Random problem with primer pick up tubes
Quote from avr on July 31, 2023, 9:34 pmI have a RL550B that I have used without issues for years. Recently while loading a run of 45ACP I had successfully loaded around 400 rounds and started on the next 100. When picking up the large pistol primers with the pick up tube everything was fine until I was trying to pick up the next primer it kind of got wedged at an angle and wouldn't allow another primer to be picked up. I punched it out and started again and all was fine and then it happened again, and again and again. I punched out each blockage and everything was ok until it happened a few more times. At this point I thought the tip on the tube had somehow gone bad so I replaced the tip with a new one. Everything was going good and then it started happening again. I'm using CCI #300 large pistol primers and the first 400 or so had no problems and then all of a sudden the occasional primer will get picked up and somehow get wedged tight in the plastic tip. It's got me baffled. I can punch out that primer and try to pick it up again and it will be fine but in the next few the hang up will happen again. Anyone out there got any ideas?
I have a RL550B that I have used without issues for years. Recently while loading a run of 45ACP I had successfully loaded around 400 rounds and started on the next 100. When picking up the large pistol primers with the pick up tube everything was fine until I was trying to pick up the next primer it kind of got wedged at an angle and wouldn't allow another primer to be picked up. I punched it out and started again and all was fine and then it happened again, and again and again. I punched out each blockage and everything was ok until it happened a few more times. At this point I thought the tip on the tube had somehow gone bad so I replaced the tip with a new one. Everything was going good and then it started happening again. I'm using CCI #300 large pistol primers and the first 400 or so had no problems and then all of a sudden the occasional primer will get picked up and somehow get wedged tight in the plastic tip. It's got me baffled. I can punch out that primer and try to pick it up again and it will be fine but in the next few the hang up will happen again. Anyone out there got any ideas?
Quote from Xiphos on August 1, 2023, 8:39 pmWere the "good" primers of the same lot number?
Perhaps you received some out of spec primers.
For curiosity's sake, I would take measurements on the "good" primers and then measure some that give problems.
Both diameter and height could possibly present issues.
Were the "good" primers of the same lot number?
Perhaps you received some out of spec primers.
For curiosity's sake, I would take measurements on the "good" primers and then measure some that give problems.
Both diameter and height could possibly present issues.
Quote from avr on August 3, 2023, 4:15 pmI appreciate the feedback @xiphos ! That was the first thing I thought of as well although I haven't taken measurements yet as all the primers were from the same 1000 lot box. Everything was perfect after loading 400 rounds and when I started to pick up another 100 primers that's when the trouble started. I could pick up 6-7 and then it jammed;I could pick up another 50-60 without a problem and then the jamming happened again. No rhyme or reason to it other than out of 1000 primers of the same lot # the last couple hundred have given me problems some of them must be out of spec. I guess I'll take the caliper to them and see what's up.
I appreciate the feedback @xiphos ! That was the first thing I thought of as well although I haven't taken measurements yet as all the primers were from the same 1000 lot box. Everything was perfect after loading 400 rounds and when I started to pick up another 100 primers that's when the trouble started. I could pick up 6-7 and then it jammed;I could pick up another 50-60 without a problem and then the jamming happened again. No rhyme or reason to it other than out of 1000 primers of the same lot # the last couple hundred have given me problems some of them must be out of spec. I guess I'll take the caliper to them and see what's up.
Quote from avr on August 3, 2023, 7:00 pmJust a followup on my primer pick up problem. I measured all the CCI 300 LP primers I had from the same lot and the primers are all .2105" in diameter so that's within min/max diameter for LP primers. Height is also within specs so I'm guessing my pick up tube body may be the culprit although I don't see anything obvious. I ordered some new tubes from Dillon so we'll see.
Just a followup on my primer pick up problem. I measured all the CCI 300 LP primers I had from the same lot and the primers are all .2105" in diameter so that's within min/max diameter for LP primers. Height is also within specs so I'm guessing my pick up tube body may be the culprit although I don't see anything obvious. I ordered some new tubes from Dillon so we'll see.
Quote from Xiphos on August 3, 2023, 11:45 pmIt's a very interesting problem, indeed.
The one time I needed to replace primer pickup tube ends was when I somehow lost one.
Those original tubes are the ones I got with my 550 back in the early 80s.
Please, keep us posted.
It's a very interesting problem, indeed.
The one time I needed to replace primer pickup tube ends was when I somehow lost one.
Those original tubes are the ones I got with my 550 back in the early 80s.
Please, keep us posted.