Russian Primer Hoard from 2009 seating issues

[Master Blaster]

Last Month I broke open a case of Wolf Large pistol primers from 2009. This was part of the Sandy Hook Obama panic stash. I have two different presses. A Hornady LNL AP I have owned since 2006, and a Dillon RL 550b. Currently I am loading .45 acp on the Hornady, and .44 magnum on the Dillon.

The LNL has always required 3x more force to seat a large primer than the Dillon. Over the years I have changed and adjusted the primer punch and slide on the Hornady and it is still harder to seat primers than on the Dillon.

I am finding that the Russian primers are extremely difficult to seat on the LNL, many do not seat flush even with extreme force on the handle.

So I tried them on the Dillon and they seat easily and fully with little effort.

Conclusion only use them on the Dillon press.

Why doe it take so much effort to seat a primer on the LNL? The LNL is a larger Ram and should have more mechanical advantage than the Dillon.

What gives?

 

[Charlie98]

I have that problem with my ProJector... the predecessor to the LNL... again, only with large pistol primers. Very often, and particularly with .41 brass, I will have to take the completed rounds and fully seat the primer with my RCBS hand primer. I have adjusted the primer ram up (it was probably due for an adjustment, anyway, after 25 years...) and that has helped, and I should probably work with it a little more. What I don't have is resistance... it is no more harder to seat a LP primer than any other, given a properly sized pocket.

It looks like the new LNL has a different type primer feed, but it works the same basic way the old ProJ does, the leverage is not that great at the top of the lever stroke (mechanical disadvantage.) Are you able to adjust the primer ram height up any?

 

[Jake in TX]

I would theorize there is quite a difference in the linkage configuration between the two presses, resulting in greater leverage with the RL 550b than the LNL AP. Have you tried both the .44 magnum and the .45 ACP with the LNL AP? I believe there would be very similar results there, just as there were very similar results with the RL 550b.

Jake in TX

 

[243winxb]

Case tilt?

Can the Hornady shell plate be tightened down like my old dillon? When the primer first makes contact with the case, does the case tilt. The primer not being seated straight?

May only be a few degrees.

 

[FROGO207]

Your original problem is that those primers are made to metric specs and as such are a scritch larger diameter than US made ones. This makes them much harder to seat. especially on a progressive press.I use this to my advantage when I have loose primer pockets though. I can get one or more additional reloads with metric primers before I have to recycle my brass and that appeals to the cheap SOB that I am.

 

[Master Blaster]

Having owned and loaded 40,000 rounds on this press since I bought it in 2006, I think it's a design flaw. The priming takes place at the outer edge of the base plate, and it causes the base plate assembly to rack when pressure is exerted on the handle., the slide is prone to misalignment when powder flakes or other debris fall there. I have replaced the primer punch and keep the shell plate tight. It's been an intermittent annoyance the whole 14 years I have owned the press.

 

[Master Blaster]

Just curious how many folks are using the #45 shellplate, versus the #1 plate for .45 acp. If you are using the #45 or have switched has it made any difference to priming effort or reliability?

Thanks

 

[Blue68f100]

I've been using the #45 since the start. So I don't have a comparison.

 

[243winxb]

rack

Like flex? The early Hornadys needed shims .
Google shims at ar15.com

https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/...y_Lock_N_Load_AP_progressive_press/42-414607/

 

[Walkalong]

I tried the original #1 shell plate with .45 ACP, but it didn't work well, so I got the #45 and it works great. Still use the #1 for .35 Rem, .308, .30-06...I don't prime on the press though, it was fit/ejection issues.

 

[jmorris]

Ram diameter has nothing to do with compound linkage force multiplication.

Often doesn't in pneumatics or hydraulics either "out" but need to subtract the ram area from the piston area when calculating "in" force.

 

[mokin]

Your original problem is that those primers are made to metric specs and as such are a scritch larger diameter than US made ones. This makes them much harder to seat. especially on a progressive press.I use this to my advantage when I have loose primer pockets though. I can get one or more additional reloads with metric primers before I have to recycle my brass and that appeals to the cheap SOB that I am.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[Charlie98]

I’m still using the #1 plate... hmmm....

 

[forty_caliber]

Speaking of LNL shell plates, there is a hack you can try. Take the shell plate off the press and look at the bottom. There are two ball bearings captured in a sleeve that ride in the detents. Using a 3/16th punch gently tap these in (shallower) just a bit. This will let the case have less play in the shell holder. Should buy you a little more primer depth and less case wiggle during operation.

If you go too far you can always push them out from the top.

.40