Stepping up to a progressive press

[9mmepiphany]

If you run one round through by its self it will be shorter than those run through with company due to press flex from sizing & expanding, mostly sizing.

I've found this to be very true.

You need to set your desired seating depth (OAL) with all the stations filled

Some use much thicker washers there to prevent the "divot" but the feeler gauge works well.

I just attach a nickle with painter's tape

A shot of Hornady case lube in a bag of cases will really help with the seating depth as the sizer die will be much smoother.

Yup, this really does make a difference

 

[9mmepiphany]

So what's going on with gluing feeler gauges under the primer punch? Does it give so much that it causes the symptoms I'm having?

That suggestion is in reference to consistent priming on the press

 

[Reeferman]

Preacher just google LNL divot and you will understand.

 

[Walkalong]

I'll set the bullet seat with all other stations loaded and see what happens.

That won't help, as you need to put it in a station that lets you do the other steps in front of it.

Just wondering if you measured some that were loaded singly, or by themselves, vs some that were loaded while using all five (or four) stations, because the flex one way will be more than the flex the other way.

 

[Reeferman]

Seat a bullet in a unprimed case with no other cases on the plate. Then do the same with a case going in the sizer die. You shouldn't see more that. .005" difference.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't size on the LNL when loading, I used brass that was hand primed, so the sizing doesn't interfere.

I usually crimp after seating, and that is what makes a difference when I load. I set the seater up .005 on the first round before crimping starts, then run it back down .005 for the second and all other rounds. Works out real close. When seating and crimping in the same step I don't have to do that. Expanding rarely interferes. I expand in station 2, dump powder in 3, seat (And sometimes crimp) in station 4, and crimp in station 5 when loading handgun ammo. Nothing goes in station 1. I could back every thing up, but my partly home made powder dump is stationary and I have to dump powder in station 3 when using my two Redding measures that are set up that way. I can put my Hornady measure in any station since it uses the factory linkage. I could set up the Redding measure like that, but it's not a big issue as I don't need the 1st station to be included (Don't use a powder check die).

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lnl-upgrade.439181/

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/redding-br-30-on-an-lnl.510241/#post-6339814

 

[preacherJohn]

Just wondering if you measured some that were loaded singly, or by themselves, vs some that were loaded while using all five (or four) stations, because the flex one way will be more than the flex the other way.

Seat a bullet in a unprimed case with no other cases on the plate. Then do the same with a case going in the sizer die.

Originally I found a 9mm bullet that was close to the size seating I was looking for then lower my seating die to touch it. It was in the shell plate by itself. Then I put an empty case in the shell plate unprimed with a bullet and raised the ram. I measured it, then lower the bullet seater a couple of times until I got to the desired OAL. At first everything was OK until after I ran 10 or so bullets when I noticed they were longer. Remember the shell plate and other stations are full now when I re-lowered the seating die back to the desired OAL. A few were OK, but then got smaller. So I backed it out a smidge close to the desired length again; then after 10 or so more it started getting longer again. It was getting aggravating measuring every couple of rounds so I just stopped.

 

[preacherJohn]

I seat and crimp in different dies. I've been using the Lee factory crimp die after the seating die in the turret. I've never had an issue like this before. As far as the stations setup it goes like this: sizing die, expander, powder drop, bullet seat, crimp die then into the tray.

 

[preacherJohn]

Come to think about it, my expander die isn't belling out the case as far as when I first set it also. Of course I did that with an individual case also. Guess it's time to start from the beginning again with some unprimed cases until I get this right. I might have several bullets to pull and I'm not big on doing that.

 

[sbwaters]

My habit now w/ 9mm in the LnL is to adjust all stations in order, except for the powder drop, which I do last. 1) Size, 1a) Prime station 2) Expand, 3) [Powder Drop adjusted after everything else], 4) Bullet feeder, 5) Bullet seat/Crimp. That way I am using a full shell plate. [Update: Lest there be any confusion, the LnL has five die openings and a primer station. I renumbered from 6 operations to match the five openings.]

I cycle the same cases through until the bullet seating is precise. Then I continue to cycle the same cases until the powder measures are accurate and consistent.

Then I fill the case feeder and the bullet feeder and go to work.

I treat my progressive with great respect. Whenever ANYTHING goes awry, I dump all powder in cases back in the bottle. I have had three powder-empty squibs since I started on a progressive. Each one being one to many. Each one being humbling. Each one used to refine my process to make it idiot resistant. I have obviously found two new ways since the first one to be an idiot.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Have you upgraded your dies with the Hornady lock rings?

It has been my experience that the Lee rings tend to slip

 

[preacherJohn]

Have you upgraded your dies with the Hornady lock rings?

No I haven't; I just started out with the dies on hand. I do have one lyman lock ring laying around I could use on the seating die and have considered that. The dies are tight tho, I gave them a slight twist with a wrench before I started and I can't unturn by hand. I will use that lock die on it before I seat another bullet though.

I cycle the same cases through until the bullet seating is precise.

I'm not sure I'm understanding this; how do you cycle the same cases once the bullet has been seated thru the resizing die, then expanding die, etc.

 

[preacherJohn]

OK, I just ordered a pkg of 6 Hornady lock rings.

Just for kick's and giggles I found an old Harbor Freight free LED flashlight laying around. It's one of the small tubular black ones. I turned it on, stuck it over the hole in the center of the press, and "voilà" (french for hillbilly wahlah), instant reloading press light for $0 bucks!

 

[9mmepiphany]

The dies are tight tho, I gave them a slight twist with a wrench before I started and I can't unturn by hand.

Almost makes me wonder if the Adjustment Screw on the Seating die is backing out

 

[sbwaters]

how do you cycle the same cases once the bullet has been seated

A full shellplate won’t tilt. After a bullet is seated in the last step I measure the COL and crimp. A couple of whacks with the Inertial Bullet Puller and I can check that the polymer coating wasn’t damaged by too great a crimp and, if the seating wasn’t good, I can adjust with the empty case ready to go around again.

 

[Walkalong]

The subplate and the dies do all the work with the ram up, the shell plate just floats and keeps the cases from falling off the subplate.

The shell plate does pull the cases down out of the dies, but any differences in OAL are from press flex and bullet to seater stem fit.

 

[Dudedog]

Watch the bolt that holds the shell plate down. It sometimes wants to work loose.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep. It'll do that.

 

[Jeff H]

Watch the bolt that hold the shell plate down. It constantly wants to work loose.

FIFY.

I put one of those star washers under mine to help keep it tight. A loose shell plate is the number 1 reason for issues with this press in my experience.

 

[preacherJohn]

Watch the bolt that hold the shell plate down. I sometimes wants to work loose.

I'll keep an eye on it guys, but I only ran 30-35 rounds and it was tight when I started; I wouldn't think it would loosen up that much. I did notice that highboy guy putting o-rings on different parts on his press like the powder linkage, and changing the one on the powder drop bushing. I guess either a start washer or o-ring would work. I don't have any star washers at the moment, but have o-rings and split washers that size.

 

[Blue68f100]

I've never had mine come loose since I use the Hornady tool to tighten it. Trying to hold the shell plate by hand just does not work. Using something to lock the shell plate so you can tighten it does. Just keep an eye on it. If you have some old brass you could slip it in and use it to hold the shell plate while tightening it.

 

[preacherJohn]

Trying to hold the shell plate by hand just does not work.

I agree.
I have that wrench now, I found it up at Academy Sports.

 

[Walkalong]

I've never had mine come loose since I use the Hornady tool to tighten it.

I snug mine up good, using a backup tool to keep the shell pate still, but every once in awhile it will get loose on a long run. So definitely not constantly, but occasionally.

 

[Reeferman]

I'll keep an eye on it guys, but I only ran 30-35 rounds and it was tight when I started; I wouldn't think it would loosen up that much. I did notice that highboy guy putting o-rings on different parts on his press like the powder linkage, and changing the one on the powder drop bushing. I guess either a start washer or o-ring would work. I don't have any star washers at the moment, but have o-rings and split washers that size.

The o-ring on the linkage locking bolt works great but phone Hornady and tell them your powder measure bushing is coming loose and they will send you some shims that fixes it better than a thicker o-ring. Get a 3/8" lock washer and that will stop shell plate bolt from coming loose.

 

[Browngirlsdad]

Just a little trick for not missing any steps when loading progressive. Think Pull, Prime, Bullet, Brass. Pull the handle, prime the case, place the bullet, add the brass. You might have to modify that if you are priming off the press, but when I started that really helped me not miss the steps. It also gives a natural rhythm in your mind.

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!