Finnicky priming system on my 550

[NicVerAZ]

My 550 is still new and I reloaded about 500 rounds already. Last night I had a lot of issues with CCI #500 (reloading 9mm).

First, the yellow tip had a hard time picking up the primers. Some got stuck and would not be pushed into the pickup tube past the yellow tip.

In the middle of it, the primers would not come out. I pulled the feeder tube, but could not reinsert it all the way in. Primers were obviously stuck. I had to vaccuum the primers out (I vaccuumed them out with a plastic tube and using my mouth to pull them out).

I often end up with unprimed cartridges which force me to pull them apart, or even inverted primers. Sometimes the plate will not rotate after priming, as if something is stuck under the primed case, probably a primer sideways.

I want to make sure I have it all working properly. Should I use a different brand of primers? What can I do to make the priming system work close to perfection?

So far it has been the Achille's heel of this press.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Youngeyes]

There are so many places to start that this is one time I'd advise getting on the phone to Dillon while you are at the 550. You need to take apart your priming setup and check the basics. Is the feed tube all the way down? Is the primer slide adjusted properly? If the primer pickup tube works incorrectly you need to change the tip. Best that Dillon walk you through it. Dillon is great about that kind of help. Luck.

[benos]

And for reference, the oft littered:

550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes:

• Thoroughly polish frame, wherever priming slide touches it, with green Scotch Brite. (Approx. every 3000 rounds)
  
• Wipe off Primer Slide with solvent or alcohol. Leave it all dry.
  
• At rest primer slide adjustment: Set so that one primer, dropped down the tube, goes all the way into the Primer Seating Cup, 10 times in a row.
  
• Angle of Primer Slide Operating Rod (13869) - Release rod from rollers and swivel it 180º so it's pointing straight up - it should be parallel with the Primer Housing Shield, or maybe outward "a little"; it should not be "inward" at all.
  
• Be sure both screws (14530) that tighten Roller Bracket Shell Platform (14280) from bottom (to the Shellplate Platform) are tight!
  
• Make sure Priming Seating Punch Assembly is fully bottomed out before tightening screw (13996): Measured from bottom of Primer Slide (13920) to top of seated Primer Seating Cup (13284/5), dimension should be between 2.125 - 2.220 inches.
  
• Be sure Priming Operating Rod Bracket (13887) is adjusted so it's within a few thousands of an inch from the top of frame/Toplhead.
  
• Be sure the plastic tips of all your Primer Pickup Tubes and the plastic tip on the bottom of the Priming Magazine are seated fully against the tubes.
  
• Grease the short end of the op-rod where it inserts into the bracket clamped around the primer shield.
  

[Sarge]

My 550 is still new and I reloaded about 500 rounds already. Last night I had a lot of issues with CCI #500 (reloading 9mm).

First, the yellow tip had a hard time picking up the primers. Some got stuck and would not be pushed into the pickup tube past the yellow tip. Did you have this problem with all your tubes. Out of 10 tubes I also have one or two that are tighter than others.

In the middle of it, the primers would not come out. I pulled the feeder tube, but could not reinsert it all the way in. Primers were obviously stuck. I had to vaccuum the primers out (I vaccuumed them out with a plastic tube and using my mouth to pull them out). I had the same thing happen once. It turned out to be one bad primer. It was out of round and sticking in the tube. And for what it's worth it was a Winchester primer. After using every brand out there to include the cheap russian ones during the great shortage a Winchester is the only bad primer I have ever encountered.

I often end up with unprimed cartridges which force me to pull them apart, or even inverted primers. Sometimes the plate will not rotate after priming, as if something is stuck under the primed case, probably a primer sideways. Several things. Is the primer tube locked into place in the magazine? If it's not it will wreak havoc. Is the bench jiggling at all while you load? If it moves much it will also cause primers to flip. Is the right end on the tube in the magazine? Check again. Are you using crimped brass? Primers won't go in crimped primer pockets and they lock up the plate because they are sticking out of the bottom of the case too far. Don't load S&B brass. It has very tight primer pockets. Also WCC is crimped as well as anything with NT on the headstamp.

I want to make sure I have it all working properly. Should I use a different brand of primers? No. Once I got mine worked out it would work fine with any primer. What can I do to make the priming system work close to perfection? Go over it again as per Brians post above and/or call Dillon while you are sitting at the press. They will walk you through everything.

So far it has been the Achille's heel of this press. I have said that before and I still believe it to be true. If it were not for the priming system the 550 would be a much better machine.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Keep reading the Dillon reloading forum because everyone who has bought a 550 has had the same problems. There is a ton of info buried in here on what was done to fix everything.

[chevyoneton]

I had similiar issues recently with CCI Large Pistol Primers. I switched to Winchester LP and the problems went away. This is in no way a slam on CCI primers, I uses them exclusively in SP and SR applications and have had no primers related problems ever that I can recall. I figured it was just one batch or a stacked tolerances issue or something and tried another brand and batch of primers and went on. I will use the Winchesters in a hand-prime on lower production rounds I don't run in the Dillon.

[rouxster]

Thanks for this helpful information. My 550 is new as well and I am fighting with the primer system now. I saw from a previous post that I need to change the primer feed tube for small primers-couldn't figure out why my primers kept flipping. The other issue I have is like stated above, about every 10-15 cartridges will not have a primer seated - this is the most annoying problem I can think of. I'm going to try the tips above and see if I can get it setup right. Not only is it messy, but a waste of powder also.

Edited May 26, 2012 by rouxster

[sroe3]

After spilling powder in my press I have trouble with the shellplate and primer slide moving properly, leading to more spilled powder. I finish the 100 primers in the press and blow everything very clean with my air compressor.

[SonnyCrockett]

The primer system on the dillon is very much in need of an update

I have 10K rounds though my press and I just deal with it but I see primers

flying around too often and IMO the flip funnel thing that catches them and drops them into the

metal cup is weak....The funnel is too short and needs to be closer to where the primer

I do not know why Dillon does not step up to the plate here but till then I own a broom

[NicVerAZ]

One thing I found out is that the spent primer recovery system is also very problematic. The collector can remain open and the primers fall all over the place, sometimes on the arm of the primer system. You can fix it by either lubing and fixing the little metallic cotter pin (I simply have one single string go through) or replacing it with a platic tube heat shrunk around the primer chute, into a plastic can, like in the mod someone is selling on eBay.

As far as the arm itself, I treat it like I would a pistol slide: I clean in and lube it. And yes, I lube it with gun oil. I guess WD40, chain lube, any silicone based lube would work (err.. yeah, I guess even that one kind).