Broken screw RCBS

[mousegunner]

I bought a used one where the previous owner filed a notch in the primer arm so it would fit better onto the shell holder. When it works good no primers pop out but sometimes they do. I'm gonna see if RCBS will send me some new parts to try it as it was originally sold.

I'm wondering if the previous owner did this because of some problem he was having and tried to fix it. In any event when it works good I really like it when it doesn't well can't complain too much for $30.00.

A good rhythm with complete strokes and it works at its best. I think the problem mine has is the modification done to it.

 

[JimSC]

Got to try the new auto primer yesterday. Not sure how I feel after 40 cases. About every other case a second primer would fall out on the bench. May just be a learning curve. Sure hope so for the seating depth was showing good consistency if not I will go back to the press. Has anyone else had this issue with the bench auto primer?

If there is a primer in the primer cup and the arm goes all the way down before a case has been primed a second primer will be deposited on top of the first by the feed mechanism.

Just make sure that as soon as you do the second stroke to pick up a primer you don't cycle the arm a second time until you have a case in the holder

It takes a few uses to get a rhythm. Seating has been consistent for me also

 

[dcali]

I can't recall if those are just just a normal screw, so this may be a totally irrelevant rant. But if it is, 99.99% of the time you're better off ordering a new one from McMaster Carr. (They have a lot of weird stuff too). Crappy screws are a pet peeve of mine.

Part of that comes from working in aerospace where we had very good bolts. We had 1/4-20 screws that you can buy for $6 each (!). We of course paid $125 each because government. Those things are works of art. The other half comes from working on a Ducati I once had. I'm pretty sure they made the screws out of wood and spray pained them silver while sipping cappucino. That, and my Grizzly stuff, which have screws that are a little better than Ducati's (although Grizzly doesn't charge a premium for coolness, so it's not so big a deal with them).

Life is too short to use cheap screws.

 

[hogpatrol]

A lot of hardware and electronic components are being made in China, imported by U.S. and North America companies and rebranded and sold as their own. The aircraft, auto and their suppliers are major players. Think it's made in the U.S. because the price is higher than Harbor Freight? Probably not.

 

[dcali]

So far, the ones I've gotten from McMaster Carr have been made in the US. They don't generally sell particular brands (you just buy by spec), so I wouldn't assume that they always are. They have been very high quality. They usually label their cheap imported stuff as "economy".

 

[hogpatrol]

So far, the ones I've gotten from McMaster Carr have been made in the US. They don't generally sell particular brands (you just buy by spec), so I wouldn't assume that they always are. They have been very high quality. They usually label their cheap imported stuff as "economy".

Agree, Grainger is another vendor that carries both iterations of products. . In the aircraft and auto industries, the general public is generally clueless as to the origin of the parts used in the manufacture of their products.

 

[wanttobe]

I had the same issues early on but haven't had it the last couple thousand primers. For me, it was operator error. When loading the primer make sure you push/pull the handle to the stops so as to insure full strokes.

Do you know if the set screw that hold the button that holds the primers in the tube from dropping down can be used to adjust how the primers fall? What I mean is by turning the screw in causing the button to be pushed out farther, would it less likely to let two primer fall?

 

[JimSC]

Do you know if the set screw that hold the button that holds the primers in the tube from dropping down can be used to adjust how the primers fall? What I mean is by turning the screw in causing the button to be pushed out farther, would it less likely to let two primer fall?

the stop pin or button as you are calling it is spring loaded and hits a shoulder which prevents the stop pin from popping out, screwing the set screw in farther just increases spring pressure. The stop pin is pushed in to release a primer only when the primer cup contacts it and is pushed in allowing a primer to fall. if your plunger is sticking spray some electrical contact cleaner in there or use some rubbing alcohol to clean so the stop pin travels freely in and out. Check to make sure there is no binding and the stop pin coming out far enough to prevent primers from falling and that it is not getting stuck in the depressed state



here is a pdf of the manual, the stop pin is part #3 on the drawing


http://rcbs.com/RCBS/media/RCBSMedia/PDFs/Instructions/English (EN)/PrimingToolsAndAccessories.pdf

 

[wanttobe]

the stop pin or button as you are calling it is spring loaded and hits a shoulder which prevents the stop pin from popping out, screwing the set screw in farther just increases spring pressure. The stop pin is pushed in to release a primer only when the primer cup contacts it and is pushed in allowing a primer to fall. if your plunger is sticking spray some electrical contact cleaner in there or use some rubbing alcohol to clean so the stop pin travels freely in and out. Check to make sure there is no binding and the stop pin coming out far enough to prevent primers from falling and that it is not getting stuck in the depressed state



here is a pdf of the manual, the stop pin is part #3 on the drawing


http://rcbs.com/RCBS/media/RCBSMedia/PDFs/Instructions/English (EN)/PrimingToolsAndAccessories.pdf

Thanks, What I believe is that the stop pin is retracting to far back and is allowing the second primed to fall and then spring back in the correct location an holds the next primer.

 

[JimSC]

Thanks, What I believe is that the stop pin is retracting to far back and is allowing the second primed to fall and then spring back in the correct location an holds the next primer.

the pin can only retract the distance the primer cup pushes it if the spring is pushing it to the stop. Even if it wasn't what would cause it to be retracted just long enough to drop a single primer ? That makes no sense to me at all. If it was hanging up the entire tube would dump onto the bench.

Most likely you are double stroking during primer feed. The only other thing I can think of is the set screw backed out and the spring is not pushing the pin quite to it's stop and somehow mysteriously falling back into place after a single additional primer drops. Get up close and personal with it, get down and watch it closely as you prime a few cases and you will see what is happening and how it operates


if that doesn't work try calling RCBS I am sure the CS will be happy to assist you

 

[Trophied]

If RCBS can't give you an answer quickly and have you test their solution while on the phone with them they may ask exactly what your loading, put you on hold, go out to the lab and run what your running to see if they can duplicate the problem. If they can't duplicate the problem they will probably ask for a mailing address and send you some new parts. That's what they did with my Grand shotshell press, and completely cured the reject shells it was turning out. Free.

 

[wanttobe]

Well I am near 500 rounds primed now and like others have said once you get through the learning curve it goes good. The problem I was having was trying to work to slow, just have to snap the handle quickly and move on. I do like how easy it is not having to load each primer by hand. Thanks for all the input.

 

[dickn52]

Got to try the new auto primer yesterday. Not sure how I feel after 40 cases. About every other case a second primer would fall out on the bench. May just be a learning curve. Sure hope so for the seating depth was showing good consistency if not I will go back to the press. Has anyone else had this issue with the bench auto primer?

Nope, but you have to make sure you're using the right pickup tube. If you put small primers in the large tube they will flop around a little when you downstroke to fill the cup. Also make sure you're using the right cup. Small primers in the large primer cup is an issue too.