Spent primer issue - Dillon 550b

rajbcpa · December 16, 2012, 05:56 PM

I'm getting spent primers in the primer shuttle area. It looks like the aluminum shoot where the primers are supposed to be fed into the spent primer cup is the issue.

There is a hinged door that must be getting stuck in the closed position.

Anyway, this is causing issues with loading new primers...

Any thoughts on how to fix this?

Thx...

BillM · December 16, 2012, 06:04 PM

Your door is stuck in the OPEN position. Operate is slowly and watch it
work. The little door on the chute should be closed until the ram is almost all
the way down, then it hits something on the back side, opens, dumps
the spent primer and closes as soon as you start to raise the ram.

The cotter pin they use for a hinge pin is junk. Safety pin, straightened
paper clip or a cut off finishing nail are better.

Misssissippi Dave · December 16, 2012, 06:20 PM

A large safety pin to replace the cotter pin for that door hinge is best. I cut one to be a little longer than is needed. Flattened one end and installed it. I used a vice grip to flatten the other end after being installled. I also clipped the sharp end. It has been working fine ever since. It is stronger metal and completely round to make a nice pivot. Flattening the ends was to keep it from coming out again. I could clip the flattened end with wire cutters later if I ever wanted to replace it. I would think a heavy paper clip that fits the hole would do pretty much the same thing. I will never put a cotter pin in mine again.

FrankenMauser · December 16, 2012, 06:57 PM

The chute closes with gravity and opens when it hits the primer slide.
Crud built up on the hinge pin or chute sides, or a pin that has been damaged, will cause it to stick open.

Pull the cotter pin. Clean everything up.
Make sure there aren't any burs.

Put it back together with a new pin, of some kind. -I had a pretty good selection of cotter pins handy, so I used a cotter pin that fit well and had a fairly round profile; but something that's actually round would probably provide longer life and smoother operation.

Don't lube anything - it will just cause the carbon residue and other crud to build up faster.

ken grant · December 17, 2012, 09:32 PM

Steal one of your wife's fridge door magnets and stick it on the moveable primer chute near the top and it will add weight and cause it to stay closed.

December 16, 2012, 05:56 PM	#1
rajbcpa Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 321	Spent primer issue - Dillon 550b I'm getting spent primers in the primer shuttle area. It looks like the aluminum shoot where the primers are supposed to be fed into the spent primer cup is the issue. There is a hinged door that must be getting stuck in the closed position. Anyway, this is causing issues with loading new primers... Any thoughts on how to fix this? Thx...

December 16, 2012, 06:57 PM	#4
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	The chute closes with gravity and opens when it hits the primer slide. Crud built up on the hinge pin or chute sides, or a pin that has been damaged, will cause it to stick open. Pull the cotter pin. Clean everything up. Make sure there aren't any burs. Put it back together with a new pin, of some kind. -I had a pretty good selection of cotter pins handy, so I used a cotter pin that fit well and had a fairly round profile; but something that's actually round would probably provide longer life and smoother operation. Don't lube anything - it will just cause the carbon residue and other crud to build up faster. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

December 16, 2012, 06:04 PM	#2
BillM Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Amity Oregon Posts: 791	Your door is stuck in the OPEN position. Operate is slowly and watch it work. The little door on the chute should be closed until the ram is almost all the way down, then it hits something on the back side, opens, dumps the spent primer and closes as soon as you start to raise the ram. The cotter pin they use for a hinge pin is junk. Safety pin, straightened paper clip or a cut off finishing nail are better.

December 16, 2012, 06:20 PM	#3
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	A large safety pin to replace the cotter pin for that door hinge is best. I cut one to be a little longer than is needed. Flattened one end and installed it. I used a vice grip to flatten the other end after being installled. I also clipped the sharp end. It has been working fine ever since. It is stronger metal and completely round to make a nice pivot. Flattening the ends was to keep it from coming out again. I could clip the flattened end with wire cutters later if I ever wanted to replace it. I would think a heavy paper clip that fits the hole would do pretty much the same thing. I will never put a cotter pin in mine again.

December 17, 2012, 09:32 PM	#5
ken grant Member Join Date: December 20, 2004 Posts: 59	Steal one of your wife's fridge door magnets and stick it on the moveable primer chute near the top and it will add weight and cause it to stay closed.