APP ~ Case Inserter Fail

[GasGuzzler]

I only thought I was on a roll. After about 1800 cases mine completely stopped pretty much any individual function all at once. The inserter started refusing to fully retract and therefore would not drop a case, one of every three primers failed to punch out all the way, the feeder began double feeding and causing cases to come out horizontally then shoot across the room, etc.

I lubed the rail with PJ, then case lube, then cleaned it and put graphite on it. Still isn't right. Requires the downstroke to end in a SLAM for the case to drop. Readjusted the feeder height three times. Lowered the de-cap die body in the bushing once (why does this die not come with a giant nut?) and lowered the de-cap rod within the die twice. It's almost a full 3/16" below flush and the primers still don't drop on all. Funny is they're so close to coming out I can manually push the case up into the die and the primer falls out without even feeling it. Took the top plate thingie that snaps onto the inserter off and polished the radius of the cup that guides the cases' fall.

I'm stepping away for a bit. Here are pics...one up close and one with perspective (before any attempts at repair documented above).

[Ranch Dog]

Check to make sure the flat head screw has not come loose. It sits in the track of the Inserter. Back working with pistol cases, I had the screw come loose and experienced the same problems. Of course, I stripped the hole in the Inserter. Desperate, I saw a small piece of tape of my labeler laying on the bench. I cut a very short length of it, set it in the hole, and then put the parts together. So far it has held. This is specifically when I decided I need a spare Inserter.

[Ranch Dog]

Check to make sure the flat head screw has not come loose. It sits in the track of the Inserter. Back working with pistol cases, I had the screw come loose and experienced the same problems. Of course, I stripped the hole in the Inserter. Desperate, I saw a small piece of tape of my labeler laying on the bench. I cut a very short length of it, set it in the hole, and then put the parts together. So far it has held. This is specifically when I decided I need a spare Inserter.

I'm not sure what this would have to do with the decapping op, but it sure stopped my case feed dead with the lack of tension from the Flat Head Screw.

[Ranch Dog]

Check to make sure the flat head screw has not come loose. It sits in the track of the Inserter. Back working with pistol cases, I had the screw come loose and experienced the same problems. Of course, I stripped the hole in the Inserter. Desperate, I saw a small piece of tape of my labeler laying on the bench. I cut a very short length of it, set it in the hole, and then put the parts together. So far it has held. This is specifically when I decided I need a spare Inserter.

I'm not sure what this would have to do with the decapping op, but it sure stopped my case feed dead with the lack of tension from the Flat Head Screw.

What about the hole through the shell holder? Anything caught in it... dirty after 1800 cases?

[Ranch Dog]

Compare the decapper tip to another.

[GasGuzzler]

I pulled the jar off the bottom and pulled the shell holder out, blew threw and inspected with a light.

I'll check that screw.

You have black parts where I have red.

[klr]

You have black parts where I have red.

I think those come with the official RD Popsicle Stick Setup Kit.

But I have red parts too. I wonder it there is a difference?

Sorry I don't have a solution to your problem. My decapper pin was bent after doing 1K of 223 brass.

I didn't like how the feeder tube fit with the 9mm brass so I adapted a smaller one to take out any slop. Looks bad, but works good.

[GasGuzzler]

The inserter started refusing to fully retract and therefore would not drop a case, one of every three primers failed to punch out all the way, the feeder began double feeding and causing cases to come out horizontally then shoot across the room, etc.

[mod="Ranch Dog"]

Wondering if I need RD to split this since I kind of hijacked the topic.

Done! Yes, it would be a great idea to start splitting the different issues out for others that follow. If anyone sees an opportunity, let me know by sending me a PM.[/mod]
I think the inserter not retracting was due to a very slightly loose screw on the bottom of the carriage as described by RD. I fiddled with the "set screw" (all plastic) but since I did not switch cartridges this obviously did no good. BUT ... I found two more screws that are absolutely essential to function. They both hold the rail to the press. One is on top towards the user and right from the shell holder. The other is underneath the rail under the inserter track. Stand with a low angle (level) view of the track and loosen/tighten this one and watch the track bow. They both require perfect adjustment. If the (left) underside screw is too tight, it bows the track. Not good. If the top side screw is too loose, the shells must crawl over the lip into the shell holder.

But wait! There's more. The other HALF of fixing the feed was related slightly to the de-cap issue (that is not yet all the way fixed, more later). In my attempt to fix the lack of de-cap (more later LOL), I kept moving the die (the de-cap die that comes with the swage kit exclusively for the APP that no one yet has told my why comes without a large hex nut and o-ring) lower and lower in the press. I realized there was an over-travel or other issue so I raised the de-cap die and with a little fiddling with a few other adjustments (including the 4-tube feeder height four times) it feeds again. The over-travel or possibly under-travel due to the incorrectly adjusted die didn't allow the press to fully actuate the inserter (that's my story).

Primer issue: I discovered the punch pin from the APP swage kit was pushing the spent primer all the way out, sticking to it, then pulling it up just enough to very slightly re-seat it enough to hang the case from exiting the odd-ball pass-through shell holder. Even more odd is the shell could be pushed out of the holder with a primer hanging halfway out. That doesn't seem right and can explain some of the wonkiness in the press...pass-through shell holders are pretty loose. I don't have a microscope so I cannot see the issue but the Lee Universal De-prime die I broke never had this issue.

I pulled the swage de-cap die pin out three times and sanded/polished/lubed it and it still had the same problem. I put the Lee carbide re-size/de-cap die from my four die set in the APP and never once had a primer re-stick. That takes some effort (resizing and de-capping on the APP in one pull) to do both with the APP's short lever and small footprint. Until my universal de-cap pins come in I will throw the swage kit de-cap die in a corner and do both at once with the die from the 4-die Lee carbide set.

[Ranch Dog]

You have black parts where I have red.

I think those come with the official RD Popsicle Stick Setup Kit.

I special order them!

I ordered my press a bit early and I guess the part colors changed. Same with the powder bottle caps. My are all clear vs. red.

[GasGuzzler]

Splitting the topics is a win-win because I don't feel bad for taking over someone else's topic (this time) and it makes these issues easier to search.

Before I go back into detail tomorrow I want to paste some tips I wrote up after making my final run at this today. I'll comment on my tips later.

Here they are:

• Pour cases in around the edge of the Lee collator and they are more likely to fall properly (right side up)
• Use a smidge of case lube (Imperial Wax here) every 20-50 cases even with carbide dies IF you are sizing and de-capping in one step. These pass-through shell holders WILL NOT take a lot of upward force and they will let the rim go (on 9X19) sticking a case.
• Empty the primer catcher every 150-300 cases so that you can still hear the "tink" of the primer falling and prevent a double clutch due to a case stuck in the pass-through shell holder. Once the other adjustments in previous posts are made AND you are not using a (possibly) faulty de-cap die from the swage set this should not be an issue (was not an issue with my Lee Universal Primer Removal Die or was it an issue with the Lee Carbide 9X19 Size Die...only the Lee small diameter de-cap die that comes with the swage kit for the APP).
• Maintain adjustments every 1K or so cases. Do a nut and bolt (screw) check then. Also do some cleaning.
• Keep the springy thing under the shell holder clean.
• Only twist the multi-case feeder to a new tube with the press handle up and the inserter platform under the feed tube. If there's an upside down case first on the next tube it will come out sideways (as opposed to if there is a proper one before it) and sling one out behind it across the room.