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550 case feeder problem...


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I had some problems with my 550 and casefeeder when loading .40 myself...

I wound up loosening the center bolt on the star 1/2 turn from tight. I don't have to run

it that loose on any other caliber. But it works well for .40

See if that helps.

Take care,

Dave

tried it and it became worst...tighten it to just enough to turn and it minimize...i have to slow down my down stroke(of the shaft) so it would not slam the brass...

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I could never get .40 to run well on the 550 with the case feeder. It worked well with .38spl, ok with 9mm, and pretty bad with .40. I tried loosening, tightening, and polishing the shell plate. Nothing really helped.

I think the biggest problem is that the 550 case feeder was an add on, it wasn't designed for it from the beginning. There isn't enough meat around the 2 holes in the "lower feeder assembly" where it attaches to the "platform assembly". If a case misfeeds and smashes into the sizing die it puts tremendous force into the lower feeder assembly. It gets bent and then feeding problems get worse. I've had to take mine apart to bend it back several times. Today I loaded 700 rounds of .40 with the case feeder. It was maddening, about 1 out of every 3 or 4 cases would misfeed. You'd have to fiddle with the case to get it to feed. I finally took the case feeder completely off and loaded another 300 rounds. Once I got back into the rhythm I was able to go faster than the with the misfeeding case feeder. I'm torn between running the 550 w/o the casefeeder or upgrading to 650.

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I think the biggest problem is that the 550 case feeder was an add on, it wasn't designed for it from the beginning.

I'm torn between running the 550 w/o the casefeeder or upgrading to 650.

This is the biggest problem. Some can get the 550 case feeder to work but many others can't and just give up on it.

The 650 case feeder works like a dream once you get it dialed in.

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Same issues with 45 ACP. 1 out 10 case jumps back after sizing. Its not a brand of brass, and its random on shell plate location.

550B case feeder, when it dialed in it works 90% of the time, when it hiccups it becomes very annoying.

The case feeder does not increase speed in my use. I am slower now. How ever it is the benefit of not grabbing a case every time that keeps me tinkering with it.

The biggest problem is when you switch to a non case feed configuration, ie, 5.56. all of that dialing in is lost.

I think I am going to buy another 550 just for rifle so I do not have to dial in the case feeder any more.

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This is the biggest problem. Some can get the 550 case feeder to work but many others can't and just give up on it.

The 650 case feeder works like a dream once you get it dialed in.

I'm glad to hear that. I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a 650.

Same issues with 45 ACP. 1 out 10 case jumps back after sizing. Its not a brand of brass, and its random on shell plate location.

550B case feeder, when it dialed in it works 90% of the time, when it hiccups it becomes very annoying.

The case feeder does not increase speed in my use. I am slower now. How ever it is the benefit of not grabbing a case every time that keeps me tinkering with it.

The biggest problem is when you switch to a non case feed configuration, ie, 5.56. all of that dialing in is lost.

I think I am going to buy another 550 just for rifle so I do not have to dial in the case feeder any more.

I'm glad it is not just me. The desire to start loading .223/5.56 is what has pushed me to look at a 650 or pulling the case feeder off the 550.

I do wonder how much this has to do with the fact that the 550 uses the same shell plate for 9mm and 40. I didn't have nearly as much of a problem with the 9mm as I do with .40. You definitely have to loosen the plate to get 40 to slide under it and it makes it a little floppy. I wonder if they made dedicated .40 shell plate that is sized correctly. I don't think the 650 and 1050 share the same plate between 9mm/.40.

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This is the biggest problem. Some can get the 550 case feeder to work but many others can't and just give up on it.

The 650 case feeder works like a dream once you get it dialed in.

I'm glad to hear that. I'm really close to pulling the trigger on a 650.

Same issues with 45 ACP. 1 out 10 case jumps back after sizing. Its not a brand of brass, and its random on shell plate location.

550B case feeder, when it dialed in it works 90% of the time, when it hiccups it becomes very annoying.

The case feeder does not increase speed in my use. I am slower now. How ever it is the benefit of not grabbing a case every time that keeps me tinkering with it.

The biggest problem is when you switch to a non case feed configuration, ie, 5.56. all of that dialing in is lost.

I think I am going to buy another 550 just for rifle so I do not have to dial in the case feeder any more.

I'm glad it is not just me. The desire to start loading .223/5.56 is what has pushed me to look at a 650 or pulling the case feeder off the 550.

I do wonder how much this has to do with the fact that the 550 uses the same shell plate for 9mm and 40. I didn't have nearly as much of a problem with the 9mm as I do with .40. You definitely have to loosen the plate to get 40 to slide under it and it makes it a little floppy. I wonder if they made dedicated .40 shell plate that is sized correctly. I don't think the 650 and 1050 share the same plate between 9mm/.40.

I've loaded thousands of 9 and 45 and the case feeder has been flawless. Something I found early on was the same as in bold above. The cases pushing back out of the shell plate as the ram retracts. They don't line up with the die and everything gets bound up, or you damage a case mouth.

What I did was refer to the special setup instructions at the end of the case feeder manual and set mine up that way. I think the first part of the manual

had you setting the case feeder up incorrectly. At least to the point where it pushes the cases too far inward....

I set the ram up so that the case stops just as it bottoms in the shell plate and it runs 100%.

That and a floppy shell plate for my 40......

Hope that helps.

Dave

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