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4/15/2009 4:03:33 PM EDT
Hopefully this is an easy question.  I converted my 550 back to small primer from large primer to load some .38 special.  The primer mechanism is dropping primers all over the place, sideways, two or three at a time, or not at all.  I'm dumping more good primers into the catch than bad.  The spring loaded piston checks out for height,  I keep the machine pretty spotless.  I'm stuck,  I love my 1911 but I've got a bunch of .38 I need to get done.  

Any suggestions or better yet, solutions?
4/15/2009 4:27:20 PM EDT
[#1]
My guess is that you didn't insert the Small primer magazine correctly into the primer feed body after you took out the Large primer magazine.  The plastic end has an indexing mark on it that must be engaged correctly to seat the magazine all the way into the primer feed body.  Failure to do this can result in primers spilling as you described.

4/15/2009 4:30:21 PM EDT
[#2]
1) My guess is that there is excessive space between the "cup" and the lips of the primer
drop point.

Remove primer ass'y and make sure there isn't too much distance. (Vertically. The cup/plunger ass'y has vertical travel adjustability)

2) Also, remove the newly replaced cup and clean it. Sometimes the cup "sticks' and does
not provide enough room for a primer to seat fully into cup.

3) Make sure lips aren't worn-out.- They must hold a primer in place while the spring-loaded pin is there to catch it.
When the arm moves backwards, it (the cup) pushes the spring-loaded pin back and out of the way to allow a primer to drop
just as the cup reaches the rear-most position. Sometimes rotating the cup 180 degrees fixes the problem.

4) There is a set screw that controls the rear-ward movement of the cup. You can adjust that
to make sure the cup moves back enough to alloy a primer to fall right into place.

5) make sure the pin that releases the primers is clean and dry,and the leaf spring
pushes the pin forward enough to hold primers until the cup is in rear-most position.

5) There is also forward motion adjustment. (I think) The cup must end up right under the shellplate
with very little interfereance. Make sure the cup does NOT get pushed down by the shellplate prematurely.

You can make most of these adjustments while the ass'y is out of the machine.
4/15/2009 4:45:57 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
My guess is that you didn't insert the Small primer magazine correctly into the primer feed body after you took out the Large primer magazine.  The plastic end has an indexing mark on it that must be engaged correctly to seat the magazine all the way into the primer feed body.  Failure to do this can result in primers spilling as you described.


This....plus the plastic piece may be broken or cracked.
4/15/2009 5:22:04 PM EDT
[#4]
Thanks guys,  you gave me the info to get it working.  

Three reasons this was a problem:
1.  Operator headspace and timing.  Earlier, I checked and the primer tube was correctly positioned in the notch.  However, I checked again and the operator didn't tighten it down enough causing...
2.  Excessive space between the plastic stop pin and the primer tube, resulting in...
3.  The number one primer sitting on the pin being dragged to the rear because there was no support from the blue primer tube tip, causing it to flip sideways, left, or right, and allowing more primers to drop.

Three solutions.
1. Outside input to get a different perspective.
2. Pull my head out of my ass.
3. Crawl around the garage floor for an hour to find the small pistol primers that got away
4/15/2009 5:32:48 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:

3. Crawl around the garage floor for an hour to find the small pistol primers that got away


Just walk around bare foot. You will find them.
4/15/2009 6:06:26 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Quoted:

3. Crawl around the garage floor for an hour to find the small pistol primers that got away


Just walk around bare foot. You will find them.


Just like Lego's, right?
4/15/2009 6:49:47 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:

3. Crawl around the garage floor for an hour to find the small pistol primers that got away


Just walk around bare foot. You will find them.


Just like Lego's, right?


Pretty much, yeah
4/15/2009 9:28:08 PM EDT
[#8]
Just use a vacuum, you'll find them all.
'Borg
4/15/2009 11:02:51 PM EDT
[#9]
LOL!
4/16/2009 3:07:47 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Just use a vacuum, you'll find them all.
'Borg


I have done this and found more than one, scared the hell out of me
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