doubs43
07-20-2009, 08:57 AM
A week ago I received my new Hornady LNL AP progressive press. After setting it up, I posted this initial review on the M1911.org site but I think members here might like to read it too. A week into it, I think it's a great press. Everything I've loaded so far has been with cast boolits. Here's the evaluation I did a week ago with a couple of added comments:
Monday afternoon, UPS dropped off my new Hornady Lock-N-Load AP press with the new EZ-Ject system. It is an impressively massive, quality piece of equipment. Here are my initial impressions.
I'll say up front that this press is NOT for the beginning reloader. It's also NOT for anyone who lacks at least some mechanical skills. I've been reloading cartridges for over 40 years on single stage presses and a newer RCBS 4x4 and setting up the LNL proved to be something of a challenge.
Instructions to set up the press are not up to the standards of the press itself and the instructional CD that came with it is defective. Hornady is mailing a new one to me. Hornady could do a lot better with their written instructions.
One of the first things that struck me were the two zerc fittings to lubricate the large moving parts of the press. This press was obviously built to last a long time. The ram piston is unusually massive.
The body of the press has two large mounting holes that appear to be 1/2 inch in diameter but the manual calls for 5/16" bolts. Attaching it to the bench was easy enough. Attaching the optional shell plate was straight forward and easy enough. I'm using shell plate #1 because no one has #45 in stock.
The cams that position the shell plate are factory set but I had to make minor adjustments to one of mine. It's not difficult and was quick to do.
My first challenge was the primer feed. The primers would not enter the slide arm hole properly. They canted, caught on the feed body and wouldn't allow the slide to position the primer. I eventually solved this problem by beveling and polishing the hole entry. The feed now works perfectly and reliably.
Loading the primer feed is easy once the pick-up tube has been filled. Pre-filling extra pick-up tubes would speed things up once the reloading begins.
Installing the dies in the LNL inserts and adjusting them is pretty straight forward. I'm reloading .45ACP and I installed the sizing/depriming die, expander die, powder measure, seating die and taper crimp die in the 5 stations.
The final challenge was mounting and adjusting the powder measure. Be sure you disassemble the measure and clean all of it's parts thoroughly. There is a preservative applied at the factory that must be removed before use. I used denatured alcohol and used graphite powder to lube the outside working surfaces of the parts.
Once mounted, I adjusted the measure to drop the required charge but I wasn't convinced I had it right because the drum only came down just over half way rather than to the bottom. IOW, the drum wasn't moving through it's full range. I emailed Hornady about this (and the bad CD) and they said that was normal. However, between emailing them and receiving an answer, I did some additional adjustments that involved both the depth of the tube in the LNL adapter and changing the clamping device that secures the measure's activation linkage. Now the measure's drum goes through it's full range and, I think, gives greater consistency. (This is one area where the written instructions could be much improved.)
I've loaded 250 rounds of .45ACP so far and while there have been some minor glitches, I'm very pleased with the press and think that it will become even better as it breaks in. (I've added a shell plate for .44 Mag since this was written.)
In conclusion, I think this is a very high quality press that's built to last a lifetime... or two. Once properly set up, it's capable of turning out excellent cartridges with great consistency. If you have reasonable mechanical ability and some experience at reloading then this could well be the press for you.
Now I need to get my coupon for the 1,000 free bullets in the mail! (It was mailed last Saturday.)
Monday afternoon, UPS dropped off my new Hornady Lock-N-Load AP press with the new EZ-Ject system. It is an impressively massive, quality piece of equipment. Here are my initial impressions.
I'll say up front that this press is NOT for the beginning reloader. It's also NOT for anyone who lacks at least some mechanical skills. I've been reloading cartridges for over 40 years on single stage presses and a newer RCBS 4x4 and setting up the LNL proved to be something of a challenge.
Instructions to set up the press are not up to the standards of the press itself and the instructional CD that came with it is defective. Hornady is mailing a new one to me. Hornady could do a lot better with their written instructions.
One of the first things that struck me were the two zerc fittings to lubricate the large moving parts of the press. This press was obviously built to last a long time. The ram piston is unusually massive.
The body of the press has two large mounting holes that appear to be 1/2 inch in diameter but the manual calls for 5/16" bolts. Attaching it to the bench was easy enough. Attaching the optional shell plate was straight forward and easy enough. I'm using shell plate #1 because no one has #45 in stock.
The cams that position the shell plate are factory set but I had to make minor adjustments to one of mine. It's not difficult and was quick to do.
My first challenge was the primer feed. The primers would not enter the slide arm hole properly. They canted, caught on the feed body and wouldn't allow the slide to position the primer. I eventually solved this problem by beveling and polishing the hole entry. The feed now works perfectly and reliably.
Loading the primer feed is easy once the pick-up tube has been filled. Pre-filling extra pick-up tubes would speed things up once the reloading begins.
Installing the dies in the LNL inserts and adjusting them is pretty straight forward. I'm reloading .45ACP and I installed the sizing/depriming die, expander die, powder measure, seating die and taper crimp die in the 5 stations.
The final challenge was mounting and adjusting the powder measure. Be sure you disassemble the measure and clean all of it's parts thoroughly. There is a preservative applied at the factory that must be removed before use. I used denatured alcohol and used graphite powder to lube the outside working surfaces of the parts.
Once mounted, I adjusted the measure to drop the required charge but I wasn't convinced I had it right because the drum only came down just over half way rather than to the bottom. IOW, the drum wasn't moving through it's full range. I emailed Hornady about this (and the bad CD) and they said that was normal. However, between emailing them and receiving an answer, I did some additional adjustments that involved both the depth of the tube in the LNL adapter and changing the clamping device that secures the measure's activation linkage. Now the measure's drum goes through it's full range and, I think, gives greater consistency. (This is one area where the written instructions could be much improved.)
I've loaded 250 rounds of .45ACP so far and while there have been some minor glitches, I'm very pleased with the press and think that it will become even better as it breaks in. (I've added a shell plate for .44 Mag since this was written.)
In conclusion, I think this is a very high quality press that's built to last a lifetime... or two. Once properly set up, it's capable of turning out excellent cartridges with great consistency. If you have reasonable mechanical ability and some experience at reloading then this could well be the press for you.
Now I need to get my coupon for the 1,000 free bullets in the mail! (It was mailed last Saturday.)