Hornady LNL AP Question(s)

[9mmepiphany]

...and I just learned something too.

Now I just have to get my sharpie out to label my shell plates

 

[rskent]

Very cool tool Walkalong. I just run the ram up with a case in the shell plate and stick the wrench through the hole in the top of the press. It works well, but it's not as cool as your tool.

 

[Walkalong]

Now I just have to get my sharpie out to label my shell plates

Beats the heck out of trying to remember what all the numbers work for. The LNL shell plates fit perfectly in this Midway box. That is what I keep mine in, three of them.

 

[cfullgraf]

...and I just learned something too.

Now I just have to get my sharpie out to label my shell plates

I get a little fancier and use labels made on a P-touch label maker.

Both work well though.

Beats the heck out of trying to remember what all the numbers work for. The LNL shell plates fit perfectly in this Midway box. That is what I keep mine in, three of them.

Thanks for the tip on the Midway box. Since Hornady has stopped shipping shell plates in their plastic containers, I have been looking for an alternative.

 

[dickttx]

90% of the problems I have had with my LnL is because the shell plate has loosened slightly. A steel 3/8" lock washer has taken care of that. I still check it about every 200 rounds.
Be sure to read the instructions re: putting a 2" wooden block under your shell plate before you start tightening the lock washer, otherwise you are applying pressure directly on your pawls.

 

[mstreddy]

Yes, the marking of calibers on the shell plates is good. I've done that as well. Another thing I've done is I grabbed the cross-reference chart (available at Midway and Grafs) of shell holders/plates and populated a table in Word for all the calibers I load for. So I can see that 9MM uses a Hornady #8, Lee xx, RCBS xx, Lyman xx.
I have it printed out and taped to a cabinet door over my bench.
I like the midway box idea for the shellplates. Gotta load some of those bullets and empty the boxes.

 

[Walkalong]

I used a sharpie to mark all my shell holders as well. The only downside to the sharpie is it wears off and has to be re-done occasionally.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Beats the heck out of trying to remember what all the numbers work for

I was wondering why I had a #2 and a #3 shell holder in a set of .45ACP dies (RCBS) that came with my LNL.

I just realized that one is from Lee and the other from RCBS...is it unusual that the Lee die seems more snug?

 

[cfullgraf]

I just realized that one is from Lee and the other from RCBS...is it unusual that the Lee die seems more snug?

No, not in every case. Some Lee shell holders are looser than the equivalent shell holders from other companies.

Alot depends on how many cartridges a shell holder is supposed to handle.

 

[Hungry1]

#2) The shell plate doesn't advance completely and sometimes requires a bump with my l/h index finger to hit the detent. This is a brand new press and while I don't have any qualms about adjusting the mechanism it doesn't seem as though this should be necessary. If I accelerate the handle downstoke a bit the indexing appears to work, but I should be able to move the handle slowly and still have the shell plate advance all the way. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Rick

I've been reloading with a LNL AP for a while now. At some point during my learning curve, I damaged the drive hub. Adjusting the pawls didn't help. :banghead:

This thread helped me diagnose the problem. I had damaged the drive hub, (it is a sacrificial part).

I just installed a new hub and my press is ticking like a fine tuned watch.

Good Luck