Help me fix these primers!

[Mattroth54]

After looking at damn near every batch I’ve loaded on this Dillon 550, I can always find a bunch of primers that are wonky. I’ve cleaned the priming system, ensured the peg that pushes the primer into the pocket is spotless. I tumble my brass in crushed walnut shell media and deprime after tumbling. My shell plate is as tight as possible and still able rotate. The wire spring is tight against the case, keeping it from coming out the way it goes in. I’m new to the 550. Is there something I’m missing?

 

[1911ly]

Wow, that is scary. Are these all the same brand primers?

There are a lot of 550 owners here that can help.

 

[EyeCarry]

.

 

[Bosshoss]

Some of the tumbler media is getting stuck in the flash hole. It is getting on top of the primer punch deforming the new primer when seating the new one.
Might try a different media, finer or courser. Check a case every once in a while before running a bunch like that.
Use them for practice but they still go off or at least I never had any problems with them going off. Media separator helps shakes the stuck media loose if you are not using one. Casefeeder also helps dislodge the media.

Also make sure the pivoting chute is going all the way down if it is not it will let the stuck media fall straight down on the primer punch when deprimed.

 

[Mattroth54]

So media is falling through the flash hole and landing on the primer punch? Switching to a different media would be easy enough. Hope that’s it!

 

[Cameramonkey]

So media is falling through the flash hole and landing on the primer punch? Switching to a different media would be easy enough. Hope that’s it!

or tumble BEFORE you deprime. Thats what I do.

Crap cant get in the pocket if there isnt a pocket yet.

 

[billybob44]

After looking at damn near every batch I’ve loaded on this Dillon 550, I can always find a bunch of primers that are wonky. I’ve cleaned the priming system, ensured the peg that pushes the primer into the pocket is spotless. I tumble my brass in crushed walnut shell media and deprime after tumbling. My shell plate is as tight as possible and still able rotate. The wire spring is tight against the case, keeping it from coming out the way it goes in. I’m new to the 550. Is there something I’m missing?

"deprime after tumbling"..Reverse this step+ your problems go away..

I use a Universal decap die, and THEN clean cases...Bill.

 

[Mattroth54]

I do deprime after tumbling.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I do deprime after tumbling.

So much for that idea...

 

[patience0830]

Go to a vibrasonic type cleaner.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Wow. I'm not a Dillon user but you might try wet tumbling as an alternative.

I'll ask a dumb question- why do they appear dimpled in if their is debris (media) in the pocket or flash hole?

Do they feel flush across the case head? What brand/type of primers?

 

[dsol]

I have an old (over 20 years) Dillon SDB that was giving me primer issues, timing not quite right, flipping them, not feeding them up, ect... Called Dillon, they gave me a RMA number and sent it off to them. Came back a couple of weeks later shiny and new. They basically rebuilt the whole press and tested it out. Works perfect again.

Give them a call, Dillon has the best customer service in the world.

 

[Bosshoss]

Wow. I'm not a Dillon user but you might try wet tumbling as an alternative.

I'll ask a dumb question- why do they appear dimpled in if their is debris (media) in the pocket or flash hole?

Do they feel flush across the case head? What brand/type of primers?

On a 550 the resize/deprime happens with the shellplate at the top of the stroke. Lots of unburnt/burnt powder and tumbler media falls below and gets all over the primer slide area. The media can be in the flash hole and gets punched out with the primer to fall below. There is a pivoting spent primer chute that is "supposed" to catch the spent primers and the debris but anyone with a 550 will tell you it is not 100% catching even the primers let alone the debris. The primer slide is not directly below when this happens it is back getting a new primer. There are several ways for the debris to get on the primer seat punch.
I check a primed case every 20 rounds or so to make sure the punch is clear only takes a coupe of seconds. If there is something on the punch you can stop and get it off. You can see the piece of media then. I occasionally fine a sliver of brass on the punch from the deprime/prime operation but 90% of the time it is tumbler media.

 

[ckcollins2003]

On a 550 the resize/deprime happens with the shellplate at the top of the stroke. Lots of unburnt/burnt powder and tumbler media falls below and gets all over the primer slide area. The media can be in the flash hole and gets punched out with the primer to fall below. There is a pivoting spent primer chute that is "supposed" to catch the spent primers and the debris but anyone with a 550 will tell you it is not 100% catching even the primers let alone the debris. The primer slide is not directly below when this happens it is back getting a new primer. There are several ways for the debris to get on the primer seat punch.
I check a primed case every 20 rounds or so to make sure the punch is clear only takes a coupe of seconds. If there is something on the punch you can stop and get it off. You can see the piece of media then. I occasionally fine a sliver of brass on the punch from the deprime/prime operation but 90% of the time it is tumbler media.

This, it's not what you're tumbling with that's giving you the problems, it's what is on the primer punch. Clean your press and make sure it is clear of all debris. You can clean the brass with whatever you want, it has no effect on the priming system on the press unless it is getting onto the press itself. Just make sure there isn't any media left in the cases. I use a bowl strainer from the dollar store after tumbling and toss the brass around like some fancy chef to empty every case of media.

 

[bgcatty]

BossHoss has it right. Every once in a while on my 550 a piece of “junk” ends up on top of the primer punch and makes a mark on the primer. The key is clean and re-clean your brass, deprime after tumbling and shake and clean brass and clean the primer punch and slide constantly. Make sure you have good lighting on the press so you can clearly see the primer punch all the time. If all else fails call Dillon. Best of luck!

 

[Sniper 79]

I bought a cheap Harbor Freight pancake compressor from a yard sale to keep under the bench. Darn little thing comes in handy to blow crap off the primer driver on my 650. My Square Deal did the same. One spec of powder is all it would take to mar up a primer.

Make sure you have the right sized punch for the primers you are loading. Small with small large with large.

 

[Mattroth54]

You guys nailed it. It is dirt accumulating on the primer punch. Last night, I cleaned the punch and ran those in the pic at beginning of the thread. I assumed it would stay clean for the 50 or so I ran. You know what happens with that...

I just ran another 30, checking the punch EVERY time. I was shocked at how much crap winds up on that little platform. Damn near every 5 cycles some piece of dirt needed cleaned off. That said, these rounds look perfect. Thanks all for the great direction!

 

[billybob44]

Use FINE Meida..

Kramer Industries Corn Cob Grit

^^^This is what I use..Fine enough to NOT Plug primer holes.

Decap with universal decap die + tumble, shake out cases + load...

 

[ChootEm]

Are the Sellier and Bellot primers?

I had some do the same thing in my press... not that bad but you could definitely see they were smashed.

My CCI primers have never done it so I just keep the S&B for back up in case I run low.

 

[Mattroth54]

They’re Winchester small pistol primers.