Dillon roller handle came apart!

[JSolie]

Has anyone had their Dillon roller handle come apart? I got one and installed it last Saturday, and have less than 400 cartridges loaded when mine came apart tonight.



I just contacted Dillon about it, so I'll see if their "No-BS" warranty covers this thing. At least I was able to finish my loading session, but it sure slowed me down having the roller out of commission...

[joelogic]

Pin looks ok. Did you try and put it back together?

[Bill Steele]

It is hard to tell if the circlip is intact. If it is, I would try putting the roller back on and refastening the clip, it may not have been all the way in the slot when it was built.

If the circlip is bent, you can probably get another at a local HW store (or for sure Dillon will send you one).

[Clownpuncher]

Like was said, the clip probably wasn't installed properly in the groove. try putting it back together and use some of those spreader pliers.

BTW, looks like you are loading some Xtreme bullets there..... nice.

[JSolie]

Pin looks ok. Did you try and put it back together?

I don't have the right tool to install those pesky C clips. This C clip is in the handle pretty far (about an inch and a half) without a lot of space around it. The tools that I've seen for dealing with those clips wouldn't be able to reach. I suppose I could try a pair of needle nose pliers, but I don't want to mess anything up.

It is hard to tell if the circlip is intact. If it is, I would try putting the roller back on and refastening the clip, it may not have been all the way in the slot when it was built.

If the circlip is bent, you can probably get another at a local HW store (or for sure Dillon will send you one).

The clip does seem to be a bit bent at the top. It may be that it wasn't installed correctly.

Like was said, the clip probably wasn't installed properly in the groove. try putting it back together and use some of those spreader pliers.

BTW, looks like you are loading some Xtreme bullets there..... nice.

The only thing I have that might would would be needle nose pliers, but I want to hear from Dillon first.

Good eye! Those indeed are Xtreme bullets. I've nearly loaded two boxes of .45. Thank you so much for picking those up.

[Clownpuncher]

Good eye! Those indeed are Xtreme bullets. I've nearly loaded two boxes of .45. Thank you so much for picking those up.

I'm jealous. Other than putting them away on the shelf, I haven't been able to touch mine yet.

[Bill Steele]

I don't have the right tool to install those pesky C clips. This C clip is in the handle pretty far (about an inch and a half) without a lot of space around it. The tools that I've seen for dealing with those clips wouldn't be able to reach. I suppose I could try a pair of needle nose pliers, but I don't want to mess anything up.

The clip does seem to be a bit bent at the top. It may be that it wasn't installed correctly.

The only thing I have that might would would be needle nose pliers, but I want to hear from Dillon first....

I have some standard circlip pliers and I checked to see if they could be used on my roller handle. No dice. It is too far up in there for the pliers to fit. You would need pliers with the part that the clip goes on to be really extended.

If it were me, I would just send it back to Dillon and have them fix it. Almost certainly they failed to get that circlip in the slot. Not surprising given how far up in there the circlip is. I am kind of surprised I don't see this happening more often.

If you wanted to be really persistent, you could bend the clip so it was flat again and if you had a small blade scew driver that was long enough to reach in there, put the blade into the split in the clip. That will expand it enough so you could reach in there and get it on the shaft. Then hold it in there with another screw driver while you pulled the original off the clip. Then push the clip back until it snapped into the slot. If you went past the slot, just slowly pull the handle out until the clip snaps into the slot. It might take a while to get this done...

Good luck.

[JSolie]

I have some standard circlip pliers and I checked to see if they could be used on my roller handle. No dice. It is too far up in there for the pliers to fit. You would need pliers with the part that the clip goes on to be really extended.

If it were me, I would just send it back to Dillon and have them fix it. Almost certainly they failed to get that circlip in the slot. Not surprising given how far up in there the circlip is. I am kind of surprised I don't see this happening more often.

If you wanted to be really persistent, you could bend the clip so it was flat again and if you had a small blade scew driver that was long enough to reach in there, put the blade into the split in the clip. That will expand it enough so you could reach in there and get it on the shaft. Then hold it in there with another screw driver while you pulled the original off the clip. Then push the clip back until it snapped into the slot. If you went past the slot, just slowly pull the handle out until the clip snaps into the slot. It might take a while to get this done...

Good luck.

Thanks for checking. I kind of suspected that the normal tools for those circlips would work. I'm going to take a closer look at that clirclip and try to straighten it out a bit and then see how far I get with your screwdriver tip. Hopefully I can get things clicked back in place and be back in business.

[the86d]

I know they have hey-Zeus clip-affixers at Lowe's... I'd stop by on your way home.

They MIGHT have some long-armed ones?

[bruceflinch]

I know they have hey-Zeus clip-affixers at Lowe's... I'd stop by on your way home.

They MIGHT have some long-armed ones?

See if Dillon will refund your purchase price for those too What a pain!

[JSolie]

I got the clip and handle back on.

Bill, I wasn't able to get the circlip expanded via screwdriver. I then tried seeing if the clip would fit over the end of the shaft and engage the groove, which it did all too easily. The good thing is it came off easily (I didn't have the handle on the shaft at the time).

I then held the circlip with a beefy pair of needle nose pliers and tried to use smaller screwdriver to get the circlip to engage it's groove. This did not work especially well. I then tried slipping the circlip onto the end of the shaft with just the pliers, and I sort of got it to partially engage the groove. I then pushed the stupid thing back into place. It made a click, and the handle wouldn't come off. I then used the beefy needle nose pliers to squeeze the open end of that circlip closer to clamping the shaft. Only time will tell if this works.

I also heard back from Dillon. They asked if I ordered the handle from Brian Enos and to take it up with him. I bought the handle directly from Dillon, so I'm not sure of the next step.

[Na-vah-duh]

The next step is to start loading.

[Bill Steele]

I got the clip and handle back on.

Bill, I wasn't able to get the circlip expanded via screwdriver. I then tried seeing if the clip would fit over the end of the shaft and engage the groove, which it did all too easily. The good thing is it came off easily (I didn't have the handle on the shaft at the time).

I then held the circlip with a beefy pair of needle nose pliers and tried to use smaller screwdriver to get the circlip to engage it's groove. This did not work especially well. I then tried slipping the circlip onto the end of the shaft with just the pliers, and I sort of got it to partially engage the groove. I then pushed the stupid thing back into place. It made a click, and the handle wouldn't come off. I then used the beefy needle nose pliers to squeeze the open end of that circlip closer to clamping the shaft. Only time will tell if this works.

I also heard back from Dillon. They asked if I ordered the handle from Brian Enos and to take it up with him. I bought the handle directly from Dillon, so I'm not sure of the next step.

Great news, think I will remember this in the case some time I am holding my roller free of the handle.

I would ask them to send another circlip in case the one you have is sprung and it won't hold for the long run. You now know how to get a new one on, the least they could do is send one to you.

Have fun!

Bill

[JSolie]

The next step is to start loading.

Yeah, but I just finished loading about 1K .45. It ain't time to load---it's time to SHOOT!

[lpspinner]

I also heard back from Dillon. They asked if I ordered the handle from Brian Enos and to take it up with him. I bought the handle directly from Dillon, so I'm not sure of the next step.

That's unusual. Dillon takes care of their products regardless where you purchased it from and if you are or aren't the original owner.