Generic Hornady LNL Bushings on Amazon

[Radom Guy]

If anyone is curious about the generic aftermarket bushings for the Hornady Lock N Load system on Amazon, I bought a set of 4. The brand is “AltitudeCraft”. Short answer: they work. They are tight going in, even compared to a brand new unused Hornady brand bushing. I included the dimension differences below. But again, they do work.

The one thing that does not work at all is the included conversion bushing bushing (not a typo, haha!). None of the bushings will rotate in it, not even their own brand ones. Without spending much time on it, I surmised that the lugs in the conversion bushing are too long, so the lower lugs of the LNL die bushing cannot rotate. But I guess I can’t complain since the conversion bushing was not listed in the listing and I did not know it was coming. Could some gentle and careful dremel work fix it? Probably. But for me, as i said the conversion bushing was not even in the listing, nor is it important to me, so I don’t plan to do anything about it. Too many other things on my to-do list.

I also threaded in a long Lee rifle charging die in every bushing and tightened it down with a die lock ring. They all worked fine.

Would i buy the set again for the $21 I paid for them (with sales tax)? Yes.

 

[Cokeman]

Do you have a link?

 

[Radom Guy]

Do you have a link?

Sure do. See below. Assuming you have not bought this exact item yet, a 30% off discount should appear. That’s how i got them for $20.29 plus tax. When i visit Amazon and view the listing while signed onto Amazon, the 30% discount no longer appears, presumably because it’s a one time discount and i already used it. (If I view the listing from a browser where I am not signed onto Amazon, the 30% discount appears.)

Amazon.com

 

[Cokeman]

Cool. So you are saying the bushing that threads into your press is not compatible with the bushings the dies thread into? That’s weird.

 

[Radom Guy]

Cool. So you are saying the bushing that threads into your press is not compatible with the bushings the dies thread into? That’s weird.

Right. None of the die bushings will twist and lock into the conversion bushing, not even the AltitudeCraft ones. The AltitudeCraft conversion bushing is out of spec.

To be clear, it’s not a matter of compatibility, the conversion bushing just doesn’t work because it was machined improperly.

 

[Cokeman]

Well that sucks

 

[Radom Guy]

Well that sucks

As I said in my OP, it’s not a big deal for me. I was thinking that the reason it may beř discounted is because the seller knows about the out of spec conversion bushing.j

 

[JmacD]

I had looked at those. My mind was taken back several times however, to the experience I had with ordering the 3-D printed ones off of Amazon. That was a colossal waste of money. Yes, label assured they would work for everything except sizing… No, not really! a gentle push with a 38 special round with no crimp and crack snap…

I may try these, however.

 

[Walkalong]

Well that sucks

Not if you don't need the conversion bushing.

 

[Rule3]

OK.I am not with it this morning, what is the conversion bushing for? I have a LnL AP

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

OK.I am not with it this morning, what is the conversion bushing for? I have a LnL AP

Presses with a normal 7/8" die bushing installed ... most all single stage presses. Pull the existing bushing and screw in the conversion and your single-stage press will now mount the LnL setup dies.

 

[Rule3]

Presses with a normal 7/8" die bushing installed ... most all single stage presses. Pull the existing bushing and screw in the conversion and your single-stage press will now mount the LnL setup dies.

Thanks!

 

[9mmepiphany]

Pull the existing bushing and screw in the conversion and your single-stage press will now mount the LnL setup dies.

This is how I use my dies mounted in Hornady LNL bushings with my Lee Classic Cast single stage press.

Lee also makes conversion bushings for the Breech Lock die bushings

 

[Walkalong]

Lee also makes conversion bushings for the Breech Lock die bushings

I like the breech lock design.

 

[Radom Guy]

This is how I use my dies mounted in Hornady LNL bushings with my Lee Classic Cast single stage press.

Lee also makes conversion bushings for the Breech Lock die bushings

EDIT: My press is NOT the Classic Cast. It is the cheaper bargain (but good!) Challenger press, which was not made with the 1-1/4 - 12 thread. My mistake, sorry.

Original post:
I wish i could easily convert my Lee Classi Cast single stage to the Hornady LNL. The Breech Lock system is molded right into the press (pic attached). I guess it is only possible in the Lee Classic Casts that are older than mine. I also have a 40 or 50 year old aluminum Lee Challenger press, but the 7/8-14” threads are cast right into that press (second pic).

 

[9mmepiphany]

I wish i could easily convert my Lee Classi Cast single stage to the Hornady LNL. The Breech Lock system is molded right into the press (pic attached). I guess it is only possible in the Lee Classic Casts that are older than mine.

How odd.

The current Classic Cast press (#90998) comes ready to use with 1 1/4-12 dies and the Breech Lock adapter and bushing to accept 7/8-14 dies. Mine, about 10 years old, came set up to use the 7/8-14 dies with the option to unscrew the installed bushing to accept 1 1/4-12 dies. If you unscrewed that bushing, you could install the Hornady conversion kit. I remember when that introduced the Classic Cast set up to accept the Breech Lock bushings, but didn't realize the machined it into the press itself

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I wish i could easily convert my Lee Classi Cast single stage to the Hornady LNL. The Breech Lock system is molded right into the press (pic attached). I guess it is only possible in the Lee Classic Casts that are older than mine. I also have a 40 or 50 year old aluminum Lee Challenger press, but the 7/8-14” threads are cast right into that press (second pic).

View attachment 1265844

View attachment 1265845

Oh wow, I didn't realize. I'm used to the RCBS, Redding, etc. I didn't think any had the 7/8-14 machined directly in except for Lyman's Brass Smith. I know most turrets and progressives have the die threads machined directly in though. I guess I need to get out more.

 

[Radom Guy]

How odd.

The current Classic Cast press (#90998) comes ready to use with 1 1/4-12 dies and the Breech Lock adapter and bushing to accept 7/8-14 dies. Mine, about 10 years old, came set up to use the 7/8-14 dies with the option to unscrew the installed bushing to accept 1 1/4-12 dies. If you unscrewed that bushing, you could install the Hornady conversion kit. I remember when that introduced the Classic Cast set up to accept the Breech Lock bushings, but didn't realize the machined it into the press itself

You know what, all this time I thought that I had a classic cast single stage press. I do not. I just looked at the purchase from 2015 and it is a challenger press, so it is the cheaper bargain aluminum Challenger not the Classic Cast. I guess that is why it does not work; Lee did not make the Challenger with the larger 1-1/14-12 die fit. A great press, mind you, but not the Classic Cast. I just confirmed that it is aluminum as it is not magnetic.

I think I got confused because my turret press is in fact a classic cast, but not this old single stage.

Duh!!

 

[ballman6711]

I'm calling senior moment, lol!

But at least you figured out why it didn't work, so maybe it is in spec after all.

Either way, thank you for the post, I use the Hornady LnL bushings and this is good info.

chris

 

[Radom Guy]

I'm calling senior moment, lol!

But at least you figured out why it didn't work, so maybe it is in spec after all.

Either way, thank you for the post, I use the Hornady LnL bushings and this is good info.

chris

Haha! Glad i could help at the same time as wasting your time !

 

[Radom Guy]

ballman6711 said:
But at least you figured out why it didn't work, so maybe it is in spec after all.

Haha! Glad i could help at the same time as wasting your time !

PS The conversion bushing is out of spec for the LNL bushings, though. As I was saying, the LNL bushings and the generic ones will not rotate inside of the generic conversion bushing.

Now that I have lost all credibility I figured I should mention that, and hope that you believe me!

 

[9mmepiphany]

I just looked at the purchase from 2015 and it is a challenger press

I sort of suspected that when I saw the "catch square/basin" for spent primers. The Classic Cast funnels spent primers through the ram.

 

[Radom Guy]

I sort of suspected that when I saw the "catch square/basin" for spent primers. The Classic Cast funnels spent primers through the ram.

Funny you say that, because its spent primer system is why I mistakenly thought it was the Classic Cast. I do have a decades old Lee Challenger press as you saw in the photo. And my 2015 has the catch basin that funnels down into a clear colorless tube. I thought that was one of the differences between the Challenger and the Classic Cast. OOPS!! Haha! As far as I’m concerned though, it’s performed GREAT for me, and I don’t think that the Cast iron version would have done any better for my purposes. No complaints!

 

[Highland Lofts]

I bought some plastic LnL bushings a few years ago off of ebay.
They were 100% garbage, they went out in the garbage.

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I bought some plastic LnL bushings a few years ago off of ebay.
They were 100% garbage, they went out in the garbage.

Sounds like someone made a run at 3D printing some. Probably a bad idea for that part.