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Dillon SDB - Primer Feed Problem - Help Please

Moo Moo

Moo Moo

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Hi All

I have a Dillon Square Deal B set up for .38 Special presently. Yesterday, whilst reloading, the Primer Assembly Slide started to malfunction and would not return to the position where the shell comes down and the primer is inserted. This occurred every on estimate of 2 to 3 times per 10 reloads. There did not seem to be a pattern to this malfunction. Primers were spitting everywhere around my garage. Also, occasionally, a primer would flip upside-down and be inserted into the shell the wrong-way round. Occasionally, there would be the sound of a spring popping and the shell plate would shake causing powder to spill out.

I found this video on Youtube which displays the same issue I'm having but unfortunately, no solution is contained in the video.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-iBtHEXGFU[/ame]

I do not believe this is a timing issue as everything else lines up fine. I replaced the return spring but there was no improvement. I took everything apart and cleaned it. No improvement. I also applied some grease to help the assembly slide back into position however this did not work either. I had recently replaced the plastic "primer slide bearing", which is in great condition still, so this is not the problem.

I would appreciate any suggestions as to what could be the problem and how to fix it.

Thanks
Moo Moo
 
No grease! At best, use graphite powder. For mine, disassembly and wipe down with an alcohol pad does the job.
 
I generally call the guys at Dillon for advise. They know a whole lot about the product and are happy to help out. It cmoes with that lifetime warrentee thing.
 
Try changing the little spring under the detent ball under the shell plate. Had the same problem which was caused by the spring becoming weak and unable to push the detent ball into the appropriate hole in the bottom of the shell plate.
As result the shell plate is a couple of thousands out of alignment, and when it finally lines up it flips the primer and you hear the clicking sound as the ball slides over the edge and into the hole.
In short it's an alignment problem--the shell plate is not correctly indexing.
Hope this helps
Bob
 
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backer said:
Try changing the little spring under the detent ball under the shell plate. Had the same problem which was caused by the spring becoming weak and unable to push the detent ball into the appropriate hole in the bottom of the shell plate.
As result the shell plate is a couple of thousands out of alignment, and when it finally lines up it flips the primer and you hear the clicking sound as the ball slides over the edge and into the hole.
In short it's an alignment problem--the shell plate is not correctly indexing.
Hope this helps
Bob
Click to expand...

I run 4 SDB's with 9 caliber changes.......Another thing that can cause priming problems is......The little brass wheel on the primer return slide can become loose an cause problems....Tighten the brass wheel with an allen wrench.
 
It could also be that the plastic end on the primer tube is out of round or has been crunched on one side, not allowing the primer to drop and holding it in the tube.
OR....that same plastic primer end is NOT aligned with the little groove/notch. It needs to be aligned in order for it to work.
OR....there is something (likely a primer or piece) stuck inside the moving plastic piece that 'rolls' along a small inset where you replaced the spring. Perhaps a cleaning is necessary?
OR....If you don't have a small weight at the top of the primer push-rod, sometimes it will fail to drop due to not enough weight/pressure pushing it down. I have a small brass finial from a lamp that adds enough weight to make the system function properly.
OR....a couple of the above suggestions.
Mike
 
Thanks for all the device.

Tried a few things and finally got the Primer Assembly Slide working correctly.

However, I managed to hit a new snag. The new issue is that primers will not drop free from the Primer Tube/Magazine into the Cup on the Assembly Slide. The only way to get a primer to fall, is to manually pull down on the push-rod when the ramp is on the up-stroke. Only then, can I get a primer to fall into the cup.

I have checked the Tube tip (small primer - blue - 13657) for wear and tear. It looks OK. I only changed this about 500 rounds ago. I tried adding some weight on the top of the push-rod however it was too much and just caused a jam.

attachment.php


Other then order another Primer Tube Tip, is there anything else I should check for? The tube was inserted into the grove correctly. The white Primer Retaining Pin (14051) was cleaned again along with the hole it goes into. I also checked the spring that holds it in place. I also loosened the Primer Shield Cap (13957) to see if this made a difference: No Change.

Maybe this is why I'm a "less-than-enthusiastic reloader. I seem to constantly have headaches with it and my lack of skills. Lol.
 

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I recently had similar problems, talked to tech support at Dillon. They gave me a return number and I sent it in to see what they could do. Got a new one a week or so later. That’s how Dillon does it.
 
I recently had a similar problem. I’ve been loading on my SQ Deal B since the early 90’s and the only thing I e had a problem with is the primer feed and those problems have been minor.

I had a return spring break that retracts the little priming arm. Just replaced the spring and no more problems for 10 years until a couple of months ago.

My press was doing similar things and I discovered it was the plastic tip on the priming tube like the one you’re showing. One of the little springy plastic wings on the top broke allowing multiple primers to drop into the mechanism. I had a spare and replaced it and no more problems.

I need to order more springs and priming tube tips I guess and talk to Dillon about my press. I’d estimate I’ve loaded probably 100,000 plus rounds and it’s getting a little loose where it shouldn’t. I understand they’ll rebuild it free or send the parts to do it so I need to give them a call.
 
Did you remove the entire priming system (three screws) and check the height of the primer cup? It is supposed to be 1.410 +/- .003".

Have you had the shell plate off lately or performed any maintenance?

I have a SDB set up for 9 and it was cranking out ammo like crazy with zero interruptions and a few days later I wanted to pick up where I left off and started having issues. Turned out some powder got in everything and I just cleaned things up and it started working perfectly again. What that told me was if it was cranking well when I quit using it last, what changed? I start through the process of what could have gone wrong - i.e. did a round get through with no primer and thus primer everywhere. Is my plastic tip that lets the primer drop to be picked up by the primer slide assembly 13621 or has it suddenly got out of adjustment? There is another adjustment that I have had to make when I switched over from large primer to small, a small set screw 13961A.

All in all, like others said, call Dillons. Some there are more helpful than others. I was having a squeak issue and it was driving me nuts and he essentially had me take the entire machine apart. It seems a bit daunting at first but was really very simple and yes, he did tell me which parts are in need of grease!
 
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If the top knurled cap is too tight, it may cause what you are experiencing. Just loosen it a little, keeping it snug, but not too tight. If it's too tight, then it will jam as you describe.
The blue tip looks okay, but I can't tell if one of the little wings on either side and bent in, that wouldn't allow the primer to drop unless slight pressure is applied on the plastic pushrod (that you weighted).
There is also an adjustment on the primer cup as well. A small set screw on the silver-colored slide would need to be loosened enough to allow the cup support pin to move up or down (the cup is spring loaded, so don't let it pop-off). I'm sorry that I don't recall the exact measurement for setting that cup, but it could be off slightly, it doesn't take much.
OR the cup could be slightly dented or have debris in it stopping the primer from free-falling into place.
You might also check on some of the suggestions on this site....

Problems with SDB primer system - Dillon Precision Reloading Equipment - Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Mike
 
Every model of Dillon has a spare parts kit. When something goes wrong in the middle of the night (or on the other side of the world) you already have the correct fix. On just about everything (except decapping pins) they will send a replacement for free.

I once lost the ball that indexes the shell plate a 11:30 at night (dropped it down the heating vent!) There is a spare spring and ball in the kits. On my next components order I tried to buy replacements, but they gave me a set for free with my order. I got 200 45 Colt loaded before I went to bed and shot a SASS match the next day.

My best friend bought a used 450 and mentioned in a post here. Dillon sent him a S&W Forum PM to let him know it was still under warranty, and that they had various upgrade kits too.

Ivan
 
Moo Moo hope you get it straightened out. This is why I do not like progressives. To many things happening at each pull of the handle for this ole boy to keep track of (or the flip side would be to much stuff to go wrong at each pull of the handle). I have had Stars and a Square Deal B, those are gone. Back to a Lyman Turret Press for me.
 

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I guess I look at it differently. When I crank up the progressive I know it's ready to go. I will do a minimum of 500 rounds usually more. When I get done I do any preventative maintenance. Cover it and go with some other chore. Only progressives I ever got frustrated with were Lee and Mec shotshell progressives...oh and Hornady...right up there with Lee. There are some that can even get them to work though. I did away with the SDB for just one reason...not 'nuff room for my little sausage fangers. Otherwise they worked ok. . Heck I even have some parts for the SDBs here somewhere picked up at gun shows etc for cheap JIC
 
I had the same issues with my SDB a few months ago.

The problem was a combination of a small buildup of crud where the primer arm moves back and forth (I thought I had cleaned it but there was still more there) and spilled powder iunder the she'll-late.

A good clean saw it come right.
 
I have a.....

.....ROCKCHUCKER!:D

...but it needs cleaning fairly often because of the crud that comes out from decapping the primers. Gets all over the ram where it slides through the base.


Hmmmm. Thinking I could deprime first, but I need to clean the cases before putting them on the press. And that would just crud up the press in the depriming stage. Oh well, I'm always looking for a way to streamline.
 
"Thinking I could deprime first, but I need to clean the cases before putting them on the press"
I happen to deprime with the sizer removed, just using the depriming pin only. All other stations are also empty. I deprime using this method and hand prime my brass separately off the press.
Obviously, I don't have the depriming pin in place while reloading once hand priming is completed.
A little slower, but hand priming offers me the opportunity to visually inspect each case again (I inspect before depriming) for splits or case cracks, so it's not a total loss of time. Plus, if the primers seat too easily, they are too large and will leak, so I toss those as if they were split. You can't feel a loose primer pocket with the SDB priming system.
 
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