an incident

[watchman101]

I have a Dillon and requires me to use a primer pick up tube. While I was picking up primers yesterday afternoon, one got stuck, so the rest wouldn't go in. I took the yellow plastic thing off and found that there is a primer that was tuck at the mouth of the tube. One way I thought about getting it out was using a knife on the back of that primer. All primers have three prone leg. I thought that I would use a knife to hook it out. Well, it exploded in my face, my first primer incident. It was a good thing that I am near sighted and wearing my glasses. After this I loaded 600 rds of 9mm.
I also learned that I can't load WCC brass. Does anyone knows why?
I did lose my hearing for about 30 minutes.

I hope this helps other beginner reloaded - not to mess with primers!

 

[Walkalong]

Glad you are OK.

Welcome to THR

 

[Jim Watson]

I know that Dillon has replaced primer pickup or feed tubes to keep customers from trying to force out a stuck one, so as to avoid energetic events like yours.

Your WCC brass may be real military with the primers crimped in. The crimp must be removed to allow repriming. There are swage and cutting tools for the purpose. If you only have a few, decap them and bevel the primer pocket with your case mouth chamfer reamer.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I'm glad you weren't hurt and are relatively unscathed, but more knowledgable.

Whenever you get a primer stuck that way, use a 1/8" diameter wooden dowel and push it out of the tube, with the primer away from you. It usually only takes a little nudge to dislodge it. I keep a dowel on my bench that I've cut about 3" longer than my longest primer tube for this purpose.

Jim informed you correctly on the WCC brass. It's military brass and will require removing the primer crimp at the mouth of the primer pocket, which only needs to be done once. WCC brass is good brass, by the way.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[watchman101]

Thanks guys.
I probably will get a Dillon swagger tool for WCC brass.
I do have some WCC brass that have primer half seated. How would I deprime them?
I used deprime die on them and didn't explode before. Does anyone have a better suggestions?

Thanks again.

 

[Remo-99]

deprimer die should be all you need, apply slow pressure and even the tightest primers should not go off, but use some safety glasses anyway when doing it.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Winchester brass: Most of the time if it's headstamped WCC instead of Winchester, it has crimped primer pockets.

 

[average_shooter]

What about adding the extra step next time of applying a drop of oil or other substance to kill the primer before trying to dislodge it or deprime a stuck case? Might have prevented your accident. Might save you some trouble in the future as well.

 

[The Wiry Irishman]

I've had this happen to me a few times. (the stuck primer, not setting it off) I've found more often than not its caused by plastic pick-up head coming slightly loose from the primer tube. If you make sure you the head is seated on the tube as far as it can go, you should encounter the issue less.

When you do, I've found the plastic rod that goes down the primer magazine as part of the Dillon low primer alarm works well for gently removing those stuck primers without setting them off.

 

[rcmodel]

applying a drop of oil --- Might have prevented your accident. Might save you some trouble in the future as well.

Might not have worked too.
And given you a false sense of security.

And then you have your primer feed tube contaminated with oil.

Pushing the primer out with a small rod from the other end was all that was needed.

rc

 

[Otto]

What brand of primers were you using?

Edit: For reference, the correct procedure for a stuck primer in a pickup tube or magazine is to fill the tube with WD-40 and throw the tube in the garbage.
Contrary to what others have posted, never under any circumstance insert any type of rod to attempt to force stuck primers out of these tubes.

 

[Roccobro]

And then burn all the $1 bills in your pocket too. Cause we don't want to use those reloading either.

Justin

 

[Otto]

Thats a well thought out analogy. Next.

 

[ljnowell]

Edit: For reference, the correct procedure for a stuck primer in a pickup tube or magazine is to fill the tube with WD-40 and throw the tube in the garbage.
Contrary to what others have posted, never under any circumstance insert any type of rod to attempt to force stuck primers out of these tubes

ok then. I think i will keep doing things my way and not toss money out the window or no reason.

 

[sublimaze41]

Here is the correct answer........


Call Dillon, they have the best support system out there.


If they can't tell you the correct fix they will send a replacement part.

 

[watchman101]

I was using federal sp primers. I think the initial problem was the WCC brass. I tried to put some primers in them and was not successful. Then some primers were deformed in the process. I didn't check on the primer shape. I went ahead and tried to put them back to the pick up tube. I didn't know the Dillon primer pick up tube's dimension would be able to find it. I was too naïve in a sense. Next time, if it doesn't fit, don't put it in.

 

[Otto]

ok then. I think i will keep doing things my way and not toss money out the window or no reason.

Hey, no skin off my nose. Go for it.

Here is the correct answer........
Call Dillon, they have the best support system out there.

The correct answer has already been posted, if you bothered to read the Dillon manuals (550 & 650) you'd see that I'm right.
I'm betting that Dillon would be happy to replace a primer tube with a stuck primer free of charge.

I was using federal sp primers.

Federal warns explicitly against using feed tubes.

 

[nbkky71]

I've only had a primer get stuck in the pickup tube once. Much like ReloaderFred, I gently popped the primer out of the tube except I used the Dillon primer follower rod.

 

[Jim Watson]

Then some primers were deformed in the process. I didn't check on the primer shape. I went ahead and tried to put them back to the pick up tube.

Here we have the real problem.

 

[distra]

Glad you are ok. I use a face shield when loading just in case. I've had my share of primers stick in the tubes. Safest way (other than disposing of the tube and primer) I've found is to take a wood dowel and gently tap the primer out from the CUP side. If it goes off the majority of the force will be directed out the anvil side of the primer tube.

 

[FROGO207]

Harry Calahan said it best "Do you Feel lucky?". I feel safety first is rule #1. You need to make the best decision when reloading, your life or limbs may depend on this truth.

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

Otto is right.

However....I got often primers stuck.

A safe way to go is:

Wearing safety glasses, first empty the tube, remove the plastic cap. Use the platic rod provided with the primer feeder, insert it into the tube, make the end contact the primer gently (VERY GENTLY) and push gently on the primer. Do not hit the primer, do not push hard. If it does not go out with a gentle push, use WD40 and discard the tube.

Thank you

 

[mallc]

OTTO....

Edit: For reference, the correct procedure for a stuck primer in a pickup tube or magazine is to fill the tube with WD-40 and throw the tube in the garbage.
Contrary to what others have posted, never under any circumstance insert any type of rod to attempt to force stuck primers out of these tubes.

Otto...respectfully, There is a world of difference between using a soft plastic or wooden rod and a sticking a metal knife into it anvils to convince a recalcitrant prime to move along.

Sheesh!

 

[D. Manley]

Good thing there was only the single primer in the tube. I recently saw some photos of someone who had one finger severed and a severely mauled hand from the same thing only, a nearly full tube & dental pick IIRC. NEVER put a piece of metal on a primer. If you've just gotta' do it, soak it well in a pan of water use the plastic follower rod to dislodge it while submerged.

FWIW, I've seen Dillon volunteer to send a free tube in cases like this even though it's almost always a bad primer...(for one reason or the other).

 

[outerlimit]

Were I a reloader, I would use clear safety glasses while doing it. Thanks for sharing the incident, accidents are never far from my mind while handling firearms or ammunition.