24 replies to this topic

[output]

Well…I finally broke down and purchased my first reloading press!  

I decided to go with the Hornady Lock N Load AP.

Are any of you using this press? If so do you have any tips or tricks that will help me out?

Here is a list of my purchases:  

Hornady "Handbook of reloading 8th Edition”
Lock N Load Press
Die Set
Die locking wrench
Die Maintenance Kit
Shell Plate
Extra Case Retainer Spring
Caliper
Scale
Bullet puller
M-2 case tumbler
Tumbler media
Primer turning tray
One shot case lube
Alliant Power Pistol Powder
Winchester primers
Winchester Bullets 9mm (124 Grain)

Edited by output, 09 April 2012 - 06:42 AM.

[Davey]

Sounds like you went with their progressive press?  I bought a Lee Load Master progressive press and that thing was a steaming pile of crap.  The auto indexer seemed like something that got tacked on after they realized they forgot to put in an auto indexer.

The Hornady progressive press is far better than any progressives from Lee.

I have a Lee Breech Lock which I'm really liking even though I haven't loaded anything on it yet.

Sounds like you got a pretty good haul.  Post pics.

[TyGuy]

I love my LNL press.  I got different metering inserts for the powder dropper for each caliber that I have.  You can readjust it each time with the micrometer insert, but I like the drop and go of changing it out.  A point I didn't know if that the powder dropper has a rifle insert and a pistol insert.  The rifle insert won't reliably throw a charge under 5.0 grains.

[lee n. field]

Davey, on 02 April 2012 - 10:55 AM, said:

I bought a Lee Load Master progressive press and that thing was a steaming pile of crap.  The auto indexer seemed like something that got tacked on after they realized they forgot to put in an auto indexer.

I'll give you $50 for the Loadmaster.

[Jeff Johnson]

One shot lube is ok for straight wall rifle and handgun and some people swear it works on bottle neck cases but I had several stuck cases, major headache, so I went back to dillon spray lube. Otherwise go slow, set up each station and test it before going to the next one. Run a couple dummy rounds and check OAL and feed/function before you set primers and powder.

[output]

I edited the original post. I went with the AP progressive press.  

Thanks for all the information so far. I appreciate it. I plan on taking it very slowly once I have everything setup properly.

I will get some pictures up as well in a week or so.

[Davey]

lee n. field, on 02 April 2012 - 01:41 PM, said:

Davey, on 02 April 2012 - 10:55 AM, said:

I bought a Lee Load Master progressive press and that thing was a steaming pile of crap.  The auto indexer seemed like something that got tacked on after they realized they forgot to put in an auto indexer.

I'll give you $50 for the Loadmaster.

I returned it to Midway for a refund.

[8x57]

I have a Lock-n-Load AP and use it to load several pistol and rifle calibers.  It is a very well thought out design and I've had great service from it.  The only factory ammo I buy any more is self defense stuff.  When I get going on it, I can load about 400 rounds per hour of the pistol calibers.  Rifle stuff necessarily takes considerably longer, although I'm pretty fast at .223.

The great thing about reloading is that you can tailor your ammo for your gun.  All my rifles shoot 1 MOA or better (err, I should say "shot", since they were lost in a tragic boating accident) at a cost per round that's less than the russian steel case stuff.

Edited by 8x57, 03 April 2012 - 07:26 PM.

[jsu]

I use Hornady Lock N Load AP and love it.  A must have for pistol reloading is powder-through-expander.
http://ultimatereloa...rough-expander/

Although it's not required but One shot lube is great to speed up. You need less effort on sizing if you use it on pistol case.

[Steve O]

I have one that I use for 9mm and .40 S&W, I recommend getting the case feeder and the powder cop or the RCBS lock out die... The powder cop makes it easy to monitor the powder charge but I still visually check every case before seating a bullet... The RCBS die will lock up the press if the case is over or under charged

The case feeder works great and it allows you to concentrate on other things while speeding up the work... I have their bullet feeder too but I haven't set that up yet...

I use a Lee classic turret press for my .45 ACP's and .223, .308 amd 7.62X54R rifle rounds, but I use the Hornady powder measure on the Lee press and the Lee auto disk on the LnL   

It sounds like your off to a good start, hopefully you wont go off the deep end like I did, and you wont really save any $$$ reloading, but you will shoot more

Edited by Steve O, 05 April 2012 - 01:58 PM.

[Steve O]

This guy has some great reloading video's  

http://ultimatereloader.com/

Edited by Steve O, 05 April 2012 - 02:01 PM.

[output]

Here is a quick picture after installing the press and dies.



I am using the Hornady 3-Det Set. Does anyone use a separate crimper die? Should I invest in a powder checker die?

I was very surprised how easy the initial setup was. Some things were/still are a little confusing. Like the Hornady PTX powder measure stop. Is that useful when loading small handgun cartridges? Should I install it? Also, The EZ-ject system does not seem to be working. The cartridges are not ejecting once completed. I am assuming I might have the case retainer spring installed wrong or not in the groove? I have not trouble shot it yet.

Thanks again for the help!

Edited by output, 09 April 2012 - 05:40 AM.

[MAdler]

output, on 09 April 2012 - 05:17 AM, said:

Here is a quick picture after installing the press and dies.



I am using the Hornady 3-Det Set. Does anyone use a separate crimper die? Should I invest in a powder checker die?

I was very surprised how easy the initial setup was. Some things were/still are a little confusing. Like the Hornady PTX powder measure stop. Is that useful when loading small handgun cartridges? Should I install it? Also, The EZ-ject system does not seem to be working. The cartridges are not ejecting once completed. I am assuming I might have the case retainer spring installed wrong or not in the groove? I have not trouble shot it yet.

Thanks again for the help!

Once you have the reatiner spring installed, run the press several times without any brass in it to get the spring to go into the groove all the way around.  You dont need the ptx measure stop unless you are using the PTX powder through expander.  if you have a separate expander die, you dont need it.  I changed from my setup recently (used the hornady 3 die set)to splitting the crimp die and seating die into 2 dies.  Then I installed the PTX expander in the powder drop.  My old setup was:

1.  Deprime/resizing die
2.  expander die
3.  Powder measure/drop
4.  RCBS lock out die
5.  seater/crimp die

new setup

1.  Deprime/resizing die
2.  Powder measure/drop with PTX expander installed
3.  RCBS lockout die
4.  Seater die
5.  Crimp die

[output]

MAdler, on 10 April 2012 - 10:18 AM, said:

Once you have the reatiner spring installed, run the press several times without any brass in it to get the spring to go into the groove all the way around.  You dont need the ptx measure stop unless you are using the PTX powder through expander.  if you have a separate expander die, you dont need it.  I changed from my setup recently (used the hornady 3 die set)to splitting the crimp die and seating die into 2 dies.  Then I installed the PTX expander in the powder drop.  My old setup was:

1.  Deprime/resizing die
2.  expander die
3.  Powder measure/drop
4.  RCBS lock out die
5.  seater/crimp die

new setup

1.  Deprime/resizing die
2.  Powder measure/drop with PTX expander installed
3.  RCBS lockout die
4.  Seater die
5.  Crimp die

Thanks for your help and the info MAdler!

I cycled the plate like you mentioned and I still could not get it to go into the groove. I removed the shell plate thinking that I was given the older style plate for a second. Nope, I wasn’t…I definitely had the right plate. The spring was not going into the groove on base of the plate carrier. I had to hold my finger over the spring (once over the groove) and cycle the shell plate at the same time.

See picture below:



Here is a pic of my first 100 (after I took a few to the range to test first.):



I ordered a RCBS lockout die as well!  

Edited by output, 10 April 2012 - 04:53 PM.

[8x57]

Now you will be hooked.  You'll quickly spend the better part of a grand getting dies, powder, bullets, and primers for every caliber firearm you own and start stockpiling 100s (if not 1000s) of rounds for each one.

Reloading is almost more addictive that shooting.

[MAdler]

If you are still having issues with the spring, give hornady a call.  One thing they are great on is customer service on the phone.  I called them once on Good Friday, call answered in under 1 minute by a human, problem resolved in the next minute.

[Davey]

Output,
     Which scale did you get and how'd it go?

I just got done chucking the Lee Safety Scale into my garbage can.  That thing is such a pile.  I'm thinking of just going with a set of Lee Dippers since I shoot for fun and increasing my proficiency rather than pinpoint accuracy.

[output]

8x57, on 10 April 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

Now you will be hooked.  You'll quickly spend the better part of a grand getting dies, powder, bullets, and primers for every caliber firearm you own and start stockpiling 100s (if not 1000s) of rounds for each one.

Reloading is almost more addictive that shooting.

I already have the bug. I keep shearching online for the best deals on 9mm 124GR bullets! Does anyone know of any deals locally? My local shop has not been able to get any Power Pistol smokeless powder in. They say Alliant doesn’t want to ship to them? I am also looking for CCI small pistol primers.

MAdler, on 11 April 2012 - 06:45 AM, said:

If you are still having issues with the spring, give hornady a call.  One thing they are great on is customer service on the phone.  I called them once on Good Friday, call answered in under 1 minute by a human, problem resolved in the next minute.

Thanks, holding down the wire and cycling the press fixed it! Calling them was my next move.

Davey, on 11 April 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

Output,
     Which scale did you get and how'd it go?

I just got done chucking the Lee Safety Scale into my garbage can.  That thing is such a pile.  I'm thinking of just going with a set of Lee Dippers since I shoot for fun and increasing my proficiency rather than pinpoint accuracy.

Davey,

I went with the RCBS Model 502 Magnetic Scale. It had a lot of good reviews on multiple websites. I was going to spend a little more money and go with a digital version, but I work with scales (almost daily) and we have had our share of problems with digital scales for some reason. So far I have not had any issues and it was very easy to setup out of box. It took less than a minute to setup and zero. I hope that helps.

[illinisnare]

I use Montana gold 124gr cmj round nose.  They have online ordering and shipping is included in their price.

[MAdler]

Mind if I ask where you got that handle for the press?  It doesn't look like standard issue..

[output]

Thanks illinisnare! I have heard good things about Montana Gold.

MAdler, the handle and mount came from http://www.inlinefabrication.com/. I was going to make my own mount until I came across their's. They are not cheap or even necessary but I do like them.

[PDC]

You'll probably have the best luck buying bullets by mail-order.

I buy Montana Gold 124 gr JHPs by the case for competition shooting. Cheaper (by the case) than Berry's (and many other) Plated bullets, and my CZ loves them. Angus Hobdell (CZ team captain) uses them; how can I go wrong? :-)

TJ Conevera in Rockford has good retail prices on bullets, but has high minimums.

One thing I noted that wasn't on your list is a press-mounted bullet puller (RCBS and Hornady make good ones). You have a kinetic puller, but I bet you'll be ordering a collet puller minutes after you realize you did something off and have to pull a few hundred rounds!

It's a fun activity, as others have mentioned. I love my LNL; hope the wrinkles in yours get ironed out!

Edited by PDC, 11 April 2012 - 09:27 PM.

[output]

Placed an order with Montana Gold yesterday! I also added the collet puller to my list of things to buy on my next purchase from midway.

[Steve O]

Davey, on 11 April 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

Output,
     Which scale did you get and how'd it go?

I just got done chucking the Lee Safety Scale into my garbage can.  That thing is such a pile.  I'm thinking of just going with a set of Lee Dippers since I shoot for fun and increasing my proficiency rather than pinpoint accuracy.

I use the RCBS scale. but the Lee scale worked fine for me, just a little harder to use but just as accurate as the RCBS

I started with Lee and their stuff isn't the best but it is worth the $$$, I still like that cheap plastic powder measure for my pistol loads just because I have it all dialed in for my favorite loads and it does work fine too

I bought enough bullets and whatnot I wont need to buy any more

[output]

Steve O, on 12 April 2012 - 02:45 PM, said:

I bought enough bullets and whatnot I wont need to buy any more

I think that means you need to shoot more  

Thanks for all the great advice Steve O!