dillon 550 problem

[oraysor]

Have a Dillon 550B and love it but have this little annoying problem. When I de-prime/resize a case, usually small primers, the primer will pop out and fly somewhere on the bench or press. Makes a mess which is easily cleaned up but if it lands where the carrier for the new primer is it can cause a jam. Is there a fix or adjustment to be made?

I haven’t called Dillon yet, just wanted your comments first.

[HSMITH]

All you can do is make sure the little catcher clamshell thing is opening each time, if it is opening you have it as good as you are going to get it. They will always fling a primer now and then, I am happy when it catches all but 4 or 5 out of 100.

[unclez]

Here's a thread I started a couple of months ago pertaining to the same thing. May try some of the tips mentioned in it to see if they help. Mine ended up being that the chute was not opening every time so I replaced the pin and polished up the pivot points some and it does work better although I still get a flyer or two out of about 50 primers.

Decapped Primer Thread

[L9X25]

The problem with mine was the opposite ... it was not closing. With the clamshell staying open all of the time, the primers fall straight through it and fly everywhere. The problem was that the cotter pin, that acts as the pivot for the clamshell, was bent and the clamshell remained partially in the open position. I was able to remove and straighten the cotter pin (eventually replaced it with a new one) and it would open and close properly again.

[Front Man]

The cotter key might be worth checking out.

The opening and closing of the clam shell will wear a grove in the key eventually.

FM

[ashman627]

Sometimes one of the VERY SMALL pins that hold the mouth of the clamshell will break and cause all sorts of problems

[benos]

Definitely replace the pin that comes with it with something that will allow the open and close properly, 1000 times in a row. (Or 100% to the power of 10.)

In the thread linked above, Gary (from Dillon) recommends replacing the cotter pin with a safety pin.

be