Next Level Dillon 550 Setup: New Bullet Feeder & Case Feed

Practice makes perfect but we need more 9mm ammunition to continue! We set up a Dillon RL550C with a case feed system and bullet feeder to make the process as efficient as possible.

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Set-Up

Both the case feed system and bullet feeder require poles to work in concert with the machine.

When using a 550, a universal stand is also needed as the case feed isn’t built in as it is with the 750.

The RL550 case feeder kit includes everything you need for proper installation.

I initially tried to mount both the case feeder and bullet feeder to the back of the press, but the bullet feeder needs to be mounted separately.

For greater compatibility with the press and case feed system combo, I transitioned to using a Dillon strong mount.

This also allowed me to make use of Dillon’s ejection chute and bin bracket.

The casefeeder kit also comes with an alignment tool that you drop inside the powder funnel/die. This helps you to align the base plate and ensure smooth functioning after replacing it.

It took me just about an hour to install the casefeeder on the 550 as it is an add-on. It would take much less time to install on a press like the XL750 where it is built in.

Once I had the case feeder working smoothly, I added dies and outfitted the rest of the press.

I have priming in station one with powder charge and case expansion in station two. Station three holds the bullet dropper die with seating and crimping in station four.

The 550 only has four stations, so you have to combine steps. I tested the press by manually placing bullets into the bullet dropper die before installing the bullet feeder.

To install the bullet feeder, I started with the included universal stand. Following Dillon’s detailed instructions, setup went quickly.

I added some 9mm brass from Mojo Precision we had recently processed and filled the bullet feeder and powder hopper with Berry’s 9mm 124 Grain HBRN-TP bullets.

Note that Dillon Precision has updated the bullet feeder caliber conversion kits, upgrading them to one single piece that are much faster to set up.

All you need to remove and swap out a bullet bowl is a single screw! Keep the pilot shaft intact.

If you currently own a Generation 1 bullet feeder conversion kit, Dillon Precision is offering 50% off of the Gen 2 . (The Gen 2 also costs a little more at $110 per caliber conversion.) Dillon will also be releasing 3D printing files soon.

Loading

Having both the case feeder and bullet feeder running on the compact 550 was something Gavin and I had never seen before.

The stroke was short and smooth — making working the press fun.

Having pre-processed brass really made a huge difference, as we wouldn’t have been able to process and load any crimped brass simultaneously on the 550 with its limited stations.

Conclusion

We maxed out Dillon’s RL550C in this configuration, but in doing so we were able to combine the benefits of add-on’s like the bullet feeder with features unique to the 550.

It has manual indexing, which allows for more usable capacity for cartridge overall length. A smaller shellplate creates less deflection for more consistent shoulder bump, bullet seating depth, and more.