XL650

[Dan Bone]

I believe I need a new primer tube or some guidance. Tonight when I went to feed my primers into my XL650 only about half of them would go in. I carefully aborted my attempt and decided to empty out the primer assembly by rotating the carosel by hand and catching the primers. I noticed that as they started to come out not all the holes in the carosel were being filled with primers. Three would come out, skip one, two more, skip two, etc...etc.... So I got them all out and figured that one of the first primers must've gotten sideways somehow. So I reloaded the primer feed tube and tried again. Same thing happened. I aborted again and started taking the primer assembly apart to see what was going on. I got the inner SMALL primer tube out and seen that there were primers still stuck inside of there. With a couple light taps on the table they both came out. But now looking inside of the primer tube I can see that it's not smooth inside of there. Can't tell if it's primer dust, dirt, corrosion but it's enough to prevent smooth feeding of primers. The biggest problem is, I can't find anything the right size to try to clean it out. Nope... gun rods do NOT fit down inside there. I finally found a bunch of those long pipe cleaners used to clean out my gas tube on my AR15. That worked a bit but whatever it is won't come out without some scrubbing. Anybody got any ideas?

[amateur]

It also happened to me before and i found out that the inside wall of the primer tube is dirty. I dont know where those fine dust are from. Same problem, no brush small enough to brush the inside so I generously spray the inside with brake cleaner and then spray it again with dry lubricant. That cured the problem, and then I make it to a point that I clean the primer tube and the carousel every 2000 reloads.

[dajarrel]

You might find some cotton string and tie a knot in it that would be tight when pulled through the primer tube. Perhaps soaking it (the knot) in alcohol would loosen the built up gunk. I would be sure to use a solvent that completely evaporated in the tube to prevent contaminating primers when you are through.

FWIW, YMMV

dj

[Dan Bone]

Both are good ideas. But I just cured it by taking 4 of the AR gas tube pipe cleaners (Brownells 100-000-433) and twisted them together to make the tight fit that I needed. After forcing them down the tube I had a couple inches sticking out the end so I chucked it up to my portable drill and fired it up. That does the trick. HAHAHA

[shred]

IIRC a .22 brush works pretty well on one size of the tubes (I think the large one). Maybe a .17 brush works on the small ones?

[Dan Bone]

I'd considered that, but it was the "small primer" tube that I was dealing with and even if I had a .17 brush, the cleaning ROD would not fit into the tube.

[dillon]

Try this:

Cut a small cleaning patch, about 3/8" square. soak it with alcohol. Use the plastic follower rod to push it through the magazine tube. Do this until the patch comes out clean. Let the alcohol evaporate, then drop one primer through the tube, with the brass end of the tube resting on top of your bench. Pick up the tube and see if the primer is resting on the bench top, or if it is caught in the end of the tube.

[.40AET]

Use the plastic follower rod to push it through the magazine tube.

Much better idea than the coat hanger wire and a patch. Thanks!