New Hornady LNL AP w/ shell feeder?

[carsonbm]

I am trying to get my LNL set up and when I use the shell feeder 357, the shell tips and jams up on the the shell plate. I would appreciate any suggestions. The shell feed in east when I do it by hand.:banghead:

Thanks

 

[1911user]

Which "V block" are you using? That is the adapter piece that pushes the case into the shellplate. From the manual, it looks like #3 would be the correct one. I haven't loaded any rimmed cartridges using mine, just 223 and 45, but it works OK for those.

 

[Matt-man]

The cases are tipping & jamming as they're being pushed into the shellplate, right? I think the most likely cause of this is the feeder mechanism pushing the case into the shellplate too early. Try adjusting the cam wire for the case slide downward a little at a time.

 

[carsonbm]

I have tried both the number 2 and 3.

 

[Idano]

Do your cases slide easily into the shell plate? The reason I ask is that I have found issues with 9mm brass where some military brass will not fit into the shell plate due to the design of the rim. I know you said you are loading 357 which is straight wall but make sure the case isn't swollen causing it to fit too tightly. Also check and make sure that you don't have any powder down in the grove where the case retention spring drops into so the case can slide into the shell plate. Since you have tried the cam wire and if it is not the brass or the case retention spring causing the problem it sounds like it could be timing. Go slow and watch the case as it is pushed into the shell plate and see if it is going in straight or if the shell plate is not fully lined up yet when the V-block tries to push it in.

 

[GrantCunningham]

Are you also having a bit of roughness in case ejection? If so, you may have the same problem I did with my .38/.357 setup.

On mine, the cases weren't ejecting cleanly; the ejecting case would tip, jam just a bit, then when it finally released would be leaning over far enough to tip the case just entering the shellplate. This happened so quickly that at first I thought it was all in the feeding mechanism, but it certainly wasn't.

I tried adjusting the ejector wire six ways from Sunday; no change. I then took the shellplate off and checked the underside of the case grooves. Sure enough, running my fingernail across them revealed a slight burr all the way around each opening - a leftover from the manufacturing process.

There are a number of methods to remove the burrs - including sending the shellplate back to Hornady for replacement so they'll fix what seems to be a chronic problem. I just polished mine off with a rotary tool and a Cratex cylinder, though one could use emery cloth or a very fine file. There is no need to alter the physical shape of the plate, as some have recommended - just get rid of the burrs, and it should function perfectly.

Once the burrs were removed from mine, shell ejection became completely smooth (regardless of where the ejector wire was placed), and the tipping problem with the incoming cases was solved too.