Primers for Dillon 550b Press

Dead-Nuts-Zero · March 14, 2018, 06:55 PM

Have used up most of my supply of Magtech & Federal primers which have worked perfectly in my Dillon 550 in both sm & lg pistol.

I want to make another large purchase of 25K or more to save a few bucks on sm & lg pistol primers. I load all major name stamped brass in 380, 9, 38, 40, 44. & 45.
Anyone know of a specific brand primer that could be a problem? Looking for the best deal I can find.
Any comments on Fiocchi primers?

rock185 · March 15, 2018, 03:17 AM

D-N-Z, I've used about all the major US brands of primers in my Dillon press without issue. Years ago, I did get a batch of Fiocchi large pistol primers that routinely cracked on firing. They did not pierce, but actually cracked upon firing. I did not discover this immediately, and some damage to the breech face occurred. I have not experienced anything like this before or since with any other manufacturer's primers in many years of reloading. Perhaps that was an isolated situation, but I have not used Fiocchi primers since....

pete2 · March 15, 2018, 11:00 AM

The last batch of Winchester Large Pistol primers I bought were tight in most .45 ACP brass. So much so that I won't buy them again. Fed, CCI and Rem all work fine. The small Win worked fine.

T. O'Heir · March 15, 2018, 01:06 PM

Fiocchi primers aren't easy to come by. Midway shows 'em as 'mixed availability'. Otherwise, primer sizes are made to fit SAAMI spec cases. And that's all American made brass. Your press won't care what brand you use.
"...Looking for the best deal..." Usually best to buy components locally. Mind you, Midway is showing a No hazmat fee deal for CCI primers. 5,000 LP or SP runs $149.99.
However, it's an adage that if you change any one component, you should work up the load again.

BigJimP · March 17, 2018, 08:55 PM

I recommend either CCI or Winchester....

A number of buddies have tried Remington, Fiocchi, S&B, Chedite and Wolf ...and all had various issues.

Federal are really soft..so I don't like them

RickD1225 · March 18, 2018, 05:20 PM

I have and use CCI, Remington, Winchester and S&B. While relatively new to reloading (<3 yrs) I haven't experienced any problems with any of these, even the much maligned S&B.

Tsquared · March 18, 2018, 08:24 PM

No problem seating any primers. The only primers I have had issues with with was Wolf. The batch I had had about a 10% failure rate. After 21 failures in 200 loads I just pitched the remaining 800.

I am loading mostly S&B sp, S&B sr, CCI lp, and Win LR right now.

disseminator · March 19, 2018, 11:19 AM

In my 550B I have used:

CCI Large and Small Pistol - No problems experienced.
Remington 1-1/2 and 5-1/2 - No problems experienced.
Winchester Small Rifle - No problems experienced.

I was recently loading some 45 Auto and tried some Winchester Large Pistol and they all jammed up in the tube and did not work to say the least. I suspect they are on the large side of standard as I was able to use the same primers to load 45 Colt on the Single Stage Press without issues.

I heard on the Internet that Dillon has recommended the Remington Primers specifically as being 100% in their machines.

BigJimP · March 19, 2018, 02:20 PM

Dillon has not recommended Remington primers...( I don't know where this stuff comes from...)..??

gwpercle · March 19, 2018, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJimP

Dillon has not recommended Remington primers...( I don't know where this stuff comes from...)..??

It's them danged Russian's spreading disinformation again !

Martys · March 19, 2018, 07:08 PM

I started out using CCI and have stuck with them ever since on my 550B.

disseminator · March 22, 2018, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Dillon has not recommended Remington primers...( I don't know where this stuff comes from...)..??

The Internet, it comes from the Internet. ;-)

That is why I prefaced my comment that way. I did read a post a while back, may have been here, maybe somewhere else, that a user contacted Dillon after having troubles with another brand they were told Remington primers were slightly smaller and would work better to which the user reported success.

Were just talking here friend, relax.

Master Blaster · March 23, 2018, 11:56 AM

I have used CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington, and the Russian Wolf primers. The only issues I had were with the Wolf which were harder to seat. My go to are the Winchesters for .45 acp and .44 magnum.

expendable · March 24, 2018, 08:26 PM

I've used CCI, Winchester, Federal, Remington, Tula, S&B and Fiocchi in large and small rifle and pistol over the years.

In 30 years I've only had a problem with one batch of Winchester Large pistol primers back during the last shortage that would jam up in the tube, I traced it to anvils that weren't seated completely in the cup. I never had that problem before and haven't had it since.

The only other thing I have noted is that the S&B Small pistol primers I have used have had a sharper angle on the cup as opposed to a curve that made them a little more difficult to load into the primer tubes.

Koz

March 14, 2018, 06:55 PM	#1
Dead-Nuts-Zero Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2004 Posts: 579	Primers for Dillon 550b Press Have used up most of my supply of Magtech & Federal primers which have worked perfectly in my Dillon 550 in both sm & lg pistol. I want to make another large purchase of 25K or more to save a few bucks on sm & lg pistol primers. I load all major name stamped brass in 380, 9, 38, 40, 44. & 45. Anyone know of a specific brand primer that could be a problem? Looking for the best deal I can find. Any comments on Fiocchi primers? __________________ . . BANG------------ >>> !

March 15, 2018, 03:17 AM	#2
rock185 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Out West in Rim Country Posts: 1,091	D-N-Z, I've used about all the major US brands of primers in my Dillon press without issue. Years ago, I did get a batch of Fiocchi large pistol primers that routinely cracked on firing. They did not pierce, but actually cracked upon firing. I did not discover this immediately, and some damage to the breech face occurred. I have not experienced anything like this before or since with any other manufacturer's primers in many years of reloading. Perhaps that was an isolated situation, but I have not used Fiocchi primers since.... __________________ COTEP 640, NRA Life

March 15, 2018, 01:06 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Fiocchi primers aren't easy to come by. Midway shows 'em as 'mixed availability'. Otherwise, primer sizes are made to fit SAAMI spec cases. And that's all American made brass. Your press won't care what brand you use. "...Looking for the best deal..." Usually best to buy components locally. Mind you, Midway is showing a No hazmat fee deal for CCI primers. 5,000 LP or SP runs $149.99. However, it's an adage that if you change any one component, you should work up the load again. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

March 15, 2018, 11:00 AM	#3
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	The last batch of Winchester Large Pistol primers I bought were tight in most .45 ACP brass. So much so that I won't buy them again. Fed, CCI and Rem all work fine. The small Win worked fine.

March 17, 2018, 08:55 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I recommend either CCI or Winchester.... A number of buddies have tried Remington, Fiocchi, S&B, Chedite and Wolf ...and all had various issues. Federal are really soft..so I don't like them

March 18, 2018, 05:20 PM	#6
RickD1225 Member Join Date: November 29, 2015 Posts: 77	I have and use CCI, Remington, Winchester and S&B. While relatively new to reloading (<3 yrs) I haven't experienced any problems with any of these, even the much maligned S&B.

March 18, 2018, 08:24 PM	#7
Tsquared Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2016 Location: NE Atlanta Posts: 337	No problem seating any primers. The only primers I have had issues with with was Wolf. The batch I had had about a 10% failure rate. After 21 failures in 200 loads I just pitched the remaining 800. I am loading mostly S&B sp, S&B sr, CCI lp, and Win LR right now.

March 19, 2018, 11:19 AM	#8
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	In my 550B I have used: CCI Large and Small Pistol - No problems experienced. Remington 1-1/2 and 5-1/2 - No problems experienced. Winchester Small Rifle - No problems experienced. I was recently loading some 45 Auto and tried some Winchester Large Pistol and they all jammed up in the tube and did not work to say the least. I suspect they are on the large side of standard as I was able to use the same primers to load 45 Colt on the Single Stage Press without issues. I heard on the Internet that Dillon has recommended the Remington Primers specifically as being 100% in their machines.

March 19, 2018, 02:20 PM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Dillon has not recommended Remington primers...( I don't know where this stuff comes from...)..??

March 19, 2018, 07:08 PM	#11
Martys Member Join Date: January 19, 2013 Posts: 62	I started out using CCI and have stuck with them ever since on my 550B.

March 23, 2018, 11:56 AM	#13
Master Blaster Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 1999 Location: One of the original 13 Colonies Posts: 2,281	I have used CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington, and the Russian Wolf primers. The only issues I had were with the Wolf which were harder to seat. My go to are the Winchesters for .45 acp and .44 magnum.

March 24, 2018, 08:26 PM	#14
expendable Member Join Date: September 18, 2009 Posts: 44	I've used CCI, Winchester, Federal, Remington, Tula, S&B and Fiocchi in large and small rifle and pistol over the years. In 30 years I've only had a problem with one batch of Winchester Large pistol primers back during the last shortage that would jam up in the tube, I traced it to anvils that weren't seated completely in the cup. I never had that problem before and haven't had it since. The only other thing I have noted is that the S&B Small pistol primers I have used have had a sharper angle on the cup as opposed to a curve that made them a little more difficult to load into the primer tubes. Koz