Oops--dropped locator pin into the machine!

[TamThompson]

I bought a Dillon Square Deal B press, it arrived this week, I assembled it with some phone support from Dillon, got it to seat primers and throw powder. Was calibrating my powder charge last night when I dropped one of the locator pins (the brass pins that hold shells into the shell plate) into the deep well where the primers come out of.

*sigh* And things were going so well up until then. Now the handle won't go all the way down and I know I shouldn't force it, so I haven't. Called Dillon and they said I'll need to unbolt the press from my bench and disassemble it.

Folks, I'm not the handiest person with tools, and it took a good long while to bolt that thing to my brand-new bench (which a friend helped build---well, OK, he built it while I 'helped'.) I'm not BAD with tools, just don't have that much experience. Which is odd, since previously I was a mechanical engineer and worked in design and in manufacturing, but I digress...

Is there ANY WAY I could get that pin out of there without disassembling the whole blasted thing? Several ideas have come to mind:

1. Fish around in the primer well with tweezers--already tried.
2. Look with a flashlight to see if I see the pin--already tried, don't see it.
3. Roll some masking tape onto a paperclip, sticky side out, and fish.
4. Unbolt press from bench, tape down powder top, remove primer tube,
and turn the whole thing upside down and jiggle it to see what fall out.

I have never reloaded before. Granted, maybe I shouldn've started with a single-stage, but I hear so many stories about time being saved, and with my engineering history I thought I could handle this.

I can tell the Dillon machine is of good quality, but personally, if I'd designed it, I would've either made the locator pin's heads larger or something like that so that they cannot fall into nearby holes that are larger than them.

I would also have written the manual such that someone with no reloading experience would be better able to assemble and operate the press, and I'd have a diagram of which station is 1, 2, 3, 4.
I may suggest to them that they have an 18-year-old high school grad who's never reloaded before read the manual and try to assemble and operate the press.

Ideas?

 

[cordex]

I don't have a square deal so I can't visualize exactly where the pin is stuck, but if it is relatively loose, a vacuum cleaner should do the trick.

Freshly emptied shop-vacs are good for this. Or, if you prefer, take some of your wife's old stockings (for your own sake get her permission) and put it over the end of the extension tube and then rubber-band it so it won't get sucked through. Now you've got a filter to keep the pin from going into the dust collection bag or container (but you'll need a strong vacuum).

 

[TamThompson]

Thanks for the good tips, Cordex--I'll try those.
Actually, I AM the wife, so I do have some old pantyhose and I think I will allow myself to use them.
(My husband is the non-shooter.)

 

[cordex]

[sheepish]Eeep! I assumed too much and didn't look at the user name![/sheepish]

At least you'll have permission. I've found that getting myself angry is the worst because no matter what I always know where to find me.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Maybe try to run a straightened coat hanger or a pipe cleaner up from the bottom and push it back out? The wire would have to be soft enough to bend but stiff enough to push out the part.

If that doesn't work, it's time for high explosives.

I love my little SDB!

On edit: I would like to add that if you proceed with the "invert and jiggle" method, I would pull the powder measure off completely. Less mass to contend with and if you should drop it, less to break!! Disconnect the operating rod (the little clip thingy) and then remove one allen screw.

The primer feed tube comes off with 3 allen screws. Not difficult at all. I'd pull that so's to avoid the potential getting the tube bent.

Don't worry too much. I don't think you can hurt it. Even an engineer can work on these things!!

Good luck!!

Tim

 

[HankB]

I dropped one of the locator pins (the brass pins that hold shells into the shell plate) into the deep well where the primers come out of.

This may sound silly, but are you SURE that the pin is in the machine? It didn't fall into the spent primer catcher or on the floor?

Now, sometimes stuff may fall into the front part of the machine - then maybe just removing the primer assembly will allow access. (IIRC, it's held on by three cap screws.)

If it's deeper inside the ram, either sucking it out or blowing it out with the appropriate end of a vaccum cleaner sounds like the only alternative to disassembly.

As good as the SDB is, it's a shame how far you sometimes have to disassemble it to get to the part that needs attention . . .

 

[ThreadKiller]

OK, in an attempt to redeem myself, I FINALLY was able to push the wire up from the bottom and up through the shell plate. It took some doing but it is possible. The wire will catch on the shell plate. So either fold the end of the wire back on itself in a tight "U" or remove the shell plate. I used light 20 gauge untempered soft wire to accomplish this feat. I think it should be able to push out the pin unless it is wedged.

I hope it is not wedged somehow as the invert and jiggle technique may not work but it's always good to get gravity working for you.

I have my 40 shell plate on the SDB and am not able to drop a locator pin down into the primer drop tube. Tam, you must be loading a 45 or some other caliber with a larger case head than a 40 to allow that pin to fall in.

To be sure that the pin is indeed lodged in the primer drop path, I'd simply drop an expended primer down and see if it comes out.

Your only other option is again, high explosives. I'm sorry but that's the way it is.

Best of luck!

On edit: Revised my findings and renewed my faith in my abilities.

Tim

 

[TamThompson]

Success!!!
After wiggling a paper clip around in the deep recess beneath where the primers come out, I was pretty sure the locator pin was in there (I had looked real good all on the floor, in the trash, but not in the spent primer bin.)

So, I taped down the lid on the powder cylinder, took out the primer tube, took out the OTHER two locator pins (Lord knows where they would have fallen!), unbolted the press, held it upside down over the bench and shook.

The eighty or so primers in the primer tube came out (didn't realize they were still in there), and the lost locator pin was clearly visible just where I thought it was, inside the mouth of the deep well where primers come out. It was easy to pluck it out with a pair of tweezers. No machine disassembly necessary.

I have now bolted the press back to the bench, picked up the primers off the bench, gone through measuring out powder throws many times, measured OAL many, many times, called Dillon and learned the difference between a SWC die and a RN die (and the length differences!) AND I have succesfully loaded 200 rounds.

Please allow me a moment--this was my first time to reload--to feel very pleased with myself.

Problem(s) solved, and thanks for the tips! Boy howdy, I feel like a REAL reloader now.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Good for you! If you think you're feeling satisfied now, wait until you touch off your first reload.

And to think, no pantyhose had to be sacrificed either!

Enjoy your new hobby.

Tim

 

[cordex]

Good job!

Now go burn some ammo.

 

[Intune]

TamT, I have found that removing the pin at the second (powder/prime) and third station (bullet seating) on my SD and sending a primed case through five times, starting at station 2 (dump in scale every 2 loads if not using bulky powders) and adjusting powder throw accordingly will give me an exact throw for my .45acp. In other words, if I am going for a 5.2 charge I set the scale to 35gr (5.2x5) and perform the above. I have found this process to be much more precise than trying to do one throw at a time. When I nail the desired total of 35 and then set the scale to 5.2 it is right on! I know you didn't ask about this but I am just passing on some great progressive press advice that was given to me. Load on!