Problem with my 550

[Tactical Timmy]

Has anyone had a problem with the primers flying out of the primer cup while pushing the handle forward?

It happens about 10 times for every 100 I load.

Is there some quick fix or did i just set it up wrong?

Thx

[HSMITH]

Clean it up well and make sure it is bone dry. It is sticking and then slipping most likely, and when it slips it will fling the primer every time.

[Joe4d]

A primer or other item stuck in the chute, look at the gadget that flips up and down to catch and drop the spent primers, the seams on the side sometimes catch and wedge a spent primer that flips the new primer.

[boz1911]

Clean it up well and make sure it is bone dry. It is sticking and then slipping most likely, and when it slips it will fling the primer every time.

+1 for clean , also make sure the cup does not have any burrs or dents.

[scooterj]

check the plastic tip on the inner feed tube, they can get mangled from time to time.

[GentlemanJim]

I lube the primer bar with graphite....if it is rough or sticky ....it flings primers

It has to cycle freely to work properly..also the assembly has to be aligned ...a little crooked and it will do the same thing.

Let us know what fixes it for future reference.

Jim

[Front Man]

You may need the timing tool too.

It makes everything "clocked" correctly.

FM

Edited October 12, 2007 by Front Man

[Kevin J]

You may need the timing tool too.

It make everything "clocked" correctly.

FM

Timing tool???? What is this great invention?

[Front Man]

It is an alignment tool for RL 550 B & XL 650 machines.

Alignment Fixture 13713 * BENCH- is the description/part number.

It works, got to run.

FM

[JThompson]

check the plastic tip on the inner feed tube, they can get mangled from time to time.

+1

[Ken Mays]

My 550 recently started doing this. It got to where it'd happen every two or three rounds. The priming bar was getting hung up on something and jerking forward, throwing my primer to God knows where.

I never did find out what the problem was. I disassembled, cleaned the assembly, and no dice. I changed the primer bar spring (the original one was still on there) and it didn't help much. The problem recently went away on its own.

[bowhuntr09]

A primer or other item stuck in the chute, look at the gadget that flips up and down to catch and drop the spent primers, the seams on the side sometimes catch and wedge a spent primer that flips the new primer.

I also had a problem with the chute that catches the spent primers. Sometime last night it got stuck closed to where it was not catching the primers when they fell. I didn't notice until I happened to see a case that looked a little full. I stopped the press and dumped the charge into the pan to weigh it and thre was a spent primer mixed in with the charge! I'm glad I caught it, I don't know what kind of problems that could have caused had i fired that round. I had only done about 20 to 25 rounds at that point and I weighed them all against a known good round for consistency. I feel certain I caught the only one that happened to bounce into a case on station 2.

[dillon]

Sounds like the primer cup and punch aren't fully seated into the primer slide. Using calipers, measure from the underside of the primer slide to the top of the primer cup. Should measure 1.125"-1.220". If too tall, use a clamp or vise to reseat the cup & punch, and retighten the set screw. You may need to replace the plastic primer magazine tip too.

[bobobooie]

Clean it up well and make sure it is bone dry. It is sticking and then slipping most likely, and when it slips it will fling the primer every time.

Ditto for me. I think I read it here and took some 600 sandpaper and polished the bar wherever it touches in it's cycle and then wiped everything down with alcohol, to include anything that touches in the entire priming system. Now it's slicker than slick. Every 500 rds or so I wipe it down again with alcohol. Gotta keep it dry.