Pro-7 to LNL Upgrade, Anybody Done One?

[deltaenterprizes]

I got the kit because a tech at Hornady said that it would work on my press but another one says that it won’t!
Has anyone done one?

[Moleman-]

Its not a drop in kit. It can be made to work though I've done it on a ProJector press. The biggest differences are the drive rod and the way the subplate is attached to the ram. The shell plates will also need modified or replaced with the LNL style. You're better off using the original drive rod and shell plate nut over the drive hub and allen screw. I'll get some pics up later.

[deltaenterprizes]

Its not a drop in kit. It can be made to work though I've done it on a ProJector press. The biggest differences are the drive rod and the way the subplate is attached to the ram. The shell plates will also need modified or replaced with the LNL style. You're better off using the original drive rod and shell plate nut over the drive hub and allen screw. I'll get some pics up later.

Thanks!

[Moleman-]

I lost several of the pics of the conversion last year when the hard drive on my computer stopped working, but there's enough there to get the gist of it.

There are several videos on how to upgrade the older LNL with the ejector wire to the new style. Those video's are good for taking off the brass primer tube and general disassembly. The Pro7 & ProJector presses I've seen use roll pins to retain the subplate where as the LNL and the LNL upgrade kit use a bevel headed allen screw. If you use the upgrade kit you'll have to either redrill and ream the 1/4" index holes 90 degrees to the current one or use a piloted countersink (best in a mill) to bevel the pin holes to use the allen screws.

The next issue is the drive rod v/s drive hub on the LNL. The older presses have a 1/2" rod with an index pin sticking up through the subplate and the LNL presses have a 1" drive hub with a 1/2" step and nub to index the shellplate. Initially I thought the drive hub was the way to go, but am switching the press back to the old style as the drive hubs wear out or stretch since they're a casting of some sort. I had to shim the drive hub on my factory assembled LNL-AP and also on the converted ProJector press after what I'd call light use (15K-20K maybe a little more). If it were just one press, especially the ProJector since it wasn't factory I'd chalk it up to the conversion. But since both loosened up I started looking at the drive hub setup. seems I'm not alone and the "fix" is to shim the drive hub. To use your original drive rod all you need is a 1" to 1/2" bearing. I made mine out of iron, but a $10-$12 Oilite type bearing from McMasterCarr would work as well. If going with the original drive rod and 1/2"-1" bushing that is the only other modification other than the retaining pin/screws.

To use the LNL-AP drive hub (and I don't recommend it) you will either need to cut and modify your original drive rod or make a new one. I made a new one in case I wanted to switch back. The new drive rod needs three pin holes and 2 need drilled in line. One at the bottom of the rod for the index wheel needs to be in line with one at the top for the drive hub. I cut a woodruff key pocket in mine so that the drive hub would be better supported. The third pin hole is for a heavy die spring, thrust washer and retaining washer or collar to push the drive rod/index wheel up. On the Pro7/ProJector presses the locknut on top does this job. Once you make the drive rod, assemble along with the subplate-ram pins/screws modification.

This conversion keeps coming up. I've got my ProJector apart right now to swap it back to the original drive rod using the LNL subplate and 1/2"-1" bushing which I think is the way to go. I'll post up a thread on it in the next few days. Pic1 is the 1/2"-1" bushing next to the LNL drive hub. Pic 2 is the different subplates. Pic 3 shows the LNL subplate with the bushing installed. Pic 4 is the modified ram with beveled screws. Pic 5 is the Projector set up for case trimming with the LNL drive hub. Pic 6 is the Projector press set up with the LNL subplate, bushing and original drive rod.

[Moleman-]

There is also a simple modification to use the LNL primer system. You'll need to drill and tap a screw hole on top for the cam wire plastic retainer and make a cup retainer at the bottom. Pretty easy and I'll include that in the thread along with the shellplate mod.

[Rockindaddy]

I have an old Hornady Pro7 that was given to me. It is a great old progressive machine. The factory said that there were no parts available for the old Pro 7. I purchased Lock & Load 45 Colt and 44-40 shell plates and used a rotary table on my Bridgeport and a carbide ball mill to cut the detent's into the L&L shell plates that matched up to the original Pro 7 shell plate. The new recut L&L shell plates work great! I realize not everyone has a vertical mill but it is not a difficult machine operation. You would have to find a machine shop that would cut the six detents. Now I load 5 different calibers on my old Hornady Pro 7.

[deltaenterprizes]

Thanks!