Bringing the LnL AP back to life

[UberDuper]

I've got a mid 2000s LnL AP that I'm about to start loading on again after about 5 years sitting in a box.

I'd like to refresh it a bit and get some new gizmos for it.
So I'm going to pick up:
EZject conversion (and new style shell plates. :( The original ejector is so bad, this should be a free upgrade.)
Probably a PowderFunnels Universal PTX
I think I need the PTX Linkage
An RCBS bullet feeder die or maybe the Hornady one if I decide to powder coat my boolits.

Anything else I should get or modifications I should make?

[lancem]

I don't know if it would fit on an AP but I sure like my case feeder..

[seagiant]

Hi,
No Pics???

[R. Dupraz]

A Hornady powder cop die

[UberDuper]

A Hornady powder cop die
I'd have to go back to a bullet seat/crimp die to do that. Cast SWC tend to have some of the shoulder shaved off from those dies in my experience, at least with the lee die I have. I went to a separate seater + lee FCD.

[UberDuper]

I don't know if it would fit on an AP but I sure like my case feeder..
Which feeder? A case feeder would be awesome but Hornady wants more then I'm willing to spend for theirs.

[cheese1566]

I have a Hornady Bullet Feeder that I am not using. I have 38-357 and 9mm feeder dies and extra PTX stops to go with it.
Pm if interested in a whole set up.

[5Shot]

I've got the sub plate that allows the addition of a case feeder, but it is for the old style ejector system.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

UberDuper, answered in red in the quote, since I've did a good bit of what you're considering.


I've got a mid 2000s LnL AP that I'm about to start loading on again after about 5 years sitting in a box.

I'd like to refresh it a bit and get some new gizmos for it.
So I'm going to pick up:
EZject conversion (and new style shell plates. :( The original ejector is so bad, this should be a free upgrade.) I did this on my circa serial number 7000 AP. It worked better than the original, but I was never quite entirely satisfied. It may be I got an early conversion kit and it was a little rough. I remember it being a bit of a pain to change out the spent primer disposal tube.

Probably a PowderFunnels Universal PTX Some alternatives to doing this: Add a Lee Pro Auto Disk (You'll need a Lee powder through expander die. This works extremely well for pistol powder.) or a Dillon 550/650 powder measure with powder through die and powder funnel in it. The Lee's are inexpensive and do a great job. You can pick up the Dillon measure, die and other parts used. The first place I would check is with Alvarez Kelly on this board. A tuned Dillon measure (polished and such, do a web search on how) will handle a wide range of powders. You can run it as it was originally done with springs you can get for free from Dillon. Works great and doesn't need the "safety mechanism" on an auto advance progressive.

I think I need the PTX Linkage I wouldn't spend my money. The CAPD, properly adjusted, works extremely well and the LnL powder measure with a micrometer does great with rifle powders.

An RCBS bullet feeder die or maybe the Hornady one if I decide to powder coat my boolits. You might consider other aftermarket dies as well. The Hornady feeder dies work well and can be tuned to feed cast boolits. I have three. The RCBS have plastic internal parts and are not easily adapted for feeding cast boolits, but work great with rifle bullets. The aftermarket kit currently offered with a 4 tube bullet "cartridge" to feed it may be the best choice cost and convenience wise and you get the option to later make or buy an aftermarket carousel to feed bullets into the tube.

Anything else I should get or modifications I should make? You might consider an aftermarket case feeder. The Hornady case feeder, especially when bought as a kit for an AP without the casefeeder mounting bosses, is kind of a kludgy affair with poor documentation. I bought one, installed it on mine and was never quite happy with it. The biggest aggravation was switching calibers and figuring out which parts to use to get it to work with the new caliber. Took a long time. If I had a do over, I'd buy aftermarket and possibly make my own carousel, as the manufactured carousels tend to be cheap and overpriced affairs. I believe jmorris on this forum could be of great help in this regard for someone serious about doing so.

[UberDuper]

Dave, thanks for the info.

What aftermarket case feeders are there? I see plenty of carousels but nothing that actually places the case into the shell plate. The carousels look pretty easy to DIY.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Dave, thanks for the info.

What aftermarket case feeders are there? I see plenty of carousels but nothing that actually places the case into the shell plate. The carousels look pretty easy to DIY.

I may be misremembering the case feeder. It may be only the carousel I saw. I forgot to mention that for me, adding a bullet feeder probably improved production for me over adding a case feeder, especially with smaller bullets. I think if you add a bullet feeder, a powder check mechanism may be mandatory after that. But it's been a while and I must qualify my memory is more iffy than it used to be. (Thank you for the memory issues sleep apnea.)

[UberDuper]

The bullet feeder is something I definitely want to do. Even if it's just getting the die and tubes. A carousel can come down the road.
Setting bullets on cases is what slows me down the most.

[jimbull34]

I have a case feeder on my AP and I use shell feeder also. What I did, get the calber
shell feed you want, I put a 3/4" eye bolt thru the case feeder side and use three foot long plastic tubes to but my bullets in. Doing .45 acp's, I can put 80 rounds in the tube. Thats enough for me as the primer feeder only holds 100 pieces. Any yes, I do have a powder cop, I made it, works great and takes away the anxious feeling while loading LOL!!!!!

[jimbull34]

Heres a few pic's, 121324121325121327121326

[jimbull34]

The "cop" works on gravity. When the shell plate is raised, the cop goes into the case and if there is no powder in it, it does not rise, if there is the correct amount of powder the pin rises to the length you see in pic
#3. If it is less then that (about 1/2"), then I recycle the powder in that case and redo it. Simple process and one hell of a lot better then $80+ dollars from RCBS or Hornady. I have reloaded about 2k rds of .223 and have discovered about 6 rds that were squibs. Saves my gun!!!!! Acutally it saves my rifle, well my gun too!!!!!! LOL

[freebullet]

Rcbs lock out die.

[skeettx]

I did away with ALL the powder measure, drop rod, etc and went with a Lee Auto Powder measure. Only drops
powder with a case is in the die, and has cavities that do not move out of adjustment.
Mike

[seagiant]

Hi,
Thanks for the info! I think there is a misconception about Progressive Reloaders! I see a lot of new reloaders going to a progressive and they figure all they have to do is pull the handle!

Not true as we know, as you still have to supply the brains! A squib load is no big deal at the range IF you stop and do not fire another shot as there is a bullet stuck in the barrel.

Not a good thing if you are in a fire fight, as now you have a worthless gun and the price can be alot higher! I catch a lot of flack advocating to NEVER use reloads for self defense and squib loads are another reason for me, among others!!!