Hawker Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 I am reloading .45ACP with Federal Primers. Some say.. it's better to use WIN because Federal is so touchy that a primer detonation is almost surely to happen in the 550B. I have recently switched to FED 150 Primers as that is what works best in my Revolver loads. Now.. I'm a little nervous everytime I pull/push the handle. Someone want to clear this up? Any good suggestions, safety tips? Thanks. Hawker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmccrock Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Disclaimer: I do not use Federal primers. Regardless, 1. Talk to Dillon. If the use of Federal primers was so dangerous, warnings would be all over the instruction manuals. 2. "Listen" to your 550B (never push hard; if there are primer seating problems, like crimped primers, deal with that separately) 3. Wear safety glasses while loading. I will go out on a limb and guess your revolver is a 625. The last time I had trouble with a S&W (highly modified model 10) and apparent light primer strikes, the guts of the gun were filthy and impeding the hammer drop. I am sure this is not your problem; just being sure. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawker Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 Imccrock: Ditto on your 3 points. I've talked to Dillon and they really don't have any specific comments. I do have a 625. It has been lightened and works well with FED primers. WIN primers are a bit iffy. No dirt or buildup residue behind plate in the action. Clean gun. I'd like to hear from FED Primers users. Your experiences, good or bad? Hawker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snokid Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 I use only federal primers with my 650. I have loaded over 100,000 rounds with out any problems. sno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phara Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I too use only Federal Primers with my 650. And I crunch them pretty good to make sure they seat below flush. However, I always wear safety glasses and I push the primer seater smoothly until I know it ithe primer is seated properly, then I give it a little extra push to set it deeper. You can develop a feel for when the primer is not going in right. If you try forcing it you will occassionaly feel the primer suddenly snap in place. This may be where those well talked about detonations occur. When I feel a primer going in wrong I just pull it out and throw the case and primer away! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Many thousands of Federal Primers through my 550, no issues, but when they hang up I don't force them in. I have heard people say that if you reload long enough, it will eventually happen... I do wear glasses when loading rounds, eyes are precious. SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newguy Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Loaded more than 30k rounds in my 550B with Federal 150 primers and not a single detonation. Lee has some bug about Federal primers and issues warning about using them in their machines. Ironically, my only detonation happened on a Lee progressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 If someone is going to have a primer detonation on a Dillon loader, it is virtually always with federal primers. That said, millions of federal primers are loaded on our equipment each year. Just pay attention, and never force anything! If it doesn't feel right, stop and find out why. I have yet to talk to anyone that has set off a primer magazine that didn't know that something felt"funny", but continuing with a topical application of brute strength and awkwardness,they kept psuhing until "something" happened. wear safety glasses, and if it doesn't feel right, STOP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Dillon and Federal, two of the BEST. I have used my Dillon 1000 since the early '80's with close to 700K rounds through it, all with Federal primers, no problems at all, I have had my 550B since 1990, probably 400K rounds through it, all with federal primers, no problems at all, I have used my SDB since they cost $178 bucks, probably 50K rounds through it, all Federal primers, no problems at all, and the SDB is the press I loan out to newbies to loading, so it has had a tough life, but no problems. I don't know what you guys are doing to get all the kabooms, but the idea of a progerssive loader is NOT to see how fast you can crank the handle. Keep it clean, keep it lubed, develop a feel for the way each machine operates, do not become distracted while loading, and never force anything and your name never need appear in the Hall of Shame by reporting you blew up the your primer feed system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 dillon's post sums up my experience... I've loaded a bizillion rounds over 20 + years of using Dillon's machines - RL300, 400, 450, 550, 1000, and 1050 - and have never set off a primer tube. And many of those bazillion rounds were Federal primers. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawker Posted February 13, 2003 Author Share Posted February 13, 2003 Thanks for the good feedback. Just finished loading another couple of hundred .45acp with FED Primers this evening. On my machine (550B)... I can certainly "feel" the Fed's much better than the WIN's when seating the primer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Watch for Federal brass with crimped in primers, you will not have a good day with them. Cull them from the herd and set them aside for a day you have nothing better to do than ream the primer pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrguar Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 50,000 to 60,000 federal 150 thru my 550B not one unwanted bang in the bunch....wear safety glasses..keep the pickup tubes and the primer mag tube clean.... .follow the directions .....questions call dillon....I tried using Win LP's but my stuff chronoed all over the place.... I seem to get very consistant results with the 150's....all in all I would say worth the extra buck or so per 1000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiserb Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 I reload on my 550 for a 625, and a 686 using Fed primers in both. I have squished them, squashed them, and smashed them with the seating rod but have never set one off. I do find if a little bit of loose powder gets on top of the seating rod it will make a mark on the primer cup. Otherwise no problems at all with Fed Primers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmcaleer Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 This morning I just had a chain reaction in my XL 650 priming system. Set off about 100 primers. Scared the S**T out of me! I am a new reloaderand was being very cautious. I did notice that when I was picking up the Federal 150 primers with the pickup tube from the primer tray I had one get stuck, it was out of round. I spoke with Dillon this morning and before I told them what primers I was using they asked if I was using Federal 150's. They said that sometimes they get out of round and do not fully drop from the primer feed and get crushed and go off causing a chain reation. This is what happened to me. I was NOT when I was seating the primer. Does anyone have any suggestions so that this does not happen to me again. Speak up though, my ears are still ringing. I think I will start wearing my electronic hearing protection from now on. Dillon support is fantastic! I am glad I changed my mind and bought the Dillon XL 650. It is worth every pennie. No questions asked, they just said they are putting a new priming system in the mail. Thanks Dillon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiserb Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 Home Depot sells sheetrock mud so you can repair the ceiling. They also sell mop buckets to clean the S*** off the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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