Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B

Insulation Tim · 07-08-2012, 09:58 AM

I cannot find much in the owner's manual and surprisingly nothing on You Tube.

I've never done any cleaning or maintenence to my 550B press. Where do I start and what is involved?

Thanks,

Bud0505 · 07-08-2012, 02:03 PM

Tim,

I've had my 550B for 25 years and my cleaning routine is to wipe down the primer slide and the area under the shell plate with alcohol when I change calibers and I lube the ram with 30 weight motor oil. My 550B does not have any grease zerts at the pivot points so occasionally I will use a drop of 30W on them. To clean the dies I use Hornady's One Shot gun cleaner and run a cleaning rod through them. That's the extent of my cleaning routine.

gdmoody · 07-08-2012, 02:42 PM

Yep, I do the 30 weight oil on the ram also and occasionally clean the primer slide area and put a bit of 30 weight on the "slide arm" (sides and bottom only). I also wipe the body down with a dry rag every once in a while. I have only had mine a couple of years.

Insulation Tim · 07-08-2012, 03:19 PM

Thanks guys. As it is still around 100 degrees out side. a good basement project this evening.

Gahunter12 · 07-08-2012, 05:43 PM

What gdmoody said. I have the grease fittings on mine, so I give them a hit every 2000 rnds. I wipe down my black primer tube, and ram handle with a lightly oiled rag so it won't rust.

Kevin Rohrer · 07-08-2012, 08:05 PM

What do occassionaaly:

1. 30w or Breakfree on the ram
2. Clean the gunk off the primer slide and lube w/ graphite lube
3. Clean the gunk out of the primer cup
4. Take the shellplate off, clean, and lube the baseplate w/ Breakfree
5. Use Breakfree on any bare or blued metal

07-08-2012, 09:58 AM	#1
Insulation Tim Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,294	Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B I cannot find much in the owner's manual and surprisingly nothing on You Tube. I've never done any cleaning or maintenence to my 550B press. Where do I start and what is involved? Thanks, __________________ Tim *"Remember the Ark was built by amateurs....Professionals built the Titanic"* -->

07-08-2012, 02:03 PM	#2
Bud0505 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 60	Re: Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B Tim, I've had my 550B for 25 years and my cleaning routine is to wipe down the primer slide and the area under the shell plate with alcohol when I change calibers and I lube the ram with 30 weight motor oil. My 550B does not have any grease zerts at the pivot points so occasionally I will use a drop of 30W on them. To clean the dies I use Hornady's One Shot gun cleaner and run a cleaning rod through them. That's the extent of my cleaning routine. __________________ R/Bud

07-08-2012, 02:42 PM	#3
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,306	Re: Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B Yep, I do the 30 weight oil on the ram also and occasionally clean the primer slide area and put a bit of 30 weight on the "slide arm" (sides and bottom only). I also wipe the body down with a dry rag every once in a while. I have only had mine a couple of years. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

07-08-2012, 03:19 PM	#4
Insulation Tim Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,294	Re: Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B Thanks guys. As it is still around 100 degrees out side. a good basement project this evening. __________________ Tim *"Remember the Ark was built by amateurs....Professionals built the Titanic"*

07-08-2012, 05:43 PM	#5
Gahunter12 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 63	Re: Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B What gdmoody said. I have the grease fittings on mine, so I give them a hit every 2000 rnds. I wipe down my black primer tube, and ram handle with a lightly oiled rag so it won't rust.

07-08-2012, 08:05 PM	#6
Kevin Rohrer V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 277	Re: Cleaning and maintenance on a Dillon 550B What do occassionaaly: 1. 30w or Breakfree on the ram 2. Clean the gunk off the primer slide and lube w/ graphite lube 3. Clean the gunk out of the primer cup 4. Take the shellplate off, clean, and lube the baseplate w/ Breakfree 5. Use Breakfree on any bare or blued metal __________________ An armed society is a polite society--Robert Heinlein via Jeff Cooper Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, Varmint Hunters Assn, American Legion, ARCTA, & South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Assn.