[El Pistolero]

I've been running this press for a while now and thought I would post something on it. Hornady still has their "get loaded" rebate for 1000 bullets through this year which makes the price even better:

http://www.hornady.com/media/get_loaded_again.pdf

I paid 319.00 (I believe) for it when I got mine, sold the 1000 bullets for 100.00 (probably worth more now) so it wound up costing me around 219.

I will start off by saying I previously owned a Lee classic turret and a Dillon 550b. I don't want to bash any brand or start a brand war but I will give my experiences with those before getting to the lnl ap.

I was never happy with the classic turret. Now I know some are, but for one thing you pull the handle 75% more than a progressive press and for another there's much more plastic stuff with it than the other two. The classsic turret was around 150.00 for the kit so I consider the extra 75.00 or so the lnl ap well worth the difference. I also consider the dillon 550b well worth the difference.

The Dillon I liked, I had no problems with it. I don't think I have to say how good their warrentys even though I never had to use it. I did want auto indexing and another station. I was going to get a 650 but decided on the hornady.

Now the Hornady. I really like it a lot and like it more as time goes by. Some of the things I like about it are first off it's built like a tank.

Extremely well made, cast.
It has zerk fittings for easy greasing.
The powder dump. I like the powder dump much better than either of the other two, it's like the rcbs powder dump which has long been considered a nice design. Very accurate.
The bushing system. I thought this was probably just a gimmick, but i actually like it a lot. There's no slop in the dies whatsoever. With the Dillon if you are loading one round only you can get some slop as there is not equal pressure on the plate and the plate moves a little. With the bushing system it does not matter, no slop whatsoever. If you need one die out it just pops out and you do not have to reset it , it stays set exactly. Very nice.

This will depend on personal preference, but I like the way it's set up in that you don't have to take your hand off the lever to use it if you are set up to manually do the brass. With the 550b you do a movement with each hand, with this one both movements are done with the same hand. But, you ask, doesn't that take longer? Not really, as I have grab the brass during the moving of the lever and it's there when the shell plate stops and it's not much of a movement at all to just pop it in. So it winds up with about the same time, but I don't have to let go of the lever and am pushing forward to seat the primer while I am going for the bullet.

I have been only running 10mm on it, but now I am doing .45. I picked up some stuff that is going out of reloading so I have a micrometer for both the bullet seater and powder dump. That makes it even more pleasant.

So, as anyone that reads this can guess, I like the Hornady LNL AP a whole lot. I HIGHLY recommend it and with the rebate this year also it's well worth it. I don't know if this will help anyone or not and it's just my humble opionon. Oh, Hornady has a lifetime warranty on it and they are very good. I won't try to compare it to Dillon's, but I have of only good things about them and their taking care of pretty much anything.

https://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_se...&category_id=d12e69ab3325862ec67131f0d9a3aa1b

If anyone wants pics I will take and post them later.

 

[Bud White]

I have posted what i think about the hornady before so will keep quite but get some spare Case Springs and Index Pawls

 

[Bud White]

I put up Spare parts you should buy on your LNL post.. I have pretty well wore mine out to where only big cartridges work right like the 45 or 10 but 9 jams all the time same with 38

 

[El Pistolero]

I've had it abut 8 months, so it's not like I don't know the press. I have been loading 10mm on it and it's been great. I don't have any problems with any of the parts, but I do have 2 extra springs I ordered a few months ago. Have not had to use them at all. I would rather chance having to change the spring in th efuture than those pins you have to pull out on the dillons.

 

[Bud White]

I have almost 500k rounds i think it is though mine .. SO i am well aware of what breaks ..:rofl: I keep those parts on had as you can only grind the pawls so many times after they wear at a angle to make them work before they need to be replaced they develop burrs and toss the timing off

 

[El Pistolero]

You need, or should have, spare parts for any press. Dillon, for example, sells a spare parts kit that includes springs, pawls, etc. for that reason. With Lee just poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick and get it over with. Actually you need sparts for lee's also, especially the plastic stuff.

 

[El Pistolero]

Do you have one of the old ones before they changed the primer system over?

 

[Bud White]

yep one of the old ones for sure and the primer system sucks and for what they want to change over ill stick with it

 

[El Pistolero]

That's what I thought.

They don't charge anything, they will change over all of the old ones for free. I know several that have had that done for nothing. I would even ask them if they would pay for shipping, they may.

I probably will get an extra set of pawls just to have a set, I would consider that to be something that would wear after some time. The springs I already have a couple of extra, but if I don't get it twisted myself there's not much that can happen to it. I have read where it can pop apart where it's screwed to itself, but it can be screwed back together. I unscrewed mine and screwed it back together just out of curiosity (just got to mess with it).

 

[Hunter]

I have been loading on mine about 1 1/2 years now and I have a Pro 7 from about 1979 that is still going strong.
Most of the folks I know who reload use the Hornady press and it suits my needs very well though I primarily load .45 Automatic.
Here is the review I wrote some time back on my new press.
http://ezine.m1911.org/HornadyLNL.htm
I did get a chance to meet the Hornady crowd at the SHOT show and talk with the engineer who designed the press.

 

[Cap]

I have appx 10K rounds on my LnL

I couldn't be more pleased

as far as the retainer spring, if not for the tip someone mentioned a year ago
(about it simply screwing in to it's self)
I'd of gone thru 4 or 5 by now.

I did order several more, but I'm still on the original


No knock on the Blue press, i promise.
I looked at them before buying.
If budget would of allowed, I'd likely be loading on a 650 with all the bells and whistles right now.

But between the 550 and LnL, the decision was easy for me.

I DO hope Dillon continues to send that little "Blue Press" mag/sales ad thingy though.
I don't know where they got my mailing addy, but i got one last month.
and I'm in LOVE with the petite blond chic with the shotgun on the cover

I think she likes me:rofl:

..L.T.A.

 

[El Pistolero]

I still get the "blue press" from when I had the 550b.

 

[Hunter]

My case retainer spring broke and I ordered a few, while I was waiting for them to come in I figured out you can screw it back into itself. I tried that seeing if that would work and so far a few thousand rounds and still it holds, though I have a few spare springs now.
I lube my spring a little with Hornady Unique case lube though.
Dillon sent me a big calender this year with some very beautiful women, that I am grateful for.

 

[El Pistolero]

That's pretty much what I figured, that the only problem would be it popping apart (which it can be screwed back together) unless it's stretched or mangled by operator error.

Have either of you replaced the pawls? I am particularly curious about cap's experience since he has 10k rounds through it.

 

[Bud White]

That's what I thought.

They don't charge anything, they will change over all of the old ones for free. I know several that have had that done for nothing. I would even ask them if they would pay for shipping, they may.

I probably will get an extra set of pawls just to have a set, I would consider that to be something that would wear after some time. The springs I already have a couple of extra, but if I don't get it twisted myself there's not much that can happen to it. I have read where it can pop apart where it's screwed to itself, but it can be screwed back together. I unscrewed mine and screwed it back together just out of curiosity (just got to mess with it).

I have only had one spring go thats not a biggy and no ive never had them offer for free to change out my primer system for free and i asked at least twice i have ordered parts for it a few times mostly the spring and the wheel and pin as they didnt like to stay put but i have taken care of that .. in fact they were pretty hostile about it when i asked .. they told me the press was too old .. thats the only probs they really gave me on it .. Pawls no prob they send um out

 

[Hunter]

Well I am past 10000 rounds on my new L-N-L by a margin and so far no adjustments except a little grease.
The Pro 7 I have has loaded better than 7000 on my watch (before I got my L-N-L) and Lord knows how many rounds before that and she still works like she should.

 

[Cap]

Have either of you replaced the pawls? I am particularly curious about cap's experience since he has 10k rounds through it.

I've had no problems with the paws, Jerry.
A slight adjustment on one when it was brand new, and that's all I've done.

The only MALFs I've had to date;

The Case Activated Powder Drop linkage came loose once
(the two screws that hold the linkage to the rotor came loose)

I had a slight problem with the powder measure not going back down at times.
I never lubed it though...DUH!
A shot of Hornady Dry Lube every now and then takes care of that issue

The retainer spring has come apart several times
(we already discussed that remedy)

Every now and then it won't pick up a primer.
That's not a common occurance though, and generally only happens when the primer tube is low.

Before I was used to the "feel" of the primer seating, I'd miss that and charge a case with no primer.
Then powder would spill out of the case and muck up smooth operation of the primer slide.
If that happens, stop and blow everything off with compressed air.
if no compressor, then you'll need to clean by hand.

Hunter shared a remedy for the few times out of hundred the primers won't feed.
Simply drop a straight wire in the primer feed tube.
I cut a coat hanger to use.
That adds more than enough weight to feed 100% to the last primer

At times a loaded round will bind on the ejection wire instead of being kicked out.
That happens more frequently with small dia cases than lg.
It generally only happens when I'm "speeding" or "yanking" down on the lever.
When I start the handle down smoother/slower, it's a rareity that a round binds.

i could probably tweek the ejection wire, just never been enough of an issue to concern me enough to stop what I'm doing and tweek it

..L.T.A.

 

[El Pistolero]

Thanks guys, about what I expected.

I use an extra cleaning rod on the primers cap, it fits perfect and the handle at the top kind of makes it more visible. I still missed it when it ran out of primers later today, not paying attention. That's the only time I have a problem with the primer system, if I don't catch it and it runs out. Then I have to clean the powder out of it.

I use graphite powder for lubing it, the dies and powder drop parts and have never had them stick, except for the primer assembley full of powder when the primers ran out.

Bud, you should talk to someone else. I have not known of them turning down anyone to replace the old primer system to the new one, in fact the guy that has the shop where I get some of my stuff (that I post some of his guns on gunbroker) had his done a couple of months ago after I told him they would do it.

 

[Hunter]

Jerry I made a little flag on my coat hanger wire primer weight that touches the primer tube when it is empty so now a quick glance at the flag and I can tell how close I am to out of primers.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yea, my handle is down to the tube when it's empty. I just get so into it I forget to watch it.