Press may be haunted

[thermobollocks]

Well, I like to think I've sorted out many of the oddities that come with using a 550. I've loaded something like 1000 rounds a month on it for the past two years, and, well, I got a surprise.

Last night, I was putting some .223 together for a major match in a couple weeks 'cause I am a procrastinating chumpasaurus. I did not notice upon decapping that the expander bell had made it into a case, so I got a messy surprise at the powder dispenser. I cleaned it up, figured I busted a decapping pin, then discovered I'd busted more than that, and had to figure out how to fish an expander bell out of a sized case. That part actually wasn't bad, but since I couldn't find the decapping pin, I then had a sizing-only die.

That part, too, isn't a showstopper. I stuck my universal decapper on my single stage and made my Dillon way less progressive. I did about 30 more rounds this way before deciding it was bedtime.

This morning, I decided to finish off the batch of 100 before work, and set about the same slow process, making sure to pay extra double attention to not screw myself up yet again. I didn't want any dies backing out, powder measure double-dispensing, or anything. I was good for a couple dozen, then I got this:

I was more curious than angry, and after a minute of poking around the various parts of the press discovered the powder bar was not moving back and forth anymore. Ruh roh, Raggy.

Then, I carefully emptied the powder hopper into a temporary container, and HELLO, a big metallic thing! I fished out the offending decapping pin with a magnet.

The decapping pin made its way into the powder hopper.

The powder bar still does not slide freely in the empty powder measure, so I am pretty sure it developed a burr or something from having a dang ol' decapping pin in it.

Does this sound like a plausible conclusion? Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? More importantly, what prayer should I say to make holy water to exorcize this beast?

[Moltke]

Ghost in the press? I was hoping you were going to say that the machine was loading perfect rounds on its own while you slept or something awesome like that

[thermobollocks]

The decapping pin made its way into the powder hopper.

Using some highly sophisticated computer technology and a couple cups of coffee, I discovered how this became.

When I had the powder spillage, I picked up the offending case, hit the press with some canned air, then dumped the powder from the case into the hopper myself, unaware that the decapping pin was free floating.

Mystery solved!

[safeactionjackson]

I would have had to know what transpired, call it OCD..... but that would have driven me nuts

Nice forensics shaggy

~g

[jayhkr]

And your press would have gotten away with it if it too weren't for you meddling kids.

[mcracco]

If you could chamber one it would make an awesome wildcat cartridge. Call it the 22 Bellows.

[Beastly]

Your decapping pin had aspirations of becoming a flechette.