Leroy Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Hello This is a safety issue. I have a Dillion xl650 and was loading and a primer exploded setting off all the primers in the Magizine shield must have been at least 90 in the shield. BOOM!!!!!!!!! and destoryed a plot of parts. Lucky i wasnt hurt but guys be careful loading and wear eye protection all the time if i hadn't been wearing safety glassed it would have been nasty.Load and shoot safe. I dont' think it is a problem with Dillion presses, just an isolated experience. Leroy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 i have heard of this happening in the past. it's rare, but i think this is why the use a steel sleeve aroun the primer tube. glade you're ok. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBF Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Leroy, Glad to hear you are allright. Federal primers by any chance ? As far as I am concerned , eye protection is required when loading/priming. Somewhere I read that anvils from exploding, uncontained primers were clocked at something like 1400 FPS. That's gotta hurt. Travis F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Happened to me TWICE when I had my P.O.S. 650. My machine was down 2 weeks awaiting parts, got it fixed and it happened again 1 week later. I sold it and got a 550. That rotary priming indexer thingy is a crock. IMHO, the 650 has too many moving parts and are SOOOOOO easily broken. When I got my 550 set-up, I have had NO problems with it whatsoever. Best investment I've made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 The same thing happened to me about a year ago, but no problems since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I'm wanting a 1050. Please tell me that it has a better priming system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Question for each of you who've had this happen: Yes, what BRAND of primers were in use at the time of the accident(s)...? Was this a factor, I wonder...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Its a Federal issue Call the Government!! I have embedded a few primer rods in the ceiling myself. If you get your 650 updated with latest priming system parts, adjust and clean it occasionally, and don't pull a Arnold Scz--ar while seating primers. You will be fine. I never heard of it happening with any other brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul B Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I've had a few single detonations with my 650 but never a whole tube. Glad there were no injuries. This does usually happen with Federals but if you are ham handed enough you can also do it (single detonation) with Winchesters also - believe me I know. Think about the Lee priming system with all 100 primers in a plastic plate pointed at your face. Don't load much on the Lee anymore. Taking it a little further, though, I've had max 4 single detonations out of 500K plus loaded rounds on my 650 so I don't think it is inherent in the priming system. More likely something is out of adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I heard if it happening to a local shooter as well-- the whole tube going up, but it's rare. I suspect somehow a primer gets stuck, then after some are gone from underneath it, it gets unstuck, drops down and boom.. I've lit one primer up with some over-exuberant seating on a 650, but that's away from the other primers. Call Dillon ASAP. They'll send you a new priming system. The 1050 has a 550-like priming system. Still keeps 'em all in a big tube though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Lots of Feds through my 550, no det's......as of yets. Glad you weren't hurt bro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I've had 2. one single and one in the tube with about 40 primers, feds both times. I have a new sleeve of feds, about 3 years old.scared of them, have to be a real primer shortage before I try them again. Its not the loader, its the primers.Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Intuitively, I quit using Feds some time ago. Using Winchesters at this point. See no reason to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mover480 Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Blew up my 650 twice. Put a hole in the ceiling the first time, shattered the case feeder mirror the second. Federal primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S. Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Hi. Thanks to you folks for the info. Just about to start with my 550 x-mas present. Been hand (single primer) priming for the 6 ppc for several years with Federal match primers, and use the same hand primer for 45 colt. No problems, but the priming tool I use makes it easy to seat by feel. However, I shall nevermore hand prime with the case mouth facing me, and I shall definitely be more aware with the Dillon than I would have been had you not brought the subject up. I've been reaming flash holes and cleaning pockets even for pistol cases, something to do while watching reruns of Bill O'Reilly. Wonder if maybe there's occasionally a shard of brass in the pocket from manufacturer left over from punching the hole, or the primer pocket isn't quite square sometimes and might "squish" the primer?? anyhow< thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 exact same thing happened to me 3 y ago (Fed 45 primers) on my 650. Reason was dirty/out of adjustment rotary priming system. Had been seeing primers coming in at 90 deg angle (i.e. sideways) for quite some time and not fixed the problem. Now, whenever something feels *wrong* on the priming stroke, I stop and investigate the problem rather than give it another UUUGHHHH push. Remove shell, clean, put back, adjust, continue.... Dillon replaced all broken parts for free, quickly. I also sustained no injury because of i) primer tube holding up and ii) wearing glasses. and no, I have not stopped using Feds. The reason why this happens is precisely the reason why I'm using them (reliable ignition)! You can read my report of the incident in an old thread here... --Detlef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 It happened to my friend. 650, full primer tube, fed primers. He had something happen and stopped to check it out and he stopped with the handle all the way down. He released the handle and it slammed back to the up position igniting the whole tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I follow some of the basic self-imposed rules on my (SDB) reloading practices (not necessarily in this order...): --never, ever look away from the press while doin' it --if there's the least bit of irregular 'feel' or resistance, pull casing out and LOOK --each stroke is a serious matter and deserves my undivided attention --blow particles of debris off the shellplate OFTEN --wear goggles --examine casings before they even hit the shellplate --reload the primer tube before the alarm to keep uniform weight on the stack of primers --pay attention to all posted threads on reloading --talk to other local shooters about their reloading practices So far so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 It is a common malady on the 650, due to the priming system. I did it once myself. I then talked to my shooting buddies, including some GMs all over US. Pretty much all of them had experienced it themselves. To a T, everyone said that they were going too fast, and lost the feel of the primer seating, and Krunch!Boom! I dont think it was primer specific either. The recommendations were, slow down to feel the primer seat into the case, if you feel it hang up, stop, and check the primer pocket. I had mine with Fed FC98 crimped primer brass, so check your brass as well. I now have a 1050 so I dont have to worry about it anymore. There is nothing wrong with the 650 other than you cant go to town warp speed with the priming system. And please wear safety glasses whenever loading or dealing with primers. I hang them on the handle when I dont use them. Good luck, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Question for each of you who've had this happen: Yes, what BRAND of primers were in use at the time of the accident(s)...? Was this a factor, I wonder...? In my 650, I was using Winchester Small-Rifle primers when the tube detonated. It seems to me that the priming system used on the 550 should be used on the 650 as well, that's one super-reliable system. 650 on the otherhand is just dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 "...if you feel it hang up, stop, and check the primer pocket. I had mine with Fed FC98 crimped primer brass, .." (DougC) I won't even USE FC96/97/98's any more. Waaayyyyy too scary. Ditto for CCCs.Amen on checking if things don't 'feel' right. Chances are something's NOT right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBF Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 . And please wear safety glasses whenever loading or dealing with primers. [ Church choir mode on / ] Sing it with me brother ! Say it again ! [ Church choir mode off / ] Sorry folks, that probably isn't nearly as amusing as I thought it would be. Did I mention that four eyes is better than none ? Travis F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I have to wear corrective lenses for any work up that close anyway, but wear the goggles over THOSE as well. Feels silly sometimes, but causing my own blindness thru neglect would feel even sillier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hangin' Chad Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 For all of those using winchester primers, you might want to read the box. See Ya The Hangin' Chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Well, if Rufus is going to say the 650 is dangerous...then I am going to say the 550 is dangerous. Every time I hear about somebody double-charging a case...it is with the 550 (no auto-indexing). I'd rather set off a primer (or tube) than blow up a gun with a double charge. But, both situations can/should be avoided when the person running the press pays attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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