Lee dies on a Hornady LnL AP

[Rule3]

As a old die hard LEE user new tricks are hard to learn.
Just messed with them for a hour and think I have it but shouldn't be this frustrating.
Takes 5 minutes on a LCTP

I have MANY Lee dies and have set them up on single stage and turret but never on a Progressive

The Lee instructions pretty much, raise the ram turn die until it touches shell holder then blah blah.
My question, frustration is on the LnL AP the shell plate is not like a shell "holder"

So when screwing the die down it goes into the recess of the shell plate. (if the die hit the top of the shell plate, then it would be about the same as a "shell holder")

Question: Should I allow for the difference in space from the bottom of the shell plate to the top (about the thickness of a nickle or so)??

If screwed down all the way there are little to no threads left up top for the lock ring??

The Hornady instructions all show for a single stage with shell holder which I am used to, not the AP press.

Hope this makes sense

 

[noylj]

I never had any issues with Lee dies on my L-N-L. For the lock rings, I removed the o-ring and used them upside down. Some folks used them under the press.
Just screw the die down as instructed. That section IS the shell holder. I always screw the sizing dies down to just barely touch the shell holder/shellplate, put a case in the shell holder, raise the ram, and, with the case in the die, screw the lock ring down tight.

 

[k4swb]

Older Lee dies are short. Use a Hornady or someone other than Lee nuts and they will work better. Filing down Lee nuts will work.
I found the same problem when I switched to a LNL AP with old Lee dies.

 

[dannyd]

Lee dies work great in Both LNL's and I use the Lee nuts with o-rings.

 

[reddog81]

I bought replacement lock rings for many of my Lee dies and they work fine, but some of the dies have no visible threads showing after getting them setup. I thought it might cause problems but so far everything has held up.

 

[Dudedog]

No issues with my Lee dies in the LNL.
The shell plate is your shell holder adjust as normal.
I adjust my sizer to just "kiss" the shell plate.

 

[9mmepiphany]

So when screwing the die down it goes into the recess of the shell plate. (if the die hit the top of the shell plate, then it would be about the same as a "shell holder")

Question: Should I allow for the difference in space from the bottom of the shell plate to the top (about the thickness of a nickle or so)??

Nope the top of the shell plate isn't the same as a the shell holder. The die should be screwed down, into the recess/cut out of the shell plate, until it touches the bottom

If screwed down all the way there are little to no threads left up top for the lock ring??

Yup, that's because the die body of your Lee dies are too short. Actually it is more an issue of the design of the Lee lock rings.

The lower half of the lock ring is cut away to accommodate the O-ring. That means that your lock ring is effectively only half the depth, as to the threads, that it appears. Once your die is screwed in further than half the depth of the lock ring, there is nothing for the threads to hold onto.

The best, and least expensive, way to rectify this would be to buy Hornady lock rings and fit them to your Lee dies...I have my 9mm Lee FCD fitted this way. Other work-around(s) are to turn the Lee rings up side down atop the press or to attach them from underneath the top deck of the press

I initially went with the longer bodied dies from Hornady, but am in the process of replacing them with Redding dies

 

[tightgroup tiger]

What 9mmepiphany said.
I tried the short Lee dies in my LNL-AP and went with RCBS and Redding dies. I like RCBS dies but recently bought a dual ring resizer for my .357 mag cases and it makes cases look like factory cases, no coke bottle look to them. The neck tension is better with the Redding dual ring than with my RCBS resizing die also. I gained about 15 lbs more neck tension with .357s without a crimp. They are up over 50lbs of pressure depending on the brand of brass and don't overwork the rest of the case but they are not cheap and are straight walled cases only.
I use a Shimpo strain gauge to test them.
I have one set of Hornady dies and they don't get used much because they have a larger "funnel" on the opening of the resizing die and they don't seem to resize down as far as my RCBS dies do. I think they are optimized for a progressive press.

With 9mm tapered cases sometimes the cases don't line up with the RCBS resizing die or my Lee die in my LNL-AP and I have to reach back with my finger and tip them a little forward but they will get all the bulge out of the cases that occur from shooting them in an unsupported chamber. These are generally range pick up shells and either have a bulge or have been stepped on. Once I run the 9mm cases through the RCBS die and get the bulge out of them, they line up after that. That bulge can effect how they sit in the shell plate and throw them a little out of alignment. It doesn't happen very often but it can happen.
I prefer my RCBS and Redding dies so I quit using the short lee dies on my LNL-AP very quickly.

 

[Walkalong]

I have some older Lee dies I had to get creative on to fit the LNL, but have been able to make them work.

 

[Rule3]

I compared some NEWER Lee dies to my OLDER RCBS there is little difference in length, maybe a thread or two.
They work
I dislike lock rings that require a hex wrench (RCBS or Hornady) Hornady are more user friendly
Which is why I like Lee. Yes the RCBS and Hornady are better built, but they all work.
Folks can say what the want about Lee O rings, but they work just fine. How are the LnL bushings held (other than the cams?) O rings.!

 

[Walkalong]

Lee o-ring dies lock down on the LNL bushings just fine. Lock them and leave them. Not a fan of them for taking on and off presses, but they work just fine on LNL bushings, Lee top turrets, RCBS and Dillon die holders that slide on and off the presses, whatever they are called. etc. Anything where they lock down and stay.