Dillon RL550B primer feed tube emptying

milktree

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I'm hoping I'm missing something really dumb, but is there any way to gracefully get unused primers out of the feed tube?

For instance, if you load 100 primers, and then 50 rounds into it you run out of bullets/time/clean cases/powder/etc or need to fix a feed problem, how do you get the remaining 50 primers out of the feed tube without dumping them all over the floor?

The only way that kinda sorta works for me is to very carefully remove the whole assembly, and take it to a bucket and catch all the ones that go everywhere. But that's ... inelegant at best.

pulling the handle and picking up each primer individually with my fingers is just about as much of a pain, takes longer, but is less likely to drop them on the floor.
 
pour them back into your primer flipper or take out the primer tube and use it to put the primers back into it original packaging.
 
pour them back into your primer flipper or take out the primer tube and use it to put the primers back into it original packaging.

Do you even own a Dillon? Try that and you'll fill the outer primer tube with primers. [rolleyes]

Unless you want to crank them out one at a time, unhook the return spring and rod, then unscrew the two mounting screws that hold the entire primer feed unit to the machine.

Invert over the container of your choice and pour them out.

The reason I have 2 550's; one for large primers and the other for small - and I only use SR primers there, so no change-out is required.
 
I pour mine directly back into my pickup tube....[wink]

Found it's pretty easy to do.... The process I follow is very close to that detailed by Scrivener:

  • Disconnect the primer bar spring
  • Unscrew the two screws holding the primer assembly to the press
  • Take an empty pickup tube without the retaining clip and place it in the same position as when I normally load primers.
  • Invert the primer assembly and the primers flow neatly back into the pickup tube
  • Replace the retaining clip on the pickup tube and reinstall the primer assembly (usually after wiping down the entire area thoroughly with an alcohol wipe).

As my kids say, Easy Peasy....[smile]
 
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