Pickup Tube Kaboom Avoidance - Prototype

[grant22]

Alright, so with all this spare time I have right now, I wanted to start working on an inexpensive way to avoid 'the mishap' from happening again.

Yes, I might be buying an RF100 in the future. But I think that only 'sorta' solves the issue.

I think if I/we:
-Ground our machines
-Ground ourselves (wrist strap)
-Wear all PPE we should
-Make the Dillon "Weak Link" (the primer p/u tube) less weak

Here are some pics:

This is basically steel square tubing that the pick up tube barely fits in. It's length is as long as I could go while still retaining the usefulness of the pickup tube. I used set screws to secure and 'float' the pick up tube in there and the square tube allows for the air space I wanted to allow pressure to escape vertically. I replaced the metal clip with a zip tie and an ice pick with a 90 bend will allow me to pull it 10" away.



As you can see here, there is just enough of the blue tip showing to still allow it to seat on the magazine tube.


I am going to use one of these to use as a holder for the above assembly. Picture this: a slightly larger width square tubing, cut to the same length, cut down the middle lengthwise (bisected) and then each half welded to the tip of these tongs or vise grips. Overkill? Probably. But tell that to my thumb and middle finger

[HighLander51]

Your loader is in the garage, it will be very close to outside ambient humidity conditions. Put a humidifier in the garage and get your wife to pull the load pin.....

[Brian1979]

How are you doing this stuff with 1 hand?

[grant22]

The vise is basically my left hand. You must not know me......I'm a damned determined individual. Besides, I can't ride my dirtbike, can't jet ski, can't do anything really active, and can only take the dog to the park so often......this prototype had to be done.

Better question: How am I doing this while loaded on vicodin???

Only 2/5 of my left hand is disabled btw

[Brian1979]

LOL, the steel pipe idea is good but the tongs and vice grips are a bit over the top. I would stop at the grounded press and steel tube and move on.

Save up for the RF 100 and it will eliminate most of all primer handling minus touching the pin to drop them into the magazine. Your zip tie idea could work just the same if you wish but I think the RF 100 has that external tube and its enough protection.

[grant22]

LOL, the steel pipe idea is good but the tongs and vice grips are a bit over the top. I would stop at the grounded press and steel tube and move on. I agree, but tell that to my hand.......joking aside. The tongs might give me that extra bit of confidence.
Save up for the RF 100 and it will eliminate most of all primer handling minus touching the pin to drop them into the magazine. Your zip tie idea could work just the same if you wish but I think the RF 100 has that external tube and its enough protection. I have the money now, but I'm a little reluctant to give the big "D" any more of my money. I'm a little irritated that their primer magazine is reinforced and their RF100 p/u tube is reinforced, but their standard tube is reinforced with my hand. I hope you all understand, but my eyebrow is raised a little regarding them right now.........especially since my conversation with them the other day. Their level of help figuring out the cause and coming up with a solution was dismal at best. If I did, however, get an RF100, my scaredy cat hands would use the ice pick to remove the metal clip.

I hope you guys understand.

[bumpo628]

You might want to put the metal clip back instead of the zip tie. Wouldn't moving plastic on metal create static? I'm all for using zip ties wherever possible, but I don't know about this one.

I would attach a string to the metal pin and attach a support to the press for the tube. The support would hold the tube straight up and you could make the string as long as you want. Pull the string from 10 ft away and put away the tongs.

Nice job on the proto, btw.

[NoJoke]

Yup. That'll do.
I'm with you all the way up to the tongs....but yes, I do understand why you're going there and don't question why.

I'll post up the titanium when I get it early next week.



If you have the time/money/open land space - it would be interesting to load 100 primers into your tube, stick a metal rod of some sort into one end, backed up to a boulder with a longer rod on the other end. Then, with a blast sheild (everyone has these, right?) bang the rod to ignite the primer stack. Ok, maybe this is a stupid, darwin type idea....but it would be cool to test it out somehow (or ask some sort of testing company to test).

[grant22]

Yup. That'll do.
I'm with you all the way up to the tongs....but yes, I do understand why you're going there and don't question why.

I'll post up the titanium when I get it early next week.



If you have the time/money/open land space - it would be interesting to load 100 primers into your tube, stick a metal rod of some sort into one end, backed up to a boulder with a longer rod on the other end. Then, with a blast sheild (everyone has these, right?) bang the rod to ignite the primer stack. Ok, maybe this is a stupid, darwin type idea....but it would be cool to test it out somehow (or ask some sort of testing company to test).

I am, in fact, considering taking this out to the back desert here and lighting a fire under it with 50 primers in it (or 100) to test it's integrity. After all, what good is this prototype if it doesn't work???

[NoJoke]

I am, in fact, considering taking this out to the back desert here and lighting a fire under it with 50 primers in it (or 100) to test it's integrity. After all, what good is this prototype if it doesn't work???

Button up the ends w/ some Home depot epoxy to really push the outer limits!

[Fyathyrio]

Idea seems sound, only potential problem I see is the set screws possibly distorting primer tube and preventing smooth movement of primers.

[EWILKE]

looks good

I am still thinking that this was a one time freak thing. I don't have to deal with low humidity. I hope it never happens again to anyone but I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds over the last 15 years and have never had a primer go off (knock on wood) and lately I have crushed a few on some crimped 9mm cases.
good luck and happy reloading.

[grant22]

Idea seems sound, only potential problem I see is the set screws possibly distorting primer tube and preventing smooth movement of primers.

Set screws are snugged, not cranked on and they allow for disassembly.

[NoJoke]

Set screws are snugged,not cranked on.

Just wondering, why not use JB Weld?

[grant22]

I am still thinking that this was a one time freak thing. I don't have to deal with low humidity. I hope it never happens again to anyone but I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds over the last 15 years and have never had a primer go off (knock on wood) and lately I have crushed a few on some crimped 9mm cases.
good luck and happy reloading.

Unfortunately, my fingers don't understand the term "one time freak accident."

I had my 1 chance. If I'm to continue with this hobby, I have to take every precaution conceivable.