Hornady LNL owners-specific question

[Heavy lead]

I have a Hornady LNL and love it, only use it for 45acp. I load for 5 other handgun cartridges and currently have two 4 station Lee turrets set up. I'm do for a reloading room makeover and I'm contemplating on getting at least another (maybe two more LNL's). Obviously though you can't find them anywhere, so I'm conteplating on maybe getting Dillon 550's, or maybe even Square Deals. From what I know the thing I don't like about the sd is you have to use their dies. I have limited knowledge about the 550's and do understand that they are manualy indexed which I don't have a problem with.
So here is the question: For you Hornady LNL lovers out there, that know first hand of the Dillon 550, or the SD, I would like your opinions.
Should I wait to get the LNL, or ?

[August]

I've owned all three. The LnL is my current work horse. I'm planning on getting another one. The wait isn't that long, IMHO.

The SDB is fast, fast, fast. If you want to dedicate a press to one pistol round, the SDB is your Huckleberry!!!

Guys will swear they've never had a problem with a 550. Every squib I've ever seen at a match was the result of pilot error while operating a 550. Not worth ruining a thousand dollar weekend in my book.

[jmorris]

I did own a LNL and currently own five Dillon progressives so I’ll chime in. If you really like the LNL I’d just wait until one gets in stock. If you have to work for your money like the rest of us, then spend it on what you want. Also, the LNL is closer to the 650 than the 550 and while the SD can make good ammo you only have one choice in dies.

[jmorris]

After a quick look around cabela's clames to have them in 1-2 weeks, you can't get primers that fast.

I like my SD's but they are not what I'd call "fast, fast, fast"

That would be this one http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/?action=view&current=1050.flv

[Heavy lead]

Thanks for the replies, I don't need something superfast, I will not set speed records with the LNL because I don't want to ruin a shootin' iron, or finger, eyes or anything else. I think I'll just order the LNL and wait until it gets here. I'm sure the blue is a good machine, but I'd rather have all the same technique. I've used the Lee Turret for years and can't for the most part complain. It's just time to move up a bit.
There are guys that can make a progressive sing, I'll never be one of those. I'm too busy confirming powder charges.

[Lloyd Smale]

im a good one to ask. I had 5 square deals and a 550 that i lost in the fire. I so far have bought two lock and load aps to replace them. the lock and load is faster then a 550 and slower then a square deal even with a case feeder. the square deals have a much shorter stroke and thats where they get there speed from. So far i like the hornadys. there very smooth and seem to operate well. Only flaw to them is it seems like any amount of dirt at all will stop the primer system. the 550 and square deals werent so fussy. Comparing a lock and load to a 650 id say its about even. I liked mine enough to buy a second. Dillon is giving me a 550 and to be honest if they werent id buy one anyway. Its just a handy press for alot of odds and ends reloading and reloading tasks. Do i miss the square deals. Probably not. There good little presses but if you load the quanitys i do you will find yourself replacing parts more often then you would on a big heavy duty press like a 550 or 650 or lock and load. Seems like out of the 5 I allways had one down for repairs and was robbing parts from one for another. The only way to go with square deals is to buy a press in every caliber you load. That way you save time in adustments. I even had seperate powder bars set in different charge wieghts so i wasnt fooling with adjusting them. that brings me to something else i really like about the hornady. The measure seems hands down better then a dillon. easier to adjust and more consistant. Cool thing too is i can in the future buy powder adjustment screws for it and snap them in and out at set charges just like on the dillon. The few problems ive had so far hornady has come to me rescue and done it for free just like dillon would. I dont know if they will be as free about spare parts as dillon was in the past though. Bottom line is i like these red presses. Only thing i dont like is the priming setup and the lock and load inserts tends to come loose on there own. As to the priming system ive used lees, square deals 550s 650s and lock and loads and ive yet to find a good priming system that is totaly reliable. If someone would make a press with a bullet proof priming system id switch again in a heartbeat. One other advantage to sticking to a hornady if you allready have one is parts break, i dont care what brand they are and if your loading a bunch of ammo and something breaks you can allways rob parts from your other machine. It was the biggest factor in buying a second one for me. That and the 1000 free bullets makes it a no brainer. they about give them away if you factor in the cost of a 1000 .30 softnose bullets.

[Heavy lead]

Thanks Lloyd great insight, you've had them all. Looks like I'll be putting at least one lnl on backorder, might go 2 more.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Llloyd,

If you're having problems with LnL bushings coming loose, call Hornady and tell them. You have female bushings in the press that are out of specification and need them replaced. With the way they have had to increase production, I'm not suprised.

On the primer system, go back through it and tweak it a bit more and you can get it pretty close to bullet proof, except for dirt/powder in the track of the primer carrier. Gotta keep a can of compressed air for that.

OP, I owned a 550, load on my buddy's 650 pretty often and my experience fairly closely parallels Lloyd's, except I've had my LnL much longer and find I prefer it to the 550 and SDB. About the only press I'd give it up for is the Dillon 1050 and only if I could put a Hornady powder measure, a case feeder and a KISS bullet feeder on the 1050.

Regards,

Dave

[cajun shooter]

August, I will disagree with you on the 550. If you saw a squib load from the 550 then it was the fault of the operator and not the machine. The 550 gives me more control when I load my BP rounds as I use the RCBS BP measure on it and not the Dillon. The Die holder on a Dillon has the hole in the center for putting on a holder after use. This hole will hold a small flashlight and it's very easy to see if you have a case without powder. I also seat and crimp in separate stages and this is not a problem with the 550. A full progressive machine is fast but you lose a certain amount of control.

[Lloyd Smale]

I agree with cajun shooter here. If you get a double load on a 550 its because your mind isnt where its suppose to be. Its possible with a hornady too if you push the case up into the measure and then for some reason come down a bit and go up again it will double charge.