Drop from the tube into the shell plate?
Make sure the shell plate is perfectly flat and the center nut is tightened so there is no vertcal play in the shell plate, some resistance in rotation is good.
When loading, make sure the operating handle has bottomed. Bottoming has a unique feel and with practice, it will become habit.
To adjust the primer feed for a perfect primer drop every time, adjust the primer seating punch first (assuming you have the resizing die perfectly
adjusted per the 366 manual). Generally, the primer feed stop unit fingers will have a noticeable bulge-out when adjusted correctly as the handle bottoms. The adjustment is quite sensitive: adjust no more than a 1/4 turn and test.
Drop from the shell plate into the seater?
You have to raise the operating handle slowly. The primer drops into the seater by gravity. Hornady marketed the gas assist to slow the shell plate down, disconnecting the shell plate from the operating handle on the upstroke.
If you are sizing high brass, the handle will jump as the hull is released from the sizer, usually just as the primer drop is about to happen causing the fresh primer to catch between the shell plate and the seater. You can adjust the deprime punch guide down to kick the hull out of the sizer sooner.
The deprime punch guide can be adjusted to a more comfortable place on the upstroke. The proper place is at the lowest point where the primers are knocked out totally reliably—about a 1/4". This point will insure the deprime punch guide centers the deprime rod in the hull's flash hole.

 

When the primer drops into the seater by gravity (and gets slightly wedged when it does not fall flat and gets caught in between the shell plate and seater cavity).. I go pretty slow but it still gets caught more often than I think it should. I can back up the handle when I start to feel this happening and press primer into the seater correctly with my small finger pretty fast but its just annoying... I understand the concept of gravity to let it fall into place just wondering if there was any tricks to help mitigate the issue.. I know my shell plate is not 100% true flat because of some goof ups but spent some time in the vice and it is pretty darn straight. At a minimum I guess I could order a new plate and see if that helps.

 

Slowpoke’s suggestions are excellent. I can only add to clean out the primer tube with a bore brush as a precaution. My two 366’s were rescued from long inactivity and the brush ( cant remember the diameter offhand) brought out some debris.

 

Went back and searched for gas assist and learned this was used to combat this issue but seems like most folks wish they would have saved their money.... Perhaps I might try some polishing with a dremel and order a new plate and just deal with it.
Thanks

 

Do u have the older style press that pulls the plate forward or the newer that pushes the plate? The older presses don't always have a seater that has a key way in it to keep the starter groove lined up to allow the primers to fall in correctly. If that makes any sense?

 

https://www.trapshooters.com/posts/2371533/

 

Here is what I got.

 

It's hard to tell but it looks like it isn't flush with the deck. The Allen head is what adjust it and it looks like
It needs to come up a bit

 

I just put a new plate on mine and it has helped the machine run a lot better! All the way around the stations...
Got it from Midway for $60 if I mind right. Directly from Hornady I think they wanted $79.

After reading what I'dhitthat wrote above, I need to adjust my seater the right way. Thanks for that!

Good thread - I like reading about 366s ! Mine was a P.O.S. when I got it. It's come a long way thanks to you guys here !!!

 

If you haven't already done so try taking the primer seating parts out from the bottom, cleaning them thoroughly and polishing the parts that handle the primer with steel wool or scotchbright pad. Check for any burrs, dents or other irregularities that might catch a primer and carefully remove any found.

 

OU. it was a little dirty on the inside but did not see anything that would be a show stopper that would have obstructed the primer from falling. I cleaned the whole assembly piece by piece with small wire brush/solvent and wiped down with light oil and reinstalled flush.

 

Check to see if the primer tube has any burrs on the inside edge. Sometimes if the tube gets adjusted too low the tube will hit the platin and turn the edge of the tube in. A small rat tail or chain saw file will correct this. The inside edge of the primer tube should be perfectly smooth. A little burr can cause problems.

 

What caused that divot in the side of your shell plate?

 

Not exactly sure I bought it used (couple of years ago) and it has a couple of marks in the plate and had some surface rust all over it. The marks did bend the plate in a few places but I tried really hard to straighten out and make it as true as possible. Apparently, it’s not ever gonna be like new again, it feels better now that I marked the leaf that was dragging the platen and worked it open a bit it is much better but every once in a while it gets really tough at that station and my arm actuated too fast and gets hung up. Ordering new plate today.

 

I have been unable to figure out how the shell plates get bent. And when they bend, the tab bends upward, allowing the primer to get "cocked" between the plate and the platen. Those shell plates are made of some seriously hard steel and it seems it would take some serious pressure on the handle to get one to bend. I'm just left scratching my head looking for a place on the shell plate where upward pressure on a plate tax is exerted. Hopefully, the Hornady people can give me some insight into that issue when they return my reloader.

But, it's an easy issue to fix. when a primer gets cocked, you just stop the cycle, move the handle back down a bit so the auto-advance has some slack, and move the shell plate back a bit with your left thumb until you hear the primer click into place.

 

I have been unable to figure out how the shell plates get bent. And when they bend, the tab bends upward, allowing the primer to get "cocked" between the plate and the platen. Those shell plates are made of some seriously hard steel and it seems it would take some serious pressure on the handle to get one to bend. I'm just left scratching my head looking for a place on the shell plate where upward pressure on a plate tax is exerted. Hopefully, the Hornady people can give me some insight into that issue when they return my reloader.

But, it's an easy issue to fix. when a primer gets cocked, you just stop the cycle, move the handle back down a bit so the auto-advance has some slack, and move the shell plate back a bit with your left thumb until you hear the primer click into place.

Yes sir, that’s why I started this thread originally is because it’s annoying to have to stop and backup and press in with a pinky. If you figure it out please share with us all!

 

If you cycle the press with the shell carrier mis-positioned and drive the deprime pin into the plate with some force before noticing it, can this bend the plate?

 

I don't see this happening as, usually, you have a hull in that position. The shell plate has to be in proper position in order to insert a hull into the shell plate. And, I have had bent shell plates and I have never done this. My impression is the shell plate tabs get bent upwards, this phenomenon would bend the tab downwards.

 

I got a call from the Hornady technical guy charged with going over my 366. He said what is causing my shell plates to bend is the primer drop tube was adjusted too low. Over time, it bends the petals downward. He said the plates were supposed to be just slightly convex. This also was what was causing some friction on cycling, the petals were rubbing against the platen on the last station. He walked me through the adjustment process and it turns out I had several adjustment issues, starting with the deprime/resize die (a hair too low), which is the adjustment from which all others follow. No charge for the labor and about $15 for the various parts (turns out there is a new version of the spring in the bottom of the primer cup). It looks like I'm on my way back to silky smooth reloading again. The most expensive part of this process is the shipping charges.

 

Awesome news... Any chance of sharing the notes the tech gave you in detail or post PM Techs contact info. Would like to go over my machine to make sure I am doing all I can to decrease friction.
Thanks

 

Hey LowBrass, have you read & saved '40 years with the 366' yet ?
I was trying to copy and paste it here for you but I'm a retard and can't figure it out right now...
If you haven't read this article you need to !

 

Yessir I have, probably a good idea to save it to a thumb drive before it dissapears.. Was just wondering in particular the tech said..

 

Dropping the primer into the shell plate consistently is only a matter of having a good plastic piece on the primer drop tube and adjusting the tube length properly. If you do this the primers will drop 100% into the hole in the shell plate.

Getting the primer to drop from the shell plate into the seating holder can be much improved by cutting a relief in the right side of the holder. Beyond that you just need to establish a smooth return stroke so you do not pinch the primer between the shell plate and the holder. The spring under the disc in the holder will take a set and needs to be replaced occasionally.

The Hornady 366 primer system is probably the best mechanism for absolute reliability. The only negative is the in-line stack of primers directly above the the insertion point ( possible safety issue). I have never heard of a stack of primers going off in a Hornady 366 and I have been around shotshell reloading for almost fifty years.

 

Dropping the primer into the shell plate consistently is only a matter of having a good plastic piece on the primer drop tube and adjusting the tube length properly. If you do this the primers will drop 100% into the hole in the shell plate.

Getting the primer to drop from the shell plate into the seating holder can be much improved by cutting a relief in the right side of the holder. Beyond that you just need to establish a smooth return stroke so you do not pinch the primer between the shell plate and the holder. The spring under the disc in the holder will take a set and needs to be replaced occasionally.

The Hornady 366 primer system is probably the best mechanism for absolute reliability. The only negative is the in-line stack of primers directly above the the insertion point ( possible safety issue). I have never heard of a stack of primers going off in a Hornady 366 and I have been around shotshell reloading for almost fifty years.

I was not in a position to take notes during the call. I made a mental note that it was the improperly adjusted primer drop tube that was bending the shell plate. When the press comes back, I will count the number of turns the tube is showing above the primer tube lock nut. Once the shell plate is bent, there are all kinds of opportunity for friction and primer "cocking."

And Hornady is very good with communication. You can send them an email and start message traffic with their techs and I've even had them call me rather than do the email back and forth thing.

I assume you are aware of the special crimp die body for the AAHS hulls, it has a straight wall on the inside, as opposed to tapered for the AACF.

Was not aware of this "special crimp die"..... I wonder which one it comes with from the factory.. Im primarily using AAHS hulls