Dillon RL550b and Dillon dies spitting spent primers

[solman]

Yesterday I set up my Dillon RL 550B alongwith Dillon dies for loading .380 once fired brass. I started off ok but after a while I noticed the spent primers flying off in the general direction behind the press. Some debris end up on the press and fouls the primer shuttle as well.
Anybody experience this before?
What do I look for as the process led to 5 out of 100 reloads with no primer at all.

 

[mahansm]

Look at the catch mechanism under the shellplate. This catches the primer and deposits it in the cup at the end of the downward travel. The pin holding this can get tweaked and it will hang with the bottom open, as it's only closed by gravity. The symptoms are exactly as you described.

Pull down and rework the rounds with no primer, as there's no way to know how much powder came out the flash hole (assuming a fine grained powder).

 

[MifflinKid]

Replace the Dillon supplied pin(/wire) with the shank of a medium-size safety pin. Wrap the ends around the outer part of the chute mechanism. The safety pin wire is harder than that supplied by Dillon and resists deformation better.

Also, glue a small magnet near the bottom of the outer port of the chute mechanism. This will keep the chute mouth closed until it is mechanically opened as the ram moves down. I used a magnet scrounged from the head of an electric tooth brush.

 

[solman]

OK, thanks I will try this tonight. I don't recall this problem being much of an issue in the past. I have had this press since the late eighties. I guess it's time for a little maintenance and modification.

 

[FastCut]

I had this issue as well on my 550b. I don't use the magnet but did remove the factory pin and replace with a short length of stainless steel wire meant for fishing lures. You just feed it through and bend ends over leaving it fairly loose and problem solved. I am still puzzled about why Dillon doesn't fix this after all these years. I hope you have good luck with the fix, search around or ask as issues come up, plenty of easy fixes but in general I haven't had any significant problems that weren't operator errors.

 

[rfwobbly]

Yes, it's common for the 550 to spread smut and spent primers, but (as per above) there are some fixes.

A similar related issue is that some of your primers will hit the top rim of the spent primer cup and then bounce out of the cup. Extending the rear rim of the cup upward using a small piece of cardboard or beer can will corral more wayward primers.



(This image also shows the replacement of the Dillon cotter pin.)

Or, you can buy a neat accessory called the Bob Chute which incorporates a spent primer cup of a much better design. This item not only catches more primers, but also sends all your trash down a tube into a waiting container so that the spent primer cup never needs emptying.

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1346-550

Hope this helps!

 

[OldmanFCSA]

I never have this issue as I deprime all my brass in a separate op and use SS Pin processing for case cleaning. I still leave the ejector pin in place to verify flash hole is clear of any obstruction. More work, but better quality ammo, IMHO. Have never had a problem with the Dillon spent primer catch assembly, but do have a shop vac available for errant primers and spilled powder (2" of water in bottom of shop vac to disarm any powder and most live primers).

 

[solman]

I did the pin change and added a magnet last night. Loaded 100 rds no problems. It seems to be much better now.

RFwobbly, I find the extension is probably a good idea as well.....Although
there is a spent primer laying on the press in your photo.....