Installing the Horanday Lock & Load AP

[sledgemeister]

Thanks for the info Alf, btw the guide you have done re the LnL is brilliant, I have gone back now and just ordered a another retaining spring and spare pick up tubes. Now I just have to wait till I get it..........
Oh I forgot to ask what dies are you using with the press, I currently have Lee ones and hoping they will work ok, according to hornady they will take all 7/8th dies. will be interesting to see if the factory crimp dies can be incorporated

[alfsauve]

Sledge, I have a variety of dies, all 7/8x14.   I have some old Herter's, some RCBS, Lee, and Lyman.   I haven't tried all of them (am working on it as fast as supplies and time allows though), but haven't run into any problem.

The LnL bushing is pretty long and I almost run out of room for the lock ring, has been my only concern.  So far (4 different calibers) it hasn't been a problem.  Just close.

I like the Hornady split lock ring, and may order some of those to replace the variety I have.   The Lee lock rings definitely aren't my favorite.

Along the road I will probably upgrade to Hornady dies.  My .357/38 could use replacing as they're the oldest and a mixture of 3 manufacturers.   But money being what it is this isn't a priority.

One thing I do like about Lee's .40 and .45ACP dies is their Factory Crimp Die,  which act as a "final sizer".  It "post sizes your case assuring you that any round that passes through the die will chamber properly in your gun." (their quote)   Can't do that with 9mm since it's tapered. 

Let me know how you do once you get it set up and running.

[sledgemeister]

Hey alf not sure if you have seen these but I thought I would post them incase you havent.
DIY automatic case feeders, lot cheaper than the real deal.

uses one of a lee auto!

also these:

DIY CASE FEEDER link

This is for a dillon but could be adapted I think

[alfsauve]

Very cool Sledge.   Thanks for the links.   I haven't started on that project yet.  Still working on some other things right now.

[alfsauve]

Okay, after running some prototypes, I finally got it installed.

Here's my "Primer Out" warning device.

Couple of goals.

Not battery operated, but low voltage
LED light for reliability
No modification to the press


Here's what it looks like as long as there are primers in the tube.



And here's what happens when you go to prime and there's no primer.



I'm going to put a red lens (gel) on it, but for now it's white.

This was a small battery powered reading/work light for $3 at the local grocery store.   I removed the batteries and the switch on the rear and soldered the wires to the back of the light assembly.  It has a little clamp and attaches neatly to the press.

Behind the press is a micro switch.  It is mounted on an angle bracket.   When the primer tube is empty the primer follower rod locks the slider in the rear position which engages the micro switch as the ram comes down.



The bracket is held in place by it's lip which is udner the press.   And the power supply wire is run through a hole right behind the press.  I have a bunch of "wall wart" power supplies, so it was a simple matter to find a 3volt one that would power this lamp assembly.   I wanted something cute'r like a railroad warning signal or a railroad block signal or a traffic light.   I haven't found what I want yet.  The problem with scale model stuff is that the brightness is to "scale", so they're not very bright.


One last picture where you can see the little "wheel" on the primer slider tray thingy.  It's stuck the rear position because it has trapped the rod where there should be a primer.   




 

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

Just a note about 9mm.

I found that 9mm cases work very well with the 40S&W Shell plate.  The difference is only 3/100".  Plus since the 9mm is tapered if it's not lined up exactly with the die it will still enter the die without catching on the sides, and center itself.  I was about 100 rounds into a batch of 9mm before I realized this.   I could have saved myself a few bucks.

However, .40S&W cannot be loaded with the 9mm shell plate, which is cut to exactly the 9mm dimension.
 

[sledgemeister]

Just a note about 9mm.

I found that 9mm cases work very well with the 40S&W Shell plate.  The difference is only 3/100".  Plus since the 9mm is tapered if it's not lined up exactly with the die it will still enter the die without catching on the sides, and center itself.  I was about 100 rounds into a batch of 9mm before I realized this.   I could have saved myself a few bucks.

However, .40S&W cannot be loaded with the 9mm shell plate, which is cut to exactly the 9mm dimension.
 

Interesting! I have got a 44mag shell plate and I havent tried it yet but I am hoping that it fits the .444 (it should) as I notice that they have a different shellplate for it.
BTW the press arrived today along with shell plates however the extra bushings have not  So I have messaged the supplier and advised.
I have got me some degreaser and I might pull apart the powder dispenser thingy (technical term) tonight and degrease it and re-lube it ready to be installed.
I should be able to get my shed cleaned up this weekend and give it a try this coming week, then I can try making a few improvements.
I really like the idea of that Lee case feeder, way cheaper than the electronic hornady version.
I reckon that mod of yours is a pearler and should be put with your other post on the LnL, perhaps a mod can copy it or move it, It should also be a sticky imho.

[alfsauve]

Sledge,   When you say "relube" the powder measure, I hope you mean a dry silicon lube not anything with oil in it.  One accessory I've put on my wish list is a "stand" for the powder measure, so when I take it out of the press, I have a place to put it.  

I don't want to mess up the LnL starter guide thread with too many additions.   I want to keep it simple and basic.  There are tons of "hints and kinks" out there that anybody can search for.   My Primer-out indicator will eventually show up in Google.   If I had the time, a good sticky thread would be one that listed links to everybody else's tricks and mods for the LnLAP.

I haven't tried .45ACPs using the .308 (#1) shellplate.  Hornady says they're a little loose.   They do appear to be a little loose, but like using 9mm with the .40 shell plate, I think they'll work fine.   I'm shooting for this weekend to load some and we'll see.

Maybe today, I'll add some more pictures to this thread showing more details of the microswitch installation and bracket.

 

[sledgemeister]

Well went down tonight finally to do some reloading have been busy all week.
Fill up primer tubes - check
Fill Powder Hopper - Check
insert case deprime - check
Got to reprime case - nope, the primer slide is stuck open. Hmmm I think. I gave the slide a little tap and it comes loose again and retracts. I think to myself I will try it again, insert case deprime, goto reprime and the slide sticks open again,, I am now thinking (GRRRRRRRR #%#T%4 !!!! ) oh darn. I gave a little wiggle and this time it wont budge, it seems it came back so far it dropped another primer down, so now I am thinking I will take the primer tube assembly apart and check it is put together properly etc, I raise the shell plate and I hear ping the pin holding the little wheel that on the primer slide flew out and landed god knows where in the workshop leaving the wheel spinning on my bench. SO now I cant reload large calibre hand gun ammo and will be calling Hornady at 8 AM to request they send out a new NON Faulty primer slide.
Not a great start to what I was hoping was going to be an enjoyable night reloading on my NEW press.
This is not the only little irk I have found with this press either. While degreasing the powder measure the adjustment screw in the larger hopper was so tight I needed pliers to actually turn it out and remove to degrease, I ended out swapping them adjustment scre over with the pistol one and it now works fine and the other works fine in that one, it seems some ones thread cutting ability was a bit off the day it was machined.
 

[alfsauve]

Know how you feel.  I've "popped" mine a couple of times.

It is a bummer that the wheel and its pin aren't more secure, but at least there is a second wheel on the other primer tray.    The primer feed tray is a little finicky.  I posted that it fits just a little too tight and you have to keep the raceway clean.  The spring is generic and it doesn't appear the specs are terribly critical.  You can replace it from the hardware store.    

One of the many guppies (great unfinished projects - TM Chris Wren) is to get a spare slide and grind the leading edge more into a wedge shape from their radius shape.  Powder  and grit will have then have a place to accumulate.  So instead of this

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It's look more like this on the front end, if you get the idea

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