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Hornady LNL breaks before I load the first round
altecgb
Member Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
I bought a brand new LNL last year and started to buy everything that I would need (dies, shell plates, bushings). I read my reloading books, watched the hornady LNL videos on youtube and thought I was ready to go. Mounted the press to my bench, installed the shell plate, dies, and retainer spring.
Problem one:
The case retainer spring would not always go down in position 1 to allow me to insert a new case. This was not a real big deal since I could cycle the handle again and usually the spring would go down.
Problem two:
The bullet would not eject. The ejector wire got caught and the case would stick in the shell plate.
Problem three:
Now the shell plate is not indexing properly. It will only index about 1/2 - 3/4 of the way. I took the press off of the bench and one of the prawns that indexes the shell plate appears to be chipped on top which is most likely the cause of this issue.
It is too late to take this thing back to the store so I am not sure what to do at this point. I am really feeling ripped off at this point.
Problem one:
The case retainer spring would not always go down in position 1 to allow me to insert a new case. This was not a real big deal since I could cycle the handle again and usually the spring would go down.
Problem two:
The bullet would not eject. The ejector wire got caught and the case would stick in the shell plate.
Problem three:
Now the shell plate is not indexing properly. It will only index about 1/2 - 3/4 of the way. I took the press off of the bench and one of the prawns that indexes the shell plate appears to be chipped on top which is most likely the cause of this issue.
It is too late to take this thing back to the store so I am not sure what to do at this point. I am really feeling ripped off at this point.
Comments
It does sound like you are new to reloading, and a progressive press of ANY kind is the LAST thing you should be starting out with.
I will let you guys know what hornady says.
I went back and forth on the LNL AP vs the dillon 550/650 and found a very good comparison between the three of them online. The hornady came out on top and with the free bullets it seemed like a great deal. Hopefully this is not a case of "you get what you pay for".
I will let you guys know what hornady says.
Sounds like you got a lemon plain and simple it happens
if one of the indexing fingers is chipped it was that way when it was assembled they are hardened and can only be chipped if dropped
Hornady will fix repair or replace without question
I have had a Hornady 366 for ever and they still replace broken and warn parts. More often than not free of charge, every once in awhile I will have to pay to ship something
Problem one
Most likely caused by a bent spring or burr in the groves. Recommended that I polish that. They are sending new springs free of charge.
Problem two
Two things ... One I was supposed to bend the ejector wire to size to 'tune' the ejector and the other is that I should be using a 45 shell plate for .45acp. I am currently using a #1 shell plate which is no longer recommended.
Problem three
They are sending two new prawls and told me how to adjust.
So overall very good customer service. The 45 shell plates are out of stock at hornady so if anyone knows where to get one please let me know.
Spoke with hornady ...
Problem one
Most likely caused by a bent spring or burr in the groves. Recommended that I polish that. They are sending new springs free of charge.
Problem two
Two things ... One I was supposed to bend the ejector wire to size to 'tune' the ejector and the other is that I should be using a 45 shell plate for .45acp. I am currently using a #1 shell plate which is no longer recommended.
Problem three
They are sending two new prawls and told me how to adjust.
So overall very good customer service. The 45 shell plates are out of stock at hornady so if anyone knows where to get one please let me know.
I use a #1 shell plate and haven't had any problems (X fingers)
Good to know in the future
The 2009 lnl ap presses come with a new ejection system called Ez-ject which eliminates the wire. Existing presses can be upgraded for $30 if you do the work youself or $100 if you send it back to hornady. I ordered the kit.
The Hornady Press is much superior to the Dillon. Just give Hornady a call and they will repair it for you free of charge.
It does sound like you are new to reloading, and a progressive press of ANY kind is the LAST thing you should be starting out with.
AMEN On that!
A progressive press has a "cycle speed" that seems to work best. The repetitive fluid motion of operation keeps things from happening. Unless you are intimately familiar with reloading sensing when something is not right and being able to "fix" it is hard to do. After cycling press handles a few thousand times you can feel the difference between a berdan primer, crushed case in the sizing die, crushed mouth in the belling die and a sideways primer in the primer pocket. Soon you will develop the feel for all the operations happening during the stroke of the handle and at what point in the stroke each is happening.
Starting reloading on a progressive is a hard learning curve; one I would NEVER recommend to anyone.
BTW, it's an indexing pawl not an indexing prawn. You guys are making me hungry.[:p]
A prawn is a shrimp and if that is indeed what is indexing your press then I can see why there may be a problem.[:D]
A prawl is what bad guys in the DEEP South got out of jail on. Up here in the north country we call it parole.[:D]
Actually the part you are referring to is, I believe, call a pawl.
I own 6 Hornady progressives,(one for each of my centerfire handguns) mostly the older ProJector type and have loaded 10s of thousands of rounds through them with only minor problems and generally those are my fault. Although Dillon does make an excellent product. I don't think it is a bit better than Hornady and the customer service is equal.
I bought a brand new LNL last year and started to buy everything that I would need (dies, shell plates, bushings). I read my reloading books, watched the hornady LNL videos on youtube and thought I was ready to go. Mounted the press to my bench, installed the shell plate, dies, and retainer spring.
Problem one:
The case retainer spring would not always go down in position 1 to allow me to insert a new case. This was not a real big deal since I could cycle the handle again and usually the spring would go down.
Problem two:
The bullet would not eject. The ejector wire got caught and the case would stick in the shell plate.
Problem three:
Now the shell plate is not indexing properly. It will only index about 1/2 - 3/4 of the way. I took the press off of the bench and one of the prawns that indexes the shell plate appears to be chipped on top which is most likely the cause of this issue.
It is too late to take this thing back to the store so I am not sure what to do at this point. I am really feeling ripped off at this point.
Hornady has a free repair/replace policy equal to that of Dillon, but the LNL is a better press.
Problem 2: Bend the round ejector spring out a bit. A little cooking spray will help, too.
Problem 3: put the handle all the way down. There are palls that index the plate which are adjusted with allen wrenches. This will correct any indexing issues and probably fix problem #1 in the process.
The one thing I would change would be the primer tubes; there's gotta be another way to do this, but until Dillon comes up with something different; I will continue to use the best progressive made.
Hornady might make some nice bullets, but they have no business trying to make a progressive press. Dillon, on the other hand, makes mini-guns and other very complicated mechanical assemblies as part of their business, and they do a heck of a job on those too.