Lucas McDennis
Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 22
Most of my loading experience has been on a pair of Lee Load Masters. I have learned how to keep them running well, and I like them a lot, but heard so many good things about the Hornady press that I just had to have one.
After a little playing around with my new Hornady, my first volume production run was on 7.62x39R, and the press worked great. The Hornady powder measure was very consistent and trouble-free in dropping 18.5 grains of IMR 4227 for the load I like to use (yes, it cycles the SKS action just fine).
My next major loading project was .45 acp. That went well too, using the RCBS powder check, and the Hornady powder measure performed tolerably well (though not superbly) with 5.5 grains of Titegroup (maybe not the best powder for the particular load, but I have 8 pounds of it to shoot up, and it works well enough).
Unfortunately, I hit a couple serious snags on loading .357 mag. One problem is that, for me, the powder measure is extremely erratic in dropping 3.4 grains of Trail Boss. For this powder, I get best results without the baffle, but it's still not good. It never over-charges, but sometimes under-charges enough for the RCBS powder-check to catch it. That's bad. I finally switched to the Lee powder measure, which meters Trail Boss superbly (and is generally much easier to work with than the Hornady). There's another problem I have with the Hornady powder measure, but that's related to the more critical problem detailed below.
The big problem SEEMS to be that the loose-tolerance #6 shell plate, which handles 7.62x39R so well, is a bit sloppy for .357 mag cases. They're not being held accurately enough to always enter the dies (or maybe there’s something else going on?). It's not an indexing problem. The indexing is spot on, and locks up tight. But about 1 in 4 cases will be misaligned enough radially to miss the opening to the sizing die, locking the press. If I force it, I of course destroy the brass. I have to back off and guide the case into the die by hand.
I was having the same alignment problem with the Hornady powder drop, until switching to the Lee, which definitely is more forgiving of alignment tolerance. Next comes the RCBS powder check. It often hangs on the case mouth, though this is more rare; maybe one out of 10 cases. That only happens on the LoadMasters when I have an indexing problem, which is exceedingly rare.
Finally, with the full wadcutter bullets I'm playing with now for revolvers, I have to manually guide each one into the seating die to avoid misalignment problems. Again, I don’t have this problem with the Lee LoadMaster machines when the indexing is working right.
So, with brass fed automatically, for full speed operation I would need one hand to crank the press, one to feed and hold the bullet, one to align the brass to the sizer, and one to align the brass to the powder check. That's four hands, and I only have two, so loading .357 is a slow process for me. Faster than a turret press, but lots slower than the Load-Master.
Talked to "Bob" in customer service at Hornady, who said he'd send another #6 shell plate and retainer spring just to see what happens, but he seemed genuinely interested in finding a solution. The new shellplate and a pair of springs arrived today (FREE of course; Hornady has a good reputation for customer service), but I’m still having the same alignment problem.
For now I can just load my .357’s on one of the Loadmasters, but that’s what I shoot the highest volume of, and it would be nice if I could get the Hornady sorted out for it.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
After a little playing around with my new Hornady, my first volume production run was on 7.62x39R, and the press worked great. The Hornady powder measure was very consistent and trouble-free in dropping 18.5 grains of IMR 4227 for the load I like to use (yes, it cycles the SKS action just fine).
My next major loading project was .45 acp. That went well too, using the RCBS powder check, and the Hornady powder measure performed tolerably well (though not superbly) with 5.5 grains of Titegroup (maybe not the best powder for the particular load, but I have 8 pounds of it to shoot up, and it works well enough).
Unfortunately, I hit a couple serious snags on loading .357 mag. One problem is that, for me, the powder measure is extremely erratic in dropping 3.4 grains of Trail Boss. For this powder, I get best results without the baffle, but it's still not good. It never over-charges, but sometimes under-charges enough for the RCBS powder-check to catch it. That's bad. I finally switched to the Lee powder measure, which meters Trail Boss superbly (and is generally much easier to work with than the Hornady). There's another problem I have with the Hornady powder measure, but that's related to the more critical problem detailed below.
The big problem SEEMS to be that the loose-tolerance #6 shell plate, which handles 7.62x39R so well, is a bit sloppy for .357 mag cases. They're not being held accurately enough to always enter the dies (or maybe there’s something else going on?). It's not an indexing problem. The indexing is spot on, and locks up tight. But about 1 in 4 cases will be misaligned enough radially to miss the opening to the sizing die, locking the press. If I force it, I of course destroy the brass. I have to back off and guide the case into the die by hand.
I was having the same alignment problem with the Hornady powder drop, until switching to the Lee, which definitely is more forgiving of alignment tolerance. Next comes the RCBS powder check. It often hangs on the case mouth, though this is more rare; maybe one out of 10 cases. That only happens on the LoadMasters when I have an indexing problem, which is exceedingly rare.
Finally, with the full wadcutter bullets I'm playing with now for revolvers, I have to manually guide each one into the seating die to avoid misalignment problems. Again, I don’t have this problem with the Lee LoadMaster machines when the indexing is working right.
So, with brass fed automatically, for full speed operation I would need one hand to crank the press, one to feed and hold the bullet, one to align the brass to the sizer, and one to align the brass to the powder check. That's four hands, and I only have two, so loading .357 is a slow process for me. Faster than a turret press, but lots slower than the Load-Master.
Talked to "Bob" in customer service at Hornady, who said he'd send another #6 shell plate and retainer spring just to see what happens, but he seemed genuinely interested in finding a solution. The new shellplate and a pair of springs arrived today (FREE of course; Hornady has a good reputation for customer service), but I’m still having the same alignment problem.
For now I can just load my .357’s on one of the Loadmasters, but that’s what I shoot the highest volume of, and it would be nice if I could get the Hornady sorted out for it.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.