Hornady L-N-L Case Feeder

Jarlath

Jarlath

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So I purchased a LNL-AP a bit ago, and tomorrow will be the first day that I truly get to play with the full setup for anything more than 20 minutes.

Now anyone who has shot with me on a regular basis knows I basically shoot only 2 calibres in handguns. .40 S&W, and .38/.357 (yes I say they are the same, just a spacer ring difference with my wuss loads).

So I setup the LNL for .40, get everything setup in regards to dies, powder dispensing, seating OAL etc...

Attach the case feeder.
Issue #1. Try out the case collator bowl and find that the disk is not turning/engaging. I mistakenly believe that the case feeder shell plate is jumping off the drive bar. Turns out that I just had not torqued down the two allen screws, and the steel hub acted as a clutch ring when casings dragged enough. (Though my shimming worked fine, but I had then increased the torque on the screws.) Issue #1, Solved.

Issue #2. Every dozen or so cases, one jams up near sideways in the pivot and fails to drop down to the slider. Using the large plastic tube, large upper drop tube, as well as the insert in the pivot, and the small final drop tube. Too tired to look tonight. Nor am I going to look up the P/N for reference...

Issue #3. Every so often a case will not get fully engaged into the shell plate. (Slight leaning tower effect, or jumps out of the shell plate completely). Am using a #5 V-Block. Discovered, by talking to Hornady, that my manual as well as the online manual for the case feeder is MISSING the size recommendations for V-Blocks (Page 17). Seems like I should be using a Number 6 block. Hornady is sending me a paper copy and emailed me a scan of the completed page 17. Again. Will check tomorrow, as I'm tired tonight.

So I'm good for 1 of three.

If anyone has some insight on #2 &#3 post it. Specifically for .40 as it seems to be the bastard child for this reloader. (9mm and .45? No problem, Longer .38 Spec? No Problem. .40? WTF decided to make a .40?)
 
1) is a design feature to protect your motor if a case jams. Don't over-torque - just do enough.
2) hmmm... might try adjusting the metal slider to narrow the window.
3) I see you already have page 17. Perhaps you could email it to me to compare to my manual.

FYI, I don't reload .40.
 
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Ahh, I am not alone in my case feeder woes. ;)

2) Other than adjusting the metal actuating bar, maybe adjust the gap between the pivot and the drop tube? I have mine set at about 3/16"

3) When setting the slider, did you push it in all the way (with a case in the shellplate) before tightening the vblock? There is some wiggle room in the spring mechanism....perhaps that could help.

Anyways, just some thoughts based on some setups glitches I had, good luck getting it worked out.
 
Well. After a few adjustments in regards to the case feeder, and a long time of gathering dust due to other commitments, got the press running and loaded up 200 rounds without a hiccup what so ever. (Need to get a bullet counter to ensure I know when I run outta primers in the fill tube....)

Total time for completion of 200 rounds? Roughly 15 minutes including loading the primers (Only have two tubes for small primers). I was doing about a round every 2 seconds with the machine in swing. I wonder if Hornady would be interested in a "Primer Out" notification mechanism...
 
Jarlath said:
Well. After a few adjustments in regards to the case feeder, and a long time of gathering dust due to other commitments, got the press running and loaded up 200 rounds without a hiccup what so ever. (Need to get a bullet counter to ensure I know when I run outta primers in the fill tube....)

Total time for completion of 200 rounds? Roughly 15 minutes including loading the primers (Only have two tubes for small primers). I was doing about a round every 2 seconds with the machine in swing. I wonder if Hornady would be interested in a "Primer Out" notification mechanism...
Click to expand...

Find a thin rod, plastic is ideal, i use some drill rod, long enough to reach all the way down the primer tube to the loader when it is empty of primers. Mark it with a line a half inch below this level. When the line gets down to the top of the tube, you need to add a new tube of primers. The weight on them helps them feed better as well.
 
I was loading .40 on the weekend, my book says that you use the small drop tube, I tried it first and the cases were to tight ( but not if you resize them first)...

I find the only time the door on the window of the case hopper needs adjusted from anything other than full is when I am loading .223, I leave mine wide open for all pistol loading, it is not uncommon to get a case jammed every once and a while, thats why they have a slip clutch on the feeder plates...

I have been able to use #2 v-block for 9mm, .40, 38 special and 223 with no problems, check your case retainer spring under the shell plate and make sure it does not protrude to far above where the brass slides across it, I replace mine with a new one and my cases stopped tipping on me and it was way more reliable especially when feeding .223 with no primers in them:D
 
Jarlath said:
Need to get a bullet counter to ensure I know when I run outta primers in the fill tube
[...]I wonder if Hornady would be interested in a "Primer Out" notification mechanism...
Click to expand...
What C&L said - plus, I use a wooden dowel and have taped (electrical) a short 1/4" bolt to the top as a weight.

I understand that Hornady now includes a thin plastic rod, aka "primer out" mechanism. If some confirms this, I'll update my infamous writeup.

Glad you hear you're up and running!
 
acrashb said:
What C&L said - plus, I use a wooden dowel and have taped (electrical) a short 1/4" bolt to the top as a weight.

I understand that Hornady now includes a thin plastic rod, aka "primer out" mechanism. If some confirms this, I'll update my infamous writeup.

Glad you hear you're up and running!
Click to expand...

It does I have it and I use it religously. I just was thinking of some mechanical stop/indicator (A primer Cop if you would) for when the primer slide gets locked back with the plastic rod it would trip some indicator.
 
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