Does the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP handle these calibers?

[Claybuster6000]

Greetings from a new member:

I'm deciding between the Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Progressive Press, and the RCBS Progressive Pro 2000 Auto Index Press. I know that RCBS reloaders will handle Lee dies in both .50 S&W and 7.62x54R Russian calibers, but I like what I hear about the Hornady rig. Does anyone out there know if the Hornady Lock-N-Load will handle these two calibers as well? Does it function correctly with Lee dies (I've heard rumors)? Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

 

[NRA-Highmaster]

Hello and welcome. It looks like both are listed as having a L-N-L AP shellplate available. http://www.hornady.com/store/Shell-Holders-and-Shell-Plates/
I think some Lee dies are less than ideal in some situations. The ones in .38 spl, .223 work fine for me, but they are threaded down pretty far.

 

[CCTiger]

My only difficulty with other brand dies in the LNL is as the 1st responder mentions, Hornady dies seem to be just a shade longer than most and gives you the length needed to make up for the slight loss of length the LNL die bushings take - a thread or two.

 

[abq87120]

Some of my dies are so short I have to turn the locking rings over to get them to thread correctly while locking. Otherwise, no problems. All of my dies are Lee's.

Dan in ABQ

 

[Claybuster6000]

Thanks to you all for your input! I'm pretty well sold on buying the Hornady instead of the RCBS, so it looks like I'll be buying new dies.

 

[dawico]

All of my Lee dies (rifle and pistol) work in my LnL AP. They are threaded in pretty far, but there is enough room for the locking ring. You shouldn't have to replace your dies.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have Lee and RCBS dies. They work just fine in my L-N-L, even with the quick change bushings.

 

[cfullgraf]

When I got my Hornady progressive a year ago, many of my 20 plus year older dies were too short for the progressive. These included RCBS and Lee dies.

Current and recent production dies from RCBS, Redding and Hornady worked fine, but i don't have any current production Lee dies.

I would try your existing dies first before buying new.

 

[Brian10]

All of my Lee and RCBS dies work in my LNL AP. My Lee dies include 380, 9mm, 40, 45, 223, 25-06, and 308. They were all purchased less than 2 years ago.

 

[Presto]

Your 7.62 cartridges may be a bit on the long side to seat your bullets like you normally would in the L-N-L. If you insert your bullets when the ram is fully retracted (shellplate as low as it will go) in the station just before the seater die, the unseated bullets may hit the seating sleeve and tip the bullet out of the case. I've just gotten used to holding the tip of the bullet in the seating sleeve and letting the case rise to meet it as I raise the ram. That cartridge may not be long enough to casue this situation, but I thought I might mention it. The only caliber that I've had to use this technique on is .300 win mag, but I don't load for the 7.62.