So this happened...

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James Fonteneaux

James Fonteneaux

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First off, a belated Merry Christmas to all out there! Since we were all off for Christmas this year, I decided to head out to the reloading shed and put some of my presents to use. I swapped out the shell plate from 223 to 40, threaded in the new RCBS dies, and thought I had everything adjusted. Ammo was coming out in spec, but the handle pull wasn't quite right. Seemed like to was too rough near the bottom of its travel. Switched over to the Hornady dies, and bang, this happened. 20191225_173131(1).jpg 20191225_173212(1).jpg

Any thoughts? I've already contacted Hornady and they're sending me a new index wheel, but I don't want to break that one by doing something wrong. I'll double check all the adjustments before trying to load with it again, just wondering if anyone has had this happen to them. Thanks.
 
My first thought is that presses have enough leverage we can mess them up when a malfunction occurs and we don’t stop.

It’s easy enough to remove the dies on the LNL so you are just stroking the ram and rotating the shell plate. If it’s not smooth there, don’t force it, stop and put an eye down there so you can manually line the parts up, then adjust the paws per the manual.
 
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Thanks for the replies, I should have listened to that little voice, but what does he know...;). Now I remember when I switched calibers to 223 having to adjust the indexing pawls. That was awhile ago. The new part should be here soon, so here's another question to chew on in the mean time. How many of you use multiple presses, with each being setup for a certain caliber or type of cartridge. I'm not sure if that idea is pure genius or the ultimate laziness...
 
James Fonteneaux said:
Now I remember when I switched calibers to 223 having to adjust the indexing pawls. That was awhile ago.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't have to adjust the pawls when switching calibers. If it was indexing prior to the switch and not afterwards, I would have suspected that "something" was out of wack already.

Usually the breakage you've experienced is cause by forcing the handle/ram pass a "rough spot" in the travel. When that happens, and you're lucky, one of the pawls will snap. When you're unlucky, the Index Wheel snaps.

When you replace the Index Wheel, take a close look at the pawls to see if they are now bent or beginning to fracture

How many of you use multiple presses, with each being setup for a certain caliber or type of cartridge. I'm not sure if that idea is pure genius or the ultimate laziness...
Click to expand...
It isn't uncommon for folks to have one machine set up for small primers and another for large primers. It depends on how many rounds of each you load and how often you do it.

It really doesn't make a lot of sense when using a Hornady LNL AP because the dies are so easy to change using their Bushing System. The biggest time saver is having individual powder dies set up for each caliber (case length) so you can just move the powder measure from one die to another...then you only have to insert your pre-set powder insert (or change rotors; if switching between pistol and rifle), check your powder drop and you would be set to reload
 
I should have listened to that little voice, but what does he know...;). Now I remember when I switched calibers to 223 having to adjust the indexing pawls. That was awhile ago. The new part should be here soon, so here's another question to chew on in the mean time. How many of you use multiple presses, with each being setup for a certain caliber or type of cartridge.
Click to expand...

Treat reloading like a lady, forcing things only gets you into trouble. I own multiple of the stuff I shoot the most of. I have two progressives for 9mm setup now and 3 for 45, just different loads. Keep a note of the settings/components of others that are used in non progressives.

The indexing paws shouldn’t have needed to be messed with unless you had a die/bullet combination that interfered with the 2nd half of the index on the up stroke, knocking the bullet off the case before it could enter the die. I didn’t have that problem until .308 with the LNL but just quit using them for that.
 
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James Fonteneaux said:
Thanks for the replies, I should have listened to that little voice, but what does he know...;). Now I remember when I switched calibers to 223 having to adjust the indexing pawls. That was awhile ago. The new part should be here soon, so here's another question to chew on in the mean time. How many of you use multiple presses, with each being setup for a certain caliber or type of cartridge. I'm not sure if that idea is pure genius or the ultimate laziness...
Click to expand...

I've got a pair of Dillon 650 presses. One set up for .45 ACP - sorry large primer, and one set up for 9mm - again I'm sorry small primers.

Since I 99% of my shooting is in those two cartridges I rarely load anything else. I have tool heads for .327 FM, .38 Spl. .357 Mag, 10mm, .44 Mag, and .223. I have the conversion kit and dies for .45 Colt but lack the appropriate bullet launching device.

I also have a Hornady LnL AP in the shop that I got in a deal, as well as three single stage presses and a Lyman turret that I need to unfreeze.
 
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