Moving 44 mag from my 650 to my Hornady LNL AP

[guywitha3006]

Quick background, I bought my Hornady ~2010 and used it for 5 or 6 years until I got a good deal on a 650 and upgraded. The LNL was on my bench but pretty much just gathered dust, then I packed it up when we moved and haven't used it since. I enjoy shooting my 44 mag quite a bit and started thinking about looking into another press I could dedicate to 44 mag. Then I remember that I have my LNL that is currently unused. In my new house I have room to leave both presses permanently installed. I prime off press (just my preference for all my ammo) and would only do 1-200 in a sitting so I have no need for a case feeder, I think those are the two biggest gripes about the LNL, am I missing anything? I don't really remember having issues with it...but the 44 mag came along after I already had the 650, since I was using it already I got the caliber conversion without a second thought. The Hornady shell plate should be here tonight so the goal is to finish the bench and get it mounted.

Any tips for the LNL appreciated, probably been 4 or 5 years since I used for any real quantity.

[onelight]

That had to be like Christmas when you remembered the lock and load.
I would think 2 to 300 an hour would be easygoing with no case feeder , if that Dillon hasn’t spoiled you to bad.

[guywitha3006]

Yeah...it has kind of been Christmas since about May...everything was packed up in late November, we moved in February (fun moving, ice record snow and cold...new house had 6-10' snow bank when we moved in), and in the last month or two have just started unpacking tools and reloading stuff. I thought I labeled and noted were stuff was pretty well but it got to a certain point where it was just start filling boxes lol.

As far as the Dillon spoiling me...I wouldn't turn down a loaded 650 to dedicate to 44 mag...but I doubt it would be free (or already paid for at least like the LNL)...I would have to load a lot more 44 mag then 1-200 a week a few times a month to even come close to justifying it. I am thinking I will be time ahead even without the case feeder for the amount I load and not having to switch caliber on the 650.

That had to be like Christmas when you remembered the lock and load.
I would think 2 to 300 an hour would be easygoing with no case feeder , if that Dillon hasn’t spoiled you to bad.

[415m3]

I don't use a case feeder for my LNL and I can do about 300-350 an hour on it. If yours has been sitting a long time, I'd recommend some silicone lube under the shell plate, and check the case retainer spring on the shell plate and the primer feeder spring to make sure they aren't stretched out too much.

[noylj]

I loved my L-N-L, but found several too-good-to-ignore deals on 1050s and my son wanted to reload so he got my L-N-L.
You need to have die bushings for each die.
Station 2 is usually the powder die station, but it can get in the way of the primer tube. I usually set-up the powder measure in station 4 and, when it was all set, I would move it to station 2 in a position where it wouldn't be in the way.
Station 3 was for the RCBS Lock-Out die, then seat and then crimp.
The only issue I ever had was getting the primers seated completely below the case head, but I have heard that Hornady improved their primer cup.
The only other issue some have had is with the powder measure itself. Remove the rotor and be sure you have the correct rotor installed. If it is brand new, you need to clean the whole thing with Hornady's Cleaner and Dry Lube and allow to air dry so you don't remove the dry lube, then run a hopper full of graphitized powder through it. I found the measure to be very consistent with almost all powders (better than the Dillon powder measure). Be sure to mount it very well, as all progressives need to be held very stiff. Bolting the bench to the wall has been known to improve things.
I don't recommend a case feeder and would have happily milled off the base plate for the case feeder. I tell people that I recommend the Hornady UNLESS you really need a case feeder—and then to get the 650.

[guywitha3006]

I loved my L-N-L, but found several too-good-to-ignore deals on 1050s and my son wanted to reload so he got my L-N-L.
You need to have die bushings for each die.
Station 2 is usually the powder die station, but it can get in the way of the primer tube. I usually set-up the powder measure in station 4 and, when it was all set, I would move it to station 2 in a position where it wouldn't be in the way.
Station 3 was for the RCBS Lock-Out die, then seat and then crimp.
The only issue I ever had was getting the primers seated completely below the case head, but I have heard that Hornady improved their primer cup.
The only other issue some have had is with the powder measure itself. Remove the rotor and be sure you have the correct rotor installed. If it is brand new, you need to clean the whole thing with Hornady's Cleaner and Dry Lube and allow to air dry so you don't remove the dry lube, then run a hopper full of graphitized powder through it. I found the measure to be very consistent with almost all powders (better than the Dillon powder measure). Be sure to mount it very well, as all progressives need to be held very stiff. Bolting the bench to the wall has been known to improve things.
I don't recommend a case feeder and would have happily milled off the base plate for the case feeder. I tell people that I recommend the Hornady UNLESS you really need a case feeder—and then to get the 650.

Thanks for all the advice. I have actually had the LNL since about 2009/10 so I have lots of parts and bushings buried away somewhere, it's just a matter of going on a scavenger hunt to find parts. I agree I like the hornady measure better then the Dillon measure (when I am running my 650 I actually use a hornady measure and linkage). Good call on the lube, as far as a sturdy bench...shouldn't be a problem I am building a heavily reinforced torsion beam design, anchored to the wall and concrete floor (bench will also hold my two swaging presses. Ridgid and beefy is the name of the game! I would have finished the bench tonight but my wife may kill me if I tried to shoot nails into the concrete floor with little ones sleeping. Lol so hopefully tomorrow I will get the legs secured and beefed up and then put the top on and bolt on the press! This will be the first time I've had a fixed reloading bench in 2 or 3 years.

Sent from my LGUS991 using Tapatalk

[CastingFool]

Imo, using a hammer drill and expansion bolts, would be more secure than shooting nails into the concrete floor. I have done both, and find that the nails only penetrate a very short distance.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got two of them. both with case feeders that I don't use because will all the headaches they just slow me down. I have one I use for 223 and 300 and 308 for the *** that I just use to size, decap and I have the Dillon trimmer set up on it and trim 223 and 308. They I reprime with a lee hand primer and tumble and then put powder and bullets in on my 55o. The other one is set up in 9mm but to be honest I don't even use it because primer problems make the 550 faster to even do them. Some came over with a 650 id trade them both lnls for it. Problem is shipping costs and the fact ive got extra powder measures, measure inserts a pile of shell plates, case feeder plates ect ect. So it would have to be face to face. Even then id feel guilty for what I was doing. I do agree with noylj though the Hornady powder measures are hands down better then the dillions.