550 Primer Slide

[Leadfoot]

How often do have to stop and clean your primer slide? My primer slide will start sticking back after about 200- 250 cases. When it does I clean the slide and top of frame with steel wool and alcohol. But this only lasts a little while before I have to do it again. I am getting tired of taking it apart. Do you have to do this often?

I would like to replace the slide return spring, but I can not push out the pin in the frame to get the spring out.

Edited December 26, 2008 by Leadfoot

[VegasOPM]

I wipe it down and oil the top and sides every 500 rounds or so. It takes less than 10 seconds, so it really isn't an issue for me.

[JThompson]

How often do have to stop and clean your primer slide? My primer slide will start sticking back after about 200- 250 cases. When it does I clean the slide and top of frame with steel wool and alcohol. But this only lasts a little while before I have to do it again. I am getting tired of taking it apart. Do you have to do this often?

I would like to replace the slide return spring, but I can not push out the pin in the frame to get the spring out.

The primer tube screws dimple and can cause this as well as the spacer plate... Replace both

[Chris Keen]

A quick fix is to loosen the screws. Don't tighten them down 100%. Put some blue lock tight on them and tighten them down about 95%

[JThompson]

A quick fix is to loosen the screws. Don't tighten them down 100%. Put some blue lock tight on them and tighten them down about 95%

That worked for me for some time too

[Leadfoot]

I will try the techniques you guys suggested.

The primer tube screws dimple and can cause this as well as the spacer plate... Replace both

JThompson, I do not know what you are referring to, please clarify.

[High Lord Gomer]

Once you take the 2 bolts out of the bottom, lift off the upper assembly, turn it over (make sure there are no primers in it....ask me why! ), and look in the channel next to where the bolts go in. Mine had protrusions into the channel that drug on the primer bar. I used a dremel to smooth those back to level and it works much better, now. I still have to take it apart and clean it every 500-1000 rounds or it either doesn't go all the way out to grab a primer or hangs back and doesn't return forward properly.

[JThompson]

He explained the dimple above.

[TBP]

The problem with the primer bar is not so much one of getting dirty. It's got

some fundamental problems that prevent it from working much better. For

one, when the operating rod brings the primer slide back to the primer loading

position the slide is being forced in a horizontal direction as well by the operating

rod. By the time it reaches the farthest point it puts some serious pressure on

the slide against the slide housing causing it to chafe at that point. This is

primarily due to the fact that when fully engaged the end of the primer bar

is totally unsupported and the slop in the fit between the housing and the

slide allows it to 'cock' at the worst possible point in the primer loading

process and contributes mightily to primer loading/jamming problems.

What is needed is a better system to move the primer bar. One that

does not put that pressure on the slide bar against the housing and

allows the slide bar to do it's magic with minimal friction and minimal

force applied to it except the return spring. That and possibly adding

some support to the slide when fully extended. JMHO.

[Flatland Shooter]

I polished the inside of the primer tube holder with a little very fine sandpaper wrapped around the primer slide. It gave it just a little more clearance to move but not so much that it affects alignment. I also keep it lubricated with dry graphite purchased from the key & lock department at Lowes.

Bill

[JThompson]

There will be a better solution for this in the near future.

[GentlemanJim]

I use graphite too.

Been using a 550 for many many years...never did like the priming system too much.

I set it loose, trimmed the side of the boss (stopped catching the slide pully)

Polished parts, replaced parts ect.

I just grin and bear it

Most loading I do is on an old 1050...I wish I could afford one more of them

Jim

[loglew]

There will be a better solution for this in the near future.

Tell us more... will those us with with the current headache get a free upgrade

LL

[NoSteel]

I polished my slide and lube with dry graphite. Seldom run into any problems since doing this.

[larry cazes]

Yup. Most of us with 550s learn to Kluge it up pretty well after a while. Maybe Uniqetek will come up with a fix for the issues in this design soon. Hint...hint if lee is listening.

[98sr20ve]

I don't get it. I just keep mine clean and dry. I make sure it does not bind when I set it up intially. I don't clean it very often. Only issue I ever had was when the slider was binding and I had to loosen it an move it a little to the left.

[redintex]

I did not know that this was a widespread problem. I too have to disassemble/clean every 300-500 rounds. I am eager to see the change coming in the future!

redintex

[benos]

I didn't know it was a "widespread" problem either. I've loaded a bizillion rounds on a 550, and loved the priming system. Polished everything up and always kept it clean and dry. For the clean part, I had a compressor in my reloading room with an air gun hanging from the ceiling on a flex hose above the press. Whenever I noticed any dirt or powder in or near the priming system I'd just blast it out. If you don't have a compressor, the compressed air cans typically sold for cleaning computer or photography equipment would be the perfect substitute.

One cool think I like about the 550's priming system is that you can watch it operate. Which makes it much easier to successfully troubleshoot. You can clean it, watch it, and see if it improved it or not.

The "Angle of Primer slide Operating Rod" tip below - I found especially valuable to get the slide to track soothly in and out, without any sticking.

From my 550, priming system tuning 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 2.125 - 2.220 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.

[4570]

fixes:

I polished the bottom of the slide till it was shiny by working it hard with a heavy duty scratch pad.

Add a MT 45 acp case to top of tube follower.

regular maintenance:

Run a q tip wet with isopropal through primer tube.

Keep tube follower clean when re priming. Do not just lay on bench.

Clean slide and base with isopropal.

Lube with synthetic gear oil, (my choice in gun oil for revolvers etc)

no more issues

[Sarge]

I have to agree that the priming setup may be the one thing that needs work on the 550. Mine just out of the blue will miss a primer about once every tube full. I have cleaned it and polished it without it correcting it.

[cas]

I've never been able to use mine with the screws tight. They're always loose, so much so that the whole primer assembly moves left and right. Been using it that way for 20+ years now.

[Sarge]

Tonight I started getting a lot of skipped primers and had to pull it back towards me about an 8th inch to get it to work. Finally I took it apart again and everything was clean and dry. So I took a low tech aproach and just barely bent the rod out a little bit. Bingo. Loaded 400 rounds after that with no issues. It just needed a little tweeking.

I guess I only have 700 or so through my machine so far. Aside from the primer problems it has been great. OAL stays dead on, powder stays dead on, everything gauges fine. I think I am getting it figured out. Oh, and everything has fired perfectly so far.

[benos]

Yes, tweaking the primer slide op rod to get the "perfect angle" is key for consistent primer slide operation.

be

[High Lord Gomer]

Be careful bending that rod. They do break (once again, ask me how I know).

The folks at Dillon were grea, as usuall. The conversation went something like this:

"I need another rod that moves the primer bar out on my 550."

"What's wrong with the one you have now?"

"I was bending it to try to get more force and I broke it."

"We'll send you another one."

"How much is one?"

"No charge."

"But I broke it. It was all my fault."

"Sir, it broke. We'll replace it. Now, if you want me to charge you for it, you'll have to tell me you lost it, not that you broke it."

[21 shooter]

The priming system is the biggest problem I have. I have experienced most of the problems listed above. If someone can design a better one, I predict they will do a booming business. I like the 550, just not the priming system.