I give up on the LnL AP, and need advice on what I need for a 750.

[DMF13]

You didn’t say what problems you’re having with the Hornady. . .


. . . My current issue on the newer one purchased last year is the powder measure getting stuck in the up position. I have to watch it on every stroke or end up with squibs.

Well, I will try to keep this brief:

1. The shell plate kept coming loose, to the point that about 75 to 100 rounds after re-tightening it was causing all kinds of big problems. CS had me replace the drive hub, and bolt, but it kept happening. When sent to them for warranty repair they again replaced the drive hub, and bolt. It still quickly comes loose. They claimed the hub and bolt were out of spec, but that was also the speculative claim that caused them to have me replace the original hub and bolt.

2. Both pawls kept going out of adjustment, and when combined with the ever loosening shell plate resulted in crushed cases, and bent/broken decapping pins. At first I thought the crushed cases, and broken pins, were me being careless with inserting cases, but found out it was the press. I had to adjust one or both of the pawls every 150-200 rounds. Both pawls were replaced by me, and it kept happening. When sent back for warranty repair the pawls were again replaced. Again, supposedly due to the parts being out of spec.

In the 2 hours and 15 minutes it took to load 272 rounds, after I got the press back, the timing issue didn't appear, but no idea how long that will last, but the shell plate still comes loose Yes, after getting everything set up to load it took over 2 hours to load 272 rounds, due to the loose shell plate problem, and problem #3.

3. Multiple problems with the priming system. At first, calls to CS resulted in having me make some adjustments, including adjusting the plastic bracket at the top of the breakaway cam wire (part 392219), and that initially had things running smoothly. Then the breakaway cam wire would constantly (roughly every 10-15 cycles) either pop out of the bracket slot at the top, or out of the breakaway cam plunger at the bottom. Again, when returned for service it was claimed there were no problems, and the system was not set up properly, and they had readjusted it properly. Well, I had carefully followed the instructions, and only adjusted it based on what CS had told me to do. Again, after setting up the press, once the warranty "repairs" had been done, the breakaway cam wire popped off the breakaway cam plunger, on cycle 27, and happened several more times in the 272 rounds (out of the planned run of 500) I was able to load.

4. I also had the powder drop repeatedly stick in the up position. Again, I thought I screwed something up. Complete disassembly, and cleaning, didn't resolve the problem. When returned for service they said the rotor was, you guessed it, out of spec.

So, according to them, the original, and replacement, drive hub, and bolt, were out of spec. The replacement pawls they sent were out of spec. The original powder drop rotor was out of spec. They claimed I didn't set up the primer system correctly, despite the only adjustments I made were at the direction of CS, and it still wouldn't work when they adjusted it. Also, despite being on its 3rd drive hub, and bolt, the shell plate still comes loose.

No one, including other Hornsby Lock-N-Load AP users, and Hornady CS, can explain why this press won't run. I really wanted this to work, as in theory it was a great press for me, but it simply won't run, and I'm not going to keep trying.

[Boxy]

Well, I will try to keep this brief:

1. The shell plate kept coming loose, to the point that about 75 to 100 rounds after re-tightening it was causing all kinds of big problems. CS had me replace the drive hub, and bolt, but it kept happening. When sent to them for warranty repair they again replaced the drive hub, and bolt. It still quickly comes loose. They claimed the hub and bolt were out of spec, but that was also the speculative claim that caused them to have me replace the original hub and bolt.

2. Both pawls kept going out of adjustment, and when combined with the ever loosening shell plate resulted in crushed cases, and bent/broken decapping pins. At first I thought the crushed cases, and broken pins, were me being careless with inserting cases, but found out it was the press. I had to adjust one or both of the pawls every 150-200 rounds. Both pawls were replaced by me, and it kept happening. When sent back for warranty repair the pawls were again replaced. Again, supposedly due to the parts being out of spec.

In the 2 hours and 15 minutes it took to load 272 rounds, after I got the press back, the timing issue didn't appear, but no idea how long that will last, but the shell plate still comes loose Yes, after getting everything set up to load it took over 2 hours to load 272 rounds, due to the loose shell plate problem, and problem #3.

3. Multiple problems with the priming system. At first, calls to CS resulted in having me make some adjustments, including adjusting the plastic bracket at the top of the breakaway cam wire (part 392219), and that initially had things running smoothly. Then the breakaway cam wire would constantly (roughly every 10-15 cycles) either pop out of the bracket slot at the top, or out of the breakaway cam plunger at the bottom. Again, when returned for service it was claimed there were no problems, and the system was not set up properly, and they had readjusted it properly. Well, I had carefully followed the instructions, and only adjusted it based on what CS had told me to do. Again, after setting up the press, once the warranty "repairs" had been done, the breakaway cam wire popped off the breakaway cam plunger, on cycle 27, and happened several more times in the 272 rounds (out of the planned run of 500) I was able to load.

4. I also had the powder drop repeatedly stick in the up position. Again, I thought I screwed something up. Complete disassembly, and cleaning, didn't resolve the problem. When returned for service they said the rotor was, you guessed it, out of spec.

So, according to them, the original, and replacement, drive hub, and bolt, were out of spec. The replacement pawls they sent were out of spec. The original powder drop rotor was out of spec. They claimed I didn't set up the primer system correctly, despite the only adjustments I made were at the direction of CS, and it still wouldn't work when they adjusted it. Also, despite being on its 3rd drive hub, and bolt, the shell plate still comes loose.

No one, including other Hornsby Lock-N-Load AP users, and Hornady CS, can explain why this press won't run. I really wanted this to work, as in theory it was a great press for me, but it simply won't run, and I'm not going to keep trying.

Depends on how long you have owned it but I would consider sending it back to the point of purchase and deny credit card charges at this point. Hopefully you can document all the shortcomings and how the new machine is out of spec etc.

I really hate this happened for you. My LNL is half functional on odd ball loads such as 45 ACP, 10mm, 44 mag. I load only a few hundred rounds with these calibers.

[DMF13]

Depends on how long you have owned it but I would consider sending it back to the point of purchase and deny credit card charges at this point. Hopefully you can document all the shortcomings and how the new machine is out of spec etc.

I really hate this happened for you. My LNL is half functional on odd ball loads such as 45 ACP, 10mm, 44 mag. I load only a few hundred rounds with these calibers.

Already done. Brownells was great about taking the press back. I explained the problems, so they authorized the return , and they paid for shipping.

I will have to see if I can sell off some press specific accessories, i bought elsewhere. This includes the Inline Fab Ergo handle, & QC plate, and extra primer pick up tubes. I forgot to remove the PhotoEscape PTX, and the shellplate, when i packaged up the press, so I won't recover anything from those.

[DMF13]

Since I had my loading log out, while checking my notes for my previous post, I added up the number of successfully loaded rounds over the last year. The first session was only 60 rounds, at 10 rounds for each different powder weights, for test loads. After that, over 11 different loading sessions, where the goal was to load 500 rounds per session (5500 total goal) I was only able to successfully load 2144 rounds, or an average of just 195 rounds per session.

[Spartan1980]

@DMF13, man that's a lot of headache right there.

Mine actually ran pretty good except for one deal breaking issue. Primer seating was really weak. They don't machine the casting where the punch impinges on it and since it's a casting it has a draft angle there. So this surface that isn't perpendicular to the punch and makes it deflect. I could mostly get away with this on small primers, but the press never seated large primers even with three pumps on the handle to seat them.

Like you I really wanted the press to work and I went ahead and ordered a case feed for it. It was the early version which was just formed kydex sheet that the housing was made from. Hornady's case feed housing is a much better built unit now. I was very disappointed in that but went ahead and tried it. Got it installed and while the case insertion mechanism is fiddly, it ran well enough but it was clearly not meant to be disconnected temporarily (you lost the adjustment and had to start over when you are ready to load again). Then the brass started raining down on my head at a constant rate because the funnel would clog. I then called up a buddy and asked if I could come over and pull the handle on his 650 a few times. He said yes. Within 6 rounds I knew my plan.

I went home and disassembled everything on the LNL, packed it up and posted it for sale. The rest is history. My only regret is not going with the Super 1050 for the swaging. The 650 has been fantastic. I later added the RT Trimmer for 5.56/.223 and processing that brass is as fast as you can pull the handle. It'll literally outrun the case feeder if you want it to. It's a dream. Except for lack of swaging...

[chances R]

gosh I hate to hear the difficulties. I've got one LNL press for 9's and one for 45's and have literally loaded many thousands of rounds on both, esp. the 9s.

[jeep45238]

I couldn't get my LnL to get better than .015" OAL variance, regardless what I did or what hornady sent me for parts. The Lee is making better ammo with less headaches, if that tells you anything.

I really do miss having a Dillon though.

[jtcarm]

@DMF13, man that's a lot of headache right there.

Mine actually ran pretty good except for one deal breaking issue. Primer seating was really weak. They don't machine the casting where the punch impinges on it and since it's a casting it has a draft angle there. So this surface that isn't perpendicular to the punch and makes it deflect. I could mostly get away with this on small primers, but the press never seated large primers even with three pumps on the handle to seat them.

Like you I really wanted the press to work and I went ahead and ordered a case feed for it. It was the early version which was just formed kydex sheet that the housing was made from. Hornady's case feed housing is a much better built unit now. I was very disappointed in that but went ahead and tried it. Got it installed and while the case insertion mechanism is fiddly, it ran well enough but it was clearly not meant to be disconnected temporarily (you lost the adjustment and had to start over when you are ready to load again). Then the brass started raining down on my head at a constant rate because the funnel would clog. I then called up a buddy and asked if I could come over and pull the handle on his 650 a few times. He said yes. Within 6 rounds I knew my plan.

I went home and disassembled everything on the LNL, packed it up and posted it for sale. The rest is history. My only regret is not going with the Super 1050 for the swaging. The 650 has been fantastic. I later added the RT Trimmer for 5.56/.223 and processing that brass is as fast as you can pull the handle. It'll literally outrun the case feeder if you want it to. It's a dream. Except for lack of swaging...

Besides the deflection, the prime punch bears against that soft casting and quickly forms a nice divot, further reducing seating depth.

When I called CS, they knew all about it and just said to tape a flat piece of steel or something there.

I should’ve packed the damn thing up & sold it at that point.

[jeep45238]

Besides the deflection, the prime punch bears against that soft casting and quickly forms a nice divot, further reducing seating depth.

When I called CS, they knew all about it and just said to tape a flat piece of steel or something there.

I should’ve packed the damn thing up & sold it at that point.

That's pretty horrible.

[DMF13]

Besides the deflection, the prime punch bears against that soft casting and quickly forms a nice divot, further reducing seating depth.

When I called CS, they knew all about it and just said to tape a flat piece of steel or something there.

I should’ve packed the damn thing up & sold it at that point.

I was aware of that issue when I got the press, and had taped a steel disc there. It was sent back from the factory with that disc glued into place.