Hornday Lock N Load Auto Progressive Press

[divecopper]

Looking at "Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Progressive Press." Would like to have some feedback/impressions (pros/cons and or experiences) with this press. I will be using it primarily to reload for my 45 cal, Colt, 1911. I would estimate I would be loading about 1000 to 1500 rounds a month. Also, I suspect sooner or later I may get into doing some rifle reloading, too.

Thanks,
David

 

[jmorris]

On the top green bar third from the right is the search button. Click on that and put “LNL 650” and you should get about 100,000 different threads. This one has been beat to death, but the Dillon is better (I’ve got both).

 

[Griz44]

I came about 60 seconds close to buying one, until I found out the "optional" case feeder cost 350.00 by itself! That's more than the press. The case feeder came free on the Loadmaster, think I'll buy a second one for my bench....

 

[Idano]

David,

I have had my Hornady L-n-L nearly three years and in that time I haven't had and issue nor have I had any problems with it going out of adjustment. I had a Lee Loadmaster a couple of years earlier that I wasn't wasn't overwhelmed with, but have since discovered that many of my issues with the Lee was case related which I also encountered with my Hornady. I had a few unswaged or poorly swaged military brass; I highly recommend investing in the Dillon Super Swage. When I decided to buy my Hornady it came down to it and the Dillon 650. By the time I had both presses setup with case feeders and all the bells and whistles there wasn't much of price difference, maybe $120 max. The only reason I went with the Hornady over the Dillon was that shell plates and bushing were available locally where as with the Dillon I would have to order them and sometimes I bring home new calibers that need to be loaded immediately or at least in my mind. Where is the fun in having a toy you can't play with shortly after you get it? The customer service with Hornady is as good as I have received with Dillon, and personally the 650 and Hornady are mechanically nearly identical in operation. When you put the pencil to the paper and equip both presses identically you discover the prices difference is negligible between the two, so is the performance and the quality. Dillon 650 or Hornady L-n-L; both great presses and both well worth the money.

 

[pinkymingeo]

The Hornady has the advantage of quick caliber and primer changes. Some guys buy a second Dillon just to avoid having to change primer sizes. Other than that, and the Hornady powder measure that's said to be a little better, the presses are equivalent. Some guys slightly prefer one, some the other. I'm not sure Idano's experience is typical in the area of setup cost. It can be substantially higher with the Dillon (not that I light cigars with $120 bills). Plus, there's the bullet offer to consider.

 

[divecopper]

JMorris thanks for providing me with the correct search string.

After reviewing IDANO, PINKYMINGEO, and several others post I believe I am going to end up with a Hornady. Besides I like the free bullet offer!

Thanks guys for the information and insight.

David

 

[jmorris]

Besides I like the free bullet offer!

To be honest that’s why I bought the one I have. I figured I could unload it if I didn’t like it at little loss. It’s worth having but if you are going to aspire to the case/bullet feeders in the future, it’s just not the best choice.

 

[divecopper]

At the moment, I'm don't have any aspirations for the case/bullet feeder. I'm even considering backing down to turret press. If I can knock out 200 or 300 rounds in a setting of an hour or two, I believe I will be happy..I think. Most anything will be an improvement over what I have been using -- a rcbs jr.

 

[TooTaxed]

When I got serious about getting a progressive, I located people who would let me try out their Dillons, Lee, and Hornady progressives.

Of the three, the Hornady is by far the most modern...the Dillons are really dated and far more expensive to change calibers than the others, and some key parts of the Lee Loadmaster are hard plastic.

Hornady has by far the best powder measure on the market...rotary, easy to adjust, and has a feature that once you are happy with a particular powder setting you can press a button, remove the powder chamber, replace it with a spare, and store it with your dies until the next time...when you simply put it back into the measure and start reloading...no adjustments. The inserts are about $8. I'll simply say that Dillon has about the worst powder measure...slide design, frustrating to adjust to change charges, ect.

The Hornady Lock N Load system makes it extremely fast to change dies...the dies fit in an inexpensive locking bushing...once the die is roperly set, twist a fraction of a turn and the bushing comes out on the die. Next time you want to reload, slide the bushing in, give it a twist to lock the bushing, and start reloading. With the Dillon, you replace the entire die plate...expensive!

I appreciate my Hornady more every time I use it...my time is spent reloading, not adjusting.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I had the Dillon 550 years ago, didn't like it, had troubles with it. Got rid of it, got the Hornady LnL. I still have it and load on my buddy's 650 regularly and he loads on mine. He's the one who's dissatisfied, mostly with costs. I've been happy for years.

Recently, a spring that controls the subplate height wore out due to age/use. I called Hornady, intending to buy them. Was routed to tech. support. They sent me two new springs and two brand new primer seaters ("Because the springs in those are likely close to worn out as well.") along with the subplate springs. I didn't pay for any of it - no bs at all.

Regards,

Dave

 

[sturmgewehr]

I'll simply say that Dillon has about the worst powder measure...slide design, frustrating to adjust to change charges, ect.

That's an easy $50 fix.



The best accessory I've ever bought for my 650. This makes the Dillon amazingly easy to adjust powder settings and to repeat previous settings.

 

[divecopper]

Based on what I have read and taking into consideration bias, I think I would buy the Hornady without a doubt. In my early days (some 25 years ago) Dillon was the top dog. I don't ever recall hearing mentioned that Hornady was in the business of making reloaders. See, I have not done any reloading or much shooting in the last 15 yrs - which was what prompted me to post my inquiry about the Hornady. I just know that I have started shooting more again and do not want to go back to reloading with a single stage rcbs jr press!

 

[latisimusd]

Hornady Lock-N-Load

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/reviews.jsp?productid=215841

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductreview.exe/GetReviews?productid=679228

Some reviews

 

[sturmgewehr]

I think the Hornady is a great press and if it were available 10 years ago I would have probably bought one.

Right now I wouldn't trade my Dillons for anything. I love my 650 for mass production and I absolutely love my 550's for flexibility in reloading (the lack of auto-indexing). The two together make for the most flexible loading setup I could imagine.

If I had to buy just one press today though, I think I would go with the LnL AP.

 

[TooTaxed]

One initial problem I had with my L-N-L was that my Lee dies wouldn't work in it...the die mount is rather husky, and the Lee dies were too short. Other brands of dies worked fine, though.

In response, Lee now manufactures their dies with longer bodies, so now Lee dies will work just fine! I do like those Lee Factory Crimp dies, which ensure that the completed cartridge is resized to factory specs as well as applying the proper crimp.