brass dust on a 550

[njl]

I've been reloading 9mm on a 550 using Dillon's dies. I'm getting a buildup of what appears to be brass dust around the shell plate, on the ramp to the finished cartridge tray, and in the finished cartridge tray. I think some of this is even ending up on the bottom of the slide of my guns when I shoot my reloads.

Is this buildup normal, or do I have some kind of problem?

Edited March 31, 2009 by njl

[kevin c]

I also get that on my SDB, using Dillon dies. It seems to be much worse with new brass. I haven't had any reloading or shooting malfunctions that I'd lay at that particular door, though.

Cleans up pretty easily for me.

[Pat Miles]

The brass dust is normal. Given that brass is softer than steel and the 550 is made up of steel some brass is going to be sloughed off the cartridges during the reloading process. Clean the dust off the 550 once in a while. The same goes for the dust showing up on the bottom of your guns slide. I don't know what gun you have but keep in mind that it cycles back to strip a freh round out of the magazine. During this process the bottom of the slide will rub on the next round in the mag when the slide is moving backwards during the ejection process causing the dust.

CYa,

Pat

[Dukerdog]

I have the same thing. Just clean and reload then repeat.

[kamicosmos]

My 550 also collects brass shavings between the shellplate and the ejection ramp. I just grab my little vacuum that I use with the Trimmer, and suck them up, usually during my Primer Reloading Pit Stop every 100 rounds.