ Animals have the right to garlic and butter. - Ted Nugent

February 22, 2004, 02:01	#4
Aifwikir Registered FALaholic #: 2187 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Magazine, Arkansas Posts: 3,061	Look around on the bench and try to find an old reciept or manual for it. See if the guy left his old customer number behind on them. What a gold mine of a find!! With the cutomer number you can get parts replaced (if needed). Check out Dillons web site at Dillon's Precision You may find something there to help you out with operating it. Aif __________________ Cosmo the Lene,,, Smeller of old grease! http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m...ber3575new.jpg

February 22, 2004, 09:24	#5
NoNotAgain Registered FALaholic #: 6893 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Peoples Republic of Maryland Posts: 1,341	Palerider Toss all the old powder, pull all loaded ammo down, and take all of the primed cases to the range and make them go boom. Contact Dillon and get a manual for the press and start from scratch with set up after cleaning everything. The powder charge the the previous owner used my work fine with his rifle, but who knows on your's. Great find, just wish it would have been me. __________________ Without the Second Amendment to the Constitution, there is no first.

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February 22, 2004, 00:15	#2
giillie Member FALaholic #: 5187 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ORYGUN Posts: 411	dam ..like winning the lottery ...just clean out the hopper by actuating the charge bar .....pull handle youll see a small set screw on the main post loosen it and remove star drive cap screw ....clean under that put it back together maintaing same shell plate height .....remove all the old primers ....and go ....he he ...if your not familiar with dillon reloaders you just got the BEST... IMO and if it breaks for any reason dillon replaces it for free ...mine has never screwed up and have loaded 10 k or more of pistol ammo ....nice machine

February 22, 2004, 10:54	#6
OHLAR Registered FALaholic #: 12906 Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 103	Or you can send it to Dillon and they'll overhaul it for free, about 3 wk turn around. Dillon has a bomb proof lifetime warranty. The warranty goes with the machine no matter how many times it may have changed hands. Enjoy ! Ohlar

March 05, 2004, 11:43	#7
Cava3r4 Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 6560 Join Date: May 2002 Location: AZ...originally from St. Paul, MN Posts: 4,297	Just clean it up. YOu might want to watch someone who has had a dillon to teach you what to look out for. Like every now and then the primer bar will not move smoothly (dirty), or the little rod that pushes the primer bar needs to be cleaned where it pivots, etc. They are a great press. You just saved yourself about $329 Bob