Anybody use the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP?

[Guy B. Meredith]

What is the serial number on the Hornadys that are having primer difficulties? The old primer system had its moments and did not like to let loose of the last primer, but the new system for serial numbers 7000 and higher is quite different. I installed it on my very old LNL and it runs without a hitch.

 

[Bronson7]

Big Jake, are you sure about that? I was almost positive that the 650 was a five station press allowing the use of a powder checker.
Bronson7

 

[Cortland]

I was almost positive that the 650 was a five station press allowing the use of a powder checker.

You can do powder check with the 650, normally:

1: Resize
2: Bell/charge
3: Check
4: Seat
5: Crimp

He was talking about powder checking with a Hornady LnL measure on a 650. It can be done with:

1: Resize
2: Bell
3: Charge
4: Check
5: Seat/crimp

Which would the same procedure as a LnL AP, but here of course you lose the ability to powder check AND seat and crimp separately.

 

[robctwo]

I went through the process of comparing and reading. ended up with the Lock-n-Load. Have had it for a couple of years. Loaded mostly 9mm and .40 at first. Some .380. Recently loaded up a bunch of rifle for the 300 wsm, .308 and .243.

I have not liked the spring cartridge ejector and took it off. I do like the automatic case feeder when loading pistol. I have had no trouble with the primer system unless it gets dirty. I think the powder system is fantastic. I got the micometer for pistol. Considering it for rifle.

I found that I can load rifle rounds one at a time to get the same control as with a single stage.

The Hornady is strong enough to bump the collars back on the 300 wsm which turns out to be an issue with that round, especially in a BAR.

I have used the Hornady dies for pistol. I seem to be gravitating to RCBS dies for rifle.

My friend got started with the Lee progressive. I have loaded some pistol on it. I really do not like the priming system on that press. The Hornady seems to be a much more substantial machine.

I have not operated any of the other presses. I think that if I were starting out again I'd try to find people in the area with a variety of presses and run them all.

I would buy another lock-n-load in an instant.

 

[1911 TERRY]

I use the LNL bushings in my RCBS rockchucker. So far I've got them set up on 3 different pistol calibers. Sure make changes a snap with virtually no set up time.

 

[Cortland]

Yeah, I use a LnL conversion bushing on my Lee Classic Cast and I've shimmed the bushing so that I can move dies between the Lee and my LnL AP without adjustment. It's really slick.

 

[LHB1]

Regardless of press chosen

Eddie,
You probably know this but would strongly suggest NOT loading 500-2000 rounds of a given load UNTIL you have tested and proven the load to be safe, functional, and satisfactory. I shudder to even think of trying to pull bullets, dump powder, and reload that quantity of ammo.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Thanks Cortland, yes that's what I meant.

Referring to using the hornady powder measure and case activated operating linkage:

The above method assumes using the case to activate (operate) the hornady powder measure in a dillon press and it will work and Hornady makes a good powder measure.

On some forum somewhere, I've seen pictures posted by someone who had several dillon die plates set up with the hornady case activated linkage, but I think he had rcbs uniflow measures on them (the hornady case activated linkage will work with either, in fact rcbs sells a linkage almost identical to Hornady's, but it is more expensive). He had even painted all his uniflow bodies (the cast part around the drum) Dillon blue!

The same Lyman powder through expander die that folks have used the parts from to add expansion capability to the Hornady powder die, can also be used as it comes from Lyman, and a powder measure screwed directly into the top of it (it has female 7/8-14 threads on the top), and operated manually. It has hollow expander inserts for most handgun calibers, and a universal, non-expanding insert.

Finally one more possibility to use a hornady powder measure, case activated, with powder check and separate seat and crimp dies in 5 stations is this: you could modify a powder check die by lengthening the rod that senses the powder height, and mount it on top of that same Lyman powder through expander die. Only this way, the die stations would be set up as follows:

1. resize
2. dump powder
3. expand case mouth & powder check
4. seat bullet
5. crimp

Note that case mouth expansion happens after powder drop. Assuming the powder charge does not have to be compressed to seat the bullet, this should not cause any problems, should it?

Andy

 

[BluesBear]

He had even painted all his uniflow bodies (the cast part around the drum) Dillon blue!

That would be our member 44and45.
He posted pics of his layout in this thread.

Note that case mouth expansion happens after powder drop. Assuming the powder charge does not have to be compressed to seat the bullet, this should not cause any problems, should it?

Perhaps it could.
Especially with the RCBS expanders that are a little bit longer than Lyman, Hornady or Redding. They could compress the powder charge OR they could even pickup a few individual granules of powder from one charge and deposit them in the next.

If you have good lighting over your press, you should be able to look inside the case before you seat the bullet.
Because surely you aren't relying solely on a powder check die are you?

If you simply must have a powder check die then you need to determine which is more impostant to you;
Using a better powder measure or seating and crimping in separate operations.

Of course you could just go ahead and get a Dillon 1050. With eight stations you'll have plenty of room.

 

[cbsbyte]

Primer feeding problem is fixed

cbsbyte,

Raise your press immediately to Hornady's attention. Their customer service has done very well by me.

I called up Hornady and spoke with two techs including the designer of the press who was able to determine the source of problem and help me easily fix it over the phone. The problem was with an misaligned part which was probably loosened during shipping. It would not have been something I would have discoverd myself unless I accidently stumbled across it. The press now works great.

Charles