S391 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 I have a Dillon 550B reloader that I've been using for the last 8 or 9 years. Due to family schedules I haven't used it much the past 2 years... I took it down and packed it up for about 18 months be recently set it up to start reloading again. Since I've set it back up I've been having some major issues priming.... close to 20% of the primers are going in sideways and, to a lesser extend, upside down. Since then I've cleaned everything, replaced the tip on the of the magazine tube, I've cleaned the primer magazine tube and cleaned the primer pocket and slide. When I reload I can watch the primer sled going forward and the primer is in the primer cup correctly.... but I am still getting 5-8% of my primers going in sideways.... What am I missing?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George16 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Did you check to make sure you are using the correct size for the primer you are using, ie small primer cup or tip for small primers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2000red Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Not sure what caliber you are loading but could it be crimped primer pockets. Vibration could be another issue that could cause this is if the loader is not securely mounted to a sturdy surface. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMahan Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 That's a tough one, since the primer is correctly oriented going forward. You might check to make sure your shell plate is tight enough to hold the case in a consistently proper location. I had an issue with the little 'paperclip' spring; sometimes the case wouldn't be held all the way back in proper location. I never got any upside down, but a couple sideways, and some kind of deformed from being slightly off center. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S391 Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 Thank you all for the great advice and thoughts. Quick response to some of the very good points raised above: I have never loaded anything other than small primers so I know I have the correct parts in the press. could be crimped pockets... I was reloading some very old brass that someone gave me... loaded so more recent brass and only had a couple of issues. The press is bolted to my bench... no vibration... The "paperclip spring" seems like something i should look at.... it looks like it is bent out of shape somehow and that seems to make sense.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikieM Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Check the Primer Feed Stop Pin. It's the little white plastic pin that pushes the primer into the Primer Seating Cup. Look to see if it has become misshaped, or has developed a frayed end. If it has then it has probably shortened and will no longer push the primers fully into the cup as it should. The most important part of the 550 priming system is: The Primer Feed Stop Pin (#14051). The Primer Feed Stop Spring (#13979). And the Flexible Orifice (#14024 small, or #14003 large). Buy a handful of these parts and you can prime forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMahan Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Just grasping here, but since you said old cases, several years ago there was a run of Winchester 9mm cases with off-center primer holes. They were especially incompatible with Win. Primers. More recently, S & B 38 special cases have the same issue. Keep us posted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open17 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 7 hours ago, S391 said: When I reload I can watch the primer sled going forward and the primer is in the primer cup correctly.... but I am still getting 5-8% of my primers going in sideways.... What am I missing?? If you can see the primer sitting in the cup on the slide correctly, then whatever is happening is happening as the ram/shellplate comes down over the primer. Make sure the little paperclip spring is holding the case in the shellplate correctly. Make sure the shellplate is registering on the detent correctly. Check for a bent primer cup stem. Watch the pin on the primer slide hit the stop screw, and cycle it a few times to make sure the primer cup is coming straight up through the shellplate without bumping the side of the hole. If it bumps the hole the primer will bounce and can turn sideways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glock021 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I struggled with priming issues for awhile on a 550. I ordered one of the primer track bearing plates with ball bearing from eBay. That and some replacement parts from Dillon took care of all the issues. I have since upgraded to the 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swanny10 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I recently set up a new 550c. I had some priming issues as well. I was getting some that wanted to go in at a very slight angle. Just enough to make the primer not sit level in the case. Turns out the paper clip spring was out of adjustment just enough to cause the problem. And on top of that, when they would get pinched in there, often times it would shave off a piece of brass from the primer pocket. That little sliver seemed to compound the problem. So in short. Play with hairpin spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, Swanny10 said: I recently set up a new 550c. I had some priming issues as well. I was getting some that wanted to go in at a very slight angle. Just enough to make the primer not sit level in the case. Turns out the paper clip spring was out of adjustment just enough to cause the problem. And on top of that, when they would get pinched in there, often times it would shave off a piece of brass from the primer pocket. That little sliver seemed to compound the problem. So in short. Play with hairpin spring. THIS^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gussers Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 I had a similar problem, but it may have had a different cause. In my case, the press ran great for a little while out of the box. Then it started doing what you were explaining. Primers getting crushed sideways and a few flipped over completely. I called Dillon and they suggested the turret base was not properly aligned. Once they explained it, I tried cycling the press empty and a few times caught the "clicking" of the primer cup catching on the edge of the hole in the turret base and then snapping in to place. This was enough to flip the primer a bit. They sent me the alignment tool free of charge and some careful aligning fixed the issue. I haven't had a single issue since. It's just a shaped tool that fits in a powder die and just barely fits through the primer hole. You move the PD to position one, drop in the tool and loosen the two screws that adjust the turret so there's just a little friction. Then you adjust by turning left and right until the tool passes through the hole with no catching. Then you tighten down the screws and put it all back together. Worth a shot. You can always call Dillon support and ask them what they think. Their support is fantastic. I suppose it's possible something got knocked out of whack while your press was stored. It really wouldn't take much to make that happen - a couple hundred thou would do it. Good luck! Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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