Hatchet Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I have been shooting a Shadow and reloading for about 2 years now. I loaded several hundred rounds and was having trouble with light strikes in my Shadow yesterday. One of the experts on CZ and reloading told me I had high primers. I got some older reloads out of my truck and finished the match without any problems. The Shadow has a lighter spring and an extended firing pin. I use Federal spp. Someone asked if I had dimples in my primers and I knew what they were talking about. I looked at some older reloads and you could definitely see a dimple in each one. I removed the shellplate and cleaned it and put it back on. I then attempted to seat some of the "high" primers and was unable to create a dimple. I can't think of anything that has changed with the 550B or my technique. I use mixed brass and have had no problems such as this in almost 15000 rounds. I am headed to the range to see if the ones that I reseated will work. I never really thought about it before, but it seems odd that the thing that presses the primer in would be able to press them past flush. Anyway, any suggestions? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 A little experiment for you...Size and de-prime a case, then try and seat a primer with no primers in the system...you'll feel the primer seater slide into the primer pocket of the brass... When seating the primers, you should press the primer in firm, but not so much that you deform the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 How long since you changed springs in the shadow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJH Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 The dimple is usually from a flake of powder that finds its way into the primer cup on the press, not from any special priming process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 The dimple is usually from a flake of powder that finds its way into the primer cup on the press, not from any special priming process.Yep, especially with those soft primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Springs are almost new. I have had those powder dimples, these are more along the lines of very slight creases. Never having had to troubleshoot this sort of thing, it seems when you press the handle forward, the primer is only going to go so far. I haven't changed anything about my technique, especially not tto the point of every other round failure that would completely go away with some previously loaded ammo. I know that primer seat feeling, and after thousands of rounds I might not pay attention to it every time, but I am pretty sure the handle went forward each time. I am going to the range in a few minutes and am going to try the ones I pressed in(even though I don't imagine it did much) and try it through several pistols--I have another Shadow, set up identical to the primary and I will try a Glock and a SA. I'll report back later. I wish I could blame it on bad primers. The whole thing seems very weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 That's too many to be high primers in my opinion. Just for the heck of it I'm thinking gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchet Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 OK. I load in increments of 400. I loaded 1200 over about a week and put them in 3 separate boxes. Absolutely nothing changed in my technique or components. The box on top is the one that I grabbed to shoot. This is the one that would not ignite anywhere close to reliably. I took the next box down to the range today. I fired about 100 out of both Shadows and they all fired. I had about 200 left from the "bad" batch and 6 that I picked up from the ground that wouldn't fire from yesterday. 3 of the first 10 out of the box didn't fire. Similar results with second Shadow. I only fired about 10 from a Glock with a light trigger and they all fired--forgot to bring a magazine. I then put the 2 of the 6 I picked up off the ground in the Glock and neither fired. I put one of those in a Shadow and hit it 4 times and almost drilled a hole in the primer--never fired. I came home and deprimed that one and another that wouldn't fire and as best I can tell, they don't look abnormal. Also, I took about 30 out of the "bad" box and put them through the 550 with Herculean strength. Several of those would not fire out of the Shadow. Even though the Shadows have very light triggers, I have never had this problem AND It was only one box of the run. Is it possible that I had a box of defective primers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Hmmm...That changes things...What primers? How are/were they stored? Mississippi is not known for it's nice, dry climate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Can you confirm the presence of high primers in any of your unfired ammunition, either by finger-mic or by using the little probe on your reloading calipers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Some adjustments to check: 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...
Hatchet Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thanks for the adjustment guidlines. And I will put the calipers on them later. Luckily for me, I have never had a problem with my reloading. I followed a plan that I was told worked and it has worked well so far, so I have never had to troubleshoot anything with my press or loads. Oh and the primers are stored in an extra bedroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biglou13 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Some adjustments to check: 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. i just put my 550 together I am confused by last step... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Some adjustments to check: 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. Gonna print this and put it on my bench. I usually have to jiggle one of these every thousand rounds or so, and it's less than useful to have to troubleshoot the same problem again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ES13Raven Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes: 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. Typo - should be 1.215 to 1.220 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustybayonet Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Here's some noob info. I work in machine tool. I found that if the shell plate is a little high it will cause a high primer. I leave mine to the point of rotating smooth without the ball causing a powder spill but have to check primer seating at caliber change. Also I noticed the lip on different maker cases will vary, so the case may rise up when priming causing high primers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 550 Priming Assembly Adjustment Notes: 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. Typo - should be 1.215 to 1.220 Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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