Dillon RL550C primer seating depth

[Ricca]

I'm very happy of my RL550C I'm using to reload pistol cartridges, but I would like to have the primers (SP) just seated a little bit more, just like I do when using my RCBS hand priming tool.

I had a closer look at the Primer Seating Punch (13757) of my RL550C and I discovered that its diameter is a little bit larger than the primer pocket of the cartridge, so it's impossible to seat a primer deeper than a couple of 0.001".

Indeed, the primer rod diameter of the RCBS hand priming tool is smaller than the primer seating punch diameter of the RL550C and, because of that, I can seat the primers deeper with the hand tool on the same catdrige.

Is this behaviour normal?
Do you have any hints to seat the primer a little bit deeper than this out of the box RL550C set up?

Thanks a lot in advance!
Riccardo.
 

[Wobbly]

First of all, you're sure you have the Small Primer Seating Anvil fitted, and not the Large Primer Anvil ??

I've never had an issue with the seated depth of a primer, so this is a new question. I suggest you call Dillon Customer Service and talk to them. Many times they have parts and pieces not listed in the open catalog, that they can supply for special repairs and upgrades. If they do, it will be free to you.

When you call be sure and have the measured diameter of your seating anvil, because that's going to be the very first question they ask. Small primers are 0.175" in diameter, and your anvil should be in that neighborhood.

Be sure and tell us their answer. I'm very interested to hear what they say.

[George16]

Agree with Wobbly re size of your primer punch. I don’t have any problems seating primers at least .004” below flush on my 550B.

You can actually loosen the set screw that holds the primer punch and raise it up a bit so it’ll push the primers deeper.

[Wobbly]

As a matter of fact, I do remember having to raise the anvil on my first 550. Gosh that was 15 years ago. But I can't remember what was done to keep it in the higher position.

[gunzip]

The primer seating punch is designed so that one end is a bit larger in diameter than the other.

For the punch to be too big, it must be upside down.

For the small primer punch, one end is about  0.158 and the other is 0.174 inches.

Hope this helps

[Ricca]

First of all, you're sure you have the Small Primer Seating Anvil fitted, and not the Large Primer Anvil ??

Hi Wobbly!
I'm sure there is the small primer seating anvil, the one with the gold cup is in place.

I've never had an issue with the seated depth of a primer, so this is a new question.

Well, maybe I was unclear: the RL550C is seating primers quite well, about 0.001"-0.002" below flush; I would seat them deeper, as it happen when I do it with the RCBS hand primer tool.

I suggest you call Dillon Customer Service and talk to them. Many times they have parts and pieces not listed in the open catalog, that they can supply for special repairs and upgrades. If they do, it will be free to you.

Sure! I'm going to get in touch with them and I'll let you know.

When you call be sure and have the measured diameter of your seating anvil, because that's going to be the very first question they ask. Small primers are 0.175" in diameter, and your anvil should be in that neighborhood.

My issue is that the anvil is slightly larger than the primer pocket and it can't push more deeper the primer.

[Ricca]

Agree with Wobbly re size of your primer punch. I don’t have any problems seating primers at least .004” below flush on my 550B.

You can actually loosen the set screw that holds the primer punch and raise it up a bit so it’ll push the primers deeper.

I think that the primer seating punch is all raised: if I pull forward the operating handle to the end, the seating punch come out from the shell plate more than 0,1", but, if I put a deprimed case (and no primer in the cup) the handle stop before the half to its end run and it's clear the seating punch is striking at the beginning of the case primer pocket

[Wobbly]

Ricca, Buongiorno!

You are correct. If there is no primer present, then the handle should travel farther down... which alerts the user that he's out of primers. To do this, the primer ram (or anvil) has to be smaller in diameter than 0.175". In other words, has to be able to slide up inside the empty primer pocket.

Right now I'm about 800 miles from my Dillon, but Gunzip says his primer ram measures 0.174". Are you able to measure yours?

And what brass are you using, and what do the primer pockets measure?

I can only suggest you remove your anvil from the primer shuttle. (There is a tiny set screw on the side that holds it in.) Then, if it's over 0.174" you can place the small end in an electric drill motor chuck. With the aid of a small hand file or emery cloth, a small amount of material can be removed until the anvil fits easily up inside the primer pocket of your brass.

I would not go by the measurement, but rather by the fit into your brass, because you may be running a brand of brass that's not common in the USA. So your circumstances have precedence over anything we can measure for you from here.

Hope this helps.

[Ricca]

Right now I'm about 800 miles from my Dillon, but Gunzip says his primer ram measures 0.174". Are you able to measure yours?

And what brass are you using, and what do the primer pockets measure?

Ciao Wobbly!
I'm not so far from my Dillon (even if, currently, is about 10 miles away from me  ).
I did measure the primer ram that's about 0.177" (yes, it's a little bit larger than expected).
My brass are Fiocchi (GFL) and Sellier & Bellot (S&B).

I can only suggest you remove your anvil from the primer shuttle. (There is a tiny set screw on the side that holds it in.) Then, if it's over 0.174" you can place the small end in an electric drill motor chuck. With the aid of a small hand file or emery cloth, a small amount of material can be removed until the anvil fits easily up inside the primer pocket of your brass.

I would not go by the measurement, but rather by the fit into your brass, because you may be running a brand of brass that's not common in the USA. So your circumstances have precedence over anything we can measure for you from here.

Hope this helps.

I was thinking about doing what you suggested, but, before doing something wrong, I preferred to ask someone with more experience than me.
Thanks to this forum, it seems that the primer ram should be about 0.174" but mine is just little bit larger... I'll put it on diet!

Thanks a lot again!
Ciao,
Riccardo.

[George16]

Riccardo, the fiocchi and S&B brass have tight primer pockets compared to other headstamp such as federal, blazer, Remington etc. They are not crimped like WMA and WCC but way tighter compared to others. I know this since I use these headstamps exclusively for my minor and major loads since I can be sure they’re once fired because nobody in our club reloads them.

This is the main reason I bought a Dillon RL1100 so I can swage the primer pockets to ensure the primers are seated properly and at the correct depth.

[Ricca]

Thanks a lot George!

My experience is the S&B have a more tight primer pockets than GFL. I can clearly feel it if I prime the brass with the hand priming tool; on the contrary, hand priming GFL brass it's very easy and require lot less energy than B&S.

Swaging the primer pocket in my case is not an option (I do not reload so much to need a RL1100 ) but I'll test some different brass and, as Wobbly suggested, remove some material from the primer seating punch.

Thanks a lot again!
Ciao,
Riccardo.

[George16]

Federal, blazer, Remington and Winchester are all good. Just make sure you don’t use WMA or WCC because they have crimped primer pockets.

[Wobbly]

Thanks to this forum, it seems that the primer ram should be about 0.174" but mine is just little bit larger... I'll put it on diet!

I would still call or write Dillon Customer Service and they'll send you a correctly sized small primer anvil as a replacement for FREE. That would be nice to have as a backup. Be sure and tell them you are loading European brass with slightly tighter primer pockets than US ammo brands. They'll know exactly what you're talking about.

[Ricca]

Thanks to this forum, it seems that the primer ram should be about 0.174" but mine is just little bit larger... I'll put it on diet!

I would still call or write Dillon Customer Service and they'll send you a correctly sized small primer anvil as a replacement for FREE. That would be nice to have as a backup. Be sure and tell them you are loading European brass with slightly tighter primer pockets than US ammo brands. They'll know exactly what you're talking about.

You right!
I'm writing to Dillon just now.
I live in Europe, maybe the warranty is not the same as in US, but I'll let you know about their answers.