Problem: Spent primers build up underneath the press base
Solution: Find a small plastic bottle, such as vitamins or pharmacy medicines are sold in. Find a hole saw that is about the same size as the inside of the bottle. Drill a hole in the lid of the bottle so that you have a ring that threads onto the neck of the bottle. Unbolt your press from your work surface. Use the same hole saw to drill a hole down through the work top. Use super glue, screw, small nails, or whatever method you choose to secure the lid/ring to the underside of the table. Now you can screw the bottle on and off of the lid/ring under the table. Spent primers will collect in the bottle for disposal, so you don't have to unbolt the press to clean under there.
Problem: Finished rounds do not eject properly from the shellplate
Solution: Bend the tip of the ejector wire outwards and then inwards to make a sort of "hook" in the wire. The bottom of the hook should face out. This will start the rounds ejecting sooner and not let them get bound up in the shellplate. Very useful for larger diameter shells.
Problem: Finished rounds pile up on the finished round chute instead of sliding down
Solution: Use ultrafine steel wool or sandpaper to polish the chute. Apply some case sizing lube, Pam cooking spray, silicon oil (best!) or wax to the chute. Now rounds will slip down easily.
Problem: Tall cases such as .357 Magnum and .223 tend to tilt coming out of the case feeder or fall over.
Solution: Adjust the gap between the bottom of the case feeder and the top of a case sitting on the feed horn so that a nickle will fit between there. Sometimes the case feeder flexes while the press runs and this can cause cases to get hung up there if the gap is too tight. Also, do not lubricate the feeder horn the cases sit on while being slid into the carrier- too slippery here and the case will slip out of position.
Problem: OAL of finished rounds varies, usually deeper.
Solution: Crud in seater die. Disassemble and clean the die.
Problem: Cases do not enter the resize die squarely, and sometimes they get hung up on the rim of the resize die.
Solution: Carefully shim the top of the ram with a piece of paper on the side closest to the operator. Sometimes the shellplate carrier has a slight tilt towards the operator, this will help it.
Problem: Primers going sideways, flipping upside down, or getting squished on insertion
Soution1: Primers need to be kept in the priemr chute to a level above the curve in teh chute. You may have a jam in the primer tray (the little jiggler pin needs to keep the primers jiggled apart so they feed into the chute). You may be low on primers. A piece of debris may have fallen in the primer chute. Excess powder may have fallen into the primer punch recess.
I keep a tiny makeup brush next to the tray. It was leftover from one of my wife's makeup kits. It's a tiny brush about as big as a kitchen match. It's the perfect size to clean out the primer tray and under the shellplate. A can of compressed air like used to clean computer keyboards works well, too.
Solution2: Shellplate timing! The rotation of the shellplate in relation to the movement of the ram is critical to ensure the primer arrives at the right place at the same time as the case. If the case is delayed, the rotation of the case will wipe the primer sideways off of the primer punch and make it sideways or upside down.
A properly timed shellplate will have the case arrive in the primer slot before the primer punch starts pushing on the primer.
To adjust, follow the Lee procedure. Adjust the shellplate with the phillips screw so that it is about to the spring-loaded ball detent. Then turn it slowly so that the ball detent pulls the shellplate ahead for you when it locks in place. Then turn the screw another half turn. That's it. Should be right on the money now.
Problem: High primers
Solution: First, look at the top of the red mounting base next to the bump which is where the primer punch hits. Is there a spent primer that has fallen in there and prevents the carrier from going all the way down and pushing the primer punch up?
Next ensure the brass is not crimped primer brass. Next make sure the brass is not Seller & Bellot- they have tight pockets.
Next, ensure you are fully pushing the ram to the top of its stroke and not short-stroking the ram. I have my press handle set so that at the top of the stroke, my right ring and pinky fingers will grab the upright bar on the press and help me pull my hand on the handle further towards the top of stroke. I don't use the wooden ball knob on my Pro-1000.
Next check to make sure the primer punch is not worn down, the right punch is installed for the primer size you are using.
