Odd Loadmaster problem.

[prs]

I realize that many reloaders have had problems with this press, but mine has run wonderfully for many years and very minimal problems. Recently, while loading 44-40 I did not notice that a case had tipped over, that had not been a problem and I was not looking for it. I was going at a nice clip and the tipped case caused a bind that broke one of the edges off of the bottom of my case slider. I have a stash of parts that have been on the shelf for several years and I found a new slider. This one a newer version with two parts that piggy back to push large cases. Up and running again PDQ, but with the new slider the cases do get pushed all the way into the case holders, but then as the slider retracts the case followes the slider most of the time for a quarter inch or so, thus not aligned with the size die. It is as if the slider is a brass magnet! No sticky residue, I used a drier cloth as an anti static measure. Everything else checks out. I have run the friction device looser and tighter. What is a mother to do?

prs

[Doughty]

prs,
I had that problem a while back. Mine turned out to be a timing problem. The solution was fine tuning the tension on the plastic slider on the 1/4" bar that sets at 45 degrees. There was some small amount of print on the situation in the setup pamphlet that came with the press. Took me a while to find, understand, and then finally get it working again. Good luck.

[ranger391xt]

it almost sounds like the slider is pinching the case when it retracts. maybe take the slider off and put a shell in it to confirm? I almost think the two piece slider was for rifle cartridges.. maybe not designed for something as large as 44-40, but just speculation.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[prs]

Doughty, I had adjusted that friction screw from one extreme to the other; no joy there, so I set it back to top being snug and the bottom used to get modest tension.

Ranger, that was my very first "remedy". I removed the slider and filed the outer edges to assure that it could not pinch the case. Polished the filed edges and no joy there either.

However, I found an apparent solution. I vaguely recalled having this problem with 45 Colt 20+ years ago on this press. I evidently solved the problem then because it has worked superbly all these years and bushels of ammo. When I set-up my new dies for 44-40 I followed the Lee instructions that came with the dies to the "T". The one die that I had previously gone rouge on (NOT FOLLOWING the "detructions") was with the Lee full length sizing and decapping die in stage 1. My approach over all these years had been to raise the ram tightly against the press "stops". Then firmly turn that size die down to very firm contact with shell plate and lock it there, as opposed to Lee instruction an additional 1/2 or so turn downward. Why did this help? I am not sure, but the case feed is back to fully reliable again.

I use "M" die in stage 2 to enlarge internal diameter for slightly fatter than commercial bullters (I size .430 in 44 cal and 454 in 45 Colt). The second benefit is having the case stabilized for priming.

Thanks for the ideas!

prs

[Conditor22]

check the face of the slider where it puches the brass

make sure the shell plate is seating all the way down

you could file 1/32 off the bottom front of the slider where it pushes the brass, it might be pinching the brass lip when it comes back

[prs]

Conditor, that is a good observation. If it happens again I will chamfer that edge.

prs