Old Machines

[ReloaderFred]

When I get a chance to work on it again, I'm going to use a fine Cratex wheel on the hole in the primer slide to just break the edge. I prefer Cratex to sandpaper for these jobs, since it leaves a highly polished surface. I normally finish it off with a pointed felt wheel with some Flitz Metal Polish.

Fred

[seagiant]

Hi,
Sounds good!

One other thing in the mix is the return spring for the primer slide.

It is not only a return spring but also "pre loads" the slide on its way forward to pick up the primer.

If it is weak (after 30-40 years) it will not have enough load and may end up in a different place each time! (Where it stops to pick up the primer!)

This is of course very miniscle but can create problems. This also goes hand in hand with the chamfer discussed before.

Small things but when lumped together create a problem that will make you tear your hair out. Don't ask how I know this!

Just thinking!

[beeser]

Fred,
I vaguely recall reading about an issue with the primer feed on the Dircks machines and the remedy for it. I think it had something to do with the platform under the slide and it oddly involved .38 Special cases only. I'll try to find the information and post back again. In the meantime, is the pathway for the primer underneath flat or slightly recessed?

[ReloaderFred]

beeser,

It's a flat surface that the primer slide travels on. The primer slide is a 1" wide piece of flat stock, with a slot and a hole. The slot allows the primer seating punch some leeway for travel, and the hole carries the new primer to the seating station.

I hate to put you to the trouble of searching for the old article, but it would sure help......

Thanks,

Fred

[beeser]

beeser,

It's a flat surface that the primer slide travels on. The primer slide is a 1" wide piece of flat stock, with a slot and a hole. The slot allows the primer seating punch some leeway for travel, and the hole carries the new primer to the seating station.

I hate to put you to the trouble of searching for the old article, but it would sure help......

Thanks,

Fred

I'll do my best to locate the info. It didn't occur to me before but why not contact the guy who worked on the machine before? He might have an easy fix or suggestion.

[ReloaderFred]

That was going to be my next step if I couldn't fix it myself, but I took out a little time this afternoon to work on the machine and it appears I've got it fixed. I only ran 25 rounds through it, but it was as smooth as could be.

I took the whole slide and priming assembly apart and cleaned up everything and removed a couple of small burrs and chamfered a couple of openings. When I put it back together, I paid special attention to alignment, and that appears to be where the problem was. The slide wasn't perfectly aligned so as to center the primer punch with the primer pocket of the case, so I fixed that. The other problem was the primer tube was just a smidge (highly technical term) off center from the primer slide.

After I got it all cleaned, lubed and aligned, I loaded it up with primers, bullets and cases and ran off the 25 rounds without a hitch. Now back to cutting up trees.........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[beeser]

Good job Fred. You are a man truly worthy of that fine machine.

[ReloaderFred]

Thanks, beeser. Hopefully I'll get to put in some time on it pretty soon. Only about two more days of cutting trees and chipping up limbs..........

Fred