Odd problem with Hornady Micro-Adjust seating stem...

[Harriw]

Hey folks,

I use Hornady dies pretty much exclusively, and always (eventually) splurge for the micro-adjust seating stem add-on. It makes it SO much easier to go back and forth between different bullets, tweak the seating depth just so, etc.

I just got new dies for .45acp, so of course I got the micro-adjust for that seating stem too. I set everything up, dialed in my COAL, made sure everything plunks, etc. Went back today to continue, and discovered that the numbering on the thumb-knob is actually backwards..... This means that when you thread the knob out (increasing COAL), the first digit (shown on the shaft) increases, but the 2nd and 3rd digits DECREASE... Needless to say, this makes for some really wonky and counter-intuitive numbers as you thread the die in and out. I have several of these installed on other calibers so I double-checked my existing micro-adjusters and sure enough... the numbering on this one is backwards.

Has anybody else noticed this? I'm going to give Hornady a call in the morning and I'm sure they'll send out a replacement. I'm not concerned or anything - it just really surprised me that one showed up numbered backwards when I already have several of them numbered correctly. Not sure what in their manufacturing process would change suddenly to make that happen.

 

[AJC1]

Hey folks,

I use Hornady dies pretty much exclusively, and always (eventually) splurge for the micro-adjust seating stem add-on. It makes it SO much easier to go back and forth between different bullets, tweak the seating depth just so, etc.

I just got new dies for .45acp, so of course I got the micro-adjust for that seating stem too. I set everything up, dialed in my COAL, made sure everything plunks, etc. Went back today to continue, and discovered that the numbering on the thumb-knob is actually backwards..... This means that when you thread the knob out (increasing COAL), the first digit (shown on the shaft) increases, but the 2nd and 3rd digits DECREASE... Needless to say, this makes for some really wonky and counter-intuitive numbers as you thread the die in and out. I have several of these installed on other calibers so I double-checked my existing micro-adjusters and sure enough... the numbering on this one is backwards.

Has anybody else noticed this? I'm going to give Hornady a call in the morning and I'm sure they'll send out a replacement. I'm not concerned or anything - it just really surprised me that one showed up numbered backwards when I already have several of them numbered correctly. Not sure what in their manufacturing process would change suddenly to make that happen.

Got some of that 4pm on a Friday product????

 

[Harriw]

Got some of that 4pm on a Friday product????

Yeah, something like that.... But these numbers are laser cut... It's not the kind of thing that "4pm Friday" could mess up. I'd be shocked if that wasn't all done via a CNC program of some sort?

 

[AJC1]

Yeah, something like that.... But these numbers are laser cut... It's not the kind of thing that "4pm Friday" could mess up. I'd be shocked if that wasn't all done via a CNC program of some sort?

I was kidding as it's probably a Lazer engraver. It's possible to do a simple invert function with the software, but why would they????

 

[Harriw]

Here's the "offending" micro-adjust stem. The "2" and "3" on the upper knob should be the other way around. You can't see them obviously, but the other numbers on the knob are all backwards. You can see as you back the knob out the number on the stem will increase, but the number on the knob will decrease.

 

[Harriw]

I was kidding as it's probably a Lazer engraver. It's possible to do a simple invert function with the software, but why would they????

Exactly!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I was kidding as it's probably a Lazer engraver. It's possible to do a simple invert function with the software, but why would they????

Setup piece?

 

[Atavar]

I’ll have to look at mine. I never really paid attention to the numbers on the knob, just counted divisions.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

You just made me make a trip to the reloading room to look at all my Micrometer dies. They all (Lyman, Redding, and RCBS) count the proper way.
Unscrew them and the number increases.
That Micrometer of yours would make a good gag gift for reloaders!
If it were mine Hornady would definately get a phone call and pictures emailed to them.
We use Lazer printers where I work and one push of one button will reverse the print on the job. Someone must have fat fingered the software screen when setting up the job.

 

[Harriw]

Yeah, I'll definitely be calling Hornady. They've always stood by their stuff im my experience so I'm sure they'll send out a replacement... but I'll hold on to this one for the reloading museum, lol.

Hard to tell from the picture, but the adjustment knob is also drilled and threaded a bit crooked. Not the end of the world, but also not your typical Hornady quality. May very well be a 4pm Friday job, lol.