Primers Getting Stuck In Pick Up Tibe
Quote from Reloader on March 4, 2015, 5:39 amOk...so the story goes like this. I am a new reloader and was happily cranking out 45acp rounds on my new Dillon 650. The last few times I loaded the primer pick up tube (I only had 1 - with more on order) primers seemed to be getting stuck. I went online and looked and people suggested to clean the tube with a small copper bore brush which I did and it seemed to work - for a while. Then after a couple hundred primers they were getting stuck again. Now... I had one lodged in there pretty good.
A quick Google search had some people suggesting to try to tap them out with the plastic rod that pushes the primers down on the press and other even suggested the try a hammer and a thin piece of metal - like a hanger. Other said do not ever hammer anything down into the tube because it could set off the primers. I decided to try the hammer method, even though I know damn well that Federal primers are soft.
Well...now I know that was a bad idea because when I took a bore cleaning rod and jammed it down the tube with just some light hand pressure that primer did come loose, but it is because it went off and blew up the bottom of the tube. So now I know that was a bad idea.
New Reloader Tip 137 - If a primer gets stuck in your pickup tube, do not try to get it out of there with any kind of force. Bite the bullet (no pun intended) and go for the $5 for a new tube, because the primer can and will ignite and while it is really cool...it can end up really bad. Fortunately for me nothing happened to me and I am 100% fine and a little smarter to boot.
Ok...so the story goes like this. I am a new reloader and was happily cranking out 45acp rounds on my new Dillon 650. The last few times I loaded the primer pick up tube (I only had 1 - with more on order) primers seemed to be getting stuck. I went online and looked and people suggested to clean the tube with a small copper bore brush which I did and it seemed to work - for a while. Then after a couple hundred primers they were getting stuck again. Now... I had one lodged in there pretty good.
A quick Google search had some people suggesting to try to tap them out with the plastic rod that pushes the primers down on the press and other even suggested the try a hammer and a thin piece of metal - like a hanger. Other said do not ever hammer anything down into the tube because it could set off the primers. I decided to try the hammer method, even though I know damn well that Federal primers are soft.
Well...now I know that was a bad idea because when I took a bore cleaning rod and jammed it down the tube with just some light hand pressure that primer did come loose, but it is because it went off and blew up the bottom of the tube. So now I know that was a bad idea.
New Reloader Tip 137 - If a primer gets stuck in your pickup tube, do not try to get it out of there with any kind of force. Bite the bullet (no pun intended) and go for the $5 for a new tube, because the primer can and will ignite and while it is really cool...it can end up really bad. Fortunately for me nothing happened to me and I am 100% fine and a little smarter to boot.
Quote from Reloader on March 5, 2015, 5:00 pmGood info. I make it a habit after a loading session to run cleaning patches saturated with alcohol thru the primer tubes to get any residue out and keep the primers dropping freely.
Good info. I make it a habit after a loading session to run cleaning patches saturated with alcohol thru the primer tubes to get any residue out and keep the primers dropping freely.
Quote from Reloader on March 11, 2015, 8:33 pmnext time put the tube in a vice (gently as to not distort the tube) with the primer facing open end up and pour a little engine oil down the tube and let set over night. This Neutralizes the primer and eliminates the big boom.
next time put the tube in a vice (gently as to not distort the tube) with the primer facing open end up and pour a little engine oil down the tube and let set over night. This Neutralizes the primer and eliminates the big boom.
Quote from Reloader on April 14, 2015, 8:03 pmI am told that if you spray WD 40 down the tube, the primer will not ignite. Let is sit overnight and then you can dislodge it however you want and it should not fire. If anyone on this forum has experience with this, please confirm or deny. I was told this by some very experienced shooters at my range.
I am told that if you spray WD 40 down the tube, the primer will not ignite. Let is sit overnight and then you can dislodge it however you want and it should not fire. If anyone on this forum has experience with this, please confirm or deny. I was told this by some very experienced shooters at my range.
Quote from Reloader on September 13, 2018, 6:45 amI encountered a similar problem where primers were getting stuck in the primer pickup tube:
Setup:
-- Winchester Large Pistol (WLP) primers in boxes of 100 each.
-- large pickup tube with green pickup tube tip.Symptoms:
-- The pickup tube was working flawlessly for most of the reloading session
-- Somewhere in the middle of reloading, primers started getting stuck in the tube:
-- I was able to get a few (4 to 8-ish) into the tube before they got stuck
-- I was able to get them out by twisting off the green tube tip and gently pushing the stuck primer out with the plastic rod that came with the Primer System Early Warning Kit
-- I polished the first few inches inside of the tube with fine grit sandpaper and primers continued to get stuck
-- I tried a new Primer Pickup Tube and primers continued to get stuckPossible Fix:
-- I put the sticking batch of primers back into their 100 count box, got a different box of primers and the Primer Pickup Tube resumed flawless operation.Theories on cause and somer random notes (?!):
-- Could accidental, improper handling distort the primer and cause it to get stuck?
-- I measured the diameters of the offending batch (0.2100") and visually inspected them, and they were no different from the functional batch (0.2100"). However, since they were not exhaustively dimensioned, It's possible some are misshapen.
-- Could an inconsistency be dependent on the manufacturer?
-- Statistically this is rare. I think I've gone through > 20 100-count boxes and have seen this only in one box.
I encountered a similar problem where primers were getting stuck in the primer pickup tube:
Setup:
-- Winchester Large Pistol (WLP) primers in boxes of 100 each.
-- large pickup tube with green pickup tube tip.
Symptoms:
-- The pickup tube was working flawlessly for most of the reloading session
-- Somewhere in the middle of reloading, primers started getting stuck in the tube:
-- I was able to get a few (4 to 8-ish) into the tube before they got stuck
-- I was able to get them out by twisting off the green tube tip and gently pushing the stuck primer out with the plastic rod that came with the Primer System Early Warning Kit
-- I polished the first few inches inside of the tube with fine grit sandpaper and primers continued to get stuck
-- I tried a new Primer Pickup Tube and primers continued to get stuck
Possible Fix:
-- I put the sticking batch of primers back into their 100 count box, got a different box of primers and the Primer Pickup Tube resumed flawless operation.
Theories on cause and somer random notes (?!):
-- Could accidental, improper handling distort the primer and cause it to get stuck?
-- I measured the diameters of the offending batch (0.2100") and visually inspected them, and they were no different from the functional batch (0.2100"). However, since they were not exhaustively dimensioned, It's possible some are misshapen.
-- Could an inconsistency be dependent on the manufacturer?
-- Statistically this is rare. I think I've gone through > 20 100-count boxes and have seen this only in one box.
Quote from Reloader on September 16, 2018, 3:54 amI could have sworn that the instruction manual that came with my XL650 stated not to try to get stuck primers out of the pick up tube. Just to set it aside and call Dillon and they would send you a new pick up tube.
I could have sworn that the instruction manual that came with my XL650 stated not to try to get stuck primers out of the pick up tube. Just to set it aside and call Dillon and they would send you a new pick up tube.
Quote from Reloader on October 14, 2018, 9:15 amWe have had Federal Primers get stuck in the Picking Tube. Placed the Tube in a Vice and with a fitting Shaft drove it out. Judt get the outer end of th shaft i an U and hold on the not in Line.
Are Primer Magazines also on the Liftime list?
We have had Federal Primers get stuck in the Picking Tube. Placed the Tube in a Vice and with a fitting Shaft drove it out. Judt get the outer end of th shaft i an U and hold on the not in Line.
Are Primer Magazines also on the Liftime list?
Quote from Reloader on November 4, 2018, 10:03 pmI have run into this problem as well with Winchester large pistol and small pistol primers. What I found was the primers that didn't fit into the tube were larger than the SAAMI specification for maximum diameter as found on page 26 of this document (https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Z299-3_ANSI-SAAMI_CFPandR.pdf).
The SAAMI spec for small pistol primer diameter is 0.1745 - 0.1765 inches. My Dillon small primer pickup tube has an inside diameter of 0.179 inches, 0.0025 inches larger than the SAAMI spec for maximum primer diameter. The tolerance on the large primer pickup tube was similar to that of the small tube.
It would take quite a bit of residue buildup to prevent a properly sized primer from fitting into the tube. That isn't to say you shouldn't clean the tube, only that you might want to check the primer dimension as a possible cause as well.
NOTE: When measuring primer diameter you should take several measurements, rotating the primer about 1/8 of a turn each time. Other wise you only get one reading which may not be the widest point, as the primers are not perfectly round, and it is after all the widest point that causes the jam.
I contacted Winchester to see what they had to say. Their initial response was to assure me there have not been any problems with any of their primers ... . They did however ask that I send them the primers in question so they can investigate. It will be interesting to see what they come back with.
I have run into this problem as well with Winchester large pistol and small pistol primers. What I found was the primers that didn't fit into the tube were larger than the SAAMI specification for maximum diameter as found on page 26 of this document (https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Z299-3_ANSI-SAAMI_CFPandR.pdf).
The SAAMI spec for small pistol primer diameter is 0.1745 - 0.1765 inches. My Dillon small primer pickup tube has an inside diameter of 0.179 inches, 0.0025 inches larger than the SAAMI spec for maximum primer diameter. The tolerance on the large primer pickup tube was similar to that of the small tube.
It would take quite a bit of residue buildup to prevent a properly sized primer from fitting into the tube. That isn't to say you shouldn't clean the tube, only that you might want to check the primer dimension as a possible cause as well.
NOTE: When measuring primer diameter you should take several measurements, rotating the primer about 1/8 of a turn each time. Other wise you only get one reading which may not be the widest point, as the primers are not perfectly round, and it is after all the widest point that causes the jam.
I contacted Winchester to see what they had to say. Their initial response was to assure me there have not been any problems with any of their primers ... . They did however ask that I send them the primers in question so they can investigate. It will be interesting to see what they come back with.
Quote from Reloader on November 5, 2018, 5:29 pmBoth primer magazine tubes and pickup tubes are replaced under warranty when a primer jams in them. During our in-house reloading, we've noticed an increase in the number of out-of-round primers we've found.
Both primer magazine tubes and pickup tubes are replaced under warranty when a primer jams in them. During our in-house reloading, we've noticed an increase in the number of out-of-round primers we've found.