Loading Primers

[Jimbuck]

We have just started reloading. We have a DIllon 650 for a few calibers. Question, when loadingthe primer tubes weare having problems with primers getting stuck or jammed. This happens after a few or maybe halfway full. It creates a very dangerouns situation trying to clear or get them out ( I can atest to that fact with two damaged fingers). Is it the kind of primers (CCI and Win)?

Has made me very leary of primers now.

 

[platoonDaddy]

We have just started reloading. We have a DIllon 650 for a few calibers. Question, when loadingthe primer tubes weare having problems with primers getting stuck or jammed. This happens after a few or maybe halfway full. It creates a very dangerouns situation trying to clear or get them out ( I can atest to that fact with two damaged fingers). Is it the kind of primers (CCI and Win)?

Has made me very leary of primers now.

Dillon has great tech support, give them a call.

 

[Traveler]

No insult intended here just covering the obvious. There is a large, and small primer pickup tube. They are the ones with the clips.

The color code is as follows:

Blue Small Primer Magazine Orifice
Red Large Primer Magazine Orifice
Yellow Small Primer Pick-Up Tube
Green Large Primer Pick-Up Tube


When swapping primer magazines in the machine, turn it slowly and gently until it drops in about a quarter inch.

 

[trap]

I called up Dillon regarding stuck primers in the primer pick up tube and I was told that it had something to do with Quality Control issues from the primer manufacturer themselves. I used to have problems with Federal primers but lately I had some issues with Winchesters and CCI's as well.

Just tell them that you have a primer stuck on your primer pick up tube and they will send you one free of charge.

 

[Traveler]

This looked helpful to me.

http://www.dillonhelp.com/rl550benglish/primer_magazine.htm

 

[Pinecone]

Hmm, I have never had a problem with primers getting stuck. Are you using the primer tube rod to keep some weight on the stack?

 

[Jimbuck]

Thanks I will try using the rod to help.

 

[Pinecone]

Primers are pretty light. The rod adds some pressure to the stack to make it feed properly.

You can also use the rod to push the last primer into the pickup tube. When used with the pickup tube when loading primers into the press, it helps the go in smoothly without any flipping.

The rod is VERY important to proper primer feed.

 

[DocAitch]

Some years ago I had some Win SPs that had extra lacquer(the red stuff inside) that also got on the outside of the primer and some of these tended to stick in the pick up tube. I think this was a QC problem and only seemed to affect one or two lots. I don't think that I ever had one stick in the tube on the press(650) but I have always used the plastic rod even after the empty primer alarm gave up the ghost. I estimate that I have put well over 100,000 SP primers through the machine and suspect that any imperfections on the inside of the tubes are long polished off.
I did use a Frankfort Arsenal Vibraprime tube filler for a number of years until I figured out how much time that the 2-4 % upside down primers cost me with breakdown of the rounds and salvage of the primers. I also had a number of stuck primers in those tubes.
DocAitch

 

[Jimbuck]

Thanks all. Will let you know how it goes after my fingers heal.

 

[R357]

The primer pick up tubes will get debris in them from time to time that will cause the problem. A quick hit of compressed air when the tube is empty usually does the trick for me if the primers are starting to hang.

Otherwise I run CCI so almost exclusively on my 650, and I rarely have an issue with them.

 

[DocAitch]

Can't be too picky these days- I find that TulAmmo, S&B, CCI, and WSPs all work fine in my Dillon 650. I have also also used FederalSPs in the past and would again if that was all I had, despite the warnings against them.
DocAitch