Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

The Pro 1000, 4000, and the Six-Pack Pro presses. We also include the "Legacy" progressive presses; the Load-Master, Auto Breech Lock Pro
BrianT
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 76
Joined: 19 Feb 2020 01:47
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: McMillan, MI
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by BrianT »

What causes this spring to bend?
I've bent 2 of them in the last week, and have no idea why.
I loaded 250 9mm rounds today, took the LM apart to clean it and this spring was bent, and I had no indication there was a problem.

Thanks
Brian
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by Ranch Dog »

My guess is that the spring probably is not being seated over the dimple on the primer assembly. I'll see if I have a picture.
Michael
Image
BrianT
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 76
Joined: 19 Feb 2020 01:47
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: McMillan, MI
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by BrianT »

Thanks, I know what you are saying, but if the spring is setting straight and you put the primer chute in straight there's no way to know if the spring is on the dimple or not, right? I mean I press the chute up down and it seems OK, but then, the last couple of times I've used it, I take it apart, and the spring is bent...
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by Ranch Dog »

That's the only way I can think of the spring being bent.

When I am working on the primer station, I always use some gun grease in the primer punch's hole to help hold the spring in place. I know that the primer assembly doesn't go straight down and in; it must be worked into place. Maybe the spring is jumping the small point then? I don't know beyond that.
Michael
Image
BrianT
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 76
Joined: 19 Feb 2020 01:47
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: McMillan, MI
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by BrianT »

Thank you for your replies!
The brass I've been reloading is, for the most part, either mine or a friends. But last summer we shot at a public outside range and when we policed the brass, some range brass was picked up.
Yesterday, the 250 rounds I loaded went well, except a couple of cases required a little more force than usual, and one time time the ram required even more pressure at the top of the stroke.
I checked the 5 cases on the press during that pull, and one of them did not have a primer in it, but the powder was large enough it didn't run out the primer hole. The case was headstamped 'FME', which looks to be from Chile, (maybe military), but it was definitely crimped, and you could see scratches where I attempted to press the primer into it. (Until that moment, I didn't know there was crimped 9mm brass)
The primer for that case was no where on top of the press, but I did find a deformed new primer in my old primer jar, underneath.
I suspect I used too much force on that case and maybe deformed the primer anvil/chute for that pull, bending the spring.
I went through the rest of my 9mm brass and found a few more of those 'FME' cases, some South Korean, Brazilian, Italian...
So I learned if there is a possibility of unknown brass in your brass bucket, you should check each piece.
Do you agree this may have been the cause of the bent spring?
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by Ranch Dog »

BrianT wrote:Do you agree this may have been the cause of the bent spring?
I don't know. I'm not sure how that lockup could influence the action of the spring as it sits in it's protected well with the primer assembly between it and the shell plate where the stress would be.

I'm going to look at it today. I've seen a bent spring before, and I did not know when it happened or if it came with a used press that I bought.
Michael
Image
BrianT
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 76
Joined: 19 Feb 2020 01:47
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: McMillan, MI
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by BrianT »

Yeah, I'm not positive either, but I know this press worked well for almost a year, very little problems, and now in a week, I've bent 2 of those springs, while each time, for whatever reason, I had some kind of primer issue...
The first time it bent, the foldable primer tray was allowing the primers to roll on their sides and go into the trough sideways, what a mess. I put a new tray on, and no more issues. I put the original tray back on, and within just a few rounds I could see primers on their side in the tray again...
I just cleaned the press again and replaced the spring, again, so I'll see what happens.

Thanks again
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by Ranch Dog »

I hope this solves it! I've been conditioning all my brass, paying attention to the primer pocket. It was a lot of work at first, but I don't use range brass and shooting on my range at the ranch; no problems keeping up with my brass. Beveling and uniforming the pocket ended priming issues on my LMs. Of course, you have identified the problem brass for your press.

I'm hoping the APP press with the primer pocket swagging tools can reduce the conditioning work I've been doing for the LM.

I don't know if you have seen this, nor do I know how old your press is. All of my LM's were old enough that they needed to be brought up to the current assembly.

Load-Master Primer Assembly Generations
Michael
Image
klr
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 305
Joined: 01 Mar 2016 05:00
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: ohio
Has thanked: 108 times
Been thanked: 94 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by klr »

I know this is an old thread, but for the sake of the knowledge bank, my Loadmaster arrived from Lee with a bent spring. The primer ram wouldn't retract so I took it apart and found the bent spring. I straightened the spring and put the "bad" end down this time. Works perfectly now.
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Loadmaster Primer Anvil spring

Post by Ranch Dog »

Yeah, you will not have any problems!
Michael
Image
Post Reply

Return to “Progressive”