LNL AP Pawl Adjustment

[Hungry1]

My question is: When switching between calibers, do other LNL AP users need to make pawl adjustments?

I reload and shoot mostly 357 Mag and 45 ACP. Whenever I switch-out between the two, adjustments are necessary for smooth operation.

Is this common, or have I just not found the "Sweet Spot".

Thanks

 

[raddiver]

Im pretty sure this is not normal behavior. I switch between 9 and 45 with no issues. Both of those are short cases however.

 

[Hungry1]

Im pretty sure this is not normal behavior. I switch between 9 and 45 with no issues. Both of those are short cases however.

I do suspect that the differing case heights play into it.

Thanks

 

[KansasSasquatch]

What's not smooth about it? I run 9mm, .38spl, .357, .45acp, and .223 on my LNL. With .45acp and 9mm sometimes casings will hang up a bit going into the sizing die because those dies are RCBS and the openings are not as flared as my Hornady dies. I find that starting the ram stroke a little more abruptly on 9mm and .45 helps the case retaining spring snap them into better alignment so that they don't hang up. You should not have to adjust the pawls every time you switch calibers.

What dies are you using and what exactly is your press doing?

 

[david bachelder]

I have not had my LNL long. I've only ran about 500 rounds through it and if supplies don't get easier to find I wont be reloading much more anyway.

I load 9mm, 38 S&W, .38 Special, .357 Mag, .40 S&W and 45 Colt and I have never had to adjust the Pawls. My buddy bought an LNL about three or four months before me. He adjusted the pawls and had a hell of a time getting them back in sync.

He suggested that I avoid that.

 

[Hungry1]

What's not smooth about it? I run 9mm, .38spl, .357, .45acp, and .223 on my LNL. With .45acp and 9mm sometimes casings will hang up a bit going into the sizing die because those dies are RCBS and the openings are not as flared as my Hornady dies. I find that starting the ram stroke a little more abruptly on 9mm and .45 helps the case retaining spring snap them into better alignment so that they don't hang up. You should not have to adjust the pawls every time you switch calibers.

What dies are you using and what exactly is your press doing?

Thanks Sasquatch

The problems I'm experiencing are the cases not alining with the de-capping die and/or the case not alining with the priming station.

I'm using RCBS Dies. I didn't know that Hornady dies had a wider opening. Good to know

 

[Hungry1]

I have not had my LNL long. I've only ran about 500 rounds through it and if supplies don't get easier to find I wont be reloading much more anyway.

I load 9mm, 38 S&W, .38 Special, .357 Mag, .40 S&W and 45 Colt and I have never had to adjust the Pawls. My buddy bought an LNL about three or four months before me. He adjusted the pawls and had a hell of a time getting them back in sync.

He suggested that I avoid that.

I had to adjust mine right out of the box... it's possible that using Hornady dies would have prevented this

I was switching over from a Rock Chucker Single stage to the progressive, right as the panic hit.

Thanks

 

[tcj]

Been reloading about a year now having reloaded over 5,000 9's, 1,000+ 30.06, 500+ 308's, about 500 44's and a few hundred 45's.

Once I got the pawls set properly I have never had to adjust them when switching calibers.

Is the shell plate "just" snug or is it loose/real tight? Also, I'm assuming that you have a touch of lube on the bearings under the plate and that there is no powder residue under the plate? Dirt, lack of lube, too tight/loose of a plate will all affect the timing.

Also, you should make sure that any adjustments to the pawls are made with the shell plate fully loaded.

 

[Hungry1]

Been reloading about a year now having reloaded over 5,000 9's, 1,000+ 30.06, 500+ 308's, about 500 44's and a few hundred 45's.

Once I got the pawls set properly I have never had to adjust them when switching calibers.

Is the shell plate "just" snug or is it loose/real tight? Also, I'm assuming that you have a touch of lube on the bearings under the plate and that there is no powder residue under the plate? Dirt, lack of lube, too tight/loose of a plate will all affect the timing.

Also, you should make sure that any adjustments to the pawls are made with the shell plate fully loaded.

Shell Plate is Tight (it's possible that it's too tight), Lubed and clean.

Good info. I didn't know that too much torque on the plate would cause issues. Likewise with making adjustments with the shell plate loaded.

Thanks

 

[thump_rrr]

Adjust the pawls with the shellplate loaded.
Adjust them to the speed you will be moving the handle.
If you start throwing the handle muscly faster than the speed it was adjusted at you may be flinging the shellplate past the ball detents.
Once properly set the pawls shouldn't need to be adjusted ever again.

 

[Walkalong]

Case height has nothing to do with it, and the adjustment of the pawls is a set it and forget it thing.

The shell plate needs to be snug, but not tight. This is with the nut tightened down snugly. If the plate is made correctly, it will have the needed clearance.

If the plate is warped it will be too tight when snugged down.

If you drop the plate over the center of the drive hub and then just screw the bolt tight, sometimes the plate will bind. I always start the screw, then pull up on it while tightening it down. This alleviates that possibility.

I made a drawing in Excel showing the parts and how they fit together and where the clearances should be. It is attached to post # 28 in this thread.