Old Dillon RL450

[Randy45]

I just received an old Dillon RL450 Reloader. I have looked everywhere but cannot locate a manual for it..anyone possibly have one I could get a copy of?

 

[baboon]

Contact Dillon it might be on their web sight.

 

[Dawico]

I think Dillon will also upgrade it to a 550 for a fee.

 

[ROGER4314]

I've had three of the RL 450 presses. I traded two of them and on the third press, one of the load bearing pins seized up. Dillon supplied the damaged parts for free and I chose to buy an RL 550B frame to convert it to a 550B. The swap-able tooling heads are the best deal and I also upgraded it to auto primer feed, auto powder feed and auto eject. It cost more than a new press by that time, but it was worth it as I really learned how to make that press work!

I used the RL 450 presses for years and there's no reason why the manual primer feed and powder feed won't work for many years to come just like they are.

I suggest that you call Dillon. They are nice folks!

Flash

 

[M2 Carbine]

Yes, call Dillon.

BTW,
About a year ago a link broke on my 30 year old 450. There's no telling how many hundreds of thousands of rounds I loaded with that press.
Dillon sent me new links and a few more other parts, free.
I broke the frame trying to drive out a pin.
I called Dillon and told them I was sending the new parts back since I had wrecked the press.
I happened to talk to the same nice fellow.
He said, If I would send the press to them they would "rebuild" it for free.
I received a "rebuilt" (new) 550. The only original part was the steel handle, that I had worn the bluing off. I thought that was cool that someone thought to send back that handle, that I had loaded so many rounds with.

So bottom line. After me using the original press for over 30 years, and breaking it, Dillon gave me a later model for free and paid the shipping to me.

Now THATS A GOOD COMPANY.

 

[OLDVET]

I have reloaded on a 550B for over 15 years. Any time I need to replace a part due to usage or my stupidity, Dillion has always replaced the part/parts even though I offered to pay for them. That includes the parts as well as the postage.

They have several older fellows for their customer service department. Their knowledge is vast, but their manner is a little rough around the edges.
On one occasion, I asked about the difficulty of replacing a certain part I had ordered. The guy I talked with said, "if you have trouble installing this part you don't need to be reloading". Okay.
Yes, Dillion is a great company.

 

[ed308]

They don't offer the manual for the 450 on their website. But, $99 to update the frame to a 550B...

https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-rl-450-upgrade-frame-change-kit_8_6_23995.html

 

[ROGER4314]

I broke the frame trying to drive out a pin.

The pivot pins near the handle, use a special tool to remove them. They are made from a BAN (big ass nail) with the tip cut off. Insert it in the pin with the hole and knock the other pin out. Then reverse it and drive the pin with the hole out.

For those who work on their presses, the bottom pin is the bugger. It is held in place with a setscrew and it's real hard to see that the setscrew is there. I'm guessing that is where the breakage occurred.

Flash