Hornady LNL progressive.

[JimB..]

I believe that the primer system on the 550 and the 750 is the same as the SDB. I’ve owned an SDB and a couple 650s and I prefer the 650 priming although the other works quite well. When the little plastic piece on the bottom of the primer tube starts to wear out I always ended up scratching my head for 10 min trying to figure out why I was suddenly having primer feed issues. It didn’t happen often enough that the diagnosis and fix became automatic like it does with the LNL primer system.

Almost bought a third 650 today, it’s been sitting new and unused since 2018 after loading 500 rounds, but the guy wanted $1,200 for it including a couple toolheads caliber conversions and dies that were all duplicates for me. Too much money and too much trouble. He’d listed it for $850 back in 2018, I’d probably buy it for that today, maybe I’ll make him an offer.

[Lloyd Smale]

I don’t know what you did in the Navy, but the Navy as always purchased junk then paid people to fix it.

The SH-60B, V-22, Perry class frigates, F18 are just a few.

The LNL works the case feeder works: you may not have liked yours and that’s fine, but what started the thread was should I by a LNL because of price and availability.

Everyone has given their opinion, so the gentleman will have to make up his own mind.

BUT yes, the government does buy Junk then the Secretary of Defense gets you in a conference room and tells you; “ we have purchased it now make it work” It’s a no fun no win.


The LNL is not junk that is just your Opinion

4 years in the cg on a drug interdiction team. crashed in one of your navy helicopters you made run so well. Ended up in the navy teaching rules of engagement for the navy teams that took over when the coast guard bailed on it. I have had 5 back operations a hip replacement and an ankle replacement partially because of the skills of mechanics like you. Please dont touch my dillions.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Or you could use the pistol rotor for the Hornady powder measure.

I could, but the LEE Auto Disc Pro handles powders like 800X without a hick-up, all good charges within 1/10 grain. I doubt any other measure would. Sometimes LEE hits one out of the park, and sometimes they strike out. My opinion, the Hornady powder measure is very good, better than what I've used from RCBS, Lyman, or Redding.

[dannyd]

4 years in the cg on a drug interdiction team. crashed in one of your navy helicopters you made run so well. Ended up in the navy teaching rules of engagement for the navy teams that took over when the coast guard bailed on it. I have had 5 back operations a hip replacement and an ankle replacement partially because of the skills of mechanics like you. Please dont touch my dillions.

Sorry you got injured doing a job that was a waste of time. We all did Drug Ops it was a complete waste of time and equipment. Did you ever get to do a tour in the Sandbox and your reward was three more months off South American doing nothing but wasting your time then going back to the Sandbox again.

Should not judge people you don’t know: I was not some retread I was deployed so much retired 7 months early because I had not been on leave for 7 years. Never lost an Aircraft, never missed a launch and never had kid injured.

You should have done full Twenty or Thirty: you may have a different option of people that did.

[farmbif]

so what ive read is that my LNLAP is junk and Dillon screwed up by putting lousy primer system in the new 750 and the 650 is no longer available anywhere sooooo
I can't go wrong if I get a 550 even though its not a true progressive press, and the square deals and 1050's are backordered for 48 weeks.
did I get all this right? geez and right before all these shortages took place I was toying with idea of getting another LNLAP to keep set up for sm primers for 40 and 9mm and 357.

[Finster101]

Well as usual this discussion kind of went off track but to quote reverend Jesse "The point is moot." I found what I felt was a deal on a new in box 650 set up for .45acp with the case collator, led lighting, powder check and case chute extension for $1250.00 shipped.

[farmbif]

im so tempted to get a 750 after reading all this, they are only backordered for 2 weeks, maybe with 40 s&W set up. so for all you Dillion experts, would I be able to switch over to 9mm with just a different shell plate or are there other items needed?

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have two Hornady LNL progressive presses...one set up for large primer and one set up for small primer.
My son and I load 9mm, 10mm, .40S&W, .45ACP and .357Magnum on them.
Thousands of rounds of each over the last few years in batches of 500 or 1000.
Pretty much trouble free other than keeping them clean.

I bought two Dillon 550s at auction but never set them up. The Hornady's work so well it was pointless to use the Dillon's.

I sold the Dillon's and don't regret the decision.

[Multra]

im so tempted to get a 750 after reading all this, they are only backordered for 2 weeks, maybe with 40 s&W set up. so for all you Dillion experts, would I be able to switch over to 9mm with just a different shell plate or are there other items needed?

There are other parts that are needed, it's around $70 for a caliber conversion kit. If you have a 3d printer you can print all but the shell plate which knocks the price to around $40.

[jmorris]

I believe that the primer system on the 550 and the 750 is the same as the SDB.

In that they are reciprocating systems that use some of the same components, they are similar. The 1050’s use the same plastic tip.

[jmorris]

so what ive read is that my LNLAP is junk and Dillon screwed up by putting lousy primer system in the new 750 and the 650 is no longer available anywhere sooooo
I can't go wrong if I get a 550 even though its not a true progressive press, and the square deals and 1050's are backordered for 48 weeks.
did I get all this right?

Except the LNL isn’t complete junk and the 550 is a progressive as it preforms operations at every station with each stroke of the handle. Same as other progressives?

You wouldn’t say a car with a manual transmission isn’t a “true car”, would you?

[dannyd]

Well as usual this discussion kind of went off track but to quote reverend Jesse "The point is moot." I found what I felt was a deal on a new in box 650 set up for .45acp with the case collator, led lighting, powder check and case chute extension for $1250.00 shipped.

That’s now a bad deal: do you get it

[dannyd]

I liked my 550 paid 259.00 shipped from Dillion: just could not afford the change outs at the time and LNL was better for ME because of way it changes the dies.

[Finster101]

That’s now a bad deal: do you get it

Sorry maybe I'm a little slow and don't get you or is that a typo in there?

[dannyd]

Sorry maybe I'm a little slow and don't get you or is that a typo in there?

Sorry about that sometimes the IPad types for me. Did you get the 650?

[Finster101]

Sorry about that sometimes the IPad types for me. Did you get the 650?

Yes, I had already bought it before I posted. I did not think it would last long if I waited. I feel like it was a good deal. Now to start looking for a few conversion kits. The press will be here next week.

[dannyd]

Yes, I had already bought it before I posted. I did not think it would last long if I waited. I feel like it was a good deal. Now to start looking for a few conversion kits. The press will be here next week.

That was a good deal.

[Lloyd Smale]

Sorry you got injured doing a job that was a waste of time. We all did Drug Ops it was a complete waste of time and equipment. Did you ever get to do a tour in the Sandbox and your reward was three more months off South American doing nothing but wasting your time then going back to the Sandbox again.

Should not judge people you don’t know: I was not some retread I was deployed so much retired 7 months early because I had not been on leave for 7 years. Never lost an Aircraft, never missed a launch and never had kid injured.

You should have done full Twenty or Thirty: you may have a different option of people that did.

so keeping heroin and coke out of the hands of our children is a waste of time?? So the people that died in that fight wasted there time and died for nothing?? You have no clue what went on there or the type of people we were AT WAR with there. You have no clue how many americans died because of them or how much of that poison we stopped from getting into the hands of children. Two of us were injured bad in that wreck. One is still paralyzed from it and two columbian soldiers that were the pilot and co pilot were killed. I suffered in a hospital for a year. Was told id never walk right again but busted my @@@ and recovered enough to pass the navy phyisical test and spent 4 more years in the Navy because the CG wouldnt take me. Why did i get out?? Because we had a mental handicapped son that we didnt want bouncing from school to school and my ma was a spec ed teacher so we decided it was best for him to be there. Since then that MISTAKE has caused me 4 more back surgerys a hip replacement an ankle replacement next month i go in for a second hip replacement. Dont lecture me on staying in to get an opinion. I would have loved to stay in. I loved my job. Its you that doesnt have a clue. Youve never been shot at or had to use a gun in combat (and thats exactly what we did) Saying the war on drugs was a waste of time sounds awful alot like the propaganda the liberals want us to believe today. Police and miltary died to protect your kids and still do today. As a vet you should be ashamed to belittle them. I still stay in contact with a couple of those navy swimmers that id like you to say that in person to. You didnt do drug ops the crew did that. You sat back and turned wrenchs. Nothing wrong with that though. I respect even the guys that made our chow and cleaned our barracks and would never bad mouth them because of there job. I wonder there danny boy if you think our border patrol on the mexican border are wasting there time trying to stop the drugs from coming across our border too. Might want to ask a parent of a kid who died from an od if they think its a waste of time.

[Lloyd Smale]

I liked my 550 paid 259.00 shipped from Dillion: just could not afford the change outs at the time and LNL was better for ME because of way it changes the dies.

where is this huge difference. On a 550 you buy a die plate and a shell plate. On a lnl you buy a shell plate and 3 lock and load bushings. You MIGHT save 15 bucks. Like is said, not my first rodeo. Ive used both and own both. Now if you had a 650 or 1050 it gets more expensive. But i guess if saving money is such a deal breaker over 10 or 20 bucks (at most) then maybe a single stage lee would fit you better. That brings up another lnl ding. The dies are constantly comming loose and have much more slop in them then a dillion. That is if you have loaded more then a couple thousand rounds. Another real dumb thing hornady did was make there single stage (i have one of them too) so you couldnt swap dies between the two without readjusting them. Id say dillon should make a single stage press because it would be better but rcbs already has that covered with the rock chucker and mine is coverted to lee lock and load bushings which are better then the hornadys.

[Rfeustel]

I have a Hornady LNL. Loaded 100ks of pistol caliber ammo on it, using the case feeder and bullet feeder. 6 different calibers probably. Depending on you budget and need for caliber change, it may not be the right press. I have upgraded to an Apex 10 and there’s no comparison. The pricing is also completely different. I’ll say one thing about the LNL - if you’re ever thinking of needed a drive, it can’t be done on the LNL as far as I can tell. That nod goes to the Dillon and Apex. If I were starting over, I’d get a Dillon or Apex and crank it for a while. Some day when I needed it, I’d add the drive. Then which to get is another discussion.

I love my LNL, but it’s hard for me to recommend it unless budget - especially if one needs multiple caliber changes - is the primary concern.