Dimpled Primers On a 550B

[bruce282]

I was loading some 9mm on my 550b yesterday. After 100 rounds or so I put them in an ammo box to check for high or missing primers. In the last 100 rounds I did I noticed maybe 15 with small dimples in the new primers (WSP). I checked the primer feed cup and it appears clean. Any ideas?

Bruce

[ChuckS]

It was probably a brass shaving or something on the ram that eventually fell off. If the ram is clean, don't sweat it.

Later,

Chuck

[Chris Keen]

Please tell us what brand of primers you are using.

When I use Federal small pistol primers I sometimes get that, if for example a piece of media falls into the bottom of the primer cup, or perhaps a small piece of debris from a spent primer it will cause that. Nothing to be excited about, but when using Fed small pistol I try and make sure my primer cup stays clear of debris.

I dont see that as much when using Federal small RIFLE primers, or for that matter most other brands of primers dont exhibit that dimpling. Must be how soft the Fed small pistols are, which is why we use them so much in competition shooting.

[GentlemanJim]

One single grain of powder will also dimple the primer

I clean the primer punch off after every 100 rnds...when I add more primers

Jim

[AlamoShooter]

One single grain of powder will also dimple the primer

I clean the primer punch off after every 100 rnds...when I add more primers

Jim

+1 If you end up spilling some powder it falls on the punch as the shell plate indexes past and get smashed down. I used to just scrape it off with my finder nail.

[bruce282]

Chris,

Winchester Small Pistol primers.

Thanks all, I'll pull the primer feed assembly and clean it real well.

Bruce

[ipscbob]

No need to tear the whole thing down. Push forward on the handle all the way with no case in the shellplate and just look for debris on the top of the punch. Clean as needed. By the way, I almost always get some rounds like this and I don't worry much about it at all.

[plinker625]

I blast the shell plate and the primer seater with every 100 rds with compressed air to keep the errant debris out of the shellplate and press area. The 550 sure could use a sealed primer disposal system...

[David Sinko]

I never had a problem when using the small bar but when I switched to the large bar for .223 the problem has become epidemic. The BL-C(2) keeps trickling onto the shellplate and must be brushed off constantly. And I can't think of any way to correct this. It's no big deal for practice and even match ammo but intolerable when loading for more urgent applications. That's when I break out the Lee AutoPrime. Imagine that... Lee steps up to the plate, literally and figuratively!

Dave Sinko

[nhglyn]

I blast the shell plate and the primer seater with every 100 rds with compressed air to keep the errant debris out of the shellplate and press area. The 550 sure could use a sealed primer disposal system...

+1 to the compressed air. I keep several cans on my reloading bench and use it for every cleanup issue.