Hornady LNL vs Lee Turret Press

[RonPaul2008]

You all have been a great help to me and this should seal the deal.

I am debating whether or not to get a Hornady LNL Progressive or a Lee Turret Press.

You already help me rule out my two options to these 2 presses.

I do not want a Dillon!

I load around 500 rounds per week of all different calibers. Money is not really a concern but why spend more than you have too? I have alot of free time too!

Well Thanks for all of your help so far.

RonPaul2008 (no im not really Ron Paul)

 

[strat81]

Well, I've never used the LnL AP so I can't comment much on it.

However, on a Lee Turret, expect to do about 150-200 rounds per hour. This assumes everything is setup, brass is prepped, nothing goes wrong, you have plenty of components at hand, etc. So you're looking at about 3 hours per week to load the 500 rounds you mentioned.

To change calibers on the Lee Turret, all you need to do is rotate the turret counterclockwise while pulling and it comes right out. Swap in a new shellholder, adjust your powder measure, and you're good to go. In other words, caliber changes are VERY fast. You'll spend more time emptying the powder hopper into the itty bitty bottle mouth than changing stuff on the press.

 

[lgbloader]

Get a Lee Classic Turret and a Hornady LNL. You can see what you prefer better that way and which ever one you care for least, you can sell right here. I am certain someone will buy either one.

Cheers...

 

[Griz44]

I have the Lee Loadmaster, and really like the interchangeable turret. I have heads set up for each, and caliber changes are 2 minutes even if I have to change the primer feed. Turrets are cheap (12 bucks) and the 4 set carbide dies for pistol are only 32 bucks or 3 die rifle sets at 23.00 at Cabelas. If you change calibers frequently, you will like the turrets. If you are going to load very large quantities of one caliber at each sitting, you will like the LNL a lot better. Cost is a major factor for me, so the Lee got the vote. Hornady has the free thousand bullet deal going which helps bring initial investment down. Lee parts and maintenance costs are cheap and I can afford to keep parts on the shelf and if I ever need them, could send bad parts back and wait for the warranty replacements to arrive. Just tailor your needs to your equipment, the only thing you can really go wrong on is continueing to buy factory ammo.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

Get both.

You can get the Lee Classic Turret for less than a hundred bucks. Use it to work up different and new loads, do a little experimenting to see what gives you best accuracy, best velocity, etc etc.

Then use the Hornady to crank out a bit more volume.

Jeff

 

[Waldog]

If money is not a problem. I strongly recommend buying BOTH a single stage/turret type press and the LNL. YOU WILL USE BOTH. Particularly when working up loads.

Read this for a comparison of progressive presses.
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

 

[snuffy]

If money is not a problem. I strongly recommend buying BOTH a single stage/turret type press and the LNL. YOU WILL USE BOTH. Particularly when working up loads.

EXACTLY! I own a XL650 dillon with all the bells and whistles. BUT I don't like working up a load with it! In fact I hate working up a load with it.

I wanted to load for a new pistol cartridge,(7.62 X 25), the conversion kit would cost more than a brand new lee classic turret! So I bought the turret instead. Now I use it for the new shell/pistol, AND for working up loads for .223 and other of the seven calibers I have kits for the 650.

 

[lgbloader]

Snuffy,

On my bench, I own 2 XL 650's (one set up for 45acp, the other for 9mm), 1 550b that I load 38/357, 44mag, and 223, then I have a Redding T7 for Rifle, plus a LEE Classic Cast Single stage that I use for all the b.s. misc jobs.

I always work up loads on a single stage and use the progressives to crank the s**t out once I have something I like. Like today, I will crank out 2k in 45acp, I am so glad I have my 650 but having a good single stage to develop my round made it so much easier.

My true workhorse of my bench would be the Lee Classic Cast Single stage. I have used and abused that hunk of metal to hell and back. I like it better than my old rock chucker that I retired (Not for sale, it holds extreme sentimental value)

Well, time to get out there and get started. See you fella's in a couple of hours.

Cheers

 

[pinkymingeo]

The LnL is extremely versatile. You can run one round at a time, like a turret, or just insert one die at a time and use it as a single stage. There's really no need for a second press.

 

[snuffy]

The LnL is extremely versatile. You can run one round at a time, like a turret, or just insert one die at a time and use it as a single stage. There's really no need for a second press.

Uh-huh. Same can be said for the dillon 650. BUT Setting any type of powder measure to throw incremental powder charges, then throwing 5 charges, and then changing on a big press is awkward, to put it mildly! Add to that the work around for the case feeder is pulling the feeder slider back to insert 1 case.

I have had, for some time, a pact digital powder dispenser. It's a joy to work with when loading a string of experimental loads.

IGB, I also own a forster co-ax, and a lee chalanger single stage. Not to mention the lee hand press, it's the take-to-the-range loader.

The lee classic turret is usually used as a single stage for load development with the indexer removed. The dies being in the turret is so fast to move, faster than the gimmicky LNL bushings.

 

[RustyFN]

A lot of good advice already. If you were to only buy one press how fast do you need to reload? With the classic turret once you get used to it ( about 1 to 2 weeks ) you should be making close to 200 rounds per hour. With small quantities and a few calibers the classic turret is very cheap and fast for caliber changes. The LNL AP from what I hear is a fine press and will probably give you twice as many per hour but will cost more and caliber changes will be more expensive. I don't know how easy it is the change from small to large primer on the LNL but it is very easy on the classic turret. I own the classic turret and it meets my needs so that I don't need a progressive.
Rusty

 

[papajohn]

25 Years ago, I bought a Lee Turret Press. To this day, it's all I use. I load in batches, up to 300 pistol rounds an hour if I really boogie. Rifle loads take longer but 150 is realistic. I've looked at several presses, including the LNL while thinking of "upgrading", but I just can't justify it. It ain't broke, and I ain't fixing it.

Someday I'll buy a Dillon 650 to use for 38 or 45ACP, but for now I'm fine. Caliber changes take about 15 seconds, the press has only needed one repair, and I have loaded a shade over 660,000 rounds. That's by my own count, and I'm inclined to forget to log batches now and then, so it's probably somewhat higher than that. I keep it clean and lubricated, tear it down every 10K rounds or so, and keep on cranking the handle. It'll likely outlive me.

It cost me $65 new, and I don't think the price of a new one is any more than that now!

Papajohn

 

[bugs100]

Get the Hornady LnL it's a 5 hole press and it's real fast to change primers, powder charges and calibers.

I reload a hour a night on mine and so far this month knocked out 2000 45's, 1000 41mags and a couple of 1000 of 38's and 357's.

It's a real easy press to get use too.

 

[DEDON45]

I have an LnL AP... it's an excellent press, is fully progressive, and I have to say I love it. It sounds like you've already done some research here (and hopefully elsewhere), so I won't waste space here revisiting why I like it so much. However, I am curious as to why you don't want a Dillon (is it the price / bang for the buck?) ... they are good too.. BTW, Primer size changes on the LnL AP are quite simple (a poster questioned whether it was or not)... takes me under a minute to do it.

As the others have mentioned, consider getting a Single Stage or Turret press to complement your setup if you go with a fully progressive press... you'll need it for grunt work, etc. I used just the LnL AP for the past several months, and I'm now finding a need for a single stage to do small quantity rifle rounds (ones I'll be trickling powder into, etc.)... found the Hornady LnL Classic single stage press at the local Sportsman's for 125.00 (about the same as online), and gave in (did it today in fact).... it's also good for 100 bullets (the LnL AP is worth 500 bullets in the bullet rebate program)... so it's more like just a little bit over 100.00 for the press. I like it.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

RP2008,

If you are loading only a hundred or so of each of 5 calibers each weak, a progressive will not be advantageous because you will spend too much time changing it over between calibers. A turret press would probably be better, but if you load batch style, a good single stage press with quick-change die capability will be just as fast. Any press that accepts the Hornady LNL inserts (like the Lee Classic Cast), or the Forster co-ax would do the trick.

If on the other hand, you could load 5 weeks worth of a different cartridge each week, the progressive would be better, since you would change over less often.

Andy

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have both. But if I had bought the Lee Classic Turret first, I would never have bought the Hornady LnL and I love my Hornady. The Lee is an extremely practical press for most reloaders. Anything else is about ego or about trying to do some loading something really quick.

Just my .02,

Dave

 

[Uncle Chan]

I have a Dillion 550B and Lee Classic Turret. The Dillion I load 45LC only. I use my Lee Turret for EVERYTHING else.