pre purchase question about LNL hornady ap press

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bhhacker

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Hello,


Ive been using a single stage lee loader press for a while, and would like to ramp up my reloading. I am looking into the lee pro 1000 or the hornady LNL ap press. It looks like with the lee 1000 i can get bullet and case auto loaders for relatively cheap while the hornady has ones that are like 250-300 a pop.

My question is, is there a lower cost alternative for the hornady? Something that is maybe not electric and tube fed? Thanks for your time.
 
The best way to preface my response is to say I've never used the Hornady LNL AP. In my experience, progressive presses, like every other machine, are not created equal. I have a MEC progressive shotshell reloader that's about 35 years old, It's progressive, although it doesn't index automatically, but it's not particularly fast.
I reloaded pistol calibers on two Lee Pro 1000 presses for over 15 years. All criticisms to the contrary notwithstanding, the Pro 1000 is a perfectly serviceable press, if one is willing to master its quirks. It IS fully progressive, and will do well if it's kept very clean and certain other rules are followed.
I reload pistol and .223 now on a Dillon XL650. It's a fine machine that comes with a fine price tag. Among other things, that price includes a pretty unbeatable warranty, which includes (although I've never had to invoke it) replacing stuff destroyed through egregious user error. I bought it because I didn't care for the idea of reloading bottleneck rifle ammo on the Pro 1000. I don't regret my decision, or my decision to sell the Pro 1000s, even though the Dillon is complete overkill for the amount I shoot nowadays.
From my reading, I'd say that the Hornady would serve very well as a progressive. It seems to have its own quirks, but they all do.
 
I use the hornady bullet feeder die, with a plastic tube stuck in that hold25-30 bullets at a time. Then load cases by hand. I might buy the case feeder sometime but maybe not.

If you look hard enough you'll find guys that retrofit every type of contraption to work on every press, so you can have best of dillon, hornady and all others.

Hornady has a warranty equal to the dillon, excellent. They answer the phone and they send out parts no questions asked.
 
I did a lot of research before I purchased my Dillon xl650 last month. I am very pleased with my decision. I have built my own case feeder for it. The xl650 had everything built on it to feed cases from the tube with it. I just had to build an electric feeder to keep the case tube full.
 
Look at the Lee Loadmaster, it's on par with the Hornady but a lot less money. Uses the same case and bullet feeders as the pro 1000
 
Look at the Lee Loadmaster, it's on par with the Hornady but a lot less money.
Click to expand...

No they are not. They are not even close. I've ran both and owned both. My Lee progressives have been reduced to depriming duties and my LNL-AP is carrying the full load and doing it with ease. I bought the case feeder for my AP and it runs fantastic on 9mms. I pull the shuttle off the feeder so I can hand feed the other calibers that I don't load so much.

I ran Lee progressive presses for 22years so I think I qualified to make these statements.
 
Don't want to start an argument. I've picked up a new one and have ran 4ooo trouble free rounds through it in the last week. Maybe I just got a good one.

BTW I've been running Lee equipment since 1977
 
Horse,
No Argument and no problem. My Lee progressives ran ok for a while when they were new but that didn't last long. The more I ran them them the more problems I had with them.

This Hornady of mine has close to 12K 9mms through it so far and I haven't had to do anything to it except readjust my case feeder shuttle once.

I think I have an exceptional Hornady press, the primer system is flawless, and the case feeder has been as good as I could hope for. The only thing that screws it up is a 40 S&W going down the small feeder tube and getting stuck in it when I'm loading 9mms. My fault completely.

I can't remember ever loading over 200 rounds at a time with out problems from my Lee's. I would just get them cleaned out and running perfect and the next time I use it, back to problems. I thought all progressives were this way but when I bought the LNL-AP, boy did I get my eyes opened as to what I was missing.
I wish you luck with yours and hope it serves you well. Be good.
 
My buddy and i both have single stage presses currently and were looking to pool our resources to buy something that loads a little faster.

We are looking in the 400ish price range right now which pretty much takes Dillon out of the race currently doesnt it? the Dillon stuff ive seen even used is running about double what we are looking to spend. We were hoping to spend 400, maybe 500 on a new or used press and have some of the fancy equipment that makes life easier too.

It looks like with the pro 1000 we can do that pretty easily, with the LNL press, we are pretty much just covering the press itself with no extras am i right?
 
Buy once, cry once with the Hornady L-N-L. If cash is an issue, postpone the case feeder until the coffers are filled again.

I do not use a case feeder on my Hornady L-N-L and do not feel I am missing anything.
 
bhhacker, get the most expensive 500 bullets for free and trade for reloading items you want or use the bullets. I load for .308 so subtracting the cost of bullets from LNL AP brings it down to low $300s.

As to case feeder, they are indeed pricy but you can use Lee's 4 column case feeder on the LNL AP. Here's one example
[YOUTUBE]YzGUu6jPGyo[/YOUTUBE]
 
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The LnL is a great press. You need to keep powder granules out of the primer shuttle but other than that, I've had absolutely no problems in 4-5K rounds loaded.

I would ask how much you are loading, if you want a case feeder. I load very leisurely, frequently verifying powder weights on my scale and using only one primer tube, and I can put down 200 rounds an hour. This includes boxing up ammo and reloading the primers every 100 rounds. If I were aggressive I could probably do at least 300-350, once everything is dialed in.

IMHO if you are shooting enough to warrant automatic feeders, I'm curious how an extra hundred or two on the press is an issue as you're burning through a lot of expense in components that it would seem to be a minor issue.
 
My LnL is a real workhorse. I have owned it for several years and the only complaint I have is that is takes longer to change calibers than the Blue brand. But it cost about half as much. As noted, you must keep the primer shuttle clean, but you should do that anyway, with the whole press.

I have loaded .223, 38spl, .357, 9mm, and .45acp on mine and have not had significant problems once the dies are adjusted. I usually keep it set up to run .45.

I have never owned a Lee press, so I cannot speak to their quality or production.
 
TG Tiger, no problem. Guess I'm like you, luck of the draw. The priming system is the weak link on progressives, again like you mine is a dream, 4000 rounds and all I did was keep things full and put bullets on top of the cases, Gotta love it when things line up. Only problem I've ever had with Lee stuff is trying to drop vary small charges using the adjustable charge bar with a pro auto disk. They work great with the standard auto disk powder measure, just not the pro


Be good and keep safe
 
My LNL-AP is 6+ yrs old now. Have been running flawless for years. Once you get every thing adj as it should be there is no tinkering to keep it running. It just works. I have loaded over 35k rounds through mine. I added the brass feeder a year after I bought it. This was needed because I broke my left wrist and was down to 1 hand and was still shooting and reloading. Glad I did now all I have to do is check for powder and set a bullet on. Really speeds up the round count. Change over is less than 5 min including primer size change. I run with the PTX and have powder dies for my pistol caliber so I do not have to adj the PTX Stop.

Like every thing mechanical, for optimal operation every thing must be set right to run trouble free. If so you get 100% flawless operation.

I did some timed test with bullet sitting vs non collator. It's actually faster to set the bullet than to load tubes. With the brass feeder that's the only function my left hand does.
 
Rico, he hit the nail square on the head ! All brands have their quirks !
Brand name is mostly opinion, I purchased the hornady lnl ap after reading ridiculous amounts of reviews. I've never owned a lee personally but I learned on a friends. I did not have a problem with the lee. Once I set up my lnl and took the time to dial it in, learn it and its adjustments I have been very pleased with my decision. In my opinion it is well made and stout, a huge plus for me, I'm use to working on large equipment and have a habit of being gentle :rolleyes
I'm sure any press will serve its purpose for you. I wouldn't worry so much about the auto feeders so much, I can still crank out more than I could shoot in a trip at the range, even relaxing and enjoying the hobby.
 
I love my Hornady LnL progressive. Super quick to change between calibers. I started with the Lee single O frame and still use that to remove the bullet when needed and loss my 338 Lapua mag. I have mostly Lee dies as well. Extra parts are inexpensive and plentiful. I've never seen the need for the case and bullet feeders, I like to do one last manual inspection. My two cents
 
Ok and it looks like along with purchasing this kit, i just need to buy maybe a 10 pack of those bushings, a shell plate holder, and I can use standard dies for 40 cal right?

My dies dont have a powder through expander, so i just use the stock powder tube for right now and visually check the powder before putting bullet in at last station right?


Should anything else be purchased while im getting free shipping that will make my life easier? :p
 
I just used a long screw on the leg of mu bench and keep the shell plates in factory package and hang em on the screw.
The led light strip is great for me and allows me to see the operation better. It's cheep too at 15$. While I use the stock case activated powder drop and keep a watchful eye on every case through the function, especially befor I seat the bullet. Pickup some powder graphite to treat the inside of the powder measure after you CLEAN it VERY well :D and do yourself a favor and search for the videos on you tube from 76highboy. There are a few he posted and they are very VERY helpful for you to learn all the adjustments and tips for smooth operation of the entire system.
The case prep trio works well and so does the reemers and pocket cleaners
Hornady one shot is excellent too.
Don't forget a scale if you don't have one already :D
 
Oh and the lnl ap progressive kit comes with the pistol and rifle meter drums and inserts. Don't worry about the hopper drain tube they sell, it's not needed IMO
 
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