HORNADY Lock & load Progressive Ammo factory

[Nwcid]

I have not tried the LNL. The Dillon is tried and true for sure.

I have 2 of the RCBS 2000's and really like them. I got the first in the "kit" version for $299. I think they had it mis-marked because at the time most were selling it around $400 but I asked and that is what they wanted for it. I decided I needed a second progressive for when I was doing a lot of reloading of 2 different calibers this makes much easier change over. The only logical choice was another RCBS because I had all the pieces for it. Even with that I have had no real problems to speak of that were not operator error. I would have no reservations about buying another.

I can do about 4-500 rounds per hour pretty easy.

 

[deadshot2]

I'd go with the dillion--which is more expensive.

But in the end, is it? Look at the OP's comment where he has a "grand" invested in his less expensive machine. That's about the price of a 650 with case feeder.

As for broken hubs? What????? There's no reason for one of those to break, especially while sizing 9mm.

As for saving money, those that go "Hornady LNL" for that reason ought to consider looking at Dillons 550 basic. A press with all the bugs worked out without the frills. As you want and can afford, you can add the upgrades. No need to settle for second best just because you're short a "Benjamin" or two at the time. Start with a good BASE and work up from there.

 

[evltwn]

If you want to have several caliber changes set to go for your Dillon, it will NOT be inexpensive. Toolhead, toolhead stand, dies, conversion kit and powder measure rapidly run up the cost. As far as saving money goes, casting lead bullets offers the greatest savings when doing thousands of rounds. Of course, then you end up shooting them up, which starts the entire cycle of enjoyment all over again!

 

[mjbskwim]

See the stupid part is,if I wanted to,I could have bought the 1050 dillon.I had the money to do that.Anything under that was easily affordable.

I got the press for $350..360? on sale.The case feeder was $450otd+-.The plates for all the calibers I would be doing were about $30 a piece,at 5 different calibers that's $150
So where I got up to the 650 range was the extras,which I would have needed for the dillon also.
That's close enough to 1K for me.The Dillon 650 would have been about the same,but this one was right there and I didn't have to order it
(you know us cash terrorist don't like to order on line)
And I did buy a 550 also,with a bunch of extras.I will set up the L&L for one caliber and take some of the extra parts back.Then just use the 550 for the rest,with 223 coming out of the rockchucker

That is,if I ever get the primer slide to do it's job.

 

[no excuses]

I have a LNL AP and really like it, I have reloaded 1500 rounds through it so far of .40 S&W. Had to adjust a pawl once to get the timing right. I am running the hornady bullet feeder die with the tubes instead of the bullet feeder system(around $30, I am cheap lol). I have had to clean the primer system once, get a replacement set of bullet feeder collets (free, great customer service) and thats all I have had problems with. I have no problems with missing primers as I can feel when they are seating, I also use the white rod that came with the loader as a flag marker (marked it so I know when I am geting close to being out) and it also hangs up when it drops in the primer feeder. All in all I really like my LNL and would by another.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

Check in with Hornady. The problems you are having do not sound normal. I have an EARLY manufacture LNL AP with over 20,000 rounds on it, bought it because it seemed to have less damageable mechanical links and is a snap to change calibers.

If I decide to buy a second press (been considering it) I will go with another Hornady LNL AP.

 

[deadshot2]

That is,if I ever get the primer slide to do it's job.

Or you could do like I do with some calibers. Prep all the cases in advance, sizing and depriming on a single stage over a few weeks. Then put them all in the cleaning process, whatever you use, and when finished just hand prime them.

Leave the sizing die out of your setup or if needed to help locate the case on the shell plate, remove the depriming rod/expander and back off on the die a couple of turns. I do this when loading .308 on my progressive for "fun shooting ammo" when I go to a gravel pit and shoot golf balls or "dingle dangle" steel targets. By pre-priming the cases I get to give it a good once over for any splits or case head separations in progress.

 

[mjbskwim]

i have this link you to review. AR-MPR Phase III Hornady Lock-N-Load Loading 223 - YouTube
watch this and then give hornady a call if you need to.

Yeah....No,mine definitely doesn't work that smooth.The 223 cases are all prepped and should slide nice like this.But not so much.I see he did have to straighten a couple up though.

Now as far as the primers seating,some I can feel and others I can't.Maybe it is the brass for that but I did do all the primer pockets

So I'm guessing that,like my RCBS dies that some have use for 20 years,the newer stuff isn't as quality controlled as before.Hornady seems to really pushing themselves out there.
Maybe they need to just slow down a little?

I'll call in the morning and report back soon

 

[deadshot2]

Now as far as the primers seating,some I can feel and others I can't.Maybe it is the brass for that but I did do all the primer pockets

Refresh my memory. Are you "doing the primer pockets" on crimped brass? If so, with a drill bit, counter sink, or some other reamer? Or are you swaging.

It's hard to get a uniform primer pocket with any cutting tool unless it cuts the whole pocket. The crimping process can deform the pocket enough so it has a slight hourglass shape and just trimming out the sharp edge won't change this. Makes primers hard to seat.

With a swaging tool, make sure it's adjusted so the swaging punch leaves a radius on the primer pocket mouth.

 

[mjbskwim]

I'm using one of thes 5 station cleaners with the swaging bit.Lyman I believe
I run the brass on there till it turns smoothly.I may have some bad stuff,which is why I'm thinking of the hand prime idea,too

 

[Crashbox]

I've had my LnL AP for over two years now and I did have a couple of notable issues when I first got it. The primer shuttle needed some minor tweaking (primers would occasionally not feed) as well as both pawls. The LnL does seem to be finicky to get running properly but once I figured everything out, mine has been a very smooth-running press. I actually began my reloading hobby with this press (flame suit on).

I do wish the threading on the pawls was much finer than it is, so they wouldn't be so touchy to adjust!

 

[MarkAd]

Primer slide - use some quad 0 (0000) steel wool and polish the primer slide and slide guide, with the primer tube removed.
I also used a jeweler's file on my large primer slide to smooth and polish it a bit more. Used a round jeweler's file to polish the inside of primer slide hole. finished and smoothed with 1000 grit paper just cause i like shiny things.
I figure if it is smoother then factory i made it better. Seems to have worked for me.

 

[Crispy]

I got my Hornady L-N-L AP the day that you started this thread, I was concerned to say the least. I almost refused the package and sent it back. I could not resist having it sit on the porch, it was murder. I set it up and started running some loads through it, and then started to have some of the issues that you described. I was able to trouble shoot the issues and am pretty happy that I did not send it back. I will be slicking some of the moving parts as MarkAd has described, I like shiny things also.

 

[asorum]

I'm not sure what to expect with my press. Just bought a new LNL AP and broke the drive hub on the very first .223 case put into it yesterday. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come. Hornady told me that the hub is a weak link to prevent damage to the overall press, if it is overloaded. The force involved with the lubed .223 case makes me think the part was flawed at the start. We see if this was a good idea...

 

[speedtriple]

I have done 1000s of .223 with no breakage at all. Hard to imagine what would put so much force on the drive hub. When did it break? During rotation? During the the sizing? The only time I feel drag during the rotation phase, is if I did not get the primer seated deep enough. The primer drags on the casting below the shell plate and adds to the rotation resistance. I bought a new drive hub when I bought the press to have as a backup three years ago. Guess it was good insurance, as I have never needed it... knock on wood.

 

[asorum]

When did it break? During rotation? During the the sizing?

That's the part that concerned me. It was the first case out of the resizing die. It was lubed and the force didn't amount to anything noticeable. It just went thunk. I have reloaded several thousand rounds through my Rockchucker and should have a feel for a stuck case. Hope it doesn't happen again, I think the thing was cracked to start. Hornady is supposed to mail a new part and I just ordered an extra from Midland...

 

[MarkAd]

I broke the drive hub on mine recently. Took the external parts off the press, called hornady on the issue, shipped it to them and they replaced it and shipped it back. They say there was a known issue with some drive hubs, but they changed the parts mfg for that part, If I recall correctly.
Myhub broke when I was doing 45's I heard a dragging sound and then clunk and it was broken.
My inspection showed nothing on shell plate except a few grains((flanks) of powder. The primers were seated.
Anyway call hornady get an RMA, Be sure to ask them to pay for the shipping as yours is brand new.

Also build a parts kit for yourself. I did this so when a part breaks I change it and am back up in short order. Then I call hornady and tell the part broke and I need a repair part. They are real good about that.

Parts kit
primer Cam guide
the plastic that holds the primer cam in place
at least one of each spring including the powder measure
a 3 pack of shell plate retainer springs
2 pawls
2 pawl springs
The needed allen wrenches 0 i keep them in a CCI mini-mag box

Also keep a can of air to blow off the powder bits once in a while

 

[deadshot2]

Sounds like Hornady took their design training from Lee. Lee uses that stupid little plastic ratchet to keep from destroying things in their press when something goes wrong.

Funny though, Dillon doesn't seem to have this problem. Maybe there's a reason for those extra dollars you pay

There's nothing worse than having something break in the middle of a loading session then having to wait until a repair part arrives 3-5 days later. Worse yet, it's annoying when that "flaw" was engineered in from the beginning (or it's just an excuse they've come up with for a problem they didn't forsee from the beginning).

 

[gehrheart]

Interesting read.

I grew up reloading with the Dllion, the 550 and the 650. Father has both and I did enjoy them. I will not say they are with out problems as they have gone back to the factory many times over the many many years for rebuild. As well as lots of little things (lots of little parts on them there units) that have been changed.
I will say they are fine units and anyone that owns one should be happy. 10s of thousands by 10s of thousands of rounds have been through both those machines.

I had to be different, I own the LnL set up... And very happy with it. thousands of rounds latter I still have not had a single problem with it that I didn't induce. So far nothing broken and not failures that I didn't cause. When I get into the grove i push out 500 rounds an hour with it. I have never cleaned the primer feed, I put it on and forgot about it. I have had to clean and dry lube the slide about every couple thousand rounds.
I have nothing but good to say about the LnL and have not regretted being different then what I grew up with. I didn't buy it save money, as really.. it is all about the same. I have not however been impressed with Horny's dies!! The .45acp ones have been great, but I have been having issues with all the bottle necked ones, on the LnL or the single stage. I have been switching to reddings dies as of late.
I would be interested in what they will/or wont do with you from the customer service end. Reading through the internet I have seen major problems from both the blue and the red brands andhave seen nothing but great service from both.
You might have got a lemon..

I for one am very happy with it, can toss out a thousand rounds in a couple hours with no hang ups. With the bushing system, I can have cal. changes in less then a minuet not counting new powder charge set up. I have plenty of extra primer charge tubes so will usually have about thousand primers already loaded in tubes. I marked the fiberglass rod with a red sharpie to give warning when down to just a few. then dump another hundred and continue.

 

[XSubSailor]

I own two LNL's of different vintage...I bought the first one new and liked it so much, I bought another on eBay for $170...It was one of their first (Ser. N. 0060). I upgraded it to an EZ-ject model and Hornady replaced a couple worn parts I called in free of charge. I have one set up for small primers and the other for large primers.

With all due respect, if you are breaking drive hubs or indexing pawls, you're forcing something. You can't jerk the handle up and down like you're pumping nickels into a slot machine. Smooth and consistent (does not equate to slow) press operation will produce better ammo and provide the necessary tactile feedback to quickly detect a problem before you break something. Here are a couple things that can cause the press to jam press during hub rotation:

-The primer was not completely punched out of the case by the de-priming pin. This can be caused by improperly setting the de-priming pin penetration on the sizing die. It can also occur when de-priming military brass with crimped primer pockets. What happens is that the force against the crimped primers forces the de-priming pin to slip back into its collet rather than punching out the primer all the way.

-Similarly, if the primer is not fully seated, the case with the protruding primer will remain captured in the primer slide when the hub attempts to rotate. This may occur if the primers are not a good fit for the brass you are using...it's a fact, some primer/brass combinations are tighter or looser fit than others. Again, crimped primers that are not properly reamed/swaged are a frequent cause.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS: DON'T FORCE ANYTHING. IF YOU FEEL UNDUE RESISTANCE, STOP AND INVESTIGATE. In the situations I describe above, it may be necessary to loosen/remove the shellplate with the ram in an intermediate position in order to free the interfering case.

For me, part of the hobby is learning and constantly refining and improving my process. Once you thoroughly understand the mechanics of the press and have diagnosed a few of these issues yourself, you will learn how to avoid them in the first place, and quickly solve them if they occur again.

In the beginning, I'd be less concerned about speed and more concerned about correct procedure. Speed with come in time and you will settle into a pace that is comfortable and efficient for you.