rifle on a progressive

[John3921]

I just got my hornady lnl and I'm in the process of getting it set up to load .45 ACP, 9 mm, .357 mag.

I load for several rifle calibers also - .22-250, .25-06, .270 win, .300 win mag., .45-70 Not a lot, especially the .45-70, and only hunting loads so production isn't real important. I load rifle on a Forster Co-Ax. I don't have the bushing style dies and I have not succumbed to the temptation of inside neck turning.

Primarily I use the Co-Ax as it is supposed to be about the best there is to achieve a good concentricity. How does the LNL do in terms of concentricity - wondering with the bayonet mounts and higher speed of progressive loading if you sacrifice a bit on accuracy.

 

[cfullgraf]

Unless you are into some of the ultra accurate shooting games, I do not feel you lose any accuracy potential loading rifle on a progressive.

Having said that, I still prefer to load my rifle on a single stage press. I have loaded some plinking 223 Remington ammunition on my Hprnady L-N-L but it did not "ring my bell". The process is just not as smooth as the shorter handgun cases. I am near to needing another run of plinking ammunition and have not decided whether to run it on the progressive or return to the single stage press.

Many folks load rifle on their progressive press and are very happy with the results.

 

[MtnCreek]

You'll probably notice more variation in shoulder setback w/ the progressive.

 

[silicosys4]

my biggest issue with rifle rounds is case OAL. My lnl progressive varies my COAL by about .01 no matter what I do.

 

[cfullgraf]

You'll probably notice more variation in shoulder setback w/ the progressive.

I do not see much variation, but I still resize the cases on a single stage. I prefer to clean the cases after sizing and trim as necessary after sizing.

I only use the progressive to charge the case and stuff the bullet.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I only load .223 and 6.8 SPC on a progressive. This is for range loads only.

For 300 AAC Blackout, .243, 30-06 and 22.250 I always use a single stage press. Recon I could do 300 AAC on a progressive but I'm not building large quantities of ammo for it yet.

All of my pistol ammo goes through a progressive...

 

[Walkalong]

I load everything on my LNL now. The run out will be as good as your brass, your dies, and your load technique. I size only on it first, then go back and load the cases once fully prepped. I am sure that helps.

I loaded some .308 recently that had outstanding run out.

I sized the once fired Lapua brass on the LNL using a Redding Type S bushing full length sizer with a RCBS .338 bushing. I would run the case up into the sizer, then when I felt resistance, back off the handle a hair before running the case all the way in, just as I would on a single stage. All I was doing was sizing, nothing else.

I dropped powder and seated the bullets with a Forster Micrometer seater. The run out was .00025 to .001 max. The last one I checked barely moved the hand on the run out gauge. As good as when I seated some with the Wilson hand die and arbor press.

I am only doing one thing with one die in both operations, just like a single stage. When seating I am also dumping powder, but it cannot affect the seating.

The first time I loaded these cases when they were new with very tight neck tension, the run out was more like .002.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

The only rifle caliber I reload on my LNL is .223. It's the only rifle caliber I load for in high quantities, usually 500+ in a session. .30-06 and 7.62x54R both get loaded on a single stage or my Lee hand press. But only because it's not worth the setup time to load those calibers, as I only load 20-30 rounds of them at a time. I have full confidence in the press to load accurate rifle ammunition. I do find that the LNL doesn't like being overcammed like many single stage presses, it can screw with all of your adjustments, especially when the shellplate isn't full. Just set your sizing die to touch the shellplate and no more. Since I have a universal decapping die I set it up, de-prime all of my .223, trim/chamfer/deburr, then lube and load it up.

 

[Blue68f100]

I reload W308 and Rem 7mm Mag on my LNL. I use the RCBS X-Die on the 308 and neck size only on the 7mm. I do not run in full AP though. I run 1 round through at a time before the next. Run out as never been a problem or OAL .

 

[jmorris]

David Tubb uses a 550, not really in full progressive mode but no less a progressive for match ammo.

 

[MtnCreek]

I must be running my shell plate a little too loose. I can keep cartridge headspace within a thousandth of target on a rockchucker; double that on a D650 (0.004 es).

 

[Blue68f100]

Check to see if your conversion plate is secure/tight in the frame. Most have play. There are ways to tighten them up.

 

[dmazur]

On my 550b, I've found that the shellplate can be adjusted far enough down that the ram supports the case during resizing instead of the shellplate.

If the shellplate thickness is uniform, the slight difference in "notches" doesn't affect resizing.

 

[Hondo 60]

The only rifle round I reload is 223 - for an AR.
So I full length resize on a single stage.
Trim as necessary, chamfer as necessary & re-tumble.

I prime, charge & seat on a progressive.