LnL AP? Is it good, how much did you pay?
- Thread starter VinnyQC
- Start date
Ok man thanks found it. All I saw at first were the Mag-P something that don't seem interesting to me.
I've had my LnL for about 4 years. It has proven its worth, to me. I only use it for handgun rounds, since I'd rather be anal and precise about powder charging, seating depth and crimping on my rifle rounds - and I don't feel confidence in getting that on the Hornady. If I was reloading for high-volume ammunition such as .223/5.56 I would most likely use the LnL but that isn't in the playbook right now.
Pros:
- very consistent powder charge on my 9mm, .357Mag and .38Spl
- I use a Powder Cop to do a visual on powder charging, and feel confident in that system for the smaller handgun rounds
- Getting into "the zone" when reloading is very pleasureable, and a great way to pass a winter evening
- I decap/deprime pretty much everything before S/S pin wet tumbling to clean the brass, so I did buy shell plates for all my rifle calibers, and with an RCBS depriming die, I can just feed the fired empties into the loading station (having removed or deactivated the dies that I use for loading handgun) and remove the fired primers as fast as my left hand can insert the fired brass into the shell plate while pulling the handle. Turns a chore into a breeze.
Cons:
- As one poster mentioned, it is very finicky to dial it in. Once you've got all the dies set up properly, though, and the primer feed bar spring and roller set/snugged down for a proper throw, it seems to be consistent (I haven't adjusted mine in over 2,000 rounds at least (lost count, frankly), even when changing calibers/dies/shellplate)
- The dies do seem to loosen up a tad, because of the oring friction/resistance system Hornady uses on the bushings. I've been meaning to go out to Princess Auto and picking up an O-Ring assortment set, to change over to a thicker ring. The worst station, for me, is the powder drop, which needs to be watched and checked for proper bottoming/bushing retention - not a big deal it only takes about 5 seconds to check about every 350 to 500 rounds or so, about a couple of hours of reloading activity.
- I would wish for a 6th station, given my druthers, because I've started using an FCD on my 9mm reloads, my 1911 is picky about the exact specs on the casings. The Lee FCD (carbide version) also resizes the brass and does a nice light compression on the bullet, but I'm forced to remove the Powder Cop OR stick the FCD into my Rockchucker for that extra step. Given the consistency of the powder drop, removing the Powder Cop doesn't bother me much, but it would be nice to have both the FCD and the PC.
- The Hornady primer tubes that come with the press new in the box are crappy. I bought a couple of SPP tubes for Dillon, and they work so much nicer than the Hornady ones - which seem like the inner diameter is 'way too generously sized, leading to the odd flipped primer coming through the feeder.
I'd buy another if I was in a situation where a new Progressive was necessary.
O.N.G.
Pros:
- very consistent powder charge on my 9mm, .357Mag and .38Spl
- I use a Powder Cop to do a visual on powder charging, and feel confident in that system for the smaller handgun rounds
- Getting into "the zone" when reloading is very pleasureable, and a great way to pass a winter evening
- I decap/deprime pretty much everything before S/S pin wet tumbling to clean the brass, so I did buy shell plates for all my rifle calibers, and with an RCBS depriming die, I can just feed the fired empties into the loading station (having removed or deactivated the dies that I use for loading handgun) and remove the fired primers as fast as my left hand can insert the fired brass into the shell plate while pulling the handle. Turns a chore into a breeze.
Cons:
- As one poster mentioned, it is very finicky to dial it in. Once you've got all the dies set up properly, though, and the primer feed bar spring and roller set/snugged down for a proper throw, it seems to be consistent (I haven't adjusted mine in over 2,000 rounds at least (lost count, frankly), even when changing calibers/dies/shellplate)
- The dies do seem to loosen up a tad, because of the oring friction/resistance system Hornady uses on the bushings. I've been meaning to go out to Princess Auto and picking up an O-Ring assortment set, to change over to a thicker ring. The worst station, for me, is the powder drop, which needs to be watched and checked for proper bottoming/bushing retention - not a big deal it only takes about 5 seconds to check about every 350 to 500 rounds or so, about a couple of hours of reloading activity.
- I would wish for a 6th station, given my druthers, because I've started using an FCD on my 9mm reloads, my 1911 is picky about the exact specs on the casings. The Lee FCD (carbide version) also resizes the brass and does a nice light compression on the bullet, but I'm forced to remove the Powder Cop OR stick the FCD into my Rockchucker for that extra step. Given the consistency of the powder drop, removing the Powder Cop doesn't bother me much, but it would be nice to have both the FCD and the PC.
- The Hornady primer tubes that come with the press new in the box are crappy. I bought a couple of SPP tubes for Dillon, and they work so much nicer than the Hornady ones - which seem like the inner diameter is 'way too generously sized, leading to the odd flipped primer coming through the feeder.
I'd buy another if I was in a situation where a new Progressive was necessary.
O.N.G.
Last edited:
- Location
- Kawartha Lakes
Just started using my L&L AP and love it! I use it for 9mm mainly although will try some rifle soon. Found it relatively easy to set up after watching instructions and a few YouTube clips. Powder measure is very good!!!! Wish it had six stations but am going to drop the powder drop die and add powder through expander as I usually stand in front of press and can visually see each charge of powder and am constantly checking it although it is always bang on.
At that price a great deal....if you don't want pm me and I will take it as an extra!
At that price a great deal....if you don't want pm me and I will take it as an extra!
I use a similar setup. For stage 2, I use the stock powder measure but a universal powder-thru expander that some guy milled up a while back, similar to the C-Bar Armory universal PTX. Stage 5 is the Lee carbide Factory Crimp die.
I sometimes use a my powder cop in stage 3 instead of the bullet feeder. I know some guys won't reload without a powder cop in place. I'm usually pretty mindful when reloading. If I hit a snag on a bad case or for any instance that breaks the workflow, I dump powder from the case that's on the powder stage and the one immediately after the powder stage. I spot check powder weight every 10-15rnds.
I used to resize all my brass after tumbling them. That used to free up a stage and allow me to use the powder cop along with the bullet feeder. Then I smartened up and asked myself, "Self, why you wasting time resizing brass ahead of time when you can do that during a production run?"
Thanks everyone. Will probably buy it. For now I'll get a bullet feed die for my 44 and a bully adapter for the Lee tubes, and use that in my loadmaster.
I'll keep pondering whether I buy the LnL. It would be mostly for 9mm, but for 9mm I like having my powder cop cause I can't see the powder, the charge is too small. For all the other calibres the charge is so large that I can see it easily, so I won't make a squib load, and a double charge would overflow the case, so double charges are impossible too. With a powder cop, it's:
1-resize
2-powder/expander
3-Powder cop
4-bullet seater
5-FCD
So no room for bullet feed die. Without powder cop, station 3 would be a bullet feed die. I like the FCDs, I use them with every calibre. Never had a round not fit into a gun after about 20k reloads of multiple calibres.
I'll keep pondering whether I buy the LnL. It would be mostly for 9mm, but for 9mm I like having my powder cop cause I can't see the powder, the charge is too small. For all the other calibres the charge is so large that I can see it easily, so I won't make a squib load, and a double charge would overflow the case, so double charges are impossible too. With a powder cop, it's:
1-resize
2-powder/expander
3-Powder cop
4-bullet seater
5-FCD
So no room for bullet feed die. Without powder cop, station 3 would be a bullet feed die. I like the FCDs, I use them with every calibre. Never had a round not fit into a gun after about 20k reloads of multiple calibres.
I just do a visual check, got a nice LED at that station and can see the powder clearly.
All I can say, in the 20 years of reloading, I'm at about 500k reloads now (I have all the spent primers in 2 8# cans), and she's still going. Hornady offered me a new press AP press for mine as they wanted to see it personally, not until it breaks on me I told them.
With my 5-10k per year, I'll be dead before I reach 500k. If I didn't already have the Lee with 6 shellplate and a bunch of turret heads I'd jump on the LnL. With shellplates for 9mm, 45acp, 357, 44 and maybe 223, plus the bushings, we're looking at almost a grand total. Add a case feeder and that money buys one a lot of components to reload.
To the OP.
I have had a lock n load ap progressive for about 5 1/2 years now and loaded in excess of 30k with it. I load 9mm, 45 acp, 223, and am starting to load 308 with it.
I purchased the case feeder which I thought was really expensive for what it is, but once everything is set up it works well. I have never had a casing drop upside down but occasionally the case is not inserted all the way into the shell plate and the part that slides forward moving the case sometimes needs adjustment.
I currently use bullet feeder dies for pistol cartridges with tubes preloaded with projectiles.
The only real gripe I have with it is the shellplate. It tends to loosen off after about 300 rounds or so (i usually load 500 to 100 rounds per session for pistol). I have tried a number of fixes including lock washers etc but it still seems to loosen off.
For pistol I can typically load 400 rounds per hour taking my time. If i wanted to rush I am sure I could load in excess of 600 rounds per hour.
There are lots of videos on the internet for DIY bullet feeders / collator and I am in the process of finalizing the one I am making. Just waiting for the motor to arrive from China. I suspect if I can get that working I will be able to comfortably / safely load 500 rounds per hour taking my time.
The L n L press is not IMHO as good as a Dillon 650 which I have used, and requires a bit of tinkering from time to time, but it is a solid press for the price.
I have had a lock n load ap progressive for about 5 1/2 years now and loaded in excess of 30k with it. I load 9mm, 45 acp, 223, and am starting to load 308 with it.
I purchased the case feeder which I thought was really expensive for what it is, but once everything is set up it works well. I have never had a casing drop upside down but occasionally the case is not inserted all the way into the shell plate and the part that slides forward moving the case sometimes needs adjustment.
I currently use bullet feeder dies for pistol cartridges with tubes preloaded with projectiles.
The only real gripe I have with it is the shellplate. It tends to loosen off after about 300 rounds or so (i usually load 500 to 100 rounds per session for pistol). I have tried a number of fixes including lock washers etc but it still seems to loosen off.
For pistol I can typically load 400 rounds per hour taking my time. If i wanted to rush I am sure I could load in excess of 600 rounds per hour.
There are lots of videos on the internet for DIY bullet feeders / collator and I am in the process of finalizing the one I am making. Just waiting for the motor to arrive from China. I suspect if I can get that working I will be able to comfortably / safely load 500 rounds per hour taking my time.
The L n L press is not IMHO as good as a Dillon 650 which I have used, and requires a bit of tinkering from time to time, but it is a solid press for the price.
TacticalCanuck
Regular
- Location
- SW Ontario
Hi OP
I use a LnL AP. I have a single stage I use for deprime/resize of rifle brass only (before trim and then final polish) but everything else I do (and the rifle brass could be done on the LnL, I just choose to do it in another room) is done on the LnL. I've loaded a lot. I do 9mm, 40, 45, 357/38 special, 223 and 308.
Bushings are cheap and the bushing system works really well. If you are switching from one pistol calibre to another, changes are fast. If you want to switch between pistol and rifle, you have to change the inserts in the powder measure, and the primer related parts, this takes a little more time but it's not complicated or really that long once you've done it a couple of times. It is for that reason I usually prep brass while I load all my pistol rounds, and then swap and load rifle while I enjoy some pistol shooting, and so on.
It took a little tweaking to get the LnL to run perfectly smooth - I had a couple of minor issues with the primer feed assembly. Nothing serious, nothing warranty, just a little light sanding to smooth the process over, and learning a few simple quirks, like not over tightening the primer feed tube.
I don't have any of the extra parts like the bullet or case feeder, and to be honest, those are luxuries or for those who shoot competitive pistol and practice 3x a week and go through 1000 or more a week. I can see that being needed then. For me, I shoot 1x a week, and I just do as the day dictates. If it's clear I'll work on my distance/rifle and on overcast on my pistol techniques. I usually never go through more than 200 rounds of pistol or rifle in a single week (400 combined). I usually reload about 1x a month.
To make it really effective I offer only a few points of advice:
Tweak it first (primer assembly etc.)
Learn to shift the timing on the shell plate - it does sync out from time to time
buy a second case activated powder drop, set one for pistol, one for rifle
buy powder measure inserts ($10) for each caliber
Setting it up and changing calibers after this is a matter of minutes. I know there are 'blue' press lovers and 'red' press lovers. In the end they both have pluses and minuses, but for the dollar value I don't regret for a moment my choice. it works really well.
I use a LnL AP. I have a single stage I use for deprime/resize of rifle brass only (before trim and then final polish) but everything else I do (and the rifle brass could be done on the LnL, I just choose to do it in another room) is done on the LnL. I've loaded a lot. I do 9mm, 40, 45, 357/38 special, 223 and 308.
Bushings are cheap and the bushing system works really well. If you are switching from one pistol calibre to another, changes are fast. If you want to switch between pistol and rifle, you have to change the inserts in the powder measure, and the primer related parts, this takes a little more time but it's not complicated or really that long once you've done it a couple of times. It is for that reason I usually prep brass while I load all my pistol rounds, and then swap and load rifle while I enjoy some pistol shooting, and so on.
It took a little tweaking to get the LnL to run perfectly smooth - I had a couple of minor issues with the primer feed assembly. Nothing serious, nothing warranty, just a little light sanding to smooth the process over, and learning a few simple quirks, like not over tightening the primer feed tube.
I don't have any of the extra parts like the bullet or case feeder, and to be honest, those are luxuries or for those who shoot competitive pistol and practice 3x a week and go through 1000 or more a week. I can see that being needed then. For me, I shoot 1x a week, and I just do as the day dictates. If it's clear I'll work on my distance/rifle and on overcast on my pistol techniques. I usually never go through more than 200 rounds of pistol or rifle in a single week (400 combined). I usually reload about 1x a month.
To make it really effective I offer only a few points of advice:
Tweak it first (primer assembly etc.)
Learn to shift the timing on the shell plate - it does sync out from time to time
buy a second case activated powder drop, set one for pistol, one for rifle
buy powder measure inserts ($10) for each caliber
Setting it up and changing calibers after this is a matter of minutes. I know there are 'blue' press lovers and 'red' press lovers. In the end they both have pluses and minuses, but for the dollar value I don't regret for a moment my choice. it works really well.
You have to replace the internal powder measure insert. Takes a few minutes.
Yeah, but you buy them separately or they come with the bullet feed die? With Lee, the powder-through-expander comes with the set of dies (the functionning is similar, same die for all calibers, insert is different from one caliber to the other, but they give you a powder-through die with each set of 4 dies cause Lee dies are cheap anyway), but I was under the impression that with hornady you were getting the insert when you buy the bullet feed die. No?
TacticalCanuck
Regular
- Location
- SW Ontario
This is why I suggest to have two case activated powder drops. I use the same insert for all my pistol reloads and the same insert for all my rifle loads. You have tons of play with the seating depth of the powder drop. A few quick turns and your all set. By insert here I mean the insert for the case length and mouth.
1 powder drop (with multiple powder drop measures, one for each caliber) for pistol
1 powder drop (with multiple powder drop measures, one for each caliber) for rifle.
By powder measure, what i mean here is the part that you spin to adjust the grains for the load. This part comes out without disassembly. Its quite easy. So, once you get your load set, lock it down. Mark it for it's powder and grain drop, and then never change it. It's locked into place. Then, buy one for each load you do. It makes caliber/load/powder switching SO much faster. the part I'm referring too is only $10 or so. For me it is worth the investment.
Also, those springs that go around the shell plates to hold the brass in place, buy a pack of extras. They are delicate (but cheap to buy). I've been on the same one since I started, but i'm very careful with my equipment. I work hard for my money and take care of the things I decide to purchase.
1 powder drop (with multiple powder drop measures, one for each caliber) for pistol
1 powder drop (with multiple powder drop measures, one for each caliber) for rifle.
By powder measure, what i mean here is the part that you spin to adjust the grains for the load. This part comes out without disassembly. Its quite easy. So, once you get your load set, lock it down. Mark it for it's powder and grain drop, and then never change it. It's locked into place. Then, buy one for each load you do. It makes caliber/load/powder switching SO much faster. the part I'm referring too is only $10 or so. For me it is worth the investment.
Also, those springs that go around the shell plates to hold the brass in place, buy a pack of extras. They are delicate (but cheap to buy). I've been on the same one since I started, but i'm very careful with my equipment. I work hard for my money and take care of the things I decide to purchase.
Ok, so on top of the press, all I need to start is a shellplate, dies (already have them) and LOCK-N-LOAD DIE BUSHING ? Since I'm ordering I'll throw in a set of 3 extra retainer spring and a 44magnum bullet feed die and the bully adapter, but do I need anything else? I don't like having to pay an extra 20$ shipping on a 10$ part to make a 750$ work. Wasting that 20$ infuriates me a lot more than any other 20$ for some reason.
