rnbore

IMO. You can't beat the reliability, service, backing and performance that you will get from a Limcat gun and I like the 9mm over the more expensive .38 SC. If money was no issue I would choose the .38SC just because of the added reloading safety from the longer brass and the greater availabilty of powders, but I'm never going to be a sponsored shooter or a millionaire so 9 major works just fine for me. ;-)

Hi Ben, The main reason I'm going to a two press confirguation is that my older LNL didn't have the new EZ eject system, the bullet feeder w/feeder die, the belling powder drop nor the grease zerts and I wanted to try out all of those new systems, plus I'm a little lazy and wanted to have one machine set up for large primers and one for small primers (new one). So this way I'll still have the old machine that I am upgrading to the new EZ eject floor plate with the old case feeder set up for .45 ACP and the new machine with all it's bellls and whistles I'll use for the 9mm major loads and my .40 S&W limited loads. As far as fine tuning between calibers I don't think that I have ever not messed with something on caliber changes before, during and after loading, so I feel that is pretty much a given. I'll be sending off my old shell plates soon to Hornady and seeing if they won't redo them to work with the new system - haven't called but I believe they are still doing that.

I agree with your assessment of using One Shot on carbide dies and not having any problem with build up. A can lasts me a long time. That being said I recently (6 -8 months ago) started throwing my loaded rounds into a clean (no Flitz polish added) corn cob and walut shell mix and let that vibrate while I'm loading my next batch of around 200 rounds (when it starts over flowing the large bullet tray). I then remove the loaded rounds and seperate them out and start the whole process over again. My loaded rounds are nice an shiny and have no case lube on them which helps with the case guage process. I recently tried another brand that I had picked up off the prize table at Nationals last year and believe me it was a mistake to use it. I ended up having to re-tumble the brass I had in the case feeder (300+) and clean all of the dies plus the powder drop to remove the build up from just over 100 rounds ran thru the press. Sometimes free is very expensive in time, energy and frustration.

Nice looking install. Did you build the cover yourself?

I am going to setting up my second LNL machine soon. So I will reply back once I have mounted it to my loading bench and have it "dialed" in and functioning well. I don't anticipate having to re-adjust all of the dies that I currently have set up with their own bushing (using the Old LNL) but I can easily double check everything and if there is any measurable differences then I will be sure to add to this post and let everyone know what I found out.

They move under the powder die. Get the shim. Some are too tight. Nothing you can do but use a lock nut on your die and use a wrench on the die to get it moving when you want to remove it. Lock nuts are your friend on a LnL. Just like Dillon 1" rings are nice on a Dillon. I too think Hornady should have some flats on the things. Make life easier. I also don't understand why some are nice and loose and work easily and others are a PITA. I have never had any problem with tightening these bushing down to the die. What I use are channel lock pliers to hold the "round" part of the bushing and then using either the right sized wrench or a large cresent wrench carefully adjusting the die down against the bushing. I have one die/bushing that sometimes loosens up on me but what I did was I simply put a mark using a felt tipped pen on the side of the die/bushing and the top of the press and I just visually check it before and during the reloading process. Sounds like I can call and get a shim but it's not a huge concern to me.

The best advice I could offer would be to get in contact with the gun builder if possible and ask him what springs and what weights he recommends for your set-up. To be truthful the right springs can help but it's not going to win the match for you. It's not going to make that large of a difference, but if you think it does it will help with your times. One less thing to worry about.

I've had my LNL case feeder for a number of years now and I don't recall any problems with the initial set-up, other than my press is an older model that didn't come pre-drilled and I had to use the c-clamps that came with the assembly to attach it to the back of the press, but once tightened it has run fine. There is a learning curve on which insert to use for each caliber on the bottom part of the case feeder and then I have also had to play with using different sizes of the v-shaped "shoe" that pushes the brass into the shell plate. One pet peave is the amount of noise it makes if you leave the power button on continuously, so I elect to let it run long enough to fill the clear plastic feed tube and then I shut it off until I'm ready for more brass. Doing it this way allows me to spray the Hornady case lube onto the brass as the shell plate is "mixing" them up each time I refill the tube. Even though I have the carbide dies which they say doesn't require the case lube believe me it makes life much easier especially if you are running all nickel brass. RNB

Coco, I'm curious as to why you are using the XL650 instead of the LNL for your primary loading on your 9 mm major open gun. You must feel that the XL650 is better or has some advantages over the Hornady but can you explain why? I started out loading more than fifteen years ago now, on one of the very first versions of the Hornady progressive and currently have a "newer" version of the LNL w/case feeder attached. I have never worked with Dillon's that much, but they look very similar in operation from viewing friends using theirs. I just purchased the newest version of the LNL, with the case feeder and bullet feeder. Haven't received the bullet feeder and feed die (backordered for over two months now thru Midway). But my intention is to use this as my primary press for my 9 major open pistol and once I get it all dialed in will hopefully get production similar to the 1050 for about $600+ less investment.

An unloaded from the holster start averaging 50% of the stages must be area specific because I can honestly say that I don't remember shooting very many stages (less than a handful) in the dozen or so years that I have been shooting that required the unloaded pistol to be holstered. That being said, I've done hundreds of unloaded starts from tables, briefcases, desk drawers, boxes etc. The holstered start seems like it's just too easy for the devious minds that think up our local stages.

My thumb safety on my 2011 or 1911 doesn't come off until after both my hands contact the pistol. Taking it off earlier than that makes me very uneasy and I don't want to end up with holes in my body parts because of I'm disengaging the thumb safety too early. There is actually lots of time to do that as you push the pistol out onto the target and when you are postioning your support hand, and as everyone has said keep your finger off the trigger until right before your ready to shoot. As a side note both of the grip safeties are pinned.

I'm only running about 600 rounds thru my pistol each month with the matches and some practice rounds included, when the weather allows this will increase to close to 1K. I clean my pistol after each match... I figure that I can screw up enough things all by myself and I don't need my equipment to help me out so I try to eliminate that with a good cleaning and oiling.

You state that you can't have any contact with the gun but that is not absolutely correct. 8.2.3 allows for "...unavoidable touching with the lower arms." So that could become an issue with the parade rest start.