Primer pusher fix

[helg]

Well, I did not have problems with priming on my LM for years. At some point I decided to clean it. After that I immediately broke primer slider. Ordered 10 from Lee. This morning broke the new one again. Time to investigate.

I have found that primer pusher is not flush with bottom plane of the primer through, where slider runs over. I am talking of a place that is pointed by the red arrow at the picture

The steel pusher was dipping down below the plane. With no case at the priming station, the primer has to be slided back, but it can not,as it was dipping into hole in the through for the pusher.

Reason for the problem became clear. Gunk in a press carrier at the bottom of a primer pusher well hold the pusher higher, so its tip was flush. No gunk - the tip dips, and the above problems appear.

Fix was simple. I soldered a steel sheet patch to the narrow end at bottom of the pusher, and filed it to shape.


Note, you have to use "Tinner's Fluid" flux to solder iron surfaces, the one with Zinc Chloride. HD/Lowes/etc have it in stock.

With the patched pusher slider returns back fine even with primer in it. I am starting loading session, will see how it works.

[darwin]

OH CRAP! I deleted the replies, thinking that this was the shadow thread that was supposed to be left in the Load Master Forum. I didn't realize I was deleting the actual replies. I am SO sorry!

[helg]

In the followup message I was saying how I have found the problem.

After replacing two broken sliders, I have put the priming through loaded with primers into the press, and moved the slider couple of times forward and back with primer in there. The primer was "dancing" on the move back, sometimes standing sideways and preventing the slider to return.

After the fix I have loaded exact 1K rounds, with the new slider, and no priming problems...

[darwin]

I'm going to take mine apart so I can see exactly what is going on. Thanks again, Helg.

[prs]

Helg;

You say it worked fine for ever so ling and then began upping fup after a cleaning? Wonder what happened. Your patch may be a reliable remedy, but are ya sure the carrier is not cracked at the pivot for the primer rocker and that is giving enough "give" to account for the sudden problems? Its hard to see back there, but a bright light, mechanic's mirror, and sharp dental scaler help.

prs

[helg]

Prs,

I am aware that crack in carrier may cause mysterious issues. I do not believe that mine is cracked, but will definitely check it one more time. Problem with my LM appeared when primer pusher was in its down position, where it did not touch rocker arm at all.

I do not remember how deep was the primer pusher on its down position on a new press. It well may be that it was not flush that time either, and primers did not dip into hole in the through, just because the hole was small enough that time.

Actually, it did not work fine from the day one. I had sideways and flipped primers in the past. Then, after some time (and some actions from this forum), it started to work smooth. Then it broke after cleanup. Then, after the fix, it works fine again.

[Horseman]

I noticed the same thing on my press also while looking for priming issues. With just the primer slider in place (no trough cover) and pushing primers back and forth by hand with the primer slider, I saw the primers "dipping" onto the primer pin. All I did was to hone a "ramp" onto the primer pin. Seems to work o.k.

[Wildrat]

I notice that mine also has a hop when the primer gets to the ram. Making a little ramp is a good fix also. That way the primer can just slide onto the ram.

[JDH]

I have found that primer pusher is not flush with bottom plane of the primer through, where slider runs over.
The steel pusher was dipping down below the plane. With no case at the priming station, the primer has to be slided back, but it can not,as it was dipping into hole in the through for the pusher.

Fix was simple. I soldered a steel sheet patch to the narrow end at bottom of the pusher, and filed it to shape.


From JDH I liked this approach, but wanted some adjustment, so I went to the other side of the LM where the "primer rocker arm" is and cut some brass shim stock (.010) about 1\8" wide by 1" long and taped the shim stock with scotch tape to the top of the rocker arm to "raise the primer punch pin to the right level". This worked great and the tape is still holding and it gives you an option to raise or lower the primer punch pin if needed by adding more or less shim stock. Hope i was clear about process. Thanks.

[davenc]

There is another fix that can be done for this that magic mike has on his website.

http://www.mikesreloadingbench.com/mike ... ch_003.htm

You do have to drill and tap the carrier and once the set screw is in place you can control the depth the primer arm drops which in turn give you adjustment of the pin height.