Backwards Primers

[My(2)Cents]

Hi all, I've been using my Star press for years and never had this problem but recently about every 30-40 rounds I get a missing primer then a backwards primer. I've taken the priming system apart and cleaned but didn't find anything obvious. Anyone have any ideas why this would happen?

[fc60]

Greetings,

The only time I had primer issues was with a Phelps primer feed tube. It allowed the primer to enter sideways.

If yours is genuine Star, how the primers get upside down is a mystery to me.

Cheers,

Dave

[My(2)Cents]

To my knowledge it's original Star parts. Plus it worked for years with no issue. Tonight I'm going to load up some 9mm with the small pistol rig and try to narrow down what parts are not working.

[rbwillnj]

I sent My(2)Cents an email with some things to look at, but for the benefit of the forum, I'll repeat some of it here.

I have never seen a primer go in upside down on a Star, but I could see how it could happen if the primer magazine was not fully seated in the primer magazine socket.   The bottom of the primer magazine should be nearly flush with the bottom of the primer magazine socket.

The instance where a primer is not loaded is generally caused by a dirty primer magazine or primer slide, or a burr or some sort of damage at the bottom of the primer magazine.   You should be able to drop a primer in to a primer magazine and have it drop all the way through without any resistance.

Bruce Williams
Star Machine Works

[teg2650]

I am the third owner of my Star Universal 45ACP which I purchased in the early 1980s. When it came to me the owner claimed it to have loaded approx 1 million rounds. A few years after I got it there started to be issues with skipped primers, I finally looked down the primer tube with light on the other end and could see wear in the tube. Replaced the tube at least 20 years ago and it has been fine since. You may have a worn spot in your primer magazine tube that is allowing a primer to flip from time to time. I also own a Star Universal (4 years) in 38 spec and the primer magazine tube has had primers(Winchester)  get stuck in it a few times now.
Tom Ginovsky

[My(2)Cents]

Thank you both for the reply. I'll take a look again tonight. Some thing else I suspect is the batch of primers. It's an old batch from 2007 and it's when primers were hard to find. Out of the box of 1000 I had 2 small boxes that had a couple small pistol primers in there. I of course didn't notice until it didn't press fit into the brass.

I'm not saying this is my problem but it could be part of the issue.

I also noticed that when I changed out the slide assembly I was able to go 200 loaded with no failures.

[NYKenn]

Tom mentioned having a burr, which can happen with hard primers.
At one time I had an occasional primer sticking in the tube and not feeding into the primer bar. Probably  no more than one or two in loading 500 rounds. 
I found a light buildup of crud in the tube, enough to hold a primer every now and then.
As a precaution, I push a log pipe cleaned down the tune once or twice a year. No issues since doing this.

[fc60]

Greetings,

A handy Small Primer Tube cleaner is a 0.177 Bore Snake.

Put a little 99% Isopropyl alcohol on the snake to clean the "crud" away.

Cheers,

Dave