Help set-up a Hornady LNL correctly

[rabid_rob]

I'm about to plunk down for a Hornaday LNL progressive press, primarly for reloading .38 Special rounds with 148g wadcutters, and have a few questions:

(1) Which type of dies are the ideal set-up for the five stations?
#1: resizer die
#2: expander die
#3: powder checker "comp?" die
#4: bullet seating die
#5: crimp die

(2) Does the LNL provides for depriming and new primer seating on #1, or how does that work?

(3) Is it right to use the powder drop with the expander die? Do I need a special expander die to work with the case-activated powder drop on the LNL?

(4) I've read you can seat and crimp on the same die, but I think it would be better to seat with one die, and then do a final crimp with a second die...is this right?

(5) Taper or roll crimp on 148g wadcutters? Do all crimp dies provide both styles?

(6) Any other hints or tips are welcome.

 

[Sunray]

Read the manual, but the way you've listed it is required.
"...Taper or roll crimp on 148g wadcutters?..." Crimping isn't required. WC's are target bullets. Crimping is detrimental to accuracy. Case mouth pressure is enough.
"...is this right?..." Yes and no. I've always seated and crimped .45's with one die, but .45's need taper crimping. Aids feeding. Taper crimping is used for cases that headspace on the case mouth. Straight walled, semi-auto cartridges, mostly. .45ACP, 9mm, etc. A roll crimp is used on rimmed cartridges using hot loads and rimmed rifle cartridges used in a lever action.
"...Do all crimp dies provide both styles?..." Nope. Two different dies. A taper crimp die will be stamped as such.
"...how does that work?..." According to Hornady's site, the primer feed system works with the up and down stroke of the ram. The slide gets the primer at the top of the stroke and inserts it at the bottom. Clever fellows those Hornady engineers.
2.5 to 2.8 grains of Bullseye has been the standard target load for 148 grain WC's for eons. You will find that swaged HBWC bullets are more accurate than cast too. They're a bit more expensive, but not by much.
Also, if you're shooting .38's out of a .357 revolver, using .357 brass will eliminate the lube gunk build up in the cylinders. .357 dies are required, of course. Doesn't affect anything else either. Been doing it for years in my GP100.