thinking of adding a Hornady LNL

[housedad]

I have a Dillon 550b, and a Hornady 366 shotshell loader. I like the 550B for many things, but the manual indexing has been getting to be a pain when loading 2000 or more rounds at a shot.

I was looking at the Hornady LNL, and was wondering what you folks thought of me adding one. Do you think it would be better for the large loadings?

I do 2k + loads about 6 times a year. I would want to keep my 550b as I have so many accessories and toolheads, that doing small runs under 50o might be easier.
I do a lot of small runs for myself and family. A LOT.

I would like the 650, but it can't do the 30-06. I load mostly 30-06, 7.62X39, 35 rem, and 300 win mag for rifle. About 12 k per year in batches.

Pistol, I load about the same as rifle, 38, 357, 9mm, 380, and will probably be adding 44 mag this fall

Chime in on other presses too, like the RCBS.

Thanks

Bion

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Bion,

I've owned a 550, sold it and got the LnL about ten years ago. I also load on a 650 at a buddy's house on a regular basis, so I've put answers in red in our quote below. I hope my experiences help.


I have a Dillon 550b, and a Hornady 366 shotshell loader. I like the 550B for many things, but the manual indexing has been getting to be a pain when loading 2000 or more rounds at a shot.

My son owns the 366 and I've had a chance to play with it. If you own one, you'll find the LnL to have some of the flavor of the 366, but be better in execution. If you're looking at 2000 or more rounds, consider buying a casefeeder when you buy the press, regardless of brand. Really reduces the amount you have to reach.

I was looking at the Hornady LNL, and was wondering what you folks thought of me adding one. Do you think it would be better for the large loadings?

Yes, I do. Elminates operator thumb on the 550 as well. It's a very different operation than the 550, but I've found it to be a better press in every aspect, including powder dispensing, rate of turn, size, concentricity of cartridges for rifle, primer dispense (the biggest problem with my 550).

I do 2k + loads about 6 times a year. I would want to keep my 550b as I have so many accessories and toolheads, that doing small runs under 50o might be easier.
I do a lot of small runs for myself and family. A LOT.

The LnL will do both well. It's to change calibers than the 550, quick and easy and lends itself well to both long runs as well as short, frequent changeovers.

I would like the 650, but it can't do the 30-06. I load mostly 30-06, 7.62X39, 35 rem, and 300 win mag for rifle. About 12 k per year in batches.

Of those calibers, I've loaded the 30.06 and 7.62 X 39 on my LnL. The LnL will handle the 30.06 with ease. If I take it easy and loaf along, I can load 400 rounds an hour without any effort whatsoever. This is without a casefeeder and with checking everything along the way. The cartridges made had good runout and shot well out to 600 yards. I don't know past that, as I don't have a range available to me longer than that.

Pistol, I load about the same as rifle, 38, 357, 9mm, 380, and will probably be adding 44 mag this fall

I load .45ACP and .380ACP on my LnL. Works great for both. I use Lee die sets and a Lee Pro Auto Disk because it fits on the Lee sizing die, but I've also loaded .45ACP with the standard Hornady setup with Hornady dies. In either setup, the press did a great job.

Chime in on other presses too, like the RCBS.

Don't know about the
RCBS, because they're not generally available in this area and I don't know anyone who owns one. I've read on the net the owners seems to be very happy with them. A downside is I don't think they offer a casefeeder.

Thanks

Bion

One thing to be aware of with the Hornady is it is NOT a Dillon. In other words, it doesn't operate like a Dillon. Very different design perspective. But if you initially take your time, make sure the auto advance is adjusted properly to start, then adjust and tune each operation, you'll find it stays in adjustment and will run for a long time (read that years and years) with minimal parts replacement.

Regards,

Dave

[jmorris]

I would like the 650, but it can't do the 30-06.

Sure it can, the conversion kit is part #21094. The 650 will even load 300 H&H magnum (over three tenths of an inch over the 06). Just food for thought, I purchased an LNL to load rifle rounds with but I didn’t like it as I had to insert the bullet up into the die then after it did it’s half index on the up stroke line it up with the case. The 650 does a complete index at the bottom of the down stroke.

[lostchild0]

I've got an old hornady ( pre LNL ) love it bought it used at a gun show ( 110.00$ ) it came with 7 shell plates. I needed extra primer tubes , called hornady and they sent me three extra tubes both large and small plus primer cups for each tube, at no charge ( not even shipping ), this was even after I told them I bought it used ( come to find out this press had just been remanufactured three weeks before I bought it still had factory grease on it ). Anyway I can load about 500 pistol rounds per hour and about 400 308 size rifle rounds per hour ( with out a case feeder. I also asked if a Lee bullet feeder would fit and the tech that I talked to said it would. ) Hops this makes sense and helps.... lost

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Just food for thought, I purchased an LNL to load rifle rounds with but I didn’t like it as I had to insert the bullet up into the die then after it did it’s half index on the up stroke line it up with the case. The 650 does a complete index at the bottom of the down stroke.

I insert the bullet just as it's going into the seating die, just like I did when I was reloading single stage, so that was never an issue with me. What was an issue was when I compared runout against my buddy's 650, my Hornady LnL had better runout numbers. An important thing when you're serious about your long range accuracy.

I think if someone is expecting a Hornady to be "like a Dillon" they're going to get disappointed. If someone accepts it's a different design and allows themselves the time to get used to the differences, they find it's a fine press, just different.

Regards,

Dave

[jmorris]

I insert the bullet just as it's going into the seating die, just like I did when I was reloading single stage, so that was never an issue with me.

I guess it was just the particular combination that I was using. If you had the bullet sitting in the case mouth by the time it indexed it was already too high to go into the die. As long as you don’t have too long of a combination I never had any problems with the one I had.

If I do my part the LNL, 650, and 1050 will all load 1moa ammunition but if I’m shooting for a hole in a hole a single stage is what I use.

[Lloyd Smale]

the hornady is a great press. Its got a few flaws but then so does the 650. either will load 06 though.

[housedad]

Thanks for the info folks. I guess the 650 is on the table after all. Now I hae to do is peruse all the Hornady vs Dillon threads. It sure looks like there is a lot of them...

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Dave nailed it. Also see Scrounger thread above. Bvt

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive used them both quite a bit and heres my take on it. IF your going to use a case feeder go with the 650. There designed out of the box for a casefeeder and in my experience the case feeder system on the dillon is a bit more trouble free. Problem with a 650 is there kind of akward to use without a case feeder. The hornady case feeder is more of an add on thing and the press is very easy to use without it.

[be603]

Love my LNL-AP. Always thought I'd be getting a Blue Press when I got a progressive. However, the Hornady free bullets deal and lower cost of caliber conversions (i have quite a few I load for) made up my mind. I haven't regretted it.

I expect I'd be perfectly happy with a Dillon but the Hornady has been a great value. Only beef has been with the case ejector spring interfering with my Lee Factory Crimp Die. That's not an issue anymore with the new LNL-AP ejector that came out this year. I'm going to get that upgrade. Hornady's service has been brilliant when I was stupid a couple time; also when I bought some used accessories that needed a few bits and pieces replaced.

[20nickels]

The new LNL ejection system works great and allows full length dies in all stations. The LNL is a big production step up from the 550.