Frustration

Patriot

Patriot

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Sometimes I just get so exasperated at how slow this world rotates that I just want to
dump the stuff I am having problems with. If only it was a simple as Martlett's problem
where I was just anti-social but I am not. I am trying and getting nowhere fast. I can't
get Dillon to give me a decent response to a problem I am having with their products.

ETA: I heard from Jon @ Anvil Arms and he explained that the placement of the logo
was within their tolerance and he offered me some alternatives but I am going to keep
it and use it.

With Dillon it is doubly frustrating because they give their customers a BJ when you have
a product FUBAR but when it comes down to a technical problem they are as *******
dumb as a dead toad. I don't think that I am the most involved reloader in the world but
this year with Dillon has almost made me stop drinking the Blue Kool Aid. Are other reloading
equipment manufacturers as dumb technically as Dillon appears/seems to be?

I know customer service is a tough job but when you feel like you are running your head
into a brick wall talking to some SOB who thinks he is an expert and he really doesn't know
**** about his product, it is real frustrating. I almost hung up on the SOB because he is
arguing with me that I don't have a problem yet his product does not perform the way it is
touted to in the Dillon literature. This is almost making me want to give up reloading it is
so frustrating. What I don't understand is how you guys think this is a relaxing hobby. I
do it to save money and I feel for the most part that this industry (the reloading industry)
is a bunch of hacks who don't use their product since they are making so much money off
stooges like myself that they can buy their ammo from the factories.

This past year has been a nightmare with Dillon. I have been on the phone with them
over various issues with their (mine) equipment so many times that I shudder at the
thought of having to get involved with them anymore.

This year I have upgraded my press from a 550 to a 550B. In the process of doing this
they managed to string this out over about three months, not from a material shipping
aspect, but being not familiar with their older products and sending me a FUBAR part that
it took me six weeks, numerous phone calls, pictures, emails and then I had to tell
(practically demand) them to send me a new part that I felt was hosed (it worked
fine when I got the replacement btw).

Next problem: A little later on I ordered a set of .32 H&R mag dies from them and the GD
things did not work. I went around with them on this one explaining the problem
(measuring the die parts, the .32 H&R brass, and explaining that in no goddamn way would
their die work. They then realized after I had to do all this work that they had shipped me
a die set that did not have the 'latest' changes in it. They had taken care of the problem
and 'supposedly' purged their dies yet I was shipped one that had the old sizing stem in it.

Next problem: I constantly have problems inserting primers in small primer cases (excluding
.38spl and .357mag) including the aforementioned .32 H&R and yes, the venerable .223.
Why, because the stupid asinine design of the paper clip that holds the brass in the
de-capping/priming station is just about the stupidest thing on this press and that is
saying something. When lowering the shellplate to insert the primer, the case often will
tilt on the side with the paper clip as the other side is well locked in under the shell
plate. When it does tilt, primer insertion tends to get botched as there is not very much
margin for error in the smaller cases. How do I know this? Because I have manually
reached in when I get a primer jam and held the case down in position and the primer goes
in slick with no problem. That stupid paper clip needs to die a miserable death.

Current problem: I am resizing .223 and 30-06 cases with a Dillon sizing die and there is
not enough adjustment in the die to set the sizing of the case between the high and low
rails of my Dillon case gauge. I called the CSR today and explained in detail what the
problem is - that no matter what I could not get any adjustment below the top rail of the
case gauge and that was RCH marginal. His response: He suggested that if the sized
brass 'fit' my rifle then is is OK. That was the last thing I expected to hear since I cannot
tell how 'well' the brass fits my rifle except that it chambers and extracts. Alternatively,
when completely loaded, I can then say a few prayers and touch of a round or two to
check out how well it fits but that is not my preferred method of checking fit. The part
that annoys the **** out of me is that this guy will not perceive this to be an issue that
needs more attention than the 'get this idiot of the line, there are more idiots that need
non-answers' BS he just gave me and the next guy on the phone will be fed the same crap.

Thanks for letting me rant...

ETA: Evidently this problem that I am experiencing with the Dillon Rifle Sizing Dies is not
a rare problem. I posted over on the Brian Enos forum and a few posters there shared
the same experience with these dies. A word to the wise, be careful when you order any
Dillon Rifle Dies and intend to load on a 550 press. How they work on any other press I
don't know but some 550 users are pretty unhappy with their dies. I also don't know if
this is a recent problem or not. I purchased both sets early this year, one directly from
Dillon and one through Brian Enos. Caveat Emptor.
 
Last edited:
The Boston Patriot said:
I agree BJ, I think I will put down the case gauge, step back away from the bench, and
go have a large JW Black and a MonteChristo. Thanks for the suggestion! [smile]
Click to expand...


After reading your list of problems, I'm going to have to relax with my good friend Jack for the rest of the evening. Start fresh in the AM.

regards....roger
 
The Boston Patriot said:
Sometimes I just get so exasperated at how slow this world rotates that I just want to
dump the stuff I am having problems with. If only it was a simple as Martlett's problem
where I was just anti-social but I am not. I am trying and getting nowhere fast. I can't
get Dillon to give me a decent response to a problem I am having with their products.

ETA: I heard from Jon @ Anvil Arms and he explained that the placement of the logo
was within their tolerance and he offered me some alternatives but I am going to keep
it and use it.

With Dillon it is doubly frustrating because they give their customers a BJ when you have
a product FUBAR but when it comes down to a technical problem they are as *******
dumb as a dead toad. I don't think that I am the most involved reloader in the world but
this year with Dillon has almost made me stop drinking the Blue Kool Aid. Are other reloading
equipment manufacturers as dumb technically as Dillon appears/seems to be?

I know customer service is a tough job but when you feel like you are running your head
into a brick wall talking to some SOB who thinks he is an expert and he really doesn't know
**** about his product, it is real frustrating. I almost hung up on the SOB because he is
arguing with me that I don't have a problem yet his product does not perform the way it is
touted to in the Dillon literature. This is almost making me want to give up reloading it is
so frustrating. What I don't understand is how you guys think this is a relaxing hobby. I
do it to save money and I feel for the most part that this industry (the reloading industry)
is a bunch of hacks who don't use their product since they are making so much money off
stooges like myself that they can buy their ammo from the factories.

This past year has been a nightmare with Dillon. I have been on the phone with them
over various issues with their (mine) equipment so many times that I shudder at the
thought of having to get involved with them anymore.

This year I have upgraded my press from a 550 to a 550B. In the process of doing this
they managed to string this out over about three months, not from a material shipping
aspect, but being not familiar with their older products and sending me a FUBAR part that
it took me six weeks, numerous phone calls, pictures, emails and then I had to tell
(practically demand) them to send me a new part that I felt was hosed (it worked
fine when I got the replacement btw).

Next problem: A little later on I ordered a set of .32 H&R mag dies from them and the GD
things did not work. I went around with them on this one explaining the problem
(measuring the die parts, the .32 H&R brass, and explaining that in no goddamn way would
their die work. They then realized after I had to do all this work that they had shipped me
a die set that did not have the 'latest' changes in it. They had taken care of the problem
and 'supposedly' purged their dies yet I was shipped one that had the old sizing stem in it.

Next problem: I constantly have problems inserting primers in small primer cases (excluding
.38spl and .357mag) including the aforementioned .32 H&R and yes, the venerable .223.
Why, because the stupid asinine design of the paper clip that holds the brass in the
de-capping/priming station is just about the stupidest thing on this press and that is
saying something. When lowering the shellplate to insert the primer, the case often will
tilt on the side with the paper clip as the other side is well locked in under the shell
plate. When it does tilt, primer insertion tends to get botched as there is not very much
margin for error in the smaller cases. How do I know this? Because I have manually
reached in when I get a primer jam and held the case down in position and the primer goes
in slick with no problem. That stupid paper clip needs to die a miserable death.

Current problem: I am resizing .223 and 30-06 cases with a Dillon sizing die and there is
not enough adjustment in the die to set the sizing of the case between the high and low
rails of my Dillon case gauge. I called the CSR today and explained in detail what the
problem is - that no matter what I could not get any adjustment below the top rail of the
case gauge and that was RCH marginal. His response: He suggested that if the sized
brass 'fit' my rifle then is is OK. That was the last thing I expected to hear since I cannot
tell how 'well' the brass fits my rifle except that it chambers and extracts. Alternatively,
when completely loaded, I can then say a few prayers and touch of a round or two to
check out how well it fits but that is not my preferred method of checking fit. The part
that annoys the **** out of me is that this guy will not perceive this to be an issue that
needs more attention than the 'get this idiot of the line, there are more idiots that need
non-answers' BS he just gave me and the next guy on the phone will be fed the same crap.

Thanks for letting me rant...

ETA: Evidently this problem that I am experiencing with the Dillon Rifle Sizing Dies is not
a rare problem. I posted over on the Brian Enos forum and a few posters there shared
the same experience with these dies. A word to the wise, be careful when you order any
Dillon Rifle Dies and intend to load on a 550 press. How they work on any other press I
don't know but some 550 users are pretty unhappy with their dies. I also don't know if
this is a recent problem or not. I purchased both sets early this year, one directly from
Dillon and one through Brian Enos. Caveat Emptor.
Click to expand...



Two suggestions. One loosen up on the "paper clip" thingie. It is there only to keep the case from backing out of the shell plate, it should not exert any pressure on the case. Two get a used Rock Chucker single stage press for resizing. You can use the 550 for rifle resizing but the single stage works better and should be available used for about $50.
 
Gammon said:
Two suggestions. One loosen up on the "paper clip" thingie. It is there only to keep the case from backing out of the shell plate, it should not exert any pressure on the case. Two get a used Rock Chucker single stage press for resizing. You can use the 550 for rifle resizing but the single stage works better and should be available used for about $50.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gammon,

I have tried to adjust the paper clip in numerous ways without success. Obviously I am
going to try again or jury rig something else. Buying a rock chucker is not any easier than
resizing on the 550. It may work better since I can't do what I want with the Dillon dies
but it isn't easier. In fact I can make the case it is significantly more bothersome since
all I should have to do in the 550 is to insert the case, pull the handle, and then index
the shellplate, repeat. The case gets rotated around eventually and drops into the akro
bin. I don't have to manually extract the case from the press. Still, I would need
non-Dillon dies since the problem is not the press in this case, but the dies.

I am either going to return the dies for refund or get them altered by Dillon to where
they will work. If I do return them for refund and not replacement I will still size on the
550 but I do need recommendations on good dies. I have used 30-06 RCBS dies (on the
550) and they worked well. It was just a two die set and I didn't want to continue with
the manual powder dispensing so I replaced it with the Dillon dies (big mistake).
 
Richard,

I will return the die sets I picked up the other day. I ended up buying the Hornady set for .223 as well.

You can come by and try my Hornady LnL any time. You will find it non-blue.[wink]
 
presses

why I stay with Lee turret,it may not be as expensive as dillon but it works.
for my progresive I have a RCBS green machine in 38 spec.and a lee 1000 for my 45s.[grin]
 
12/19/2008
Update: I am returning the sizing dies for the .223 and the .30-06 to Dillon where they
will either correct them or replace them.


1/1/2009
Update Part Deux: The dies have been returned to me and I am now happy with their performance.
 
Last edited:

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