CCI Large Pistol Primers getting sideways

[saltydog]

I'm going bonkers.

My learning curve on the Star is turning out to be a long incline. The primers are getting wedged a bit in the feed tube.  What makes it worse, is they are also geting wedged in the feed mechanism that positions the primers for seating.  Either will prevent primer flow and seating.  I'm getting fairly good at removing the head, linkage, and shell plate to clean up spilled powder.

I can, and have, used a brass brush to clean/polish the inside of the primer feed tube.  I haven't the slightest idea of how to attempt to solve the occasional blockage in the feed mechanism.

Your suggestions/criticism appreciated.

Thanks,

salty

 Edit.   Primers are CCI, LP, Lot #??.  There is no lot number on the end flaps.

tnx,

sd.

[rbwillnj]

Jerry,

In my experience, there isn't enough room in a Star primer magazine or pickup tube for primers to turn sideways, or rotate.  You should not be able to insert a primer sideways into your primer magazine.   Are you using an original Star primer magazine and pickup tubes, or possibly another brand.   I have seen some pickup tubes (Dillon I think) that are so oversized that if you set them down on their sides, the primers would rotate and flip.   Do you think that might be what's happening in your case?

[saltydog]

Perhaps.

It has been a long time since I last used the Star.  That said, I didn't have this difficulty with CCI years ago.

Like mayn of you, additional goodies were aquired over time.  I think the primer pick up tubes are Star. but I wouldn't have a way to verify, or not.

It seems to occur MAINLY when transfering the primers from the pick up tube to the longer feeder tube.
But can occur just about any time.

salty

EDIT:
I just rec'd an e-mail from another forum member re CCI Large Pistol primers.  It seems as though I am not the only person who has had a problem with them.  Using the 'search' feature, I found where several folks have had less than satisfactory experience.

Now, I just gotta figure out how best to use the remaining 4,500 CCI LP primers. I really don't want to go back to the Rockchucker.

tnx,

sd

[fc60]

Greetings,

My wife, before we were married, blew up a stack of larger pistol primers. It was a Phelps machine and the primer tubes are not as accurately machined as the Star. The primers were able to fit sideways and the primer shuttle sheared one setting the stack off.

I suggest you contact BruceW for a replacement tube.

If you have access to pin gauges measure the id of the tube. Try a visit to a local machine shop with some donuts. Report back what you find.

Cheers,

Dave

[saltydog]

I haven't had any detonations yet. 

Getting the primers unstuck involves a mallet and wood shrimp skewers.

I do wear glasses and a welders gauntlet when I start beating on a stack of ill fitting primers.

My recollections of the Star are comparable to the Energiser Bunny that just keeps on working. Not so lately.

I imagine that, 'till I get this sorted out, my primer purchases won't include CCI in lots of 5,000, ever.

Again, suggestions/criticisms appreciated.

salty

[ARTINCT]

Hummm.....
 

To be frank with you all, I have NEVER had an issue with CCI primers (modern manufacture) or any other brand (Rem, Fed, WW) in any of my Star machines.
How are you gathering up the primers?  In a real STAR brass primer feed/pickup tube?

How are you putting them from the pick up tube into the primer magazine tube?

If you can explain your equipment and method, we can perhaps help you out with a solution.

Thanks
Art

[saltydog]

Well, I put 100 primers in the tray, jiggle them around a bit till they're all pointed face down, invert and put about half of them in a pick up tube.  Place the tube over the resovoir, pull the pin, and gravity pulls them down.  Most of the time.  When they get lodged, thats when I break out the specs, gauntlet, mallet, skewer, and vaccum cleaner.

Sometimes they get lodged in the primer feed mechanism. That requires interuption of the cycle and the start of the fun and games associated with  shell plate removal.

salty

[ARTINCT]

Ok, then I would do the following.... were I you.
I would take a long metal rod, wrap the tip with 0000 steel wool and some bore compound or polish
and polish the inside of the primer magazine.  Then totally swab it out.  YOu may need to do this
with the pickup tube as well.  In fact do this with both.

Tell us how that goes...

[tony barone]

If you are using the right size primer magazine that should not happen.Is there a ding in the tube? Have Bruce send you a new magazine. Driving primers out of magazines is risky business.

[saltydog]

You're right Tony.  It should not happen and I haven't had this problem prior to this batch of CCI.  That kinda leads me to think

that the issue is with the occasional primer, not the tubes. There are no abnormalities in the tubes or primers that I can see.  Just

 occasionally a primer moving down through the stack will wedge itself in place. I have been away from the Star for about twenty

 years or so and I'm having to re-learn a bunch of stuff.

Thanks,

salty

[tony barone]

Salty I have used Winchester small rifle primers loading 38 s/c starline brass since 1986 and have probably loaded 300,000 rnds since then.I can remember about a half dozen primers that were out of spec during that time period that would hang up in the magazine. I would clear the magazine and identify the bad primer but I never had to force anything. Try another brand of primers and good luck.

[NYKenn]

Well, I put 100 primers in the tray, jiggle them around a bit till they're all pointed face down, invert and put about half of them in a pick up tube.  Place the tube over the resovoir, pull the pin, and gravity pulls them down.  Most of the time.  When they get lodged, thats when I break out the specs, gauntlet, mallet, skewer, and vaccum cleaner.

Sometimes they get lodged in the primer feed mechanism. That requires interuption of the cycle and the start of the fun and games associated with  shell plate removal.

salty

I would suggest at the very least to have a full tube. I have never had this problem in the tube, but have always loaded a full tube, not partial.
I have occasionally had a primer problem in the feed mechanism, but that was usually due to dirt, or debris.

[saltydog]

The case feeder holds 50, so it seems to make some sense to top off the primers at the same time.

[Kirk A]

When I got my Star, I had to clean out both the small and large magazines. I found that .22 cleaning brushes worked on the large magazines, and .17 worked on the small magazines. (Note that a .17 cleaning rod is required; perhaps you already have one for an airgun.)

-Kirk

[ARTINCT]

I feel that polishing the inside of the magazine and refill tubes is a very good idea.  A bore mop with some Flitz, Wenol or Autosol metal polish will work good.
Or a coat hanger (straight part) with some 0000 steel wool and polish can do the job.  After all, some of these STAR machines are pretty up there in age and the crud and debris that accumulates takes it toll on them.