Home > Dillon Precision > Firearms accessories > Dillon Precision AT 500 Instruction Manual

Dillon Precision AT 500 Instruction Manual

    Download as PDF Print this page Share this page

    Have a look at the manual Dillon Precision AT 500 Instruction Manual online for free. It’s possible to download the document as PDF or print. UserManuals.tech offer 7 Dillon Precision manuals and user’s guides for free. Share the user manual or guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

    							illon
    recision
    Products, Inc.
    AT  500
    Instruction Manual
    Version 3.3 
    						
    							2
    Table of Contents
    Subject Page #
    AT 500 Parts List 2
    AT 500 Machine Schematic 3
    Minimum Equipment to Begin Reloading 4
    Reloading Safety 4
    Parts List 4
    Mounting the AT 500 to Your Bench 5
    Configuring the AT 500 5
    Changing Shellplate Position 5
    Caliber Conversion Chart 6
    Changing Primer Size 7
    The Toolhead 7
    Setting Up to Load Rifle Ammunition 8
    Setting Up to Load Pistol Ammunition 11
    The Reloading Process 13
    AT 500 Upgrades and Accessories 15
    Dillon Precision Products, Inc.
    8009 E. Dillon’s Way
    Scottsdale, AZ  85260
    (480) 948-8009
    (480) 998-2786 FAX
    For Technical Assistance
    or to place an order call:  (800) 223-4570
    For an issue of the Blue Press: call:
    (800) 762-3844
    For additional product information,
    see our web site at:
    www.dillonprecision.com
    #16618   Spot   Manuals    AT500 Folder    AT500 Manual. V 3.3   9/01   WJC
    AT 500 Parts List
    Part # Description
    13409 Crank
    13435 1/4” Hex Wrench
    13583 Link Arm, Left
    13593 5/32” Hex Wrench
    13650 Spent Primer Cup
    13700 Link Arm Pin
    13728 1/8” Hex Wrench
    13738 Rod Washer, #10
    13747 Link Arm w/ Hook, Right
    13757 Seating Punch, Small
    13775 Main Shaft
    13781 Platform
    13789 Main Shaft Pin Set Screw
    13794 Shellplate Bolt
    13817 10-32 Kep Nut
    13824 Primer Cup, Large
    13825 Primer Cup, Small
    13830 Main Shaft Pivot Pin
    13834 Solid Link Arm Pin, Left
    13841 Nylock Nut
    13881 Hollow Link Arm Pin, Right
    13886 3/32” Hex Wrench
    13890 Spring Washer
    13891 Index Ball
    13904 Bellcrank Bolt
    13909 Toolhead
    13923 Brass Tip Set Screw
    13966 Platform Mount Bolt
    13967 Seating Punch, Large
    13996 10-32 x 3/16 Set Screw
    13997 Index Ball Spring
    14008 Toolhead Pin
    14013 Roller Bracket Screw
    14033 Primer Cup Spring
    14280 Roller Bracket Assembly
    13719 Cartridge Spring Screw
    13926 Cartridge Spring
    16609 Conversion Kit
    16610 Universal Shellplate
    16611 Shellplate Cover
    16612 Primer Punch Holder
    16617 Plastic Funnel
    16629 Powder Die
    20094 Frame
    20636 Handle, Knob & Nut Assembly
    Not all items are shown in schematic illustration.
    2 
    						
    							13794
    16611
    16610
    13966
    1378114033
    1661213996 13757 (Small)
    13967 (Large)
    13825 (Small)
    13824 (Large)
    14280
    assembly
    14013
    13881
    2009413891
    13997
    Locator
    Buttons
    14008 16617
    16629 13996
    1390913904
    13738
    See box above
    for more detail.
    1383413817
    1392313747
    13650
    20636
    Assembly 13775
    1389013841
    13409 13789
    13830
    13700
    13890 1384113583
    AT 500 Schematic
    3 
    						
    							Suggested Minimum Equipment 
    to Begin Reloading 
    (Figure 1)
    1) Powder scale
    2) Dies
    3) Loading manual
    4) Case lubricant (for bottlenecked cases)
    5) Safety glasses
    6) Primer flip tray*
    7) Dial calipers*
    (*Not absolutely essential, but pretty handy.)
    Figure 1– Minimum equipment needed to begin reloading.
    Reloading Safety
    At this point you’re anxious to finish your assembly
    and start cranking out rounds. But for your own safety,
    stop now and read the following:
    Reloading small arms ammunition involves the use of
    highly explosive primers and powder. Handling these
    materials is inherently dangerous. You should recognize
    this danger and take certain minimum precautions to
    lessen your exposure to injury.
    Never operate the machine without ear and eye protec-
    tion on. Call our customer service department at (800) 223-
    4570 for information on the wide variety of shooting/safe-
    ty glasses and hearing protection that Dillon has to offer.
    • PAY ATTENTION: Load only when you can give your
    complete attention to the loading process. Don’t watch
    television or try to carry on a conversation and load at the
    same time. Watch the automatic systems operate and make
    sure they are functioning properly. If you are interrupted
    or must leave and come back to your loading, always
    inspect the cases at every station to insure that the proper
    operations have been accomplished.
    • SMOKING: Do not smoke while reloading or allow any-
    one else to smoke in your reloading area. Do not allow
    open flames in reloading area.
    •  SAFETY DEVICES: Do not remove any safety devices
    from your machine or modify your machine in any way.• LEAD WARNING: Be sure to have proper ventilation
    while handling lead components or when shooting lead
    bullets. Lead is known to cause birth defects, other repro-
    ductive harm and cancer. Wash your hands thoroughly
    after handling anything made of lead.
    • LOADS AND LENGTHS: Avoid maximum loads and
    pressures at all times. Use only recommended loads from
    manuals and information supplied by reliable component
    manufacturers and suppliers. Since Dillon Precision has no
    control over the components which may be used on their
    equipment, no responsibility is implied or assumed for
    results obtained through the use of any such components. 
    Seat bullets as close to maximum cartridge length as
    possible. Under some conditions, seating bullets excessive-
    ly deep can raise pressures to unsafe levels. Refer to a reli-
    able loading manual for overall length (OAL).
    • QUALITY CHECKS: Every 50-100 rounds, perform peri-
    odic quality control checks on the ammunition being pro-
    duced. Check the amount of powder being dropped and
    primer supply.
    •  RELOADING AREA: Keep your components safely
    stored. Clear your work area of loose powder, primers and
    other flammables before loading.
    • COMPONENTS: Never have more than one type of
    powder in your reloading area at a time. The risk of a mix-
    up is too great. Keep powder containers closed.
    Be sure to inspect brass prior to reloading for flaws,
    cracks, splits or defects. Throw these cases away. 
    Keep components and ammunition out of reach of
    children.
    • BLACK POWDER: Do not use black powder or black
    powder substitutes in any Dillon powder measure.
    Loading black powder cartridges requires specialized load-
    ing equipment and techniques. Failure to do so can result
    in severe injury or death.
    •  PRIMERS: Never force primers. If they get stuck in the
    operation of the machine, disassemble it and gently
    remove the obstruction. 
    Never attempt to clear primers that are stuck in either
    the primer pickup tube or the primer magazine tube.
    Never, under any circumstances, insert any type of rod to
    attempt to force stuck primers out of these tubes. Trying to
    force primers out of the tube will cause the primers to
    explode causing serious injury or even death. 
    If primers get stuck in a primer magazine or pickup
    tube flood the tube with a penetrating oil (WD-40), throw
    the tube in the garbage and call us for a free replacement.
    Never attempt to deprime live primers – eventually one
    will go off. When it does it will detonate the others in the
    spent primer cup. Depriming live primers is the single
    most dangerous thing you can do in reloading and can
    cause grave injury or death.
    • LOADED AMMUNITION: Properly label all of your
    loaded ammunition (Date, Type of Bullet, Primer, Powder,
    Powder Charge, etc.).
    4 
    						
    							5
    •  BE PATIENT: Our loading equipment is conservatively
    rated and you should have no trouble achieving the pub-
    lished rates with a smooth, steady hand. If something
    doesn’t seem right, stop, look and listen. If the problem or
    the solution isn’t obvious, call us. The reloading bench is
    no place to get into a hurry.
    We have done everything we know how to make your
    machine as safe as possible. We cannot, however, guaran-
    tee your complete safety. To minimize your risk, use com-
    mon sense when reloading and follow these basic rules.
    •  REMEMBER: If your machine does not perform to your
    expectations, or if you are having technical difficulties,
    give us a call.  Technical Support (800) 223-4570
    All electrical/electronic components in Dillon equip-
    ment are covered by a one-year warranty.
    Your AT 500 comes complete with:
    • AT 500 Machine
    • Operating Handle Assembly including:
    Handle Shaft
    Handle Knob
    Nylock Nut and Washer
    • Accessory Bag including:  (Figure 2)
    Small Primer Cup and Pin
    Note: The Large Primer Assembly comes installed in 
    the machine.
    Plastic Funnel
    Spent Primer Cup
    Hex Wrenches: 1/8”, 1/4”, 5/32” and 3/32”
    Powder Die with Lock Ring
    • Conversion Kit including:  (Figure 2)
    Powder Funnels: A, B and K for Rifle – W, E, D 
    and F for Pistol calibers
    Locator Pins: #1, #2 and #3
    Double-check now to make sure all the parts needed
    are present. (Figure 2)
    Figure 2– A) Spent Primer Cup  B) Plastic Funnel  C) Hex
    Wrenches  D) Powder Die with Lock Ring  E) Powder
    Funnels F) Small Primer Cup and Pin G) Locator Buttons
    MOUNTING THE AT 500 
    TO YOUR BENCH
    Place your AT 500 on the edge of a sturdy bench or
    table where you plan to mount it. Give yourself about 12
    inches of work space on each side of the machine to allow
    room for components. 
    Using the machine itself as a template, mark and drill
    four 1/4” holes in your bench and bolt your AT 500
    securely to it. (Figure 3)
    Figure 3 – Using the reloader as a template to mark your bench.
    Avoid using wood or lag screws to mount your
    reloader to the bench. These types of screws can loosen
    over time.
    CONFIGURING THE AT 500
    Install the handle and spent primer cup. (Figure 4)
    Figure 4 – Installation of the handle and spent primer cup.
    AB
    CD
    EFG
    Spent
    Primer
    Cup Use hole in handle
    for leverage while
    tightening nut. 
    						
    							6
    Changing Shellplate Position
    Your AT 500 is shipped with the “universal” shellplate
    installed. The “universal” shellplate has four shellholder
    slots: #1, #2, #3 and #5. This allows you to reload a wide
    variety of calibers.
    All AT 500 reloaders are shipped with the #1 slot visi-
    ble. If the caliber you wish to load requires one of the
    other slots on the shellplate (see the caliber conversion
    chart on page 3 to be sure), you may change this by first
    loosening the brass-tipped set screw (Figure 5) at the top
    left side of the shaft, just below the shellplate platform,
    with the supplied 1/8” hex wrench. 
    Figure 5 – Location of the shellplate bolt set screw.
    Next, loosen the shellplate bolt with the 1/4” hex
    wrench. Then reposition the shellplate cover to display the
    slot you desire to use. The shellplate cover has two dim-
    ples (Figure 6) to help you align it with the shellplate. 
    Figure 6 – Locator “dimples” on the AT 500 shellplate cover.
    Tighten the shellplate bolt with the hex wrench – then
    back the shellplate bolt out about 1/4 turn so that you can
    rotate the shellplate easily. There should be no looseness or
    “slop” at this point. When you rotate the shellplate, you
    should be able to feel and hear the shellplate “click” into
    place. Re-tighten the brass-tipped set screw under the
    shellplate platform to prevent the shellplate bolt from
    rotating as the shellplate is indexed.
    Caliber Conversion Chart
    Caliber Shellplate Powder  Locator 
    Slot Funnel Button
    Rifle Calibers
    .222 Rem. 3 A 3
    .22-250 1 A 1
    .223 Rem. 3 A 3
    .240 Wby. Mag. 1 K 1
    .243 Win. 1 K 1
    .250 Savage 1 K 1
    .25-06 1 K 1
    .257 Roberts 1 K 1
    .257 Ackley Imp. 1 K 1
    .270 Win. 1 K 1
    .284 Win. 1 K 1
    .30-06 1 B 1
    .308 1 B 1
    .358 Win. 1 B 1
    .35 Whelen 1 B 1
    6mm Rem. 1 K 1
    6.5-06 1 K 1
    6.5x55 1 K 1
    7mm-08 1 K 1
    7.65x53 1 B 1
    7x57 1 K 1
    7.7 Arisaka 1 B 1
    7mm B.R. 1 K 1
    7mm Exp./280 Rem. 1 K 1
    7mm Int’l Rim 1 K 1
    7.5x55 Swiss 1 B 1
    8x57 1 B 1
    Handgun Calibers
    .22 Rem. Jet 2 A 2
    .221 Rem. Fireball 3 A A
    .380 ACP 3 F 3
    .38 Super 5 F 3
    .38/.357 Mag./Max. 2 D 2
    .357 SIG 5 F 2
    .45 ACP 1 E 1
    7 TCU 3 K 3
    9mm 5 F 3
    9x25 5 F 2
    9x21 5 F 3
    10mm/.40 S&W 5 W 2 
    						
    							7
    Changing Primer Size
    Your AT 500 has been shipped to you with the large
    primer bar installed and correctly adjusted to feed large
    primers. If the caliber you have selected requires small
    primers, you must change to the small primer cup and
    pin. Do this by loosening the set screw and removing the
    large primer cup and pin from the primer bar. Install the
    small primer cup and pin. (Figure 7) Do not tighten the
    set screw yet. 
    Figure 7 – To change the primer cup and pin, loosen this set
    screw. See arrow.
    This set screw needs to be loose in order to align the
    primer cup with the platform. Lower the platform onto the
    primer cup (Figure 8), then tighten the set screw while the
    cup is in the platform. (Figure 9)
    Figure 8 – Lowering the platform onto the primer cup.Figure 9 – The primer cup, showing through the platform.
    The Toolhead
    Your new AT 500 is equipped with a removable tool-
    head. Additional toolheads are available from the factory
    or your local Dillon dealer.
    The advantage of this system is simple. Once you have
    adjusted your dies just the way you want them, they can
    stay that way. Plus, changing to another caliber becomes a
    simple matter of pulling two pins and sliding the toolhead
    out. (Figure 10)
    Figure 10 – Removing the toolhead.
    Before you begin loading, make sure that the toolhead
    is secured by the toolhead pins.
    Platform
    Primer Cup 
    						
    							8
    Figure 11 – Toolhead/die station orientation.
    SETTING UP THE AT 500 TO LOAD
    RIFLE AMMUNITION
    We are using the .30-06 cartridge as an example in this
    section. The AT 500 machine comes to you with the
    shellplate (with the #1 slot ready for use) and large primer
    bar installed.
    Station #1 – Install the sizing/decapping die here.
    Figure 12 – Installing the sizing/decapping die in Station #1.
    Move the handle down (which will raise the platform)
    and thread the sizing/decapping die completely into the
    toolhead until the die comes in contact with the shellplate.
    Return the handle to its rest position (up). 
    Wipe a small amount of case lube on the body and neck
    of an empty .30-06 cartridge case, then place the case into
    the #1 slot. (Figure 13)
    Figure 13 – Placing the cartridge case in the shellplate.
    Move the handle down to resize and deprime the case.
    Return the handle to its rest position. 
    Examine the case you just resized and deprimed. If a
    case gage is available, insert the case into the gage to
    (Figure 14) assure yourself that the case has been resized
    properly. (The bottom of the case should be flush with the
    bottom of the gage.) 
    Figure 14 – Inserting a case in a case gage.
    Rotate the sizing/decapping die in or out as needed to
    reach the proper case-to-gage fit. After the die is adjusted,
    tighten the die lock ring to hold it in place. Advance the
    case to Station #2.
    Station #2 – Install the powder die and powder fun-
    nel here (We are using powder funnel “B” for the
    .30-06 cartridge – See Figure 15)
    1 1 1 1 2 2 2 23 3 3 3
    4 4 4 4 
    						
    							9
    Figure 15 –Installing rifle powder funnel into the powder die.
    Slide the funnel into the powder die and tighten the set
    screw, assuring yourself that it has entered the groove in
    the funnel. (Figure 16)
    Figure 16 – The groove in the rifle powder funnel.
    With the resized case in Station #2, move the handle
    down and thread the powder die into the toolhead until
    the funnel comes in contact with the case. Tighten the die
    lock ring. Advance the case to Station #3. 
    Station #3 – Install the bullet seating die here.
    Place a bullet on the empty case and move the handle
    down. Thread the bullet seating die into the toolhead until
    it comes in contact with the case/bullet. (Figure 17) 
    Figure 17 – Installing the bullet seating die in Station #3.
    In 1/4 turn increments, thread the bullet seating die
    clockwise while you move the handle up and down, until
    the proper loaded length is reached. (Always use a loading
    manual for loaded length information.) Tighten the die
    lock ring and the lock ring on the seating stem. (Figure 18)
    Figure 18 – Tightening the lock ring on the seating stem.
    Examine the cartridge you’ve just assembled, checking
    the overall length. Advance the cartridge to Station #4.  
    						
    							10
    Station #4 – Install the taper crimp die (if you’re
    using a separate taper crimp die) here.
    Figure 19 – Installing a taper crimp die in Station #4.
    Move the handle down. Thread the taper crimp die into
    the toolhead until it comes in contact with the cartridge. In
    1/4 turn increments, thread the taper crimp die clockwise
    while you move the handle up and down, until a crimp
    appears on the mouth of the case. An average crimp
    should be approximately .002 smaller than the case diame-
    ter. (Figure 20) Tighten the die lock ring.
    Figure 20 – A properly crimped rifle cartridge.
    Once you’ve installed all the dies in the toolhead, place
    the black plastic funnel onto the powder die. Install thethree #1 (.30-06) brass locator buttons, included in the
    parts bag, on the platform. (For other calibers, see caliber
    conversion chart on page 3.) (Figure 21)
    Figure 21 – Installing a brass locator button at Station #2.
    The above example used a Dillon three-die set for
    reloading the .30-06 rifle cartridges. Some die companies
    offer two die-sets for some rifle calibers. With these sets,
    the bullet seating die must be adjusted as follows: 
    Place a resized rifle case in Station #3. Install your
    bullet seating die here. Remove the seating stem from
    the seating die. Move the handle down and thread the
    die into the toolhead until it comes in contact with the
    case. Tighten the die lock ring. Return the handle to its
    rest position.
    Reinstall the seating stem approximately five turns.
    Place a bullet on the empty case and move the handle
    down. In 1/4 turn increments, thread the bullet seating
    stem clockwise while you move the handle up and
    down until the proper loaded length is reached. (Figure
    22 – Always use a loading manual for loaded length
    information.) 
    Tighten the lock ring on the stem.
    Figure 22 – Using a dial caliper to check overall length.
    Measure crimp here. 
    						
    All Dillon Precision manuals Comments (0)

    Related Manuals for Dillon Precision AT 500 Instruction Manual