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Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Doc Holiday13

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 7, 2008
391
8
LoCo, VA
So I got my LNL last week and got to use it this weekend. For people who just want to cut through all the in's and out's. The Press WILL ROCK YOUR FREAKING SOCKS OFF!!

Now as with anyone looking to get into reloading. I highly recommend starting with a single stage press, simply because with a single stage you will develop the ability to be meticulous, careful, and patient. Those skills learned helped me be able to effectively use my press this weekend and not make any mistakes. With a progressive press there are about 5 things you need to do every pull of the press lever. IF you don't do those 5 things you will a minimum slow your bullet production at worst you'll double charge and blow yourself up

A progressive press is very nice to have for high production, but in my mind very dangerous for a newbie reloader. I even had a few double charges that I caught.

This press is very well built thick cast aluminum, thick lever arms, very cool automatic indexing system that is easy to calibrate, grease zerk's for the massive 2" piston, and the rotation points on the levers. The main piston even had a grease groove cut into it so that once filled, the main piston will have no need for greasing for a long time

Here is what the indexing system looks like and the grease zerks on the lever arm

img330.jpg


Here is the die quick change system. Its very sturdy. The dies drop in and are locked in place with a small turn, kinda like a bolt action rifle. Once the dies are calibrated, you can change calibers in less than 30 seconds.

img329.jpg


The powder drop system is even very unique on this system. You can buy adjustable inserts that once calibrated, you can change the amount of powder dropped in about 5 seconds without weighing charges to ensure accuracy(any responsible reloader will check his powder drops before using them, but this system is very accurate). So I could change my powder drop from 5 grains to 25 grains in 5 seconds. The powder drop inserts are only $6 I think and there is a powder assembly for pistol and rifle. I loaded up only 45 acp this weekend, but I used red dot which is a large flake powder so the pistol powder assembly didn't work well with this powder so I used the rifle powder drop die. This powder drop is very consistent. Its accurate to within +/- .15 grains. I checked powder drops at random intervals just to ensure the system was accurate.

In this picture you can see the shell plate. The shell place is held in place by a single hollow hex head cap screw. The shell plate itself has a keyway to keep it in place and the bottom if it has roller ball detents that positively "lock" the shell plate into the next station. The shells are held in by a round spring that goes around the shell plate and is "sandwiched" between the shellplate and shellplate mounting surface. If at any time you notice an issue with a shell at any station, it is very easy to remove and replace that shell. The press came with the hex key to tighten in the shellplate. However using the hex key to tighten down the plate is very unnecessary. When I tighten down with the key, the roller ball detents where sandwiched very tightly and rotating the shellplate was very very stiff. I loosen the bolt and hand tightened the bolt. This made for very easy lever arm use and buttery smooth shellplate indexing. Following my method and not the manual, will greatly improve your first impressions of this machine

img331.jpg


The plastic ball handle on the lever fits the hand well, however is slightly textured and I feel that after an hour or two your hand would be very raw, even for me with my massive callouses. I'm going to have my machinist buddy make an aluminum ball handle on his lathe

img328.jpg


Overall I'm super pleased with this press. Despite my injured shoulder, which makes my adding a new shell and bullet every pull painful, its fast. I did about 100 rounds in 15 minutes. If I threw the automatic case feed on this thing it would give me one less thing to worry about and up my bullet production by a lot, like probably up to 700/800 rounds an hour.

Also Hornady is still doing their "get loaded" program, so the purchase of this press came with a coupon for 1K free bullets(you pay shipping) I ordered 1K 45 caliber 185 grain hollow points ($290 value). The press costed me $390 after shipping so I pretty much made out like DB. Cooper and lived to tell about it. $700 worth of reloading supplies and equipment for $415 dollars
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I also forgot to mention the spent primer system. Once the old primer is popped out. It falls down a tube that goes under the press. That way you can put a small bucket under it to catch them or use the plastic hose they provided to funnel the spent primers away from you. This system ensures you don't have spent primers junking up and collecting around the piston or slowing up production
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I have a 550B and my dad has a new LNL AP just like yours. I like everything about the LNL at least as well if not better with the exception of how it mounts to your bench. I think Dillion is much better in this department. My Dillion bolts to my bench on all four corners and doesn't move. The LNL only has the 2 bolts in the back and to me feels like it torques around. But, if I were to buy a new progressive press it would be the LNL. The LNL is in the same price range as the 550B but it is more like the 650 but for a whole lot less.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: samson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 550B and my dad has a new LNL AP just like yours. I like everything about the LNL at least as well if not better with the exception of how it mounts to your bench. I think Dillion is much better in this department. My Dillion bolts to my bench on all four corners and doesn't move. The LNL only has the 2 bolts in the back and to me feels like it torques around. But, if I were to buy a new progressive press it would be the LNL. The LNL is in the same price range as the 550B but it is more like the 650 but for a whole lot less. </div></div>

It does only have two bolts, but my table is 3" thick(refer to my bench building thread) and the holes accommodate 1/2"-13 bolts. The table moves before the press does. And I will agree that its more like a 650. I've only loaded about 150 rounds just messing around and I've been overly pleased
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I picked on up last week, and I'm hoping that I just got a defective one. I sent it back to Hornady for replacement because the ram was full of slop.

Here are some vids I took of this (watch them in full size):

Hornady LNL AP:
http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/k...nt=P1040796.flv
http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/k...nt=P1040797.flv

Dillon RL-550:
http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/k...nt=P1040798.flv
http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/k...nt=P1040799.flv

The 550 is rock solid, I was shaking the heck out of the press, and the ram wasn't moving. The ram on the LNL AP was jiggling all over and I wasn't shaking it as hard.

Is your press loose like that?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I will check mine when I get home, but even if it has slop I will be keeping it.
Runout with rounds loaded on this press is no worse than with my T-7, and the runout is pretty damn low.

By the time 3-5 cartridges are worked into dies at the top of the stroke, any slop will become irrelevant....and even a tight ram will flex, or the frame will, if they are out of alignment.
Just my opinion.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I'll be measuring that stuff when I get the press back. In the end, its all that really matters. But, before I attempt that, I want a clean bill-of-health from Hornady.

What kind of runout numbers are you getting with it?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Doc, I'm sorry I should have been more clear. I didn't mean the loader itself torqued or moved but with it only having the 2 bolts in the back you have alot of leverage and it flexes the bench or table you have it mounted to which makes it feel like it moves around alot. It's not really a big deal it's just that I am used to my Dillion and it doesn't move at all.

I was a little disappointed on the 1000 free bullets though. You don't get any of the good stuff. It's a very limited selection you get to pick from
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I don't even bother measuring runout with my 55 grain AR loads, but on the 308...

I load 175MK's in Lapua virgin brass and for a round of fifty loads I get a few at .002" or .0025", most under .001" and many under .0005" runout. Many of those don't even move the needle on my NECO with Gem indicator.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

That's pretty much what I get with my RL-550 and (not Made in China) Rock Chucker.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Same here with my old Redding Boss, before the T-7 replaced it.

Because so many turn out with so little runout, I blame inconsistent brass and my technique for the higher ones.
Still, those figures are acceptable to me.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Kombayotch, Off topic but have you tried the Whidden floating die toolheads for the 550?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Yeah I didn't notice any of that slop, but I also noticed the lack of grease groove on the ram. You could have a "old" model
blush.gif
. I did notice your bench is wobbly though. I'll check it when I get home

My bench is 8 ft. long 2 1/2 ft. deep and 3" thick sandwich construction. It can hold over a thousand .lbs. It doesn't flex under the stress of the press. ZERO FLEX. I'll take video if you want
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

my experience with my lnl has been lol, then the tears.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DocHoliday13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yeah I didn't notice any of that slop, but I also noticed the lack of grease groove on the ram. You could have a "old" model
blush.gif
. I did notice your bench is wobbly though. I'll check it when I get home

My bench is 8 ft. long 2 1/2 ft. deep and 3" thick sandwich construction. It can hold over a thousand .lbs. It doesn't flex under the stress of the press. ZERO FLEX. I'll take video if you want </div></div>

I am no expert on this, but wouldn't the grease groove be in the frame?

I checked the slop in mine and it is minimal, certainly less than komb's video demonstrates.
I guess Hornady let the one slip through QC.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I just got one of these and I'm still setting it up. It sounds like most people are very happy with theirs.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I've had mine for couple of months to add to my Rockchucker and have been very satisfied with it. The only negative was everyone was out of the new shell plates and the case feeder, but Natchez finally got the case feeder in stock last week and I've managed to get all the shell plates from various vendors eventually one at a time.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rafael</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I am no expert on this, but wouldn't the grease groove be in the frame?

I checked the slop in mine and it is minimal, certainly less than komb's video demonstrates.
I guess Hornady let the one slip through QC. </div></div>

There are grease zerks on the frame, but the main piston has a grease groove about 1/2" wide and 3/16" deep. That groove is filled with grease via one of the 3 grease zerks, not by you sticking grease on it. Very good design

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CGM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had mine for couple of months to add to my Rockchucker and have been very satisfied with it. The only negative was everyone was out of the new shell plates and the case feeder, but Natchez finally got the case feeder in stock last week and I've managed to get all the shell plates from various vendors eventually one at a time. </div></div>

Me and my co-worker signed up for email alerts from Natchez because Natchez doesn't take back orders on that press. I was already on a 300 person wait list at Midway. Well my co-worker happened to get the email alert on his blackberry while he was surfing the internet. He called me right away and I gave him my credit card info. Natchez was sold out before the next morning. Press came in 3 days later. Shellplates are hard to come by aparently. I have a few I'm going to need to purchase. But I have about 5K rounds of 45 acp that need loading
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Aren't they modifying the customers' shellplates?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

DocH13;
No shit, really?
laugh.gif
Come on man, give me "a little" credit.

I was suggesting that there was a groove, internally, around the cast-iron frame the ram travels in, fed by one of the zirk's.
Until one of us removes the ram, noone will know for sure though.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

My LNL is the new one with the EZ-EJECT. Grease isn't going the cure that slop (vid was taken right after unpacking, btw), you can clearly see the the bulk of the movement of the ram is relative to the frame. The frame is moving slightly, but watch the primer feed tube relative to it.

I think its just defective, but we'll see what it looks like when I get it back. I will say that I'm a bit peeved that I had to pay to have the press shipped to Hornady when it was new right out of the box. Wow! How customer service has changed... I would have just exchanged it, but it was the last one at the store and they are in short supply at the moment.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Kombayotch, Off topic but have you tried the Whidden floating die toolheads for the 550? </div></div>

Haven't tried it, but I have Uniquetek clamps (tapped myself without their kit) and it helps with runout a bit. I think that with the floating toolhead would work very well. I thought they only made that floating toolhead for the 650 though...
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Doc;
Saw your edit.
I have not looked closely, but will tonight.
There is really a groove in the piston? I am surprised.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Winchester 69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Aren't they modifying the customers' shellplates? </div></div>

Yes, but you have to ship them to Hornady and for $10 they will modify them and ship them back.
I bought an old .338 LM shellplate because Hornady no longer offers them, shipped it out to Hornady for mod, but it has been 3 weeks so far and no shell plate.
On the other hand, Hornady shipped me missing parts for my LNL in 4 days.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I also have been waiting about 3 weeks on having shellplates modified, and on the ezject conversion parts to do it myself.

to remove bench flexing, try mounting your press on two pieces of angle iron and then into your bench. I did a couple of years ago when I bought mine and it has never moved since. You'll be suprised how much easier the ram works when there is no lost energy in flexing the bench.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Well, I'm not impressed; I got my LNL back and Hornady did... (drum roll)... NOTHING! Very disappointing after I paid to have it shipped back to them right after I bought it. I ran some brass though it and it's a runout machine. Brass with 0.001" or less of neck runout, comes out with 0.002-0.004" of runout every other round. This is with a Redding Competition bushing die. Same die in my RL-550 or Rock Chucker seldom gives me 0.0015-0.002" runout.

Looks like my unit is only good for pistol or plinking ammo.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kombayotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks like my unit is only good for pistol or plinking ammo. </div></div>
May we assume the dealer will be seeing that one again?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kombayotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, I'm not impressed; I got my LNL back and Hornady did... (drum roll)... NOTHING! Very disappointing after I paid to have it shipped back to them right after I bought it. I ran some brass though it and it's a runout machine. Brass with 0.001" or less of neck runout, comes out with 0.002-0.004" of runout every other round. This is with a Redding Competition bushing die. Same die in my RL-550 or Rock Chucker seldom gives me 0.0015-0.002" runout.

Looks like my unit is only good for pistol or plinking ammo. </div></div>

I realize this is just one example, and that many, many, people are out there with a LNL that runs great, but I don't think taking a chance on a machine like this is for me. I'm in the market right now and Dillon is now edging ahead. From all I've read, Dillon would have made it right.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kombayotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Looks like my unit is only good for pistol or plinking ammo. </div></div>

For someone as concerned as you seemed to be about runout, I'm surprised you are trying to reload precision rounds on a progressive. I got the progressive for pistol and and plinking ammo. I still have my single stage setup. It will be used for my hunting/precision loads. I bought the progressive for massive amounts of pistol/plinking/SHTF ammo

Also you may need to calibrate the shellplate turns to correct for your runout. I had to fiddle with mine a bit even though they said its calibrated at the factory. Hell the first pull I did, the brass hit the side of the die and not the center
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I am concerned about things like runout, but I'm also the type who actually measures things and doesn't automatically accept internet "wisdom" like: "for precision, you need to go with a single stage press". My RL-550 has put to shame many of the single stage presses I've tested. There's a reason David Tudd loads on one. I have several friends (competent and meticulous about measuring things like runout) who tell me their LNL AP gives better results. I would have been fine if they had made it right. But they didn't make it right, so the press is probably headed back to the store or to eBay (whichever is easier).

I'm still in the market for an auto-indexing progressive, I may get another LNL AP, but next time I'm examining the press in question at the source before taking it home. Hornady is now at the same level as Lee for me; thier products need to be inspected on an individual basis.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Sorry to hear this.

Doc makes some very good points, though.
Also, I have never measured sized brass runout from my LNL, only loaded rounds. If loaded runout is good, that's all I care about.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

What I meant when loading precision rounds is mainly along the lines of powder drops. If I was to reload precision/hunting ammo on my progressive I would take the powder drop off and weigh out all my charges(I'm anal about that). That of course defeats the purpose of a progressive so its a void and null point in my mind
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Yes, sir. Understood on my end anyway.
Still, I find it a bit speedier to do even precision ammo on the LNL.
Last batch I did I seated the primers by hand, but ran them through the LNL for powder and seating.....just let my funnel ride in the empty LNL socket in my press. I reduced the diameter of a Lee funnel so it sits in the LNL socket between dies and so far the 308 cases have never failed to center up on it. Leave the ram at the top of it's stroke while dumping the precision-weighed charge. Works well and I get to skip moving the funnel around my loading block.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

P1030700.jpg


Nothing obligates you to use the powder drop. With two tuned Chargemasters, it's plenty speedy and accurate.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

My own concoction.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

I like it.
I prefer my Aluminum Satern funnel, but the Lee is alot cheaper and easier to mod.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Anybody here load 223 or 308 on the LNL, and if you do what kind of luck are you having?
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

Yes, very good performance so far from my 308 loads.
223 is just good, but then the load is pretty generic with PPU brass and Win 55FMJ's.

I posted some of my experiences in this thread:
Gotta go look it up.......
Looks like that thread got pruned last time Lowlight cleaned up around here....oh well.

I was comparing my LNL loaded precision 308 ammo to my usual rounds loaded on my Redding T-7 and scale and was noticing little or no difference.
The biggest difference is likely from the measure when just letting it throw charges as opposed to weighing each one, but the Hornady measure is pretty damn good if you ask me.

The LNL fully automated ammo was certainly as good or better than any factory load I ever used.
 
Re: Progressive Press Review: Hornady LNL AP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rafael</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes, very good performance so far from my 308 loads.
223 is just good, but then the load is pretty generic with PPU brass and Win 55FMJ's.

I posted some of my experiences in this thread:
Gotta go look it up.......
Looks like that thread got pruned last time Lowlight cleaned up around here....oh well.

I was comparing my LNL loaded precision 308 ammo to my usual rounds loaded on my Redding T-7 and scale and was noticing little or no difference.
The biggest difference is likely from the measure when just letting it throw charges as opposed to weighing each one, but the Hornady measure is pretty damn good if you ask me.

The LNL fully automated ammo was certainly as good or better than any factory load I ever used. </div></div>

Pretty much the same experience here, but for rifle rounds I use my Chargemaster to throw charges and funnel them, which slows the process down a bit. For my pistol rounds I use the Hornady powder measure.