Hornady subplate update that went bad

[frank_1947]

A 10 minute job that just went really bad, for those of you who might be thinking about updating your Hornady LNL AP press, if alll goes well 10 minutes nothing to it but if once you take off the primer tube and the primer feeder now your ready to screw out the two screws that hold subplate on the first one broke loose no problem the next would not budge after bending my hex wrench I used a socket with a 4mm hex and sprayed liquid wrench, well we snappped the hex bit right off this screw is really tight, I used extension bars, even heated it with small torch then rounded the dam thing off on the inside, I then prepared to use a easy out but thought of a easier way, so went to a buddies house who has welding equipment. I had him lay a nut on top of the screw head, run a tiny beed each side then put a wrench on it , turned out just as easy as could be.

So now it's time to put new subplate on no problem put all the other primer stuff on put new shell plate on and test, well it is biding up bad, any and all shell plates just bind, the old ones wont even hardly move, called Hornady, there sending new one, the surface must not be flat, he said they are done with CNC machine and wondered how many more are out there and they need them back.

[hammerhead357]

Frank thanks for this handy bit of info. I have been considering updating my L N L but I am having second thoughts since I use the last station to roll crimp cast boolit loads and then just hand eject the rounds. But this is good to know anyway....Wes

[August]

Thanks for the report. This is on my "to-do" list.

[frank_1947]

hammerhead, I think it is a great update for the $30 I also use last station for crimp, no problem there, it is faster not having to take the finished round out you have next case in hand as you pull handle down pretty nice I am thinking case feeder but have not heard much about them. I found out (my mistake) you can not use old shell plate with new sub plate you can send old ones to Hornady $10 a piece to get update plate well worth it.

[tmak]

i had an old lock n load ap which was a great press well i sold that one and got the new one with the case feed. I'm not sure how i live without one of these for the last couple of years. I see RCBS has a bullet feeder that will work with any progressive press. going to have to look into that, how nice would that be to just feed it primers. speaking of that has anyone found a easy way to fill them primer tubes?

[frank_1947]

so the case feeders works good,
great

[tmak]

so far i have ran 223, 9mm , 45 acp, and 40 and it takes some time to change over but once it is changed over it just keep running untill you have had enough. the part that i don't like is loading the primer tubes but from what i can find there isn't much choice in how its done. and it dosen't seem to matter what brand you choose. rcbs looks to be the easiest but good luck finding the primers in the strips

[frank_1947]

Thanks tmak

[runfiverun]

dillon makes a primer tube filler.
i have seen guy's take a lee hand primer and fix it up with some hot glue to make a primer tube filler.
i just bought a dillon it works nicely with all but some cci's.

[tmak]

so the dillion primer tube loader will work with the hornaday tubes? thats tube loader from dillion is a little pricey so how do they use the lee set up? i'm guessing that they would just use the flip trays so how.

[oneokie]

They cobble together an adapter so the tube fits in a shell holder in the Auto Prime, insert the tube in the adapter and work the thumb lever.

[tmak]

I can't see were that set up would be that much faster or any more convenient. I like the flip the switch and it fills its self idea much better.

[Ron B.]

Last year, contacting Hornady about the upgrade, if memory serves me correctly I thought I was told the LNL AP press must be returned to Hornady for the conversion? And, the price would be $90; but would include 3 new shell-plates. Any additional shellholder I had could be exchanged for the new ones for $10 each?

If I may be so bold, how much did Hornady charge you for the kit?

Thanks,
GRB

[frank_1947]

$29.95 got it from a buddy of mine