Dillon Primer System with Winchester Primers

[JTinMO]

So background here, I had this issue a few weeks ago loading 45ACP on my 550, and now last night on my 750.

 

I am having primer feed issues only with Winchester primers.  Both LPP and now SRP.  Loading the primers the old school way with the primer pickup tubes, occasionally a primer will get stuck in the pickup tube while loading.  It's definitely a primer itself gets stuck somewhere in the tube and I have to push it to get it to go through the tube into the primer tube in the Dillon.  The same primers also cause issues periodically on the press when they refuse to drop through the plastic tip into the primer loading cup.  It creates a big mess when the powder drops into a case without a primer when this happens.  

This is only happening with Winchester primers (LPP on my 550, and now SRP on my 750).  Same issue both times.  Never any issues in the same pickup tubes with CCI or Federal primers.  The issue starts when they get hung up in the pickup tubes initially.

 

Is this a specific issue with Winchester primers?  I generally avoid them but have a couple K due to the shortages the last few years.

 

Also - How do you clean a Dillon primer pickup tube?  A .22 jag or patch end is too big for the tube.  I can use it on the machine primer tube though.  I don't see anything in the primer pickup tube but want to run something through there to clean it in case there's something I can't see.

[Farmer]

I’ve noticed the new WW primers don’t slide in a primer tray very easily also. It’s like they have a rough micro surface on them since they quit plating them. Do you have any pipe cleaners? Hobby shops and places like JoAnns sell them for craft making. One of those with a little alcohol and maybe some wire should work. That or some patches and a coat hanger. 

[JTinMO]

maybe.  To note, my primer pickup tubes are brand new.  Less than a month old.  CCI primers go through them easily without issue, but had 3 Winchester primers hang up in 3-100 packs now.  Never at the same place in the tube.  I ran CCIs last night at the end just to see if there were any issues and they fed easily.

[Farmer]

Do you use the weight rod on yours? I also noticed that the new primers seat harder. Haven’t measured any yet but maybe they’ve grown or it’s just the surface. 

Edited March 18 by Farmer

[usmc1974]

1 hour ago, JTinMO said:

So background here, I had this issue a few weeks ago loading 45ACP on my 550, and now last night on my 750.

 

I am having primer feed issues only with Winchester primers.  Both LPP and now SRP.  Loading the primers the old school way with the primer pickup tubes, occasionally a primer will get stuck in the pickup tube while loading.  It's definitely a primer itself gets stuck somewhere in the tube and I have to push it to get it to go through the tube into the primer tube in the Dillon.  The same primers also cause issues periodically on the press when they refuse to drop through the plastic tip into the primer loading cup.  It creates a big mess when the powder drops into a case without a primer when this happens.  

This is only happening with Winchester primers (LPP on my 550, and now SRP on my 750).  Same issue both times.  Never any issues in the same pickup tubes with CCI or Federal primers.  The issue starts when they get hung up in the pickup tubes initially.

 

Is this a specific issue with Winchester primers?  I generally avoid them but have a couple K due to the shortages the last few years.

 

Also - How do you clean a Dillon primer pickup tube?  A .22 jag or patch end is too big for the tube.  I can use it on the machine primer tube though.  I don't see anything in the primer pickup tube but want to run something through there to clean it in case there's something I can't see.

It is not your machines, Winchester suck. But  they are better then no primers.

[Joe4d]

Winchester sucks,, they used to be the best,,, then about 2020 started having QC issues.. had a batch and had same issues, getting stuck in the tubes,, missing primer compound, a large primer in a small primer box... Was like 1 out of 100 was bad.  finally got through them I think and any WIN I have left are older..

[Don_B]

A Qtip is just the right size to clean the tube. Use the plastic follower rod to push it thru. They will get quite a bit of primer residue in them. 

[JTinMO]

I’m gonna buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.  I just got through loading 100 223 rounds without a Winchester primer hanging up.  

[togmaster]

7 hours ago, JTinMO said:

I’m gonna buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.  I just got through loading 100 223 rounds without a Winchester primer hanging up.  

Powerball.com

[JTinMO]

14 hours ago, togmaster said:

Powerball.com

Got em.  Ready to retire tomorrow.

[Farmer]

3 hours ago, JTinMO said:

Got em.  Ready to retire tomorrow.

But I have the winner. 

I did a little testing and the old WW plated and new un-plated ones are the same size as CCI, Fed ect. But if you take one each and put them in a primer flipper tray then slowly tip it up all the others will slide easily to the bottom and the un-plated WW will hang up. It took a fair amount more angle to get it to slide also. Even the SA’s slide much faster. I wouldn’t think being straight up in a tube would matter but maybe it’s when they hit the tray is where the problem lies. 

Edited March 24 by Farmer
Spell

[JTinMO]

Down to the last 200 of these things to get loaded, then never again.  I’ve learned my lesson on the win primers.

[jejb]

I have always had great luck with Win primers, old and new. #41's, 209's, LRP, SRP. Never had a bad one in 10's of 1000's of them. Ran them through my RCBS loader, a Dillon 650 and now a Dillon 1100. I don't have any issues with any of the other common brands of primers either. 

[IVC]

Winchester primers seem to have gone downhill recently, they don't look uniform and are not all flat. As if monkeys have been churning them out lately. They'll get stuck in the primer tubes, so I often drop the primer rod down the tube while the tube is still on top of the primer magazine. That way I know all the primers are out before removing the tube. 

[JTinMO]

It's kind of sad we have to do all this at the price they are.  I've been a big winchester fan for all my life, and this just sours me on them.

[mmc45414]

On 4/1/2024 at 2:05 AM, IVC said:

I often drop the primer rod down the tube while the tube is still on top of the primer magazine. That way I know all the primers are out before removing the tube. 

I have always let the rod chase the primers down the tube, just as a means of knowing they all fell.  Probably started doing this once after pulling the tube away and spilling some remaining primers. 

[392heminut]

10 hours ago, mmc45414 said:

I have always let the rod chase the primers down the tube, just as a means of knowing they all fell.  Probably started doing this once after pulling the tube away and spilling some remaining primers. 

Same here!

[Farmer]

On 4/2/2024 at 8:37 AM, mmc45414 said:

I have always let the rod chase the primers down the tube, just as a means of knowing they all fell.  Probably started doing this once after pulling the tube away and spilling some remaining primers. 

Or your ex-sister in law walks in right after you filled the tube and had pulled the hair pin and asks, “what’s this thing for”? Just as she pulls it out of the press dumping the whole tube full on the floor.  That’s the fastest I ever saw her move in her life. 

[mmc45414]

BTW, I just finished loading 9k recently purchased Winchester SPP on my RL1100 with no issues. 

[Atlas33]

I’ve always disliked the primer system on the Dillon.  I purchased the FW prime time a few weeks ago and it runs super well.  Kind of an expensive fix for your issue with only Winchester primers but I would suggest looking into it for overall smoothness 

[dillon]

Use a micrometer to measure the outside diameter on a sticky primer. Then rotate the primer 90 degrees and measure it again. We have found the occasional out-of-round primer more frequently than in the past. .001" out of round is a significant amount.

[slavex]

Winchester primers also seem to have some sort of oily coating on them which ends up messing up priming systems. I don't think they produce them with the thought of people using progressive machines with stacked priming or collating. Even when hand seating them I had to clean my hand primer regularly.