Hornady LNL problem with ejecting loaded cartridge

[Dagrein]

I got my new Hornady LNL AP press some days ago. I had to fix some smaller issues and it now seem to work fine when reloading 270 win.

But I do have major problem with reloading .338 win.mag. The press won't eject the finished cartridge because it get stucked between the ejector nub on the sub plate and the shell plate. The spring slips nicely underneat the shell bottom but the nub kinda cuts into the shell. It seems like the nub is too short to guide the cartridge out.

Anyone else who had the same problem?

 

[Blue68f100]

Shell plate tight?

Indexing set properly?

There is a mod that some of us did when it was the wire ejector. It allowed the spring to drop out of the way earlier which helped on ejection.

 

[Reeferman]

I get the same thing with 44 magnum sometimes. But with 45/70 it’s like the LNL was made for it. Contact Hornady and see what they say.

 

[rfwobbly]

Try lubing up inside the 5 notches inside the shellplate. Use a tooth brush with some generic grease on it.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

My LnL would fail to eject and lockup. The cause was the nub on the sub plate was worn down. It took about 50k rounds to wear it down, though. I called Hornady and they replaced the subplate down for free.

 

[Dagrein]

I get the same thing with 44 magnum sometimes. But with 45/70 it’s like the LNL was made for it. Contact Hornady and see what they say.

I get the same thing with 44 magnu

I get the same thing with 44 magnum sometimes. But with 45/70 it’s like the LNL was made for it. Contact Hornady and see what they say.

Shell plate tight?

Indexing set properly?

There is a mod that some of us did when it was the wire ejector. It allowed the spring to drop out of the way earlier which helped on ejection.

m sometimes. But with 45/70 it’s like the LNL was made for it. Contact Hornady and see what they say.

I have 0,013 gap between sub plate and shell plate, so shims are on their way.
Indexing is perfect as I see it, but still it jams.

 

[Dagrein]

My LnL would fail to eject and lockup. The cause was the nub on the sub plate was worn down. It took about 50k rounds to wear it down, though. I called Hornady and they replaced the subplate down for free.

I've only loaded 100 rounds on it, so it is not wear that causes the trouble. Seems like it is an construction issue?

 

[Dagrein]

Try lubing up inside the 5 notches inside the shellplate. Use a tooth brush with some generic grease on it.

I can try to lube the nub, but I suspect that this won't be enough.

 

[Blue68f100]

I have 0,013 gap between sub plate and shell plate, so shims are on their way.
Indexing is perfect as I see it, but still it jams.

I think the max allowed is 0.010", mine runs at 0.003". I think Hornady will send you a replacement hub, don't now if the hub can be shimmed. I haven't had the need to fix mine.

 

[Walkalong]

What caliber?

Polishing shell plates where they hold the case can help. Helped a great deal with 9MM.

There is a mod that some of us did when it was the wire ejector. It allowed the spring to drop out of the way earlier which helped on ejection.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lnl-ez-ject-upgrade.464088/

 

[cfullgraf]

I've had trouble with 45 Colt ejecting from the L-N-L. Walkalong's modification has helped.

When the case gets canted, it locks upon ejection.

 

[Reeferman]

As Walkalong post says plus it will make the spring last much longer if you also polish everywhere the spring travels.

 

[Walkalong]

Walkalong's modification has helped.

It was @Wilburts idea

 

[Dagrein]

I think the max allowed is 0.010", mine runs at 0.003". I think Hornady will send you a replacement hub, don't now if the hub can be shimmed. I haven't had the need to fix mine.

Yes I've heard that max allowed is 0.012, so I am aiming for 0.003-0.004 when the shims arrive.

 

[Dagrein]

What caliber?

Polishing shell plates where they hold the case can help. Helped a great deal with 9MM.
View attachment 984436 View attachment 984437



https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lnl-ez-ject-upgrade.464088/
View attachment 984439
View attachment 984440

The trouble caliber is .338 win.mag. with .270 win the press ejects perfectly.
The spring slips nicely underneat the shell right before the press reaches top position in station 5, so thats not the problem. I still plan on doing the mod you describe to reduce the wear on the spring.

In my case I am pretty sure the it is the nub that causes the problem, but the polishing you describe may for sure help. Maybe even fix the problem. I will try this.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Is this a new press or is it new to you. (used).
If the No 1 shell plate (270) works fine than I doubt the nub is the problem when you are using the #5 shell plate (338 Win Mag).
Sounds to me like you #5 shell plate is more the problem. Being this stuff is new, ( you said your "NEW" press) I would call Hornady before modifying the #5 shell plate. They will probably send you another shell plate to try.
If you modify the shell plate before calling them and they want it back, you may get charged for the new shell plate which negates the whole warranty process.
Go through Hornady first, before you permanently modify anything.

 

[Dagrein]

The press is brand new.
I tried running a bunch of 1 times reloaded .375 H&H mag. cartridges through the press without any dies in it, just to check if the ejecting worked on these. The strange thing is that they ejected perfect.
This was Remington cases just as the .338 win.mag was, so now I understand even less..

Could it be that the .338 win.mag shells had wear marks in the ejector groove which caused the ejector nub to hook up? (These shells were reloaded 7 times, so they showed signs of use)

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I think your shell plate is messed up. I would call Hornady and tell them that the press works ok except for this one shell plate. The press is new and you don't know what to do.
It's probably more like the .338 Win Mag cases are belted magnums and the belts are what's causing the problems. Still, this is a Hornady matter right now since your press is new.
Call them, they will take care of you.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

What number shell plate are you using for .338 Win Mag. There is a number stamped on top of the shell plate. You should be using a #5 for 338 Win Mag but if you have a #43 plate like for a .338 Lapua Mag or .338 Federal magnum, which are not belted magnums, that may be what is going on.

 

[Dagrein]

I have the #5 shell plate and it is also brand new with no marks or damages.
Since the .338 win mag and .375 H&H mag has the same magnum case, with belt and everything, I am surprised that the ejecting worked flawlessly with the .375 cases but not with the 338 cases. Both were Remingtons.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Yeah, that's a good one. The 375s work but the .338s don't. Maybe it is something different with the cases.
I would still call Hornady first and find out what they say first, and if it doesn't help then maybe polishing the shell plate like the others said will help.

 

[Kaldor]

Do what @Walkalong said!
Polishing the shell plate is a big deal. Just be warned, they are hard as a coffin nail.

 

[Dagrein]

Yes I guess I better contact Hornady

 

[Blue68f100]

Have you measured the 338 base to see if it's in spec?

I had some brass that was doing the same thing years ago. What I found was the extractor groove had expanded making it fit the shell holder too tight.

 

[Reeferman]

I picked some 44 magnum brass up at the range that had been put through a Desert Eagle and threw them away as they would not eject because of the gouge on the rim from the gun.