Leaning towards Hornady LnL, further input?

Armedsask

Armedsask

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Here's the deal, it's time I started reloading. Some close shooting buddies have been talking about this for a while and I have decided to split the cost of a fully tricked out progressive loader setup. I was pretty well sold on the Dillon XL1050 because it will handled military crimped primers but calibre change-over time and cost have lead me to settle on the Hornady Lock and Load. Being that a few guys will be using it, I like the idea of leaving each guy's dies setup. Manually swagging primer pockets isn't that big of a deal.

Loading will be primarily .223, 9mm, and .308 in bulk quantities. Some various varmint calibres in moderate quantities as well. Not much for fancy custom tweaking loads, we'll leave that for my buddy that has a single stage loader.

I've been cruising YouTube and reading reviews and so far I've only found one negative review on the Hornady and the guy never really goes into detail. Basically just that it has some fit and finish issues. I read the big review stickied in this forum, help me pick the Hornady.

Does anyone have anything to add? Should I be looking at something else?
 
my LNL powder dispenser has the quick change for the amount of powder, I got one for everything I load, that way when I change dies I change the insert as well, double check that it is still on, and load away..........I might just get a powder dispenser for each set of dies just so that I don't have to change my flare bushing or height settings when I do a change......you can simplify it all you want...just boils down to how much you want to spend......
 
yodave said:
......you can simplify it all you want...just boils down to how much you want to spend......
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:agree:

I've generally considered the relatively quick and inexpensive caliber swaps to be a strong point of the L&L but yep, the extra drop in measure (with a twist) would be nice.
 
I guess each to their own, but no matter how much it took to get into the hobby of reloading....I would never partner up and divy the cost. Way too many variables that could/will go wrong, then you are trying to split stuff up. Also, getting dies and other stuff "preset" for your calibre, then having someone else monkey around.....naw...not for me.
 
with the LNL bushings it quite easy for everyone to supply their own dies, a complete caliber change on the LNL takes less then 5 minutes, when your done remove your dies and powder dispenser for the next guy to have a clean platform to start with, it can work.....if you want it to........
 
darcy32171 said:
I guess each to their own, but no matter how much it took to get into the hobby of reloading....I would never partner up and divy the cost. Way too many variables that could/will go wrong, then you are trying to split stuff up. Also, getting dies and other stuff "preset" for your calibre, then having someone else monkey around.....naw...not for me.
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It will be 4 guys, we've all known each other forever. More often than not if we're shooting, it's with each other. I don't see there being a problem.
 
yodave said:
Can you hunt on Sundays yet??
To many weird laws in your parts.........I think I'll stay out west..........
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Oh it's not a law, we just keep our women in the kitchen. ;)

My buddy made the mistake of buying his GF a 20 gauge and a .17, now he can't afford to shoot his own guns because she's burns through all his ammo.
 
I have the LNL, it really needs a sturdy bench or you will have problems, I am going to have rebuild my bench soon. Mine has an issue with the occasional case catching and tipping which jams the press, the primer tube works loose and comes up a couple of mm causing priming issues ( bench issue causing this due to "bounce" caused by resizing brass) You must be very careful not to let go of the handle mid stroke as the handle will fall causing the plate to rotate and failure to perform the various functions. The bullet feeder really only works on FMJ and not on cast/plated. The case feeder works about as well as my Lee case feeder, but costs 10 times as much.

What it does well is to prime consistently and when everything is working it works very well.
 
I've never used or even been around an LNL. Do they have a dedicated powder checker stage for each case as the more advanced Dillons do. If they don't , that would be reason enough for me to reconsider a Dillon product.
 
you can either install a powder cop or a lock out die in station 4, I prefer the powder cop as the lock out die makes you short stroke the press and mess up stations 1-5 all at the same time.................

If the powder cop is either higher or lower then normal you simply remove the case prior to seating a bullet, dump the powder back into the dispenser, I'll then put the case back into station 3 later on when loading and simply recharge it with powder and then seat a bullet as per normal. I have ony had to do this when initially setting up after a conversion as the powder has not settled in the resevior, a couple light taps on the side of it and life is good........I average 500 rounds a hour of either 9mm or 38 special.

One draw back to 38 special/357 magnum is that because of the retainer spring tension the cases tend to lean outward every now and then and do not enter the sizing die easy, with no case feeder mounted on mine I simply reach behind the cases on help it find its way into the sizing die....a quick google search found that this is a common problem with tall rimmed cases and the general fix was to stretch the retaining spring a little bit....I haven't been bothered to try that yet however..
 
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