Problem with random primers not pushing all the way out

[Charlie1022]

I have been reloading for over 47 years and for some reason I am having random issues where the primer is not pushes out all the way when sizing and depriming. I am using a Dillon 550B with Dillon dies. some times the primer does not even move and I have to resize it 2 to 4 times to remove the old primer. THe brass has been through my Lyman Ultrasonic cleaner and then polished in corn cob media. I store my brass in plastic jars that were clean and dry. I reloaded both 223 and 38 special this weekend with the same results. Any ideas?

 

[Indawind]

Could the primer be sticking to the end of the pin? You are pushing it out but the upstroke pulls it back into the pocket a bit? I had this happening on my 650 with a lee decapper. The round would stop rotation of the shell plate because the primer was hanging down. I ran across it on the webs and sanded the tip of the pin to round it a bit and it stopped.

 

[Reefinmike]

Are you completely sizing your cases? Does your shellplate firmly contact the base of your sizing/decapping die? It doesn't look like the dillon decapping pin can back out like the lee design so I wouldnt think that could be the issue. Just check to make sure the nut on top of the die is also tightened all the way down. Its also possible that decapped primers are sticking to the tip of the decap stem and are being pulled back into the pocket when you pull the case out of the die. If that is the case, you can smooth out the tip of the decap pin a bit with some sand paper.

 

[FROGO207]

First I do not use a Dillon press. On your press can you see the primer being removed if you look? I would look and see if the above is happening or if the pin is piercing the primer. The decapping stem may have become out of adjustment or have a bit broken off the bottom. FWIW I deprime using a universal deprimer before using the wet SS pins method to clean my brass. There has been some talk of the cleaner causing the primers to get stuck in the brass when done ahead and deprimed later but I have never had this happen.

 

[nettlle]

I have had range brass that had sit outside in the weather for such a long time that the decapping pin punched a hole through the center of the primer while the outer shell of the primer remained in the case. Could be the primers are corroded in the primer pocket.

 

[thomas15]

Make sure the die is assembled properly. The nut that holds the pin in might be too lose or the inside of the die might be dirty. As you should know Dillon sizing dies are different, they are spring loaded and should give you that distinctive snap when the primer pops out. The E clip also needs to be replaced from time to time. Others will chime in with different ideas I'm sure.

 

[JimKirk]

You should look at the shape of the tip of the depriming pin ... too square(flat ended) can cause it to stick on the anvils ... and being too rounded can also ... there is a happy medium that works well fro me ... too sharp can cause problems of punching though ...

 

[Blue68f100]

I have been reloading for over 47 years and for some reason I am having random issues where the primer is not pushes out all the way when sizing and depriming. I am using a Dillon 550B with Dillon dies. some times the primer does not even move and I have to resize it 2 to 4 times to remove the old primer. THe brass has been through my Lyman Ultrasonic cleaner and then polished in corn cob media. I store my brass in plastic jars that were clean and dry. I reloaded both 223 and 38 special this weekend with the same results. Any ideas?

You should remove the primer prior to wet cleaning. You are probably getting corrosion making them stick more than they should. Like already said the shape of the primer pin can help to prevent this.

 

[john44402]

Indawind and JimKirk have it. Same thing was happening to me when the spent primer was sticking to the decap pin on an RCBS Pro2000. I filed the end of the pin so it wasn't so wide at the end and the problem disappeared.

 

[Grumulkin]

The only time I've had that happen was when the decapping pin wasn't adjusted properly; i.e., it didn't protrude enough from the die to push the primer completely out.

 

[wally]

I've had some crimped primers not come all the way out because they became "domed" instead of popping out. Adjusting the die to increase the decapping pin protrusion fixed it.

 

[Hondo 60]

Could the primer be sticking to the end of the pin? You are pushing it out but the upstroke pulls it back into the pocket a bit? I had this happening on my 650 with a lee decapper. The round would stop rotation of the shell plate because the primer was hanging down. I ran across it on the webs and sanded the tip of the pin to round it a bit and it stopped.

Yup had the exact same thing happen to me.
It took a while for me to find the solution.
As stated above, I sanded the tip & (knock on wood) haven't seen the problem in several years.

 

[Axis II]

I had this issue with my lee 9mm dies. it would push it out just enough to lock the case in the shell holder. the die was set up correct just the pin wasn't down far enough. after adjusting the pin down no more issues.

 

[RealGun]

You should remove the primer prior to wet cleaning. You are probably getting corrosion making them stick more than they should. Like already said the shape of the primer pin can help to prevent this.

Before I did that, I would stop wet cleaning. Decapping is part of a progressive press utilization, all about minimizing handling.

 

[RealGun]

I have a box of Harbor Freight's fine walnut media that I haven't been using in years and will try using it on dirty brass instead of a wash. I want to see if primers are removed more reliably without the notion that washing can cause corrosion in spent primer pockets. I am set against the idea of adding a process to decap brass before tumbling. I never handle dirty brass, so decapping before washing is out of the question.

 

[Charlie1022]

Ok here are some updates on my issue reported. I deprimed the last 100 in this lot and had 9 that I had to resize twice to get the primer out. I saw no corrosion on the primers or the cases. I reviewed al the removed primers and found one where the primer was domed out as if the pin had to push hard to push it out. I did run this lot of mixed brass across my RCBS case prep tool and cleaned the primer pockets. Now I will see what happens when I get a chance to reload and shoot these cases. I did check the adjustment on the die and the deprimer pin and every thing looked good to me.

 

[daverich4]

RCBS sells a spring loaded depriming pin that fixed that exact same problem for me.