Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post Reply
Maximumbob54
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 736
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:30
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Kingsland, GA
Has thanked: 51 times
Been thanked: 222 times

Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by Maximumbob54 »

HELP!!!

I can't figure what's happened. I was loading some .38 special on the Classic Turret and suddenly the Safety Prime stopped feeding primers. I emptied it out and thought some random bit of crud must have worked its way inside so I took it apart for cleaning and didn't see a thing wrong with it. There are no burrs anywhere to be seen and there just seems to be no reason they shouldn't be feeding. The primers fill the chute all the way to the bottom but won't go into the ... well... The Pez looking feeder part. I'm not sure what that part is really called. I've tried bumping it, shaking it, rattle the primers around, and it just stopped feeding. I'm at a loss.
Maximumbob54
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 736
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:30
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Kingsland, GA
Has thanked: 51 times
Been thanked: 222 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by Maximumbob54 »

Still DOA. I'm at a complete loss. I wasn't sure what Isopropyl would do to it but I took the risk using it as a solvent and scrubbed it some and nothing happened. Put it back together yet again and it still doesn't work. :cry:

Nothing seems to be broken and I still can't figure this out. Frustration level is at maximum sweat pumps are primed and anger monkeys are screaming on the backside.... :evil:
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: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by Ranch Dog »

Well, Lee will replace stuff that stops working.
Michael
Image
Maximumbob54
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 736
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:30
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Kingsland, GA
Has thanked: 51 times
Been thanked: 222 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by Maximumbob54 »

All this time later and I finally figured it out. There is a small spring that is just a piece of wire with two bends in it that is supposed to pull the top part back. As you work the Safety Prime there is a sliding shuttle that moves the primers from the chute forward away from the rest of them (hence the "Safety" Prime I guess) and then the shuttle is supposed to move back again ready for the next primer. The shuttle on mine was staying forward and not moving back thus blocking any more primers from feeding. One screw and the chute pulls away from the priming feeder body, and a second screw and the priming body actually falls apart in your hand leaving you a fun puzzle to now reverse engineer. It took a minute but once you figure out how it works it looks like the spring wire in mine is either worn out or maybe the plastic has worn just enough that it doesn't hold the precise shape needed to function. However, now knowing how it works it takes all of maybe half a second to with finger pressure just slide the top of the priming body back just a bit and it now works just fine. So even broken or worn it still works well enough if you just know how it works.
User avatar
wscywabbit
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 04 Dec 2013 15:19
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Washington State
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by wscywabbit »

Thanks for the breakdown on the mechanics and possible fix. .. Although if it's still having an issue I might call Lee and see about a replacement
In God and guns we trust; it's an American tradition!
User avatar
celem
Posts: 49
Joined: 17 Oct 2013 20:39
My Press Choice: Hand Press
Location: North Carolina, USA
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 44 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by celem »

Maximumbob54 wrote:All this time later and I finally figured it out. There is a small spring that is just a piece of wire with two bends in it that is supposed to pull the top part back. As you work the Safety Prime there is a sliding shuttle that moves the primers from the chute forward away from the rest of them (hence the "Safety" Prime I guess) and then the shuttle is supposed to move back again ready for the next primer. The shuttle on mine was staying forward and not moving back thus blocking any more primers from feeding. One screw and the chute pulls away from the priming feeder body, and a second screw and the priming body actually falls apart in your hand leaving you a fun puzzle to now reverse engineer. It took a minute but once you figure out how it works it looks like the spring wire in mine is either worn out or maybe the plastic has worn just enough that it doesn't hold the precise shape needed to function. However, now knowing how it works it takes all of maybe half a second to with finger pressure just slide the top of the priming body back just a bit and it now works just fine. So even broken or worn it still works well enough if you just know how it works.
After loading several thousand primers, mine also give up the ghost. I also took mine part and found the same "u" shaped delicate wire spring that you describe. Basically, the spring has sprung and no longer has the juice left in it to return the assembly to position. I tried to stretch it back out and it just broke. Fortunately, I buy such things with a backup so I took out the backup and I'm back in business. I guess Lee would replace it but I'm not sure that sending it would be worth the postage.

By the way, I have ordered another Maintenance spare to keep on the shelf for the next time that this happens.
User avatar
celem
Posts: 49
Joined: 17 Oct 2013 20:39
My Press Choice: Hand Press
Location: North Carolina, USA
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 44 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by celem »

Knowing that lee has an excellent warranty service I sent an email to see if they would replace the spring. Lee just emailed me and said they are sending me the spring for free.

FYI - the part is:
BP3376 RETURN SPRING
62chevy
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 1617
Joined: 17 Oct 2013 18:09
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: West Virginia
Has thanked: 1017 times
Been thanked: 323 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by 62chevy »

celem wrote:Knowing that lee has an excellent warranty service I sent an email to see if they would replace the spring. Lee just emailed me and said they are sending me the spring for free.

FYI - the part is:
BP3376 RETURN SPRING

It only a dollar from Lee. http://leeprecision.com/return-spring.html
Je suis Charlie
Maximumbob54
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 736
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:30
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Kingsland, GA
Has thanked: 51 times
Been thanked: 222 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by Maximumbob54 »

I'm so stubborn and cheap that I'm still using it as it is. Works fine.
larryw
Founding Member & Supporter
Founding Member & Supporter
Posts: 1123
Joined: 20 Dec 2013 11:09
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: Arizona
Location: Arizona
Has thanked: 688 times
Been thanked: 327 times

Re: Small Safety Prime stopped working

Post by larryw »

Ranch Dog wrote:Well, Lee will replace stuff that stops working.
They sure do!!! They replaced mine, quick, fast & in a hurry, as
the guy in the movie once said.
A day late & A dollar short? Story of my life +guns
Post Reply

Return to “On Press Priming”