My RCBS Rockchucker Supreme has an arm to hold the primer.

For some reason when I insert the primer into the brass it sometimes comes out backwards - in other words the anvil is outside the brass but the primer is seated securely in the primer hole. This happens about half the time - the rest of the time they come out normally.

The primer must be catching on the edge of the primer hole to turn over like this. This just started recently and its driving me crazy. I know I am inserting the primer into the cup correctly.

Does anyone know what is going on and how to fix it?

I'm assuming you are using the correct primer cup, and don't have small primers in a large cup. There are only 3 pieces so I'd take it apart and clean it well to make sure there isn't some dirt or something in there. Make sure the anvil stem is not bent.

The only time I've had problems with this (cocked primers) is when using GI brass that had a crimp that was not removed all the way. If you do not have a deburring tool just use a drill bit, hold it in your hand and just a twist is fine.

Good luck!

I had it happen once when I had the wrong tube in the press. ie. had the large rifle tube in
when loading small rifle primers.
Good Luck
Charlie

Palmer,
The best suggestion I could give would be to purchase a RCBS hand primer or some other brand. They give you a much better "feel" when seating the primer. Once you try one, you will not go back to the primer arm like you have on your press.
Bull1

I have had this happen in the past. Check the clearance between the top of the primer in the primer arm cup, and the bottom of the primer arm slot in the ram in your press. I will almost bet that you are not raising the ram high enough to clear the primer edge, which flips the primer over most of the time, or completely out of the primer cup the rest of the time. You may also want to look for something stuck in the ram primer slot. I clean mine frequently with q tips. You can buy nice long single ended wooden stick swabs in the drugstore for about 2 cents each.

Thanks for the ideas. I will go clean it and check the adjustment. I am using the larger of the two primer cups supplied with the press and am loading federal 215 primers in Norma 470 brass. The brass is unfired.

The primer seems to fit just right in the cup but I notice it doesnt seem to slip easily into the primer hole. I have to slightly lift the arm to get it lined up.

I do think I will order a hand primer from lee but would like to get this one working better until it gets here.

Thanks again.

Screw the Lee, I really can't understand why it is so popular, it takes shellholders that are for it only and doesn't work any better than an RCBS--if as good-- feel is roughly the same, although I do prefer the feel of the RCBS. I also own a Sinclair hand primer, which is one of the cadillacs and I do like it, but I think I get just as good of results with the RCBS or Lee. All that said, I don't know many folks who do more than a little reloading, that still prime on the press--unless it is a dedicated press for priming... You're on the right track going to a hand primer. Obviously I like the RCBS.....

Good Luck--Don

This happened to me too. Here is what usually works for me.Push the Primer -cup holder down with your left index finger and thumb.Now you`ll see that the primer-anvil ( where you lay the primer on) has 2 holes in it Take a needle and stick it through both holes. Now turn it clockwise until you feel resistance. Take the needle out .What you have done is shortened the travel of the primer. If you don`t keep that anvil all the way up the primer will flop over. I have been using my press for 40 years. Let me know if it works for you. Regards Marlin

This drove me nuts for a while. My problem was the primer cup dragged a bit on the inside of the shell holder. The cup would pull down on the spring then snap up. A piece of paper in the ram slot centered the holder around the cup. No more problem.
Good luck!

Palmer, I happen to be one of the folks who like the Lee hand primer tool. Small problem, it won't handle the .470 NE case. I don't think the RCBS hand primer tool will either (I have both). I too use the Supreme and you must make sure that the the knurled screw which holds the primer arm in place is tight or else the arm will be slightly off register and the primer can hang up on the edge of the primer pocket. Hope this helps.

Geronimo

quote:

Originally posted by Palmer:
My RCBS Rockchucker Supreme has an arm to hold the primer.

For some reason when I insert the primer into the brass it sometimes comes out backwards - in other words the anvil is outside the brass but the primer is seated securely in the primer hole. This happens about half the time - the rest of the time they come out normally.

The primer must be catching on the edge of the primer hole to turn over like this. This just started recently and its driving me crazy. I know I am inserting the primer into the cup correctly.

Does anyone know what is going on and how to fix it?

Palmer,

I too have had this problem. My problem (& I suspect your's too) was the same as hawkin's.

>> The primer ram catching on the shell holder.

My solution was to load the primer into the ram by hand on while the ram was top of the shell holder. Then lower the primer ram (raise the press) just enough to fit the case into the shellholder. This way the primer ram did not have to pass all the way through the shell holder. It worked.

I cleaned it, pushed the cup down and tightened it with the needle as suggested - still did the same thing.

So I am headed out to try the new ideas. Thanks

I do have the RCBS handprimer but it will not accept my 470 shell holder. Im glad to learn the Lee wont either. That will save some time and money too.

It would seem RCBS would have fixed this problem if so many have experienced it.

Well Palmer here is another idea. One I am using now. RCBS makes a RAM PRIMER UNIT P/ N 09165 That will work. On this unit the primer is loaded straight up, rather than swinging the primer arm in a circular motion. The primer arm is pushed thru the shell holder which is mounted
in a die on top of the shell holder. You bring the Ram all the way down that brings the primer cup thru the die on TOP of your press.Once the primer cup shows thru the die you LAY the primer in, back the ram down a 1/4 in. stick the shell in push thew ram down 1/4 in. and you have it. I bought a Lee Ram prime unit before, but no good. I like to mention- Is your primer-pocket .210 in.? so the primers can seat easily? RegardsMarlin

Marlin55 - I will look into that primer unit. Thanks for the tip.

RaySendero - I tried your technique and it worked! That will at least get me through this reloading session.

Hawkins paper in the ram slot seems to work also - at least it did for two cartridges which were all that I tried so far with the paper idea.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas everyone. I am going to get a better system than this. There is no need for this frustration.

I called RCBS and a lady that I talked to suggested that it may be due to a bent primer arm and they are sending a new one at no charge. I don't think thats the problem but it was nice of them to offer that support.