Another 550 Primer Feed Problem Thread

[Smitty79]

I've got about 40k rounds through my 550B over the 3 years I've been reloading.    Most of it 9mm.   For the last 10k, I've been using a bearing plate from one of the kits with an adjustable bearing, but without the bearing.   Somewhere on this forum there's a recommended cleaning procedure for this press that you use every 3k rounds.    I do that cleaning when the bar starts sticking.   The last time the bar started sticking, it was at about 3.5k since the last cleaning.

 

After cleaning, no work.   I tried adding the bearing to try to get the slide moving straighter.   No work.    I went back to the stock bearing plate, no work.    I saw a post, on this forum, that said that the area on the housing near the bolt holes bulges some time and needs to be filed a little.   No work.    I've tried loosening and tightening the bolts.   No work.   I've polished the surfaces that rub.   No work.   I've tried bending the operating rod to make it stiffer, then the spring that pulls it in isn't strong enough to pull it in.

 

In the current configuration, it works about 9 out of 10 times at normal reloading speed.   If I go slow it sticks about 2mm from the fully out position needed to get a primer.   If I push the end of the primer bar towards the handle, it comes out the rest of the way.    If I push it the other way, it doesn't come out.   I figured the bearing should be able to fix this.   No luck.

 

What else Brian Enos hive mind?

[Sarge]

Pull the magazine tube out and see if it cycles better.

[njl]

Remove the primer slide return spring. Partially pull the handle. Remove the operating rod. Pull the handle all the way down. Slide the primer slide fore and aft. If it's binding even the slightest, do not pass go. Something is wrong with either the housing alignment, the slide, or the primer cup. I just got done dealing with this tonight on my 550b. I keep a green scotchbrite pad handy for this and used it to clean the primer slide (bottom, sides, and top) followed by a paper towel soaked with 92% isopropyl. I also use a home made extended slide bearing and gave it the same treatment. While cleaning the primer slide, I noticed what looked like rub marks in the finish on the sides of the primer cup, so I gave it the same cleaning. Put it all back together. Did the sliding the primer slide fore and aft test and it was nice and loose. I did another 100 rounds of .380 without any failures to pick up a primer.

[dillon]

Remove the operating rod that moves the primer slide. Pull the handle down so that the platform is out of the way. Grab the back of the primer slide and pull it back by hand, see if it moves smoothly.

[hdultra]

Sometimes the plastic nub from the primer tube falls lower than normal (wear and tear).

I replaced mine with one from the spare parts kit and cleaned the slide with alcohol and it seemed to work fine after that.

[biglou13]

this just happened to me  its a stretch but check it anyway.  on the roller bracket assembly   part #14280  there are tiny screws that that if loose will cause primer problems....   easy check is to pinch and wiggle plate..    its the part you put base of brass on before sliding it under shell plate

 

[Smitty79]

4 hours ago, dillon said:

Remove the operating rod that moves the primer slide. Pull the handle down so that the platform is out of the way. Grab the back of the primer slide and pull it back by hand, see if it moves smoothly.

 

with the operating rod removed, it moves smoothly.   I think the off axis force of the operating rod is torquing the slide and either front right corner of the slide or the primer cup is hanging up on the housing.

[Smitty79]

3 hours ago, hdultra said:

Sometimes the plastic nub from the primer tube falls lower than normal (wear and tear).

I replaced mine with one from the spare parts kit and cleaned the slide with alcohol and it seemed to work fine after that.

Pulling this out didn't help.

 

[Smitty79]

2 hours ago, biglou13 said:

this just happened to me  its a stretch but check it anyway.  on the roller bracket assembly   part #14280  there are tiny screws that that if loose will cause primer problems....   easy check is to pinch and wiggle plate..    its the part you put base of brass on before sliding it under shell plate

 

 

I have a case feeder, so the parts are a little different.   The screws are very tight.

[biglou13]

if you pull primer feeder by hand will it load primer?

 

maybe try adding a little more bend in it?

 

after re reading my next guessis you didn't align primer assembly/bar before tightening everything down....

 

did you rotate primer magazine tube until is clicked and seated in?

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by biglou13

[Smitty79]

I called Dillon and they (thanks Peter) recommended that I realign the primer punch.   You push down on the primer punch, against a table.   Then you loosen and then re-tighten the set screw.   Next 200 rounds were very smooth.   Started having occasional problems.    I finished the primer tube up and then redid the primer punch again and tightened the set screw harder.

[Smitty79]

So the tightening again didn't get it back to functional.    It is still hanging up between the sleave on the "Primer Punch", 13824 and the right side of the housing.   I rebuilt the primer punch assembly with parts from my parts kit.   Same problem.   I noticed that the walls of the primer housing weren't parallel.   In trying to straighten them, I broke the housing.   All done until I can get more parts.

 

I now suspect that the hold, in the primer bar, that the punch runs through, is word so that it doesn't it's offset some and the punch isn't vertical.

[mpssrh]

Based on your most recent post, my suggestion is to replace the primer cup, punch, and spring with new ones. I have had this same problem in the past and have tried multiple solutions. But the one thing that has worked for me (on several occasions) has been to completely replace these components. There is a schematic in the owner's manual that shows the correct height of the primer cup when affixed to the primer slide.

 

I put the components into the hole in the top of the slide and then compress them in the vise. This works better than trying to compress them against a table top. It also makes it easier to reinsert the set screw (finger tight is enough).

 

Regarding the bearing plate and primer slide, these are things that I have learned to do:

--Use an extended bearing plate. There are folks who will argue that this makes no difference. I beg to differ. It has made priming much easier and more pleasant for me.

--Clean the extended bearing plate with alcohol. Then coat it with graphite, which comes in an aerosol can at Home Depot. This leaves a smooth surface on which the primer slide can move. The graphite coating is easily removed with alcohol or gun cleaner.

--Clean the undersurface of the primer slide with alcohol and lightly polish the bearing surfaces with a non-scratch pad. If you find that the undersurface of the primer slide is worn unevenly (resulting in canting of the slide), you may need to replace the primer slide with a new one.

--Clean the area on the frame where the bearing track rests.

--Resist the temptation to use oil or grease on the bearing track or primer slide; they attract debris and create increased resistance and wear.

--Clean the inside of the primer housing with alcohol. Look for shiny/worn areas where the primer slide rubs against it. Check the status of the plastic tip on the primer magazine; if it is worn, replace it.

--Disassemble the primer cup from the slide. Clean its components and replace them as needed. Clean the holes in the primer slide which accommodate the set screw and the punch, etc. 

--Before reinserting the 2 bolts, be sure that the primer slide is all the way forward and that the primer cup is correctly engaged in its opening in the frame (i.e., push the handle all the way forward, as if you were seating a primer, and hold it there while reinserting the bolts). 

--When you reassemble and reinsert the bolts, ensure that the bearing plate does not slip sideways (on the end near the central ram). The bolts should just be finger tight.

--After reassembly, if you find that the primer cup is not centered, you can adjust its position (fore and aft) with the set screw at the back of the primer housing.

I'm sure that you know, and probably have done, all these things; there is no intent on my part to be patronizing. Much of this is a restatement of the good advice you have already been given. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

[cyberiad]

Maybe a long shot but measure from the top of the press to the bottom of the operating rod bracket. I can't remember what the distance should be (you can find it in a post somewhere on the site) but the bracket on mine was too low. Once I adjusted it all of the remaining 550 priming "issues" I had were resolved.

[Blammo]

Put a dab of grease on the priming operating rod where it goes 90 into the attachment point. I was having similar problems and that grease point did wonders. it needs to float freely in there. Jut to clarify this is at the top and where the rod meets that aluminum housing.

Edited March 14, 2017 by Blammo

[Walnut]

After reading all the post, my first thought is check 13887 Operating Rod Bracket and see if it is twisted slightly.  The op rod should be 90 degrees from the press and not move back and forth at an angle.  I check it by pulling the primer slide all the way out without the spring connected and look at the relationship of the rod as it engages the roller on the side of the primer slide.   It should go back and forth parallel to the travel of the primer slide.  Set Op rod bracket .015" off the top of the press (don't touch it) and run primers though as you cycle the handle back and forth.  if it binds, twist it counter or clock wise no more than 1/16 of a turn a time.  A little goes a long ways.

 

Hope that helps,

Jeff

[Smitty79]

Seems like the ultimate problem is over tightening of the bolts that hold the housing to the press.   The holes enlarge and push the slide to the right so the primer cup hangs up.    New housing and it worked fine so far.