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Posted: 9/15/2010 3:00:01 AM EDT
| I'm at a loss as to what's causing this problem, I have a Dillon SDB & a 550. I have reloaded thousands on the SDB a probably five or six hundred .223 on the 550. Neither press will load up the primers from the primer loading tube. A few drop in & the rest just jam up at the top of the tube. I took it apart, cleaned the aluminum tube & still no go. Same lot of primers for both presses. One set up for small rifle, the other small pistol. I know this sounds stupid but anyone have any suggestions??? Thanks in advance. |
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Where is the hang up, in the pick up tube or the press's primer tube?
If the pick up tube, check for a burr where the cotter pin goes through. If the primer tube are you sure you have the correct size installed in the press, a SR primer tube won't take the LR primers. I see you say you're only loading small primers, are you sure your press's primer tube is indexed and in the fully down position and the metal cap is down and seated on the top of the primer tube? To index the primer tube you spin it so the spline on the tip mates with the priming system in the bottom. You'll feel it drop in place. If there's a gap you'll have the cap's funnel effect defeated, getting you tipped primers and a blockage. Other than that w/o more details I don't know what to say. Mine have never given me an issue in almost 20 years of use in the 550B. |
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The hang up is in the upper portion of the tube on the press, I have the correct tube in both presses. I haven't changed a thing on either press for all i use is small primers. The primer tubes in the press are seated correctly The SDB I've owned for close to 20yrs. and never had a problem . I even tried a different primer pick up tube. I'm stumped. 4.. Quoted:
Where is the hang up, in the pick up tube or the press's primer tube? If the pick up tube, check for a burr where the cotter pin goes through. If the primer tube are you sure you have the correct size installed in the press, a SR primer tube won't take the LR primers. I see you say you're only loading small primers, are you sure your press's primer tube is indexed and in the fully down position and the metal cap is down and seated on the top of the primer tube? To index the primer tube you spin it so the spline on the tip mates with the priming system in the bottom. You'll feel it drop in place. If there's a gap you'll have the cap's funnel effect defeated, getting you tipped primers and a blockage. Other than that w/o more details I don't know what to say. Mine have never given me an issue in almost 20 years of use in the 550B. |
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Very strange.
There is no hole there so unlikely for a burr. Well I'd just call Dillon at this point and have them send out a new tube. they'll do it no questions asked. They don't mess around with the primer system with problems. If a tube gets plugged or jammed they see the pipe bomb potential for you and would rather you just replace the components. ETA- You said you swapped tubes already and have two presses with the same problem. It's not the tube it's the primers. |
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Any chance you're using Wolf primers?
I ask because I see them with loose anvils from time to time. If the anvil comes out it will bugger things or if it's not pressed in right the anvil foot might be hanging out to catch the tube wall and cause your hangup. I use them but they have their issues in QC. |
| Does the Dillon have the little rod/stick you put in the press primer tube after the primers that slides down as the primers go down to catch the primer shuttle and hold it back when your out of primers, the small added weight of that rod helps keep the primers straight and moving freely so that might help if you know what I'm talking about. |
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Quoted:
I'd have to say it's the primers. Did you just switch to a new brand? Use your calipers and measure the diameter of the jamming primers vs primers you've used in the passed that don't jam I think he said it's never worked for either. I'm at a loss as to what's causing this problem, I have a Dillon SDB & a 550. I have reloaded thousands on the SDB a probably five or six hundred .223 on the 550. Neither press will load up the primers from the primer loading tube. A few drop in & the rest just jam up at the top of the tube. I took it apart, cleaned the aluminum tube & still no go. Same lot of primers for both presses. One set up for small rifle, the other small pistol. I know this sounds stupid but anyone have any suggestions??? Thanks in advance.
It also sounds like small primers in a large primer tube but he said he checked that for sure 
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I Have a stash of primers, Winchester & CCI. No Wolf at all. These have worked without a problem for years. If it were just one of the presses I could understand maybe the primer tube being fubared. But what are the odds of both of them being bad? Like I said, I'm positive it's set up for small primers. Worked for years. Quoted:
I'd have to say it's the primers. Did you just switch to a new brand? Use your calipers and measure the diameter of the jamming primers vs primers you've used in the passed that don't jam |
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At this point I'm guessing it's not the primer feed tube (the one that is in the press in the black tubular shroud) but perhaps the primer pickup tubes? Did you clean those? And before you drop the primers, poke loose the primer that should be in the pick up tube tip. When loading primers right after pulling the cotter pin, rotate the primer pick up tube back and forth clockwise and counter clockwise Tip for everyone, if you make real small cotton patch you can use the plastic primer follower as a makeshift cleaning rod to clean the primer feed and pickup tubes. A .17 caliber cleaning rod works great too |
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Yes I also cleaned those, put new tips on them also. I emailed Dillon as I've run out of options. Quoted:
At this point I'm guessing it's not the primer feed tube (the one that is in the press in the black tubular shroud) but perhaps the primer pickup tubes? Did you clean those? And before you drop the primers, poke loose the primer that should be in the pick up tube tip. When loading primers right after pulling the cotter pin, rotate the primer pick up tube back and forth clockwise and counter clockwise Tip for everyone, if you make real small cotton patch you can use the plastic primer follower as a makeshift cleaning rod to clean the primer feed and pickup tubes. A .17 caliber cleaning rod works great too |
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Do any of the primers make it to the bottom of the tube on the press?
My guess is the primer tube is bent, wrong size, or primers are over sized. Just guesses. Have you taken the primer tube out of the press and looked down the hole in the tube? Never had this problem on my 550 or 3 SDB's. I use Win, CCI, Rem, and Wolf primers. |
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Yes the primers do make it to the bottom of the tube, I took the primer tube out, hit it with brake clean & a bore snake. It's spotless. I emailed Dillon. I'll let you know what the outcome is. Thanks to all for the suggestions. Quoted:
Do any of the primers make it to the bottom of the tube on the press? My guess is the primer tube is bent, wrong size, or primers are over sized. Just guesses. Have you taken the primer tube out of the press and looked down the hole in the tube? Never had this problem on my 550 or 3 SDB's. I use Win, CCI, Rem, and Wolf primers. |
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Yup it's tight. I checked everything I could think of. Quoted:
Make sure the knurled nut that retains the primer magazine tube is snug. It can loosen up over time which will allow the magazine tube to shift out of alignment. This can cause a problem when the pick up tube is placed over it to drop primers. |
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At this point I'd play around with both pick up and the feed tube. Fill the pick up tube with 100 primers, invert, and pull the cotter pin, dump the primers into your primer flipper tray, shake, refill the tube, make sure the pick up tube is working fine. That'd lead to the feed tube to muck around with. Remove it, put a plastic tip from the pick up tube on it, making it a temporary pick up tube. Pick up primers with it. See if, when it binds, if so, after how many primers, etc. If you get all 100 primers in it, invert it, see if they all flow out smoothly. Tip on removing the pickup tube tip - use a small open end crescent wrench to push the clip off |
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