Rifle reloading with a Hornady LNL

[just bill]

I have only used my lnl for pistol reloading, however I'm moving into the rifle reloading primarily. 223 and .308. Not rocket science, however all my rifles are magazine fed semi auto. Any caution suggestions about using a progressive press. Primarily like using a taper crimp or any useful little tricks.
Thanks,
Bill

[farmbif]

I found with certain stick type powders if I assisted the powder rotor by putting a little pressure on the adjusting stem to cut through the powder kernels while pulling the press lever down it helped quite a bit. other than that once you get dies set up it cranks out the ammo real good.

[oldhenry]

I think you'll get several different answers. The problem for me: 1. resizing requires lubing the case 2. resizing also requires trimming or at the minimum checking to see if it needs trimming.

Here's how I did it with my 550B for .223:
1. resized on my single stage
2. trimmed on my Match Prep
3. cleaned primer pockets & wet tumbled
4. primed on 550B & sometimes primed on RCBS bench primer
5. The 550B dispensed the RL15 for 77 & 80 Sierras & H322 for 52 Amax (the Dillon powder measure had been smoothed-up & was extremely accurate).
6. The 550B seated the bullets using a Hornady die (no crimp & no problem not crimping)

I know this sounds like I should have done it on a single stage, but the 550B saved time dispensing the powder & seating the bullet. Also the loaded ammo shot better than I did.

[Moleman-]

I run 223,6x45, 243win, 30-30, 303, 308, 30-06 and others through a Hornady progressive. I'll run them through to deprime/resize then tumble then back through the press just like you'd do for pistol rounds. Make darn sure a sample of the cases fit the rifles you plan on using them in before running them through the 2nd time, and do the same with a sample of the cartridges. Ball powder usually flows better than stick, but I've used quite a bit of IMR 4198 and 4895 in a progressive press using a hornady measure. I prefer seating and crimping for everything in two steps.

[earlmck]

The biggest difference when you reload for rifle is the need for case lubing. I'm quite fond of Hornady's "One Shot" case lube when I do a bunch of progressive press loading as I don't feel the need to clean the cartridges afterwards (which I do if I use my lanolin/alcohol homemade spray). I have some loading trays I only use for applying spray-on lube. Make sure to give the cases time for the lube to dry -- it doesn't work well if they go in the size die when still wet.

And when I am using CCI primers I seem to have to give them an extra "grunt" to make sure they are seated all the way. And I'm not happy with the way my powder measure dispenses stick powders when using the "rifle" drum so I go for a ball powder or at least use one of the "Reloader" series with the smaller sticks.

And I use the same seating set-up I'd use with the single stage; never had a problem in that area.

[DeadWoodDan]

I like others de-prime and prep brass as the first step. Once brass is uniform and ready to go, my first station is a de-capping pin. This ensures no media is left in the flash hole. Make sure the powder drop is set for best fit in that cartridge and all else is text book. I have been successful from .204 up to 45/70 without much issues. Like anything you will find the "tricks" and a nice rhythm.

[just bill]

Thanks, at this time I have mostly 7.62 cases which are totally pre prepped , just add primer, powder,projectiles and seat. Mostly concerned about crimping and the type of powder for the m1a 16. I read an unnerving comment about rifle powder vs pistol powder. Something about second detonation, advising the necessity to use pistol powder.
Bottle neck reloading is really new to me. All my semi auto pistols got the taper crimp by the additional taper crimp die, .45, 9mm, 10mm and 40's.

[BK7saum]

I wouldn't worry about type of powder issues. Basically, what you heard has some truth, but is taken out of context. Just use load data from the bullet or powder manufacturer, start low and work up. Since your rifles are semi-auto, some manufactures have data strictly for those actions. Rarely is the slowest powder/fastest velocity your friend in a semi-auto. Usually a middle of the data burn rate powder is best for reliable function and to keep from beating up your rifle.

[jmorris]

Main thing that bugged me loading 308 with one of my LNL’s was that with the seat die and bullet I was using, I had to stick the bullet up into the die then raise the ram enough to finish he 2nd half of the index, then set the bullet on the case, get fingers out of the way and complete the stroke.

Every other press I just set the bullet on the case and raise the ram because they all index completely on the down stroke.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Get a Lee Factory Crimp Die for each round (.223/308)

They make getting consistent crimps possible when case lengths are not exactly the same.

Randy

[Shawlerbrook]

I load for many different tube fed leverguns and Randy is right on, the Lee fcd makes crimping foolproof.

[Winger Ed.]

I use Win 748 for 5.56 & 7.62, and couldn't ask it to measure or shoot any better.

I don't use any of the stick powders unless I'll be weighing each charge.

[Three44s]

The stick powder I tried bridged right away. I had followed the powder measure break in to a tee beforehand.

Three44s

[jpamp]

Thank you for this thread and the replies, I also am needing expand from pistol to rifle with my LNL press. Do you notice indexing not being as accurate with longer cartridges depending on your stroke?

[Winger Ed.]

Do you notice indexing not being as accurate with longer cartridges depending on your stroke?

Shouldn't be a problem. If it is, I never heard of it.

Something I found:
I use one shot too, and after I sized a 5.56 case,
it wouldn't fit all the way down in my Lyman case/chamber check gage without a little 'help'.
I wiped it off with a paper towel, and it plunked right in.

I never tried a lubed case in a chamber, but it might be an issue with a tight one.

[onelight]

I don't use stick powder on a progressive measure and do use the Lee factory crimp die as has been mentioned.
223 , 308 and 30-06 are all I have loaded on progressives I do bolt and single shot on a single stage just don't need the quantity for them.

[jpamp]

Thanks guys, I haven done any rifle cartridges yet but will be in the next few weeks.

[Winger Ed.]

Something that has discouraged me from 5.56 or even 7.62 on my AP is all the problem children I run into.

Berdan cases on 7.62s that sneak in, and a lot of 5.56s that refuse to accept a new primer.
I'll sort, clean, blah, blah, blah, and more than I want to deal with on a progressive still get into the batch.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got two lnl progressives. When i set up to load 556 or ar10 308 stuff i set both presses up. first one sizes deprimes, reprimes and i set my dillon trimmer on it and trim. then i take them all and tumble them to get the lube off. then they go to the second press that charges (if it needs to be flared for cast i use a lee flaring die in the first stage) sets the bullets and crimps (if necessary) both of my case feeders about sit idle though. there just to troublesome to bother with. i can do just as much in the same amount of time by feeding it by hand.

[Three44s]

I have not tried it but the powder bridging problem with extruded types might be alleviated by mounting some sort of miniature vibrator on the powder measure ot close by on the press.

Three44s

[Three44s]

I noticed first run brass was mentioned being tried on a LNL. I would not envision that on any progressive.

I would get all the “cooty bugs” out of the way on a single stage press first before venturing into the realm of “progressivism”

First full length, trim to length, primer crimp removal, inside and outside mouth deburring etc. unless you are doing the length trim via a Dillon press mounted unit but the still leaves a primer crimp to deal with.

Three44s

[W.R.Buchanan]

The smaller the mouth of the case, the more likely powder bridging will occur with anything other than Ball Powders.

That why we use them for .223s in Progressive Machines.

If using stick powders and charging the case off the machine using a funnel I always toonce the funnel a few times to insure all the powder goes in the hole.

I use W748/BL-C2 exclusively in my .223s and W231 in my pistol rounds loaded on the D550B. This eliminates virtually any possibility of powder mishaps while mass producing ammo.

Randy

[Three44s]

To facilitate a possible move to my LNL I began migrating my newer loads in .223 to BLC(2) for that very reason.

Most of my .223 usage is in bolt guns but in case that changes I want the door open for loading much more on a progressive.

Three44s

[firewhenready7]

I like to resize and de-prime on single stage. After re tumbling to clean off lube, I check to see if I nee to trim case... Progressive for the rest of the steps.

[jeff423]

You might want to see if small base dies would be of any benefit.

[1hole]

I load for many different tube fed leverguns and Randy is right on, the Lee fcd makes crimping foolproof.

Applying to nothing, calling Lee's FCD "foolproof" depends on how determined the fools are.

I remember when Lee brought out that collet crimping die in the late 80s, IIRC; it sold like crazy from day one. I bought one myself, just to see how well it worked; loved it and soon had one for every bottleneck cartridge I reloaded.

Big green belonged to a holding company at the time, Blount I believe, and wanted to scare people away from the FCD (and all things "red"). Their "answer" was trying to make people believe the collet crimper was junk that would virtually destroy bullets; they quickly published a lot of magazine adds with a photo showing how "bad" Lee's FCDs were. The photo showed a massively squeezed jacketed bullet with a wasp waist they had massively over "crimped" with the FCD. That made an impressive advertizing photo for them ... except they had clearly cut the slots in the collet much wider than normal so the crimper fingers could be jammed down MUCH further than they were designed to do!

In plain words, big green lied about Lee's rifle FCD, and insulted my intelligence in the process! I make no claim to being real smart but I immediately saw the lying photograph for what it was.
I don't like liars of any color and don't recall buying anything green - at least nothing new - since then.

[Moleman-]

I remember that ad campaign. At their advice not to use their bullets with the FCD I stopped using them for the most part. Started using more Hornady and Sierra bullets after that as it was a deceptive ad in my opinion.