Want to ressurect a Hornady Pro-Jector - Need help on brass kicker

[Woody35]

I was given an old Hornady Pro-Jector, I think they are 30-40 years old. Anyway I cannot get one part nor an engineering drawing from Hornady: the brass kicker. Is there anyone with a Pro-Jector who could give me dimensions or a picture of the brass kicker next to a ruler? I can make a wooden mockup and then get one made up by a buddy.

Thanks in advance...

[Woody35]

The manual does not give dimensions, although it does give the general shape. A picture would save a lot of time and money. I have found better depictions of the kicker arm than the manual but they are similarly not helpful.

[cheese1566]

Woody, do you have all the other parts for it...like the spring, screw, and pivot bushing?

The brass kicker has some extra bends than shown in the diagram. They are a pain in the butt sometimes and one hung up brass can quickly throw one out of whack and bend the poo out of it.

The primer parts should be treated as gold, especially the tubes.

I have a spare in my parts bin. I can mail it to you if you promise to return it in a timely manner.

[Woody35]

I would love to borrow it. I can get all the other parts you mentioned from Hornady and it sounds like I can make the one missing primer tube if I want to from brass tubing. I am also a radio controlled airplane builder (they are NOT drones so I have used lots of brass tubing before. I have been priming by hand for my rifle brass and could continue to do that for the Hornady as I understand the primer feeder can be cranky. I plan to go back through all the forums and apply all the good advice folks have posted. I will call you or you can call me FIVE ZERO SEVEN 261-nineeight-ninenine. I will probably do a quick mechanical drawing and post that for folks who may need the part in the future. Ask for Mike. my home range: http://smsclub.org/


Thanks and stay warm over there!

[James Wisner]

I still have some new spare parts for my old presses, can draw the kicker out if need be.
One thing I did was epoxy a shaped .062 thick piece of 1095 steel on the sub plate to match up with the new ez ject system, and also use the new shell plates and the old kicker, works very smooth.

I have a lot of the older shell plates if you need them

I did redesign the primer tube block to get rid of the slot, and have one left over if you need that.

As far as the primer tubes look at the older long RCBS tubes, and sleeve the bottoms to fit the Projector.

The old main ram / link pin can be replaced with the newer one that has the e clips on both ends, other wise I check the pin for movement every 100 rounds

You will find that the adjustment screws on the cam plungers will work loose, so once it is adjusted and running smooth remove one adjustment screw and use blue thread locker to lock it in place. Then the next time do the same to the other adjustment screw

These old presses just keep going and going, I have over 25M on the Pro 7 and at least 20M on the projector.

J Wisner

[Hardcast416taylor]

I could never seem to get the brass kicker to work reliably. I finally took the assembly off the up graded Pro-Jector press. I also was never really happy with the auto prime set up nor the auto powder drop assembly. I removed all these add-ons from the press and sold them at a bargin price to a gent here on this site re-habing a Pro-7/Pro-Jector press. My press is a dedicated to reloading die functions now. I prime off press so I am assured the primers are seated right side up. I still charge the powder for pistol cartridges on the press by operating the charge handle and checking on a scale nearby. I do like the press, just not the add-ons.Robert

[A pause for the COZ]

I just sent my Projector back to Hornady and replaced it with a new LNL AP. They will upgrade you for $200
I still have a couple of the ejectors and a spare shell plate carrier.(new)
I can send them to you if you want to cover the shipping.
PM if your interested.

[cheese1566]

Woody, I think you found an answer!!

If you don't want the sub plate, I would like a chance at it.

[James Wisner]

The main thing on these and other progressive press is timing, rhythm, and rhythm, once you get in the groove, they go a long time.
To fast a cycle and the primers will tip, flip and do other nasty things.
To slow and you have ejection and indexing problems.

The main improvements to the old Projectors I have done are as follows.

New primer tube block, the second type has a slot in the RH side of it, and I was always having to tighten up the block to hold the tubes correctly. Made a new block, that was wider, and broached a slot on the inside of it to clear the spring arm for the primers. The solid block will not bend or tweak, like the old one.

Ram pivot pin, either stake both ends in place or buy a new one that has the E clips on both ends.

Use the new cartridge type powder measure activating system, the old center type system sucks

Use the new LNL powder measure as they have a dedicated pistol drum, or like I did on the older DLX measure was machine a new pistol drum to prevent particles of powder that locked up the drum

Epoxy a piece of tool steel on the sub plate to line up with the groove in the newer LNL shell plates, then time it to eject the case 3/4 out of the shell plate, the old case kicker arm is timed to pick up the case at the 2/3 mark, and will simply wipe the case all the way into the catch tray.
You do have to use the newer tray holder arm so as not to leave a gap between the tray and the press.

The main problem I had with the old kicker arm was when I had odd ball brands of cases in the 9mm or 223, that was to tight in the shell plate, and would simply not want to come out easy. Then the kicker arm would really get bent.

You have to use the newer shell plates, as the chamfer in and out has a large smooth radius on the lips for the ez ject system.

I have even modified the older shell plates by changing the outer sections of the lips, to look like the ez ject shell plates, and that makes a big difference

Lock tite the cam adjustment screws in place once the press is timed well.

You can add a piece of clear tubing to the spent primer drop tube so the spent primers go down into a can on the floor.

I leave one press set up for small primers, and the other for large primers, that helps on the set up time.

J Wisner

[Woody35]

I took Pause for the Coz's offer on the kickers. If I don't need the sub plate I will be in touch.
Thanks all for the help. May the .22 cal gods be bountiful for you. :->

Woody

[emptyxmags]

Could.really use a hand.on locating a brass kicker from my hornady projector press my paperclip trick.isnt wirking any more.will pay a pretty penny.

[JohnFreeman]

Picked up an almost free pro-jector and had the case kicker briefly working... now fussing with it.

...Later that day, I'm done fussing with it and it's now in a bag. I see how it's supposed to work but I can't see it ever working very long. Primer placement adjusted and running well. This will be the 223 machine.

[HangFireW8]

I still run an old ProJector. Almost 5K 45ACP's and probably double that of 9mm's, and a thousand or two other calibers. The original case kicker is still working fine. It helps to have a certain technique or "rhythm" as previously stated.

Primer adjustment can be a real PITA but once correct, stays put.

[Moleman-]

My old pro-jector press is still cranking out rounds. The case ejector is a poor design, and I quickly pretzeled it when a 9mm case stuck. Bent it back and ordered a new ejector. That was a good at least 70-80K rounds ago. Still have the new replacement ejector in with the spares. What was causing only 9x19 cases to stick was the shell plate was a little tight and the corners of the opening where the rim slides in were sharp. That was grabbing the cases. I gently took a diamond knife sharpener (small SS 1.25"x3" sharpener) and just stoned the sharp corners very slightly and that cured the issue for the most part. Occasionally a beat up case will do basically the same thing. Don't try to force it, just back up slightly and try to eject it again. If it doesn't go, mark the case and pitch it next time you shoot it. If you look at a newer LNL shell plate you can see what I mean by rounding out the U slot. Only they went way overboard