550C Primer Bar Sticking

[jim6918]

I've gone back a ways and couldn't find anything specific.  I have only put 250 rounds thru my brand new 550C and noticed last night that the primer bar is sticking fully extended; not every stroke but often enough to give me heartburn.  In order to finish what I had planned for the evening, I made sure to watch the primer bar and give it a slight push to get it to return.  I couldn't figure why I had an occasional empty primer pocket on finished rounds. 

 

I've seen a couple of YouTube videos promoting aftermarket parts for the primer system, but can't imagine that they would be needed on such a new machine.  

 

I can't help but feel that some spilled powder (from the empty primer pockets) has gummed up the works.  I am about to change from .380 to .40 with a Quick Change Kit, so it would be a good time to take things apart in that area and clean.

 

Anything else I might not be considering?

Edited September 12, 2018 by jim6918

[jhgtyre]

34 minutes ago, jim6918 said:

Anything else I might not be considering?

I would just call Dillon support at 800-223-4570 and ask them.

[Furrly]

Yup call dillion for starters.. 

[njl]

Spilled powder on a 550 is far more likely to cause binding in the shell plate than the primer slide. At such a low round count, I’d guess your problem is primer housing alignment.

Disconnect the primer slide return spring.
Start pulling the handle, then back up a bit, and remove the primer arm. Then pull the handle all the way down. You should be able to easily manually move the primer slide all the way forward and back without any resistance/binding. If you can’t, either the primer housing is out of alignment, the bolts securing it were over-tightened, or another possibility is the cup on the primer slide is crooked.

Loosen the two bolts that secure the primer housing just until the housing can wiggle. See if you have free travel of the primer slide. If you do, it’s an alignment or tightness issue.

[pskys2]

Mine is definitely NOT new, had it since the '80's and still cranking out loads.  But once I went to the 550 upgrade I always had problems with the primer bar.  Definitely the weak point of the system.  I tried everything and finally just drilled and tapped the bar for the old style knob and do it by hand.  One advantage to doing so is allowing me to "see" the primer in the cup as I set the bar forward.  I could never see it when it's automated.  I still crank out 500 rounds an hour using this method.  The only differences I see are I have to move my hands one more step.  The limiting factor for me has always been refilling everything.

But then I count out 10 cans of 100 cases and load 10 tubes of 100 primers.  Then if my count is off at least I have forewarning of disaster?!

Someone needs to come up with a controlled primer feed system upgrade for the 550.

Question though, is my understanding correct that the 650 and 1050 both use the same system as the 550?

[jim6918]

Thanks guys.  I've called Dillon in the past and always got good results.  Just thought it could be something I could noodle out for myself.

 

Lots of expertise here fer sure!

[jim6918]

So, just a follow up for anybody who might be watching this thread.  I believe now that the problem wasn't spilled powder, but residue from decapping a bunch of .380 brass.  I bought a Hornady Lock-n-Load 2L cleaner, and the conventional wisdom (here and elsewhere) is to decap before using a wet (ultrasonic) cleaner.  I don't know why, but this brass was once fired name brand brass that I had shot myself.  When I picked up the brass, I was amazed at how filthy and gummy the cases looked.  Perhaps due to age?

I am sure now that my sticking primer plate problem happened after the decapping procedure.

 

I called Dillon and talked to a guy who said I should wet clean before decapping.  I didn't argue, but dismantled the primer assembly, and sure enough the primer slide and related parts were pretty gummy.  I cleaned everything real well, and I am now good.

 

I guess where I am at now, depending on how filthy the brass is, is to run the stuff through the ultrasonic cleaner, let dry, decap and run it through the ultrasonic again before tumbling.

 

I thought about manually decapping everything, but that seems a little silly when the press will decap, resize and prime for me.

[boatdoc173]

mine doe s this every 20-40 round s made. In my case, little pieces of the primers seem to caus e  the jam. I blow  them out and the  primer bar works  fine for a while. Only happens with small primers  BTW

 

I clean the primer unit weekly to get the dirt out and it helps for a bit ,then the issue returns