I have a Hornady LNL. Like many users, I find that the priming system is the weak link causing most of my time consuming problems. So I keep wondering whether the Dillon 550B works better in this regard. Is the priming system on the 550b a better design making for fewer problems? (I don't reload enough to consider the 650b.) Thank you.
Dillon-Hornady Priming systems
- Thread starter RM
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When I first got my LNL I had problems with the primers also. I polished up the primer trays that slide back and forth ( can't think of the correct name ) with flitz and a polishing wheel on my dremmel. I also spray the primer area with Graphite. I have zero problems now unless I get some debris. Hope you can figure something out.
Scott
Scott
I had to kind of "wear in" the primer parts on my 550. Went over some parts with scuff pad, maybe even sanded a place or two. Works good. Pretty simple system. It'll miss one every once in awhile but has not ever caused big problems. 550 runs so good I'm not sure I'd ever go with an auto index machine.
I'm in the same positon. I ordered an LNL AP, but while I was waiting for delivery I kept reading about the problems people were having with it. Primer problems mainly, and other things. I sent it back. I lost about $40 on the deal and I kind of feel bad that I didn't give it a chance. If I do purchase a new press it will be the 550B.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I am a recent convert to the RL-550B. I have made about 5K-6K rounds on it so far, and the primer system has not given me a single pause nor needed any adjustment.
I've used CCI and Remington primers, both large and small.
I've used CCI and Remington primers, both large and small.
k4swb
Member
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I never had any real problems with the priming system on my LNL AP.
It was seating the primers flush or just barely past flush and this bugged me but all rounds functioned fine. I finally decided to take the seating plug apart and take a few thousands off the nut so the plunger would go slightly deeper and this satisfied MY problem.
The press was never at fault.
It was seating the primers flush or just barely past flush and this bugged me but all rounds functioned fine. I finally decided to take the seating plug apart and take a few thousands off the nut so the plunger would go slightly deeper and this satisfied MY problem.
The press was never at fault.
I have not had any issues with priming on my LNL. I suggest you call Hornady and talk with a tech who will walk you thru what needs to be adjusted to fix problem. If they can't fix, they probably will pay to have press sent to them for needed adjustments. I sent my press back for adjustment and had it back on my bench in 6 days. Hornady is excellent in resolving problems.
Whiskey11
Member
900+ rounds of .45 ACP and .308 primed on my LNL AP with zero problems. The only time I've ever encountered flipped primers was when abusing the ram by slamming it down when no round was over that station. It feeds well enough with the rod provided with the system. If you are having issues I'd contact Hornady and see if they can help with your issues.
I personally love my LNL AP. It may not seat the primers super deep but it seats them deep enough to be below flush. Rifle is more difficult and requires a good solid press on the handle to seat below flush, but pistol I'm not having any issues. I'm running CCI 300 and 200 primers.
I personally love my LNL AP. It may not seat the primers super deep but it seats them deep enough to be below flush. Rifle is more difficult and requires a good solid press on the handle to seat below flush, but pistol I'm not having any issues. I'm running CCI 300 and 200 primers.
I have both a Hornady L-N-L and a Dillon SDB. Both presses have the priming system removed and I prime off line.
I prefer to clean my brass between resizing and reloading. Therefore, I have several priming options.
I have found that I can prime by hand about as fast as loading primer tubes and priming on the press. If I have any problems on the press due to the primer system, I have lost any time benefit of the press mounted priming system.
After I fooled with the priming systems for several loading session, i decided I was losing my patience and abandoned the priming systems as they provide me no benefit. (note, the operative word is "me")
I do not have confidence in the priming systems giving me 100% reliability.
I realize that i am in the minority and many, many folks have priming systems that work just fine. This is a time penalty I am willing to take for 100% confidence that I have primers properly seated in all cases.
I prefer to clean my brass between resizing and reloading. Therefore, I have several priming options.
I have found that I can prime by hand about as fast as loading primer tubes and priming on the press. If I have any problems on the press due to the primer system, I have lost any time benefit of the press mounted priming system.
After I fooled with the priming systems for several loading session, i decided I was losing my patience and abandoned the priming systems as they provide me no benefit. (note, the operative word is "me")
I do not have confidence in the priming systems giving me 100% reliability.
I realize that i am in the minority and many, many folks have priming systems that work just fine. This is a time penalty I am willing to take for 100% confidence that I have primers properly seated in all cases.
thump_rrr
Member
I am one of those people that encountered quite a few problems with my Hornady LnL AP Progressive press when it first arrived.
The biggest problem for me was the primer shuttle getting stuck in the rearward position when using the large primer shuttle. This would occur every third or fourth round. I tried every possible adjustment, deburring etc. and nothing worked. I contacted Hornady and was sent a new large primer shuttle which solved this issue.
I had other issues with the Hornady LnL AP Progressive which required a new Sub-Plate to be sent to me along with a new #16 shellplate for .223.
The parts arrived last week and this weekend I made 150 rounds of .223.
A new primer issue came up which I have a solution for.
The area of the press where the primer punch seats against is made of cast aluminum which over time will create a dimple. This will reduce the primer seating depth. I will be drilling or machining a small pocket in which I will install a hardened steel insert.
This will allow me to control the primer seaing depth more closely.
I am still very satisfied with my purchase despite the few problems I have had with it.
Time and thousands of rounds will tell if my next progressive will be another Hornady or a Dillon.
I must admit that Hornady doesn't have anything close to a Super 1050.
The biggest problem for me was the primer shuttle getting stuck in the rearward position when using the large primer shuttle. This would occur every third or fourth round. I tried every possible adjustment, deburring etc. and nothing worked. I contacted Hornady and was sent a new large primer shuttle which solved this issue.
I had other issues with the Hornady LnL AP Progressive which required a new Sub-Plate to be sent to me along with a new #16 shellplate for .223.
The parts arrived last week and this weekend I made 150 rounds of .223.
A new primer issue came up which I have a solution for.
The area of the press where the primer punch seats against is made of cast aluminum which over time will create a dimple. This will reduce the primer seating depth. I will be drilling or machining a small pocket in which I will install a hardened steel insert.
This will allow me to control the primer seaing depth more closely.
I am still very satisfied with my purchase despite the few problems I have had with it.
Time and thousands of rounds will tell if my next progressive will be another Hornady or a Dillon.
I must admit that Hornady doesn't have anything close to a Super 1050.
UltimateReloader
Member
There's really two aspects of dialing the priming system on the LNL AP:
1. Adjust the linkage to set the "furthest back" position of the primer slider so that the primer tube and primer slider hole are concentric at the rear-most position
2. Make sure your indexing pawls are properly set
I've had to set the former with one brand new LNL AP, and the latter on the 2nd brand new LNL AP. Once I adjusted them properly, the LNL has been very reliable and safe (if a jam happens, it'll stay back, but it won't shear primers or anything like that
).
I like the Hornady LNL AP priming system very much, but I don't really like loading tubes. Wish they still made the Frankfort Arsenal vibra-prime.
1. Adjust the linkage to set the "furthest back" position of the primer slider so that the primer tube and primer slider hole are concentric at the rear-most position
2. Make sure your indexing pawls are properly set
I've had to set the former with one brand new LNL AP, and the latter on the 2nd brand new LNL AP. Once I adjusted them properly, the LNL has been very reliable and safe (if a jam happens, it'll stay back, but it won't shear primers or anything like that
).I like the Hornady LNL AP priming system very much, but I don't really like loading tubes. Wish they still made the Frankfort Arsenal vibra-prime.
duelist1954
Member
I have a Dillon 550 that I love, but, as others have stated, I think priming is the weak link in the operation. I have mine pretty well dialed in for large primers, but I have no desire to change things now. Therefore I load my small primer cartridges on a Lee Turret press...which I also love.
So do you use a hand primer or single stage press or ????
I have a Pro 1000 Lee arriving next week and a large portion of the negative comments relate to it's priming system. I like your approach of sizing and depriming (I use a Herters No 3 press) and then cleaning brass and then priming either with the press or I will use a hand primer, before going to the progressive for charging and seating.
I use a hand primer. I have both RCBS Universal and RCBS Hand APS priming tools. I just got an RCBS Bench mounted APS primer to try as my hand gets tired when priming hundreds of cases at one sitting. Something enw with the addition of the progressive.
The Lee Auto-Prime is a good one as well. I have the old version that I keep around for a few cases that do not work well in the Universal, primarily .410 brass shot shells.
I keep priming tools set up for large and small primers so I do not have to change a tool over. Plus I have spare parts. The old Lee Auto-Prime would wear out about once a year at the most inopportune time. With two tools on hand, I would have spares in inventory.
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