Don't drop your Dillon primer bar!

[gobabygo]

Last night I was loading up some .45 on my Dillon 550b and the primers weren't dropping everytime. So I unscrewed the primer tube and accidentally dropped the primer bar thingy on the concrete floor of my garage. When I picked it up the primer cup was missing! Basically I broke the little rod that pushes the primer up (really it's the cup that moves, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about).

After about 15 minutes of searching I finally found the spring and primer cup, but I didn't have a spare rod thingy in the large size. I did have one in the smaller size and I ended up using that and it worked fine even though there is a gap between it and the inside walls of the primer cup. Actually I think it worked better than fine because I think it's a little bit longer and it seems like I don't have to push as far forward to seat the primer.

Is there any reason I shouldn't use the small primer pusher to load .45? I really liked the feel of seating the primer better. Am I in any danger of igniting a primer by doing this? Thanks.

gobabygo

 

[Kruzr]

It could push the primer in crooked so its not all the way in. Just call Dillon and they will send you a new one if not a whole new primer bar. They don't care how it happened, they will just send out a new one.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

I did it once to get by until I got a new one it worked fine

 

[gobabygo]

Wow. I just called Dillon and described what happened, and they're sending me a whole new primer bar! This is the first time I've ever used the "No-B.S." Warranty and to say the least, I'm impressed!

 

[m1911joe]

Just watch how tight you make the two screws that hold down the primer
system to the press. Over time one can strip out and let it move side to side.
I have done this a couple of times and Dillon has sent me new ones N/C.
Being a machinest i have switched to longer screws to help stop this.
The holes are deep enought to take a longer screw but had to run a tap in
it to run the threads to the bottom of the holes. Not hard.
And only tighten the screws with the short end of the allen wrench for
leverage.

Just my two cents worth.

 

[HSMITH]

Send Dillon $15 and get the "spare parts kit". It will keep you running when you mangle something, and they will replace the parts that you use out of the kit FREE. Now you know how they are to work with also.

 

[gobabygo]

Actually I do have the spare parts kit. I bought my Dillon used and it only came setup for small primers, so I had to use all the stuff for large primers out of the spare parts kit.

I'll see what they end up sending me, then maybe I'll ask them to send me what I don't have spares of anymore.

I think I'm also going to put down a small rug or a piece of carpet under my reloader for times like these.

 

[Johnny Guest]

Good idea, gobabygo - -

'Most any floorcovering store is very glad to sell off trimmed off bits of carpeting. They make pretty good door mats and such. A 3 x 3 foot square of midium length shag carpeting would catch dropped parts neatly. My main problem working over za tile or linoleum floor is that the stuff I drop bounces off in who-knows-which direction.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Navy joe]

Great tip I saw on BE's forum for the Dillon primer system is to stick a .45 case over the weight on the primer following rod. This has made mine 100% feed reliable.

 

[Edward429451]

My main problem working over za tile or linoleum floor is that the stuff I drop bounces off in who-knows-which direction.

I'm workin over a dark brown tile floor, and blue screws aren't easy to see on it. I've found screws several times by dropping a similar screw and watching it closely, and more often than not it bounces real close to the first one that I couldn't find!

'Most any floorcovering store is very glad to sell off trimmed off bits of carpeting.

Alot of good carpet scraps go in the dumpster behind the carpet shops where the guys load up. If you show up last thing in the day or first thing in the morning (with a razor knife) you will have a free selection of Berber, commercial, and cheap shag scraps. They only take the huge leftover pieces back inside...

Good thread. Post more tips.

 

[C.R.Sam]

I've found screws several times by dropping a similar screw and watching it closely, and more often than not it bounces real close to the first one that I couldn't find!

Also works for finding lost marbles...S. Clemmins

Sam

 

[boing]

I hate dropping things on carpet. You can't hear where things bounce. Linoleum gives auditory feedback. If I'm still not sure where it went, I just look at the nearest cat. It's usually looking in the corner where the missing part scampered off to. (dangled participle)