[WayneConrad]

I like using my RCBS Universal Decapping Die in my Rock Chucker to deprime my brass before cleaning it. The die comes with a spring that forcibly ejects the primers, which then leave the press and bounce all over the room. If I remove the spring, then most primers stay in the press, but occasionally one hangs up in the primer pocket and has to be poked out with a second or third stroke of the press.

That was bugging me, so I fabricated a primer deflector to allow me to keep the spring in the decapping die so that I not only do I get positive ejection of the primer from the case, but every primer goes into the bottom of the green tray.

It has two parts. The insert fits in the slot in the ram, forcing the primer to exit the slot at the bottom:

http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23796&stc=1 http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23797&stc=1

The deflector fits into the slot normally occupied by the priming arm. It makes the primers go down instead of across the room:

http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23798&stc=1 http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23801&stc=1

The press is shown without primer catcher tray for clarity. In use, the primer catch tray is in place. The deflector and insert are friction fit and easy to remove for cleaning. Both parts are made out of 32 gage galvanized steel. The cap on the deflector is soldered on. Here are the templates for the parts:

http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=23800&stc=1

I'm not a metal worker, and I don't even play one on TV.

[trickyasafox]

very good idea, i use a cheapo lee press right now and the primers fall right into the the actual press body. since its on an old bench anyway alls i did was just drill a 1in hole through the bench and i put a cup underneath to catch the primers that come out

[Mal H]

Now that is a real innovation, Wayne! (he said as he reached for the sheet aluminum and tin snips ...)

[Darkside]

Good idea.

I just use a piece of stiff clear plastic taped to the front of the press with the bottom of the plastic inside the primer catcher tray.

I might just have to be a copy cat, If you don't mind.

Darkside

[WayneConrad]

I might just have to be a copy cat, If you don't mind.

Please do! I'd sure like to know what improvements you make to its design or construction.

[WayneConrad]

Here's a new insert design to better work with large primers. The old insert made the slot in the ram narrow enough that large primers will sometimes get stuck in the ram. The new insert leaves the slot in the ram wide enough for large primers to more easily make their way out the bottom of the slot.

http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=27694&stc=1

It's just as shallow as I could get away with. The rectangle of sheet metal it's made from is 2-1/2" by 9/16". It's nearly impossible to bend metal that's only 9/16" wide, so I cut a 2-1/2" by 2" rectangle of metal, made my U bend, then used my tin snips to cut the sides back until only the "U" was left.