Suitable spring replacement for old style primer punch?

[G19]

I've got an old style (e-clip) primer punch with a worn out spring. Not a big deal functionally, but would be nice to have the platform sit where it's supposed to at neutral.

Dillon no longer carries these springs or the old style punches, and I don't feel like spending money on a new punch when the everything but the spring seems fine on the old punch.

Anyone find a suitable spring at a hardware store?

[icestud]

Below was posted on the Dillon Forum

I am having problems with the primer being reseated in the case. I have tried all suggestions. I have reloaded tens of thousands of cases before with no problem. I am using Dillon brand 9mm dies. I have changed the anvil, polished it, and even polished on grinder with no help. Having problem with all brands of brass. The only thing I can think of is changing the spring or entire punch assy. Is the spring available separately or complete punch assy without buying new dies?

And here is a reply

had same issue...contact dillon and they will send you a new style primer seat assmbly that you can actually take apart to change spring once worn out. The old style is a bitch to try and disassemble....best wishes.

Hope this helps.

[G19]

Below was posted on the Dillon Forum

I am having problems with the primer being reseated in the case. I have tried all suggestions. I have reloaded tens of thousands of cases before with no problem. I am using Dillon brand 9mm dies. I have changed the anvil, polished it, and even polished on grinder with no help. Having problem with all brands of brass. The only thing I can think of is changing the spring or entire punch assy. Is the spring available separately or complete punch assy without buying new dies?

And here is a reply

had same issue...contact dillon and they will send you a new style primer seat assmbly that you can actually take apart to change spring once worn out. The old style is a bitch to try and disassemble....best wishes.

Hope this helps.

Difference is that the person referenced above was having a problem seating primers. I am not having that problem. I have mentioned the worn spring to Dillon, but didn't sound like they wanted to send me a new punch.

Does anyone know if the new style punch (with the allen bolt) uses the same spring as the old style punch? If so, maybe I can get a spring replacement from Dillon. Easy enough to remove the spring from the old style punch (e-clip) as long as one has a friend to help (need a third hand or some tools).

[dillon]

The springs used on the older 650 primer seater assembly do not interchange with the spring currently in use. If you remove your existing primer seater from the platform, is the punch above or below flush with the face of the bushing? It should be somewhere between flush and .020" below flush, when out of the machine.

[G19]

The springs used on the older 650 primer seater assembly do not interchange with the spring currently in use. If you remove your existing primer seater from the platform, is the punch above or below flush with the face of the bushing? It should be somewhere between flush and .020" below flush, when out of the machine.

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

Do you happen to know the McMaster Carr part # for the old spring (or can you get it from someone at Dillon who handles sourcing parts like springs)?

Edited May 19, 2015 by G19

[RDA]

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

[G19]

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

I figured a non-worn spring would keep the ram at neutral, eliminating the need to pull back slightly in order to drop the punch below the disc.

[RDA]

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

I figured a non-worn spring would keep the ram at neutral, eliminating the need to pull back slightly in order to drop the punch below the disc.

That is not the case.

[G19]

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

I figured a non-worn spring would keep the ram at neutral, eliminating the need to pull back slightly in order to drop the punch below the disc.

That is not the case.

Thanks, good to know.

[Foxbat]

Just send Dillon an email, the part failed, and they will cover it under warranty.

One of mine recently refused to go down all the way, due to dirt accumulation - they shipped me new one.

The old one is a bitch to take apart and to re-assemble, you need more than two hands. Plus, the clip on mine broke as I was removing it. The new one is much better.

[RDA]

Just send Dillon an email, the part failed, and they will cover it under warranty.

Not according to Dillon and the OP's conversation above.

[texasref]

This may sound odd, but try the auto parts store. They have access to a lot of different springs with heavier tensions.

[G19]

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

I figured a non-worn spring would keep the ram at neutral, eliminating the need to pull back slightly in order to drop the punch below the disc.

When out of the machine, punch is just below flush

When in the machine, the punch protrudes into the primer disc. Obviously this doesn't interfere with the loading process itself. Just a pain when manually advancing primers at the beginning of a loading session.

You need to move the handle to the neutral position before advancing the primer wheel. You have to do this regardless of new or old spring in my experience.

I figured a non-worn spring would keep the ram at neutral, eliminating the need to pull back slightly in order to drop the punch below the disc.

That is not the case.

I had a chance to check out a friend's 650. He has the newer style primer seater assembly and with the ram at neutral, the primer wheel can be advanced; no need to pull back on the operating handle.

[G19]

This may sound odd, but try the auto parts store. They have access to a lot of different springs with heavier tensions.

Checked Autozone, they don't have any springs that are even close.

Better luck at Ace Hardware, where I found 2 springs that are fairly close to the original spring:

The #80XA proved to be too weak. To get it to stand up high enough under the weight of the platform, you have to leave too many coils, which doesn't allow sufficient primer punch protrusion into station 2. The #141 spring worked better; I cut off 2 coils and that gives me sufficient primer punch protrusion (primed several cases and priming depth looks good).

It's still not quite strong enough as it cannot return the press to 'neutral' after pushing forward all the way on the operating handle; but it comes closer than the original/worn spring. And if I pull the operating handle back to the press' 'neutral' and let go, the primer disc can be advanced. With the original/worn spring, pulling the handle back to neutral and letting go would result in the spring collapsing and allowing the punch to protrude into the primer disc.