lee dies in LnL

[wildbill]

My Lee .38 dies do not have enough adjustment in my Hornady AP press. I can't get the dies low enough in the press to open the mouth or put on a crimp. Anyone seen this? Anyone have a fix?

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

I know this sounds silly, but double check to make sure you are using 38 Special dies. 357 Magnum dies are exactly the same dies but are made for a longer case length, and thus wont adjust low enough for 38 Special. With proper adjustment, 38 Special dies can be used to reload 357 Mag, but you cannot do the reverse.

Jerry

[Jim]

That's got me puzzled. I have the Lee .38spl./.357 mag dies and I can run the beller down so low that it is too low, even for .38 cases.
I'm wondering if the threaded head of your press is very thick and that's where the problem might be.

[thehouseproduct]

Agreed. MANY of my dies are bottomed out or close to it.

[wildbill]

They are 38 dies. I've lowered them untill the lock ring comes off the threads at the top of the die and then just put maybe one thread holding them on. I got the deprimer to work by lowering the deprimer punch in the die. I think I can get the beller to work by putting a washer in between the udjustment screw and the part that goes down into the case but I can't figure out how to get the crimper to work.
Jim, I agree with you , it's as though the head is too thick. It's just a small amount, I can get just a tiny bit of bell and the case is just a few thousandths from contacting the crimping part of the die.

[Jim]

Bill, just thought of something: Are you SURE your press ram is going ALL the way up?
Just thinking out loud.....................

[Jim]

Bill, just thought of something: Are you SURE your press ram is going ALL the way up?
Just thinking out loud.....................

[thegreatdane]

Also puzzled. I have the lee dies in my LNL AP and am successfully loading both 38 and 357.

[wildbill]

Jim, I'm not in front of the press now but I was wondering the same thing. Is there any adjustment that can be made to allow the ram to go further up?

[BCall]

What shellholder? Could use an extended shellholder for the expander and seating/crimping dies. I do not remember having this issue when I had the LNL press, but a thicker shellholder would solve the problem.

[bumpo628]

I don't know what the LNL looks like, but could you use the lock ring on the bottom?
Maybe you need to put a washer between the ring and the press if it's not flat.

[oldhickory]

LEE dies are too short to work in the Hornady LNL press. I had to buy several RCBS sets for my LNL AP and they just barely make it. I guess they want you to buy Hornady dies. The manual states that, for best results use Hornady dies as others may not be long enough. The flange of the LNL sleeve takes a bit over 1/8" + the press is heavy.

[Freightman]

Strange! I used my 45acp dies to load 1000's of 45 Colt rounds when I had a 45 Colt gun with no problem and I use a 9mm charge die for my 357 , but it is on a Rock Chucker and Lee press.

[abunaitoo]

This is what you need:

From CH tool and die.
Shell Holder Extension
For use when trimming short cases in a file trim die. With our universal Shell Holder Extension there is no need to buy an assortment of extended shell holders, one tool extends your standard shell holder 3/4.
Part # 409090
Shell Holder Extension $ 16.29

[wildbill]

BCall, Thanks but the case rests on the top of the ram and the shellplate just holds it in position, there is no way to lift it any higher that I can see.
I have loaded 9mm and 10mm on this press and have to adjust the dies just about as far down as they will go, but, can load fine without any problem. I guess I'm going to have to get new dies for 38.

[Johnny_Cyclone]

I know the pre 2002 or 2003 LEE dies had fewer threads than the later ones. I know this because that's back when people like myself were running the lock rings under the die plate on Dillon 550's and 650's. The newer LEE dies are a 1/2" longer and eliminated that problem and you could lock ring on top like normal.

How old is your LEE die set?

The under die plate trick probably won't work on a LNL since you have to remove the die/bushing combo's and not a the entire die plate for caliber change.

I kinda remember that someone with a LNL did do away with the lock rings all together by drilling and tapping the LNL bushings. In essence making the bushing the lock ring. I think they did it regardless of die brand. They thought it looked much cleaner by not having six different brands of lock ring looking at back at'em.

Anyway, I thought that 1/2" of thread tid bit when I noticed this thread.

For reference my (Newer style long thread count) LEE powder thru expander die is 2-7/8" long top to bottom. I can't speak of the older set as I sold them.

[wildbill]

Johnny Cyclone, I think you just figuered it out. I've had these dies a long time! I know more than 10 years.
I have though about machining off some of the top of the bushing. Seems like a lot of trouble and don't know if I could since its aluminum. But I'm glad at least to know what was going on.
Thanks

[rsrocket1]

My Lee Collet Neck die sits just barely too high to work in my LnL AP. I turned the lock ring upside down and it now sits at the right height in the LnL bushing. You could also buy some of the Hornady Locking rings, I think they are thinner than the Lee nuts with the O-rings in them. I think they are about $3/ea in a 6 pack.

[wildbill]

rsrocket1, I just tried the upside down lock ring and its going to work perfect. Just won't have the o-ring. I didn't realize that it is not threaded all the way through. Great fix! Thanks,
Bill

[rsrocket1]

Yeah, the dies stay snug enough when they are tightened that way. Maybe one of these days if I have $20 burning a hole in my pocket, I'll buy a half dozen of those lock rings (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Reloading/Presses-Dies%7C/pc/104792580/c/104761080/sc/104516280/Hornady-Sure-Loc-Die-Lock-Rings/1170711.uts?destination=/catalog/browse/shooting-reloading-presses-dies/hornady/_/N-1100195%2B1000003666/Ne-1000003666/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104516280%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat1047 92580%253Bcat104761080%26WTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_ stype%3DGNU&WTz_l=SBC;MMcat104792580;cat104761080;cat104516280 ). They really are good rings, I'd just rather buy more powder/projos/primers right now :).

[BCall]

BCall, Thanks but the case rests on the top of the ram and the shellplate just holds it in position, there is no way to lift it any higher that I can see.
I have loaded 9mm and 10mm on this press and have to adjust the dies just about as far down as they will go, but, can load fine without any problem. I guess I'm going to have to get new dies for 38.

Apologies, I was thinking of the LNL single stage press, not the progressive. Should have looked closer before posting. Glad you found a solution.

[Walter Laich]

Turns out my Lee dies fall into this category too. I've got an old set I use to seat and crimp after loading with black powder. Probably have all of a half thread catching but it's holding (for the moment)

[mag44uk]

I have used the later Lee dies in my LnL and ,as said,they are longer.
But still only just fit!. I used the standard Lee lock ring but took out the rubber "o" ring and used the nut upside down.
HTH
Tony

[buyobuyo]

My Lee 9mm dies are like this, but I was able to get them low enough to work.

However, I had to make a .100" spacer for between the expander spud and threaded adjustment shaft to get my Lyman M-die to work when loading 9mm. It still takes almost all of the adjustment.

[noylj]

All the Lee dies I have work just fine on my L-N-L AP.
I also remove the o-ring and screw the lock ring on upside down.
Many put the lock ring on the bottom of the press head.
Some get Dillon's 1" lock rings.
Are you using some very old Lee dies that are shorter and not made for progressive presses?
Lee will make modifications for a very reasonable price. They would certainly be able to make a slightly longer expander stem/spud/whatever.
The world of dies has changed a lot since the introduction of affordable progressive presses.