A question for the automated progressive guys

[Bat Rastard]

I've been loading on a 550 for about 30 years.
I frequently get debris on the primer seating punch. The debris is schmutz from the old primers coming out, or sometimes tiny brass shavings from crimped primer pockets. This in turn makes indentations on my primers. I work around this by looking at the seated primer often and cleaning off the schmutz.

My question for you automated progressive guys: How are you guys not having this issue?

Thanks for your replies, I am just curious.

 

[forty_caliber]

On the Hornady LNL AP the dirty primer and related schmutz fall down a brass tube under station 1, the primer seating takes place on the upstroke on station 2. The punch stays fairly clean. On the other hand the primer pickup shoe is very sensitive to any debris and can keep the primer from delivering over the punch. This is most commonly caused by stray granules of powder.

Progressives are kind of a pick your poison proposition. None of them are perfect. I'm sticking with the devil I know.

.40

 

[KeithET]

I get that schmutz as well. It takes a bunch of cycles for it to build up. After ~30 rounds I will have to clean the stuff if the punch. A quick swipe of my finger is all it takes and it’s back to loading. All will be good for another ~30 rounds. As well as the punch hole the schmutz finds it’s way everywhere. I found that it needs to be cleaned every ~1K rounds or so. Look under the primer shuttle as well.

KeithET

 

[9mmepiphany]

My question for you automated progressive guys: How are you guys not having this issue?

Who says we're not? It is much less an issue with the Hornady as the spent primer and debris is ejected down through the ram

We're just ignoring it as it doesn't affect function

 

[GW Staar]

With my green Pro2k and PC7 presses, station one sizes and pushes the primer out......only if it still has one. It usually doesn't, since most often I deprime and tumble both rifle and pistol before it ever touches the progressives.

But if I didn't make bling first, then the old primers and detriment goes down a tube to a collection bottle or bucket from station one, and station two with its primer punch still never touches anything but a new primer. So, I guess there may be another reason to deprime on an Lee APP and tumble that I didn't know about......

 

[LiveLife]

debris on the primer seating punch

How are you guys not having this issue?

Who says we're not?

Even a granule of powder on the primer seating stem can leave an indentation on the primer cup ... Usually it won't affect primer ignition.

There are several QC checks I have built in for my reloading process and checking for debri on primer seating stem is one of them and I keep brush/canned air handy to keep reloading press clean.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I deprime my cases in my lnl-ap in first pass, then clean the cases and the press. Cases and press are clean when I load.

 

[Cannibul]

Automated progressive presses usually have separation between the stations that help prevent this.

 

[Skeeter300]

I wet tumble and deprime on a SS.

 

[cfullgraf]

I do most of my handgun case resizing/depriming on my Hornady L-N-L. As already said, most of the debris from the primer heads down the collection tube on station 1.

After resizing, I tumble the cases to clean them.

Since I prime off the press, any debris build up on the primer seater is not an issue.

 

[nofendertom]

I use a small 3/4 in cheap (Harbor Freight) paint brush and at first sight of debris just brush it out. Dillon 550.

 

[Blue68f100]

I do most all of my depriming on my LNL-AP. I do remove the primer punch so any debree that does not go down with the primer can find a easy way out. Once the brass has been cleaned I clean & lube the press before starting a run. I keep a can of compressed air to blow things clean.

 

[.38 Special]

The issue had never even occurred to me. I use mostly Dillon progressives, and give a quick visual check of each round, but have never noticed any troubles along these lines. It's quite possible that I just don't care enough!

 

[mcb]

I keep a can of air duster on my reloading bench. Handy for blowing the dust out of that location and others when reloading. Just remember to put you finger over any cases with powder in them that are still in the shell plate.

 

[JJFitch]

YUP! I clean that area on both Dillon and Hornady presses with a brush (about 1/2 inch in diameter, gets "smutz" out of there!) commonly found in the makeup section wherever you buy you makeup!

Smiles,

 

[RodII]

I keep a old tooth brush beside my press while loading. When I notice any debris build up a quick swipe cleans it off.

 

[packetloss]

Just to keep this on topic to what the OP asked, are you guys standing over an automated press and cleaning stuff up periodically? So basically all the automation is doing is saving you from pulling the lever, but otherwise you are standing there watching it all the time?

 

[jmorris]

On my automated progressives, I do two passes. The only extra work is to load the collator, the machine is running itself.

Without having to deal with a powder (powder slinging), the process can be sped up a lot. Like >4000 cases an hour.



At that point you have brass that has already been sized/deprimed, swaged in the primer pocket (if needed) and know it will run through the machine with no problems. All before introducing primers, powder and bullets.

Camdex and Ammoload guys don’t just dump range brass into them either. It’s much easier to have a machine prepping brass than to have to deal with machine stoppages.

 

[jmorris]

Just to keep this on topic to what the OP asked, are you guys standing over an automated press and cleaning stuff up periodically? So basically all the automation is doing is saving you from pulling the lever, but otherwise you are standing there watching it all the time?

I made mine so it’s not just auto driven but automated in that it knows when it needs primers, powder level in case isn’t right, bullets not seated correctly, something requires more force than it should, etc.



I do have to be there to add cases, bullets and primers but don’t have to watch it. If I can, I generally run the primer filler, casegauge and box as it’s loading and keep things full as it goes through them.

With the one above I can load, casegauge and box 1000 rounds in 51 minutes and 25 seconds.

On the other hand I can getup Sat morning, start the first 100 rounds, then go fold the laundry, then go back and start the second 100 and unload and load the dish washer, then throw the ammo, a couple boxes and case gauge in my range bag and head out after spending only 3 min time in the reloading room.

 

[Bat Rastard]

JMorris, that's awesome!

I can't decide if I want run to, or from the technology.

 

[jmorris]

The good news is that you can’t be wrong no matter what direction you go.

 

[GW Staar]

Good thing too......at my age I'd screw everything up trying to keep it running smooth. I used to pride myself as one who could pay attention to details. Still can but only if they can be done on slow mode.

 

[Bat Rastard]

The good news is that you can’t be wrong no matter what direction you go.

I beg to differ. I have a history of finding the wrong way!