Stepping up to a progressive press

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preacherJohn said:
OK, I got that problem solved; either one of two things, or both was the cause. I took the shell holder back off, and wiped all the grease back off, lined it back up, tightened it down and placed the spring back on. At that time I noticed that the spring drops down, at that station, then rises back up. This I wasn't clear on, so it's possible that I might not have pushed it down where it belongs. I placed some bullets in the shell holder and it ejected them like normal. I took the shell plate back off, greased the indent balls lightly, and the base of the ram, reassemble it, and it's working fine.

My next question is how far should you screw the lower powder assemble into the bushing? The manual isn't very clear on this. I'm going to use the PTX expander with the powder measure and it should be arriving this wkd or early next week.

And, I also didn't notice in the manual the procedure for setting the other dies. Which of course screws into those bushings again. Do you set your dies pretty much the same way I do on my Lee Classic Turret? I'll be using the same Lee dies and the factory crimp die.
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Here is how mine is set. It's a little different from what the manual said but works great. As far as the bushings screw it on the die with lock nut loose, lock bushing I to press the adjust die like you would on any other press. You might want to get some Hornady die locks as they work really well. Though I use some Lee dies and use the ones they have and have had no issues.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/image-jpg.762497/
 
preacherJohn said:
I took the shell holder back off, and wiped all the grease back off, lined it back up, tightened it down and placed the spring back on. At that time I noticed that the spring drops down, at that station, then rises back up. This I wasn't clear on, so it's possible that I might not have pushed it down where it belongs.
Click to expand...
Just so we're all on the same page; a shell holder is what you're using on a single stage press, what you're referring to on the LNL is the Shell Plate.

The most common cause of the cases not being ejected is not having the shell plate tightened down enough. Not having the retaining spring dropping down into the notch is the next most common cause. All you need to do is press the spring down, with your finger, at Station 5, and cycle the handle a couple of times.

preacherJohn said:
My next question is how far should you screw the lower powder assemble into the bushing? The manual isn't very clear on this.
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How far you screw down the Lower Powder Assembly is determined by the length of your cases. The deeper you screw down the assembly the more rotation of the Powder Rotor you'll get. What you want is the rotor to travel all the way to the top of it's race track when you have the case fully inserted.

preacherJohn said:
Do you set your dies pretty much the same way I do on my Lee Classic Turret?
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Pretty much. You'd insert and tighten the bushings and then screw the dies into the bushings. Tighten the lock rings when you have them adjusted...bear in mind that the LNL cams over.

As already mentioned, investing in the Hornady lock rings is a good idea
 
Like already mentioned, on the powder die, depends on brass length and spacer used. The main thing is to have the operating arms align up horizontally like the manual shows. This is set with the clamp position. When you get to using PTX, set the PTX Stop for full stroke minus a tad so it does not hit the casting body. Then all adjustments is done my moving the powder die body up/down.
 
"Do you set your dies pretty much the same way I do on my Lee Classic Turret?" - Yes
"My next question is how far should you screw the lower powder assemble into the bushing?"- Measured mine setup for 9mm, sticks out about .2" from the bottom of the bushing. Does not need to be exact. Adjust so the powder adjustment piece in the rotor almost contacts the top of the cutout for it's movement. It should stop a hair before touching.
See page 23 of the manual Adjusting PTX stop.
When you put the spring on the shell plate you need to make sure it gets underneath where it is supposed to be. I just put a finger on it on the left side of the shell and advance the press with no brass in it until the spring is in.
You need to watch to make sure the shellplate bolt stays tight. They can work looses and if they do you can mangle a spring. ( I heard this and tested it myself just to make sure it was true, yep, mangled spring)

More stuff to deal with than setting up the Lee turret, some the same, some different, but worth the trouble.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, and no it's not a train:)
 
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I highly recommend looking up 76highboy on YouTube for guidance in understanding and setting up your LNL. His videos are a bit long, and he's a bit homey, but there is a lot of good information contained therein
 
I highly recommend looking up 76highboy on YouTube for guidance in understanding and setting up your LNL. His videos are a bit long, and he's a bit homey, but there is a lot of good information contained therein
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Watched them back when, I agree they are worth taking the time to watch.
 
[QUOTE="9mmepiphany, 76highboy Is a bit homey, but there is a lot of good information contained therein[/QUOTE]

Ha ha ha
 
Thanks for all the info guys. I'm so used to setting up my turrets sometimes I get a little brain fog on this new progressive press. After I stepped away from it for awhile and took the dog for a walk, it started making sense to me on how the bushings are just taking the place of the turret and all dies would be adjusted the same way. The hardest part now is breaking all the dies off those turrets after using them like that all these years. I started to go ahead and set up the 9mm dies and use the Lee expander die without it's powder measure it's connected to at the moment; then I thought I'd just wait till I get the PTX's so I wouldn't have to go thru another set-up with them. I believe I have a handle on how the shell casing lifts the powder measure drop and adjusting it now. I'm still a tad foggy on the expander stop, but after I watch the video again I should have it.

9mmepiphany said:
I highly recommend looking up 76highboy on YouTube for guidance in understanding
Click to expand...
I'll look this guy up now and see what's going on with him.

I like the smooth action of this press; I'm sure it will make a BIG difference once I get rolling with it.
 
Remember if your going to be setting up multiple straight wall calibers it's best to only just the powder die and not the PTX stop if you want to be able to do a quick change. For now it will not hurt till you start adding on calibers. But you can over adj the stop and not fully stroke the powder dispensers too.
 
preacherJohn said:
Thanks for all the info guys. I'm so used to setting up my turrets sometimes I get a little brain fog on this new progressive press. After I stepped away from it for awhile and took the dog for a walk, it started making sense to me on how the bushings are just taking the place of the turret and all dies would be adjusted the same way. The hardest part now is breaking all the dies off those turrets after using them like that all these years. I started to go ahead and set up the 9mm dies and use the Lee expander die without it's powder measure it's connected to at the moment; then I thought I'd just wait till I get the PTX's so I wouldn't have to go thru another set-up with them. I believe I have a handle on how the shell casing lifts the powder measure drop and adjusting it now. I'm still a tad foggy on the expander stop, but after I watch the video again I should have it.


I'll look this guy up now and see what's going on with him.

I like the smooth action of this press; I'm sure it will make a BIG difference once I get rolling with it.
Click to expand...

It's just a suggestion but you might be better off not using the PTX and just load some with a expander die. Run one case around the press at a time getting things setup and used to the press.
 
When starting out, I'd suggest just installing one die and running maybe 5-10 cases through it. Just like your single stage, but with the cases advancing.

Then you can take that die out and install another die in the press and repeat...or if you're feeling confident, you could just add another die to the process.

Alternatively you can install all the dies and just insert one case to observe how the case transitions...it would be just like your turret press.

A really important thing to ensure is that the downward motion of the platform correctly aligns with the primer feed and that the upward motion correctly aligns a case with the die mouth
 
But you can over adj the stop and not fully stroke the powder dispensers too.
Click to expand...
Yes need to make sure the rotor rotates enough. Should be 1/16 to 1/8 from the to of the groove for it.
Your Lee powder measure would also work fine while you are getting used to the press, and you could switch to the Hornady measure later.
You are used to setting the Lee up and using it would let you focus on getting to know the press. (use your Lee "PTX" in it)
I use my Hornady measure for 9mm and do most everything else with the Lee measure so I don;t have to change the Hornady.
 
Hey preacherJohn, Go back and read post # 36. Are you having fun yet? Don't worry it will all come together soon. And you are showing the most important thing.....Common sense.
 
Dudedog said:
Your Lee powder measure would also work fine while you are getting used to the press, and you could switch to the Hornady measure later.
You are used to setting the Lee up and using it would let you focus on getting to know the press. (use your Lee "PTX" in it)
I use my Hornady measure for 9mm and do most everything else with the Lee measure so I don;t have to change the Hornady.
Click to expand...

I'll 2nd this post. I use my Lee for 40S&W in the LnL and it works great. Long term plan, I'll probably get more Lee measures to use for the LnL. Pretty inexpensive and great accuracy.
 
DRAINSMITH said:
Hey preacherJohn, Go back and read post # 36. Are you having fun yet?
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Having a blast, you guys hit me with so much information I can't remember it all; then can't find it when I look back for it. BTW - I like post #27.

Jeff H said:
I'll probably get more Lee measures to use for the LnL. Pretty inexpensive and great accuracy
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I have 4 of these on 4 different turrets. They can be a little quirky, but they are inexpensive; I've been experimenting and testing with 40S&W the last couple of weeks. I'm just about settled on one recipe, and the 40 will be on the Lee for awhile since that one and the 38/357 I didn't get a shell plate for yet. I'm setting up now for 9mm since it's shot the most, but I really like using my 45acp a little better, especially with the reduced loads. I can dot an I with my XDM. My wife is buying me a stand alone RCBS Competition powder measure for Christmas. That'll be a whole lot nicer than the dippers on my starting loads. I have WAYYY too many different grain bullets. I'm getting more settled on what I want to shoot. There for awhile, we didn't have many choices.
 
Press.jpg
OK folks, here it is just so people don't think I've been pulling there leg on this progressive press thread. This takes a little while to get used to. Where as I once stuck in a case, then went thru a few stations, then sat in a bullet; I'm now setting a case and bullet every stroke. I laugh at myself because I forget one or the other and run some empty stations or have to pull case and reset it back somewhere else.
 
preacherJohn I like seeing completed rounds in the "collection" box. Now don't worry about forgetting a step here and there. Soon muscle memory will take over and those hiccups will disappear Your main concern now is a good QC.

But I did see one thing that you have missed that might help. The fiberglass rod for your primers is not in. The weight of the rod will help push the primers down to help feed from the first to the last primer. It will also lock the primer slide back when you have no primer.
 
Good to see your up and running. It will become more natural as you use it. Don't worry about speed at this time. Get comfortable with the press. It will still kick out a round every stroke it the stations are full.

Missing things is what gets you in trouble. I always save my out of sequence ones till the end of the run. Any with powder is dumped back into the hopper. Then I'm normally starting on the powder dump stations to complete the rounds.
 
Like Drainsmith mentioned don't forget the primer rod. i put a mark with a felt pen on my rod to show that there is one primer left.
One thing that you may want to get though many have made their own is a LED light setup. Seeing as you are in the USA it will be much cheaper than what the LED light set and roller handle from Inline Fabrication cost me up here. Two of the best things I bought for the LNL.
If you are thinking of getting a light setup do not get the Hornady one as it is not as good as the Inline one.
And if you ever have to phone Hornady for anything ask to talk to Seth as he is a 100% standup guy. I know there are others there that are good but he is the best IMHO.
 
DRAINSMITH said:
The fiberglass rod for your primers is not in
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It's not in because I didn't use the primer seater. I don't have one of those flippers yet, so I took a bin of brass and my RCBS hand primer tool, went to the other side of the basement where the big screen is and primed 100 cases while I watched college game day this morning. I'm kinda used to doing that anyway.
 
HELP! My bullets are "growing" on me. I initially set the seating die to 1.125. I reloaded several and they all the same, then after 10 or so I started noticing them growing out to 1.138-9, 1.140 etc. I reset the seating die, and then they seemed to shrink down pre 1.120? This is stupid. So I back the seating die back off and got them back to 1.125-6. It was OK for another 10 or so, then they started growing back out to over 1.130 again. The shell plate is tight, the dies are tight. What else could be going on? I finally stopped, and went back to the old Lee turret to finish up the 40 S& W I started last week.
 
A .005 spread is common while loading 9MM, .40, or .45 on a progressive. If you run one round through by its self it will be shoert than those run through with company due to press flex from sizing & expanding, mostly sizing.
 
preacherJohn said:
It's not in because I didn't use the primer seater. I don't have one of those flippers yet, so I took a bin of brass and my RCBS hand primer tool, went to the other side of the basement where the big screen is and primed 100 cases while I watched college game day this morning. I'm kinda used to doing that anyway.
Click to expand...

If its like my RCBS hand primer it won't get used much soon. My LNL seats primers better than the RCBS hand primer.
Oh one more thing get yourself a cheap set of flat automotive stainless steel feeler gauges and take the .010" or .015 one and with a couple drops of superglue mount it on the press frame under the primer punch. Some use much thicker washers there to prevent the "divot" but the feeler gauge works well.
A shot of Hornady case lube in a bag of cases will really help with the seating depth as the sizer die will be much smoother.
 
.005 one way or the other isn't that big of a deal; but .005-.015 is a bit much. That flex you speak of makes sense since there's more going on with 5 stations. I'll set the bullet seat with all other stations loaded and see what happens.

As far as lubing the cases, I've never really bothered with that because of the carbide dies, but I could try it to see how that works also.

And my RCBS priming tool is tops! I've never had a problem with it, and it seats primers great.

So what's going on with gluing feeler gauges under the primer punch? Does it give so much that it causes the symptoms I'm having?
 
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