colt1969 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 have been experiencing something strange with my 550b loading .45 acp. After inserting a case in the shellplate and placing a bullet on the case with powder, pull the handle down, make sure that a primer is picked up by the primer arm, push the handle up to seat the primer,all is good. After I rotate the star and am checking a new piece of brass for loading, I hear a small (tink), and when I cycle the handle again there is a new primer in the primer cup and one laying on the primer arm. I am using cci primers. After reading the various topics on primer issues, I took the primer system apart and cleaned it. I checked the primer tube plastic end inside the primer magazine and it looked ok. With the return spring removed I manually cycled the primer arm back and forth with no binding or sticking noticed. How can two primers drop with one cycle of the primer arm? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Check and make sure the plastic fitting on the end of the tube does not have a burr or wear on it. Check the return spring on the primer feed arm, Check the feed arm itself to make sure the primer feed cup is clean and does not have any burrs or damage and the shaft it sits on is not broken or the spring has gone bad. I had the shaft on the cup break from use but the spring held it in place and that cause all sorts of odd issues, then the tip on the primer feed tube just had a lot of wear and needed to be replaced.When in doubt check everything that is related :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Check and make sure the plastic fitting on the end of the tube does not have a burr or wear on it. Check the return spring on the primer feed arm, Check the feed arm itself to make sure the primer feed cup is clean and does not have any burrs or damage and the shaft it sits on is not broken or the spring has gone bad. I had the shaft on the cup break from use but the spring held it in place and that cause all sorts of odd issues, then the tip on the primer feed tube just had a lot of wear and needed to be replaced. When in doubt check everything that is related :-) Indeed: 550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes: Thoroughly polish frame, wherever priming slide touches it, with green Scotch Brite. (Approx. every 3000 rounds) Wipe off Primer Slide with solvent or alcohol. Leave it all dry. At rest primer slide adjustment: Set so that one primer, dropped down the tube, goes all the way into the Primer Seating Cup, 10 times in a row. Angle of Primer Slide Operating Rod (13869) - Release rod from rollers and swivel it 180º so it's pointing straight up - it should be parallel with the Primer Housing Shield, or maybe outward "a little"; it should not be "inward" at all. Be sure both screws (14530) that tighten Roller Bracket Shell Platform (14280) from bottom (to the Shellplate Platform) are tight! Make sure Priming Seating Punch Assembly is fully bottomed out before tightening screw (13996): Measured from bottom of Primer Slide (13920) to top of seated Primer Seating Cup (13284/5), dimension should be between 1.125 - 1.220 inches. Be sure Priming Operating Rod Bracket (13887) is adjusted so it's within a few thousands of an inch from the top of frame/Toplhead. Be sure the plastic tips of all your Primer Pickup Tubes and the plastic tip on the bottom of the Priming Magazine are seated fully against the tubes. Grease the short end of the op-rod where it inserts into the bracket clamped around the primer shield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808win Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) The operating handle is at rest in the up position, you index the index sprocket and "hear a small (tink)". Possibly the "small (tink)" is a primer dropping from the primer magazine flexible orifice large (#14003) onto the primer slide assembly large (#14281) at that time. The flexible orifice "looked ok". I may have misinterpreted something you described. You may want to check that the flexible orifice is properly/fully seated into the primer housing and shield (#20263) and that the primer shield cap (#13957) is properly secured. You may also want to check that the primer feed stop pin (#14051) and primer feed stop spring (#13979) are clean and not worn, and the primer feed stop spring screw (#13964) is secure. Refer to the Dillon Precision Products, Inc. (Dillon) instruction manual and verify any corrective action with a Dillon representative. Edited April 9, 2014 by 808win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 With the primer magazine empty, detach the flat leaf spring from the rear of the primer feed base. Pull the handle down on the machine, and the white delrin primer retaining pin will protrude. Remove this pin. Using a cotton swab and alcohol, clean the hole this pin slides in, wipe off the pin, and lightly regrease the head end of this pin and reassemble. If it gets dirty, this pin may stick rearward, allowing more than one primer to drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Dillon, this sounds like something that might be a possible cause. I have checked and cleaned most of the other possibilities, but never thought of the little white pin. I can understand how a sticking slide bar would cause all kind of problems, but the two primers dropping, one in the primer cup and one on the slide bar, not at the same time, had me stumped. Will try this, Thanks, Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 checked all the suggestions you guys gave me. After watching the whole primer operation closely, I discovered that the primer feed stop pin(14051) was not returning all the way into the housing, sometimes, and this is when I am getting my double drops . I could nudge it a little and it would go back in. Checked the primer feed stop spring(13979), even turned it around and made sure the hole and pin were clean. Still the same problem. Removed the primer slide and measured the distance from the top of the seating cup to the bottom of the slide, it measures 1.180, less than the specs call for. Removed the cup, spring and punch and found nothing broke or bent. Short of calling Dillon, any more ideas for me to try? Thanks to all who have responded. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808win Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 (edited) I didn't think about checking the top of the Primer Seating Cup, Large (#13824) to bottom of the Primer Slide (#13920) dimension when I wrote my earlier post (even though Brian pointed it out in his). The 1.180" you measured is 0.035" less than the 1.215" minimum called for in the manual (1.215" min to 1.220" max). I think you might be on to something. Solving this piece or your "puzzle" would be a good next step. Just curious, is this a low, medium or high round count press? Edited April 16, 2014 by 808win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Apply just a bit of grease to back quarter of the shank of the primer retaining pin, closest to the domed head. Not much, just enough to make it shiny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 the press has a little over 4000 rounds on it. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 Dillon, is the primer retaining pin you are refering to the primer feed stop pin(14051)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 question for benos, Is the dimension limits for the measurements from the bottom of the primer bar to the top of the seating cup 1.125 to 1.220 or 1.215 to 1.220? Thanks, Ron Mine is 1.180 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808win Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Ron, when you notice that the primer feed stop pin (#14051) is "not returning all the way into the housing", can you peak back into the opening of the primer housing and shield (#20263) where the primer seating cup, large (#13824) moves in and out of to pick-up a primer? Is the "next" primer wedged precariously between the tip of the primer feed stop pin and one side of the flexible orifice large (#14003) instead of resting comfortably on top of the primer feed stop pin? I was thinking that since your primer seating cup sits a little low, the "next" primer is too low for the tip of the primer feed stop pin to slide under it when the primer slide assembly (#14281) begins moving back in. Do you seat small primers with no problems? If so, is the top of the primer seating cup to bottom of the primer slide dimension for the primer slide assembly, small (#14282) within factory specification? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffries61 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 question for benos, Is the dimension limits for the measurements from the bottom of the primer bar to the top of the seating cup 1.125 to 1.220 or 1.215 to 1.220? Thanks, Ron Mine is 1.180 It's 1.215" - 1.220" , straight out of 550B manual Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 808 Win. I think we are both barking up the same tree.I got my head and a flashlight behind the press and worked the handle just to see what is going on. It appears what you described is what is happening. Am going to try to contact Dillon tomorrow. Just for kicks I measured my small primer bar and get a 1.183 measurement on it. Checked both primer bars with two other calipers to make sure my caliper wasn't off. I have a small parts replacement kit and changed out the primer punch and the seating cup with no change. The only thing I can come up with is the set screw(13996) hole is not drilled in the correct spot. Will let you guys know what Dillon says. Thanks, Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 got ahold of Dillon on Fri. after a pretty long wait. At least they kept telling me what number I was in line. Talked to a very friendly guy named Dave and after explaining my problem said he would mail out 2 complete powder bars on Monday. So far very satisfied with Dillon's customer service. Will let you guys know if the problem is fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808win Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Ron, thank you for keeping us updated. Look forward to hearing if the replacement primer bars solve your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt1969 Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 got my 2 primer bars on Friday. Reassembled the primer system and ran about 75 .45 acp's with no problem what so ever. Idid measure the new bars and the measurements fell with-in specs. After eyeballing the two bars side by side, it appears the set screw holes are drilled in different places. It is difficult to say for sure, and I can't get a caliper on it. Should I e-mail Dillon to see if they want the old ones back? Many thanks to all here who helped me through this puzzler. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 If they want the old ones back, they will, or would have, sent you return postage for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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