Share your hand loading mistakes!

[2ndtimer]

Well, I had the first problem on the new to me Hornady LNL AP today I was loading some 357 rounds, I was actually priming on the press which I have not wanted to do but figured I'd venture out on this run.
I was close to the end of the run when I was pushing in to prime the case, I felt resistance and pushed on and heard a very loud snap!!! I did deform the primer, but it did not explode it thank goodness I would not have wanted to use bleach to clean my clean room.
Upon inspection, I found that I broke the tip off of the sliding primer loader thingy. WTHHHHHH!!!!!

I guess I am going to find out how good Hornadys warranty is on Monday.

View attachment 1844908 View attachment 1844913

IF it was a Dillon, I wouldn't be worried one bit. With Hornady?

 

[Caveman Jim]

^^^He said Dillon…

 

[oremike]

You shouldn't have any trouble with Hornady's customer service.

 

[P7M13]

You shouldn't have any trouble with Hornady's customer service.

I'll second that.

Well, I had the first problem on the new to me Hornady LNL AP today I was loading some 357 rounds, I was actually priming on the press which I have not wanted to do but figured I'd venture out on this run.
I was close to the end of the run when I was pushing in to prime the case, I felt resistance and pushed on and heard a very loud snap!!! I did deform the primer, but it did not explode it thank goodness I would not have wanted to use bleach to clean my clean room.
Upon inspection, I found that I broke the tip off of the sliding primer loader thingy. WTHHHHHH!!!!!

I guess I am going to find out how good Hornadys warranty is on Monday.

View attachment 1844908 View attachment 1844913

Never had that one happen, but did note that the unit would bind on occasion. I fixed it with silicone spray and very light lube.
Betcha Hornady sends out a part ASAP.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I'll second that.


Never had that one happen, but did note that the unit would bind on occasion. I fixed it with silicone spray and very light lube.
Betcha Hornady sends out a part ASAP.

Yeah, this being one of the first times that I've actually primed on a progressive press, it was kind of intimidating with the amount of pressure to actuate the seating of the primer.
The very first time I tested the priming system after I received it there were a few times when I didn't push hard enough and the primer didn't seat all the way, so I was surprised at how much pressure I have to exert (pushing in) to get the primer seated properly.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I'll have to try the silicone spray/light lube. Thanks

 

[P7M13]

I'll have to try the silicone spray/light lube. Thanks

The other thing why you want only light lube (basically just a film) is any heavier and it attracts dirt/ powder. The LnL is *the* messiest press I worked on. No matter how gently I moved the press, the rotating of the platten would always have a jerk motion at one point, often spilling powder.
It would gunk up the primer feed, and eventually affect the glide on the shell plate (even though it has embedded bearings).
I got one of those cartridge CO2 blow-off units at HF. Every third or fourth pull of the arm, I'd jet off the working surface.

 

[oremike]

I don't use any spray or lube. I do stone off any burrs and very once in a while will lightly dust the slide surfaces with powdered graphite. The main thing it to keep the system operating room clean. If the slide is slow coming forward you can generally hear and see it being out of time. If you have to pull the primer tube assembly be sure to slide a business card under the end of the tube assembly to capture the primers also have a container handy to empty them into. I use my primer flip tray because eventually I'll want to put the primers back in the tube anyway.

Edited to add I keep a can of compressed air handy at every press as mentioned above.

 

[orygun]

I got one of those cartridge CO2 blow-off units at HF. Every third or fourth pull of the arm, I'd jet off the working surface.
View attachment 1845031

That's a great idea.
My opinion is the Dillon I have is a "dirty" operating press. I have a compressor handy, but the pressure and volume of air is a lot.
One of these little blasters cold be the ticket.

 

[P7M13]

That's a great idea.
My opinion is the Dillon I have is a "dirty" operating press. I have a compressor handy, but the pressure and volume of air is a lot.
One of these little blasters cold be the ticket.

The one problem with mine is once you start a new CO2 cartridge, it leaks over time, so it'll be empty in a week's time or less. I've contemplated using my spare air brush sprayer, but I'd want a better FRL because of the captive H2O in the compressed air.

 

[oremike]

The one problem with mine is once you start a new CO2 cartridge, it leaks over time, so it'll be empty in a week's time or less. I've contemplated using my spare air brush sprayer, but I'd want a better FRL because of the captive H2O in the compressed air.

I just use the canned air like this for cleaning keyboards.

Air In A Can S-6771 - Uline

Remove lint, dust and dirt from electronics, keyboards, computers. Extended nozzle cleans hard-to-reach places. Portable 12 oz. can recommended for warehouse and office use. Not available for sale in the following states: AK, HI, PR.ULINE offers over 41,000 boxes, plastic poly bags, mailing...

www.uline.com

 

[P7M13]

I just use the canned air like this for cleaning keyboards.

Air In A Can S-6771 - Uline

Remove lint, dust and dirt from electronics, keyboards, computers. Extended nozzle cleans hard-to-reach places. Portable 12 oz. can recommended for warehouse and office use. Not available for sale in the following states: AK, HI, PR.ULINE offers over 41,000 boxes, plastic poly bags, mailing...

www.uline.com

Office depot used to sell canned CO2. Haven't seen it in ages. The replacement, which goes on sale, supposedly has no CFCs, but have you ever ignited that stuff? Reminds me of Live and Let Die.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbNuEfbmFQg

 

[oremike]

Office depot used to sell canned CO2. Haven't seen it in ages. The replacement, which goes on sale, supposedly has no CFCs, but have you ever ignited that stuff?

No I keep fire away from my loading area.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Caveman be like, fire bad, tree pretty.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Then he be like RUN FOREST RUNNNNNN!!!

 

[Caveman Jim]

So seeing that I cannot prime on this press till the new part arrives, I'm going to prime on the RCBS APS. I'll install the large primer slide on the press just so I can load the rest of the 357.
Instead of going big or go home, I think I'm going to just concentrate on loading 250 for now then attack the other 250 later on.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Well, I had the first problem on the new to me Hornady LNL AP today I was loading some 357 rounds, I was actually priming on the press which I have not wanted to do but figured I'd venture out on this run.
I was close to the end of the run when I was pushing in to prime the case, I felt resistance and pushed on and heard a very loud snap!!! I did deform the primer, but it did not explode it thank goodness I would not have wanted to use bleach to clean my clean room.
Upon inspection, I found that I broke the tip off of the sliding primer loader thingy. WTHHHHHH!!!!!

I guess I am going to find out how good Hornadys warranty is on Monday.

View attachment 1844908 View attachment 1844913

AHAAAAA!!!
I found a video that addresses the very issue I ran in to.

View: https://youtu.be/vYsNVmYifXI?si=i7l_qCFyhGC1ZBZ-

 

[SuperBreed]

Yeah, had heard that about the Remington 6 1/2 primers. Have used thousands of CCI-400's without issues loading .223 Rem levels. Have noticed they flatten quicker than the BR-4 or 450's when working up to warmer loads, probably best to use the No. 41's or Fed AR Match or Rem 7 1/2 if desiring 5.56 NATO level loads. I still like the CCI-400's for plinking loads in .223.
I wonder if the 6 1/2's could hold up in .357 Magnum loads?

I loaded the 6 1/2s up in some 38 special, loaded with bullseye, medium load. They all went bang, and were accurate out of a Smith model 10-7. Was using a 125gr XTP, loaded using hornady data. Loaded and shot 100 of them. So they may work in 357.

 

[chadkboggs]

I blew up my Remington 30-06 because I mixed up powders. Wrote the load down for IMR 4350 and later changed my mind to IMR 4895, but didn't change the grain weight. BOOM! Brass looked like a long sock that wouldn't stay up all the way.

 

[Caveman Jim]

The other thing why you want only light lube (basically just a film) is any heavier and it attracts dirt/ powder. The LnL is *the* messiest press I worked on. No matter how gently I moved the press, the rotating of the platten would always have a jerk motion at one point, often spilling powder.
It would gunk up the primer feed, and eventually affect the glide on the shell plate (even though it has embedded bearings).
I got one of those cartridge CO2 blow-off units at HF. Every third or fourth pull of the arm, I'd jet off the working surface.
View attachment 1845031

I found a fix for your powder spilling on the AP. This guy addresses it really straightforward and it's so damn simple.

View: https://youtu.be/iVlW4C4ZVpk?si=qWhmtlyRhX3DeoqV