550 primers

[sweettooth]

Hello All:

I have been reading this forum since I ordered my 550 with case feeder from Brian. I have gotten a lot of help here

This is what is happening with my machine. I am loading 38 special , 130 rnfp. VV 120

Using Federal Sm. pistol Mag primers. Out of 500 rounds loaded 25 ended up with the primer sideways of course stopping me to clear the blockage. Having read others posts I have done these things.

I am keeping the primer area clean with air nozzle on hand.

I put a .45 long colt shell case on the feeder tube plunger and put a 130 gr. bullet inside for good measure

I have filled my primer tube well before the alarm sounds.

These are all things I learned here thanks to you folks.

25 out of 500 seems like a lot. Stopping and clearing is becoming easier but................

Are there any other suggestions. My springs on my revolvers are very light , I could get away with Win, primers but

they are not as reliable as the Feds. As I said the primers are on their side and of course wont seat.

Thank you

Sweettooth

[kevinj308]

I can't get federals to be reliable in my 550 either. I need them for my revo as well. If you figure something out in addition to what you've already done let me know! I've resorted to hand priming all my revo brass before running it thru the press. It takes a little longer but I do get a very consistent primer seat every time. Never a light strike.

FWIW my press will run Win primers no problem.

Good luck

Kevin

[sweettooth]

Thanks Kevin I thought I had read that somewhere here.

I have thought of switching to Win primers. But some friends of mine have had { Bad batches of win.}

Have you had any FTF with win.? ? I am down to my last 1K of Federals so I will make a decision soon. Hopefully informed

I would rather have 5 in 1 hundred side flips than a FTF in a match.

Sweettooth

Edited February 8, 2009 by sweettooth

[kevinj308]

My revolver won't fire Win. I've lightened the trigger pull to a point where it will only use Federal. I do however use Win in my auto loaders, no problem there.

I don't know what the problem is with Fed and the some 550's. My shooting buddy just got a new 550 and his will load them no problem. Wish I knew why.

Kevin

[Alan550]

I had the same problem after adding a case feeder to my 550. Seems that the primer pickup slide was catching on the spent-primer catcher (clamshell) as it moved forward. The clearances just aren't the same after the changeover. I have to sorta cushion the forward movement of the slide with my left hand by holding onto the primer slide or nudging it to one side in order to get it to clear the catch cup as it moves forward.

Watch the slide to see if it's snapping into place under the shell plate/ram head. That's probably where the primers are flipping sideways. They certainly can't come out of the feed tube that way, so they have to be flipping up at some point in the movement of the seating bar.

Alan~^~

[sweettooth]

I had the same problem after adding a case feeder to my 550. Seems that the primer pickup slide was catching on the spent-primer catcher (clamshell) as it moved forward. The clearances just aren't the same after the changeover. I have to sorta cushion the forward movement of the slide with my left hand by holding onto the primer slide or nudging it to one side in order to get it to clear the catch cup as it moves forward.

Watch the slide to see if it's snapping into place under the shell plate/ram head. That's probably where the primers are flipping sideways. They certainly can't come out of the feed tube that way, so they have to be flipping up at some point in the movement of the seating bar.

Alan~^~

Allright Alan.

Thats something I will try tomorrow . I know the primer catcher clam shell bubs the primer slide. This was addressed in the case feeder instructions so I called Dillon. They told me no rubbing against it is o.k. as long as it doesnt jam.

I can find out easy enough by just removing the clam shell. Even after the tape on the primer bin (learned that here}it does not do that good a job catching them. And I just ordered 10K of Fed.

I will post the results as we are probably not the only ones that have this problem.

Thanks again

Rick

[JFlowers]

Rick,

I am running a 550 with the case feed loading 38 Super and have no problems at all with primers flipping. What color is the tip on the primer feed tube? I know a number of people who have had primer troubles only to track it back to using the wrong inner tube in the primer feed.

[dillon]

Suggest you phone Dillon (800-223-4570) when you can be in front of the machine for assistance.

[JThompson]

I've had the same issue and it was as said earlier... The issue is usually related to the primer bar not being free enough to follow closely enough when extending... if you have some drag the shell plate comes down before the bar is in the proper spot. If you put your ram up and move the primer actuator rod off the pulley... next move the bar in and out, it should move freely and not have any resistance. If it does, you may have to loosen the primer tube, two allen under the bottom. Lift it up and cut something like a match book and shim the tube up. You will need about a 1/8 in wide 1 inch long strip for the right side and a 1/8 quater inch for the back, insert it until it hots the Allen... then another 1/8 by 1/2 long piece for the front. You will have three points shimmed. Make sure the shim doesn't hit the primer bar and all are even so the tube is level. As soon as I did this all my issues with flipped or dumped primers went away.

All that assumes you have the proper inner tube etc...

PS Those Allen bolts should be snugged, but not torqued... if you torque them they mushroom the bracket and cause it to drag.

Edited February 10, 2009 by JThompson

[sweettooth]

Suggest you phone Dillon (800-223-4570) when you can be in front of the machine for assistance.

I wasnt going to mention this because I dont like the negative. But since you brought it up.

If Mr. dillon : you care to email me Brian Enos has my address, I hope you value him as he is a plus in the

dillon experience. I will relay to you what I chose to edit out.

Now back to the problem . Yes I have the correct tube in the primer feed.

But as was said by Alan ,with the addition of the case feed I can see where the primer catcher that drops down will rub on the right side of the primer cup. that could very well be the reason they are going on their side. I will investigate next time I have a chance and post the results. I will also look into the shimming.

This is my first progressive not my first loader. I have a T-7 I have used for speciallty rounds for quite awhile 38-55

30-30 .45 cowboy or 45 short colt.

To end on a positive note : I am using VV 320 and the powder system is flawless. It is the same for the first round or the

5 hundreth

Thanks for all the things to look for I am sure we can solve this problem.

Sweettooth

Edited February 11, 2009 by sweettooth

[sweettooth]

i did another reloading session today and discovered what was turning th eprimers on their side.

IT WAS THE NUT BEHIND THE WHEEL . Yep I concentrated on smoothing my movement and slowing slightly before it got to the end of the down stroke. I had 2 sideways out of 600. I concentrated on watching the primer slide move and feeling the wholes stroke. Switched powders to Trail boss and powder measure was the same form first to last as before.

Thanks for all the advice , especially about slowing at the bottom of the stroke.

and I will keep my eye on the primer catcher flipper as I see that as a potential problem since it does ride along the cup .

A few hundred more reloading sessions and I might have it .

The learning curve is beomeing easier to negotiate.

Truly

Sweettooth