Giving up on LnL's primer system

[Blue68f100]

One thing I picked up on the short video that may be a problem. It looks like the top bend to vertical is not a smooth bend and there is very little straight section. On mine there is a section above the bend that is ~3/16" long. This is where the primers drop. Being a longer section it has plenty of time to drop. See if you can lower the rod at the base mount. This will give you more vertical which is dwell time.

 

[pinkymingeo]

Grasping at straws, if the primer feed tube is upside down, primers will jam in there every time. I'm sure the OP knows this, and has checked, but hey!

 

[thomas15]

^^^That is correct. Also, if the primer feed tube has any dirt or oil in the bore or burrs on the part that goes into the base the primers will not feed properly. I use a small patch tied onto a string to clean the bore from time to time.

Another thing, if you accidently use the large primer feed tube with small primers things may not function properly either.

 

[cmcgehee]

UPDATE: Just received the two primer slides from Hornady and that seems to be the problem. The large primer slide worked fine...the small one took a lot of sanding (thickness) before it would ride in the track but at least it works now. I think a little better machining on these primer system could solve a lot of problems. You can easily see the defects in the original and the new ones by holding them side by side. The original ones were really rough castings. Thanks again for all the suggestions and help. Great forum!

 

[Elkins45]

I really hope that fixes it for you. I used a Lee Pro1000 for 25 years and when I upgraded to the Hornady I thought I had gone to Heaven because of the primer system.

 

[Airgead]

Great news!

 

[taymag]

Mine runs great but man you're right, you can physically see without magnification where someone could have spent 5 minutes to clean it up, its weird with all the priming problems and calls they must get that they dont just take an extra second on it

 

[mstreddy]

OP, glad to hear it's fixed now. Is it working as it should now?
One thing, as you go using it, keep a can of compressed air or an air hose nearby for the priming area. I usually hit mine every 100 or so rounds, or less, if it needs it due to spillage, etc...

You may want to send a letter to Hornady mentioning the problems with the primer slides/shuttles, maybe with pictures. They may want to check their processes or supplier.

 

[cmcgehee]

OP, glad to hear it's fixed now. Is it working as it should now?
One thing, as you go using it, keep a can of compressed air or an air hose nearby for the priming area. I usually hit mine every 100 or so rounds, or less, if it needs it due to spillage, etc...

You may want to send a letter to Hornady mentioning the problems with the primer slides/shuttles, maybe with pictures. They may want to check their processes or supplier.

It seems to be working ok now. I have been in touch with Hornady constantly since I took delivery. They had replaced every part of the primer system except the two primer slides.

 

[cmcgehee]

Mine runs great but man you're right, you can physically see without magnification where someone could have spent 5 minutes to clean it up, its weird with all the priming problems and calls they must get that they dont just take an extra second on it

It would not take much to eliminate a lot of biggest complaint they get. Even the replacement primer slides they sent me...the small primer slide was two thick and had to be sanded down quite a bit before it would pass under the primer tube support.

 

[Blue68f100]

Have you checked the depth of the slot the sleds slide in ????

You may have got a base out of spec which will throw every thing else off.

I would contact them again and let them know what you found. It's possiable that they received a shipment out of spec. There use to be a engineer named Alan Lenz. I worked with him early on when they came out the PTX on correcting some issues. I don't know if he's still with them or not. At that time he was responsible for making modifications to production parts to improve them, or make them work right. Which ever way you want to look at it.

 

[cmcgehee]

Have you checked the depth of the slot the sleds slide in ????

You may have got a base out of spec which will throw every thing else off.

I would contact them again and let them know what you found. It's possiable that they received a shipment out of spec. There use to be a engineer named Alan Lenz. I worked with him early on when they came out the PTX on correcting some issues. I don't know if he's still with them or not. At that time he was responsible for making modifications to production parts to improve them, or make them work right. Which ever way you want to look at it.

Of the four primer slides that I now have...three will fit the slot with no problem. One was too thick to slide under the primer tube support.

 

[cmcgehee]

Hornady gave up on suggestions and sent a label for me to return the press. They notified me today that they set it up to try to reload and had to replace a total of 13 parts including the sub plate, both primer slides, drive hub, roller, shaft roller and all parts of the primer system. Hopefully, this will solve the problems. I am anxious to get it back.

 

[Airgead]

Oh boy! Really sounds like you had some bad luck with a real lemon. Hopefully it's all straightened out.

When you get it back, would you mind measuring how deep your press seats primers? Hornady's revamped LNL-AP directions show you being able to seat to 0.005" but I cannot get more than 0.002" if I'm lucky. A Hornady rep at the NRA Annual Meeting said the design spec is flush.

 

[cmcgehee]

I was never able to get the primer system to work. I did notice that they replaced several parts with part numbers that are not listed in their schematic or on their standard parts list. I assume by this that they have maybe revised some parts.

 

[Blue68f100]

Oh boy! Really sounds like you had some bad luck with a real lemon. Hopefully it's all straightened out.

When you get it back, would you mind measuring how deep your press seats primers? Hornady's revamped LNL-AP directions show you being able to seat to 0.005" but I cannot get more than 0.002" if I'm lucky. A Hornady rep at the NRA Annual Meeting said the design spec is flush.

You can't go much deeper than the pocket is.....

If you push the handle all the way forward with no brass in the shell plate you will see that the primer seating anvil comes up a lot more than that.

Now, I have add a steel post for the anvil to contact on my press. The devit had gotten pretty deep on mine over the years and close to 100k primers seated.

 

[cmcgehee]

Oh boy! Really sounds like you had some bad luck with a real lemon. Hopefully it's all straightened out.

When you get it back, would you mind measuring how deep your press seats primers? Hornady's revamped LNL-AP directions show you being able to seat to 0.005" but I cannot get more than 0.002" if I'm lucky. A Hornady rep at the NRA Annual Meeting said the design spec is flush.

I just went through the Owners Manual that came with my LnL AP press and there is no mention of any seating depth. As long as I am flush or below, I am happy.

 

[Blue68f100]

I was never able to get the primer system to work. I did notice that they replaced several parts with part numbers that are not listed in their schematic or on their standard parts list. I assume by this that they have maybe revised some parts.

Sounds like they had a problem they could not figure out and decided to replace every thing to cover the bases.

The last part I needed was a new S primer seating anvil. it was a revised part and more robust than the original I had. And the new part would be easier to machine too. I did not check to see if they limited travel compared to the old one. My original had worn in a way to allow the anvil to go up at an angle. It had over 60k primers through it. The wear was contributed to the divet in the cast Al frame. I had since drilled out the divet and put a steel rod/plate for it to contact. Which increased the upward travel for seating primers.

 

[cmcgehee]

Sounds like they had a problem they could not figure out and decided to replace every thing to cover the bases.

The last part I needed was a new S primer seating anvil. it was a revised part and more robust than the original I had. And the new part would be easier to machine too. I did not check to see if they limited travel compared to the old one. My original had worn in a way to allow the anvil to go up at an angle. It had over 60k primers through it. The wear was contributed to the divet in the cast Al frame. I had since drilled out the divet and put a steel rod/plate for it to contact. Which increased the upward travel for seating primers.

They told me they were going to set it up and actually do some reloading on it to see if there were any problems with it or just operator problems. If they found any problem they would replace the parts until it worked properly or they would send a new press. Apparently, they found quite a few things that were not right or there would be no need to replace 13 parts. Things that were replaced went throughout the whole press, not just the primer system. So far, I am pleased with their tech service.

 

[Airgead]

You can't go much deeper than the pocket is.....

If you push the handle all the way forward with no brass in the shell plate you will see that the primer seating anvil comes up a lot more than that.

Sure, but they are deep enough. I have been working on loads for my father's Marlin 336RC in .35REM. I'm mildly concerned about a slam fire because the firing pins dimples the primer fairly significantly when chambering a round. I know it's unlikely, but I like maximum safety. Priming on the LNL-AP, I can only seat to 0.002". Using my RCBS Universal Priming Tool, I can seat to 0.005" which is generally the recommended depth. So it's not an issue of primer pocket depth. In fact, if I prime on the LNL-AP and then run the primed case through the RCBS unit, the primer will seat another 0.003".

The primer seating anvil has a fixed stopping point by a ring within the nut and it's not adjustable. The little divot on the press doesn't make a difference as far as I can tell.

 

[egd]

Actually that does sound like a company that cares. It would be easier to just junk your press and send you a new boxed one. Instead they take it and use it and analyze what is wrong.

 

[cmcgehee]

Actually that does sound like a company that cares. It would be easier to just junk your press and send you a new boxed one. Instead they take it and use it and analyze what is wrong.

Yes...When they told me to ship it back, they assured me that when it came back it would be working correctly in all respects. They were going to load with both large and small primers before sending it back. I can't ask for more. Every mfg. has a problem of some type now & then. Taking care of the problem in a professional manner separates the men from the boys as far as i am concerned.

 

[Reeferman]

Blue68f150 can you take a picture of that new anvil?

 

[Blue68f100]

I will later on. But what they did was eliminate the ledge they had on it. It's now has a long straight body, without the shoulder. Remember my LNL-AP is almost 10 yrs old so there has been some updates done over the years. I still have the original priming system on mine and have no plans to have it updated. Works flawless so why mess with what works. I will also check to see if they have limits on travel now, too.

 

[Blue68f100]

Ok Here is a photo of the old style vs new primer Anvil. The old style trapped powder residue, which caused problem of the anvil not getting out of the way, dragging on the shell plate. They removed the shoulder. With the old style you induced side loading once you had a divet on the casting.



As far as setting depth the info they have gave you is incorrect. There is no physical stop except the bottom of the primer pocket. As you can see when the arm is pressed forward to seat a primer you have unrestricted travel of ~0.080". No easy way to measure this. The estimate is done using feeler gauges. You have a clearance of 0.002"-0.010" shell plate clearance to base. Mine has a clearance of 0.002-0.003", tighter is better here. So I could set a primer ~0.060" deep.