Primer flipping

R

Raymond.Emsley

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
12   0   0
Location
Calgary, Alberta canada
First I am very new to reloading this summer.
I have a Dillon 650 xl, reloading 9mm right now. I put the low mass detent ball in and the shell plate bearing to stop the spilling of powder from the vibration. I also put the camming pin bearing in which I thought would help on the primers from flipping.

The problem I have is some times like 1 in every 20 primers don't go in smooth. It takes a little pressure to put them in. And when they do pop in they flip so they go in sideways. Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I need to adjust or a mod I need to do? Maybe I need to adjust the camming pin?

Any help would be great.

Thank you
Raymond.

This what is happening to the primers.
 
Last edited:
I had problems with that too when I first set up my XL 650. Make sure you are using the right size primer disc and give it a good cleaning. Also make sure your press is mounted as solidly as possible. I mounted a table leg directly under my press and have no problems with sideways primers now.

I still got the occasional swished primer due to crimped primer pockets though. I've developed the feel for that in the push stroke though so I can usually back off in time.
 
Here's what my XL650 looked like when I first set it up. I had problems with flipped-sideways primers and cases being fed in upside down.

Here's what it looks like after I mounted a table leg directly under the press. (in hind-sight, I should have doubled up on the 1" thick top when I built the table).
 
For the life of me I cant visualize how a primer can be "flipped" in a 650, I have had two 650's set up side by side and loaded upwards of 90,000 rounds thru them and never had a primer flip or go sideways ( I have had a couple detonate when the primer anvil was a little proud to feed under the shell plate). An unaligned shell plate/detent ball would not correctly align the primer with the cutout in the shell plate but that would stop a complete motion of the ram when the primer came up anywhere but in the slot every time, making the press unusable at all.

The only scenario I can see where a primer could be flipped is if the shell plate is grossly loose on the ram head, otherwise there just isn't enough tolerance space from the time a primer enters the feed tube (is there a possibility that the odd primer is being fed wrong side up), transitions between tube & feed wheel and is rotated under the shell plate to allow a flip to happen.
 
1. Check that your press and primer plate are dead level. Dillons can be a little sensitive about that.
2. If you are using S&B primers, stop and switch to CCI, Remington, Federal, or other domestic primer brand. S&B primers tend to be 1/1000 wider and can cause mis-feeds in many progressive presses including both Dillon and Hornady.
 
I have the correct size primer disc. I'll pull it apart and give it a good cleaning after work today. I did buy it used so you never know what's under there.
it is mounted securely to the top. I don't get much side to side play. How ever I do get the ocasional tip backwards. I'll get some pictures when I get back from work tonight.

Thank you for your input. Anything helps.
 
Chrossphyre said:
1. Check that your press and primer plate are dead level. Dillons can be a little sensitive about that.
2. If you are using S&B primers, stop and switch to CCI, Remington, Federal, or other domestic primer brand. S&B primers tend to be 1/1000 wider and can cause mis-feeds in many progressive presses including both Dillon and Hornady.
Click to expand...

I've loaded over 20,000 S&B primers and never had an issue in my 650.
 
After about 1200 rounds loaded on a used Dillon Square Deal B, I had primers start flipping sideways and upside down.
Took the press completely apart and cleaned and greased it.
No problem now.
 
I think these posts are pure fiction. According to some of the 'experts' on this site Lee Loadmasters are crap because of their lousy primer system but Dillons are perfect and never have problems. :rolleyes:
 
update!

Here is what I have done to I hope fix the problem.
Took apart and cleaned the primer disc and the whole assembly. There was some grit in there but did not find too much. Re greased it and put it back together. one thing I did notice was that the spring loaded metal "arm" that keeps the casing in was not tight. Tightened it up and bent it in a bit to keep the casing firm.

Since the bench is in the garage I screwed it to the wall, it should not movement now.
The primers I am using are CCI. The brass is mixed head stamp but did not come across any crimped primer pockets.

I ran about 50 rounds through it and not a problem. Got to wait will friday to get more projectiles to run more through to really check it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom