Sinclair Lock Rings on Dillon 550

[Airw4ves]

Hey, I had a question regarding lock rings for the Dillon 550. I am wondering if the shellplate would allow for 4 rings to be used at the same time or if there was not enough clearance for them to all be used. I also use the inline fabrications skylight and would like to keep using it. Another option is the Forester rings. Ultimately Im looking to upgrade from my random assortment of Dillon, RCBS, and Hornady rings to one uniform setup throughout.
Thanks

 

[Threadcutter308]

You might want to look at Dillon's lock rings and associated wrench. I changed over to them on my XL650 because they are low profile in both height and OD. I got tired of having to take the shell holder out of the press so I could get a standard wrench around the lock ring that I wanted to adjust. With the Dillon wrench and rings, there is enough clearance between dies to get the wrench onto the die/ring I want to adjust.

 

[Strykervet]

I don't worry about them all being the same --too much other shit to worry about. Besides, hard to beat the big aluminum Forster lock rings. With a Dillon, you do have limited space up on a block and I do use their rings and keep about ten of them in a box just in case (I use a 650XL with multiple loading blocks and dedicated trim blocks plus a dedicated single die universal decapper). I have a box full of various lock rings. If you change dies, then get the Dillon rings in five packs; remember things like Dillon specific dies will come with lock rings so you won't need any for trim dies or powder checks if you use them.

Anyway, I use the rings that come with the dies, lock them down and don't change them unless I have to. If they fit. IF I had to change them often, I'd probably go with the Dillon lock rings. They aren't the best (no set screw) but they fit and the wrench they sell works nice and fits in tight spots.

With the .50 press, you HAVE to use their rings --nothing else work.

Threadcutter, you don't have to remove the shellplate to work on the dies, but you may have to remove the toolhead, did you mean that? Or are you using lock rings on the bottom of the toolhead? Never seen that before, just asking.

, I'm really wishing I had that now that I'm working around 12,000 pieces of 5.56 --and that's just the start. Superswage is nice, but 1050 is nicer

 

[Threadcutter308]

I don't worry about them all being the same --too much other shit to worry about. Besides, hard to beat the big aluminum Forster lock rings. With a Dillon, you do have limited space up on a block and I do use their rings and keep about ten of them in a box just in case (I use a 650XL with multiple loading blocks and dedicated trim blocks plus a dedicated single die universal decapper). I have a box full of various lock rings. If you change dies, then get the Dillon rings in five packs; remember things like Dillon specific dies will come with lock rings so you won't need any for trim dies or powder checks if you use them.

Anyway, I use the rings that come with the dies, lock them down and don't change them unless I have to. If they fit. IF I had to change them often, I'd probably go with the Dillon lock rings. They aren't the best (no set screw) but they fit and the wrench they sell works nice and fits in tight spots.

With the .50 press, you HAVE to use their rings --nothing else work.

Threadcutter, you don't have to remove the shellplate to work on the dies, but you may have to remove the toolhead, did you mean that? Or are you using lock rings on the bottom of the toolhead? Never seen that before, just asking.

, I'm really wishing I had that now that I'm working around 12,000 pieces of 5.56 --and that's just the start. Superswage is nice, but 1050 is nicer

Stryke; Yep, good catch, you caught my fatfingered fubar. I meant to say toolhead. Shellplate doesn't come into play. No lock rings on the bottom of the toolhead, only on the top. Sorry for the confusion guys.

And yes, I like the Dillon lock rings and Dillon wrench. Both are smaller and it's easier to use the wrench while the toolhead is installed.

 

[Airw4ves]

Perfect, answers my question pretty easily and saves me a fair bit of cash on new rings. I'll probably stick to Dillon rings and I read a small ammount of blue locktite on the threads (first 2-3 threads) helps prevent them backing out over time.

Thanks again!

 

[Airw4ves]

Forster lock rings worked fine on both my 650's. You can even snug up a dillon ring on the bottom of the tool head. That was you can switch seating dies for different seating depths and leave the rest of your loading tool head alone.

This is good to hear
Just wondering if anyone could do me a favour and measure the diameter of the Forster lock rings? I want to make sure they’ll fit the 550 toolhead for sure.
Thanks!

 

[Strykervet]

1.385".

They'll work, but they won't work if you use ONLY those... They'll work for the seating die and they'll work for the sizing die but the neighboring die(s) will probably require a Dillon ring FWIW --they are about the smallest I know of.

I like the Forster rings for sizing and seating, just big and they lock down tight; for the rest of the stuff I don't mind the Dillon rings. I use the auto trimmer so I have to dick with it a bit no matter what (though that thing is well worth it).