Hornady case feeder Nobel prize needed or just simply crap?

[fritzthemoose]

sorry but I do have to steam off now.

The Hornady case feeder is the biggest crap I have seen in quite some time. Currently I am 4 times faster with my Lee 1000 than with my LNL with case feeder.

So many problems dont know where to start.

Case wheel is not turning.

The engine is running but the wheel is not turning or only if I move it along by hand. I see the 2 nobs in the center turning but the wheel is just stuck all the time. No sorry thats not right if I only have a handful of cases in there it works. But as soon as there are more cases in there its stuck.

So I currently move the cases in by hand. Ok its good for environment as it safes electricity.

Anyone had/has this problem too?

Cases are not feeding(and yes the timing is OK)

#2 V Block is not working at all for 9 Luger. #6 works sometimes but only for like 10 cases.

If I have the cam wire screwed in properly there is sooo much resistance that it takes really efford to move the press and the press also does not index properly anymore. If I have the screws from the wire only thightend by hand it work maybe 6 out of 10 times but only for a short while as the screws get loose soon and then nothing works anymore.

No cases are not bulged the primers are not sticking out and it happens with lots of different cases. Even with cases that are already deprimed. I spend countless hours the last days to try around change the timeing and whatnot but to no use.

Currently I am happy to load 100 rounds an hour most of the time less as I have to move the cases in by hand or move the casewheel along by hand. Then move the cases into the shellplate again by hand or better help the case slide move it in then I have to handthighten the screws of the cam wire every 10 cases. I was at least 4 times faster with my Lee 1000 and currently regret a lot to have dismounted it.

[AlamoShooter]

I thought the Case feeder for Hornady uses Dillions , but in red.

[Hairtrigger]

Call Hornady. I have found their customer service to be among the best

[Sparky_NY]

The metal hub in the center of the case wheel is a clutch. Tighten the screws a bit. It is there so a complete jam-up does not do damage. I believe that is covered in the instructions. Every press has a learning curve. I set up the case feeder and press by the instructions and it works well. A friend bought one a year later and also had no problems.

[Chris Spiess]

I thought the Case feeder for Hornady uses Dillions , but in red.

It is, for the most part.

In the sense that it's a Dilion case feeder painted red, no that's not true. In the sense that they both do the same thing in the same basic fashion, yes it is.

[Jman]

The Hornady case feeder is the biggest crap I have seen in quite some time.

Very sorry to hear about your continued difficulties. Frustration and little things mechanical mix badly in my experience. Do you have a shooting acquaintance that uses the same set up?

What frustrates me is that I can't fix it for you over the World Wide Web thing. Walk away from it for now. It does work well. But you have to be friends with it. You're freaking it out a bit right now.

Check to make sure the clutch screws on the case feeder plate are adjusted correctly.

The cam wire should be centered in the shuttle slot. Probably the binding your experiencing.

Lower the ram (raise the handle) VERY slowly. Watch, listen and feel the shell plate near the bottom. You should NOT hear a tiny click followed by continued shell plate movement. The shell plate ball detents need to engage at the same time the pawls release the drive gear (the tiny click). Read your instructions to MAKE SURE of this adjustment. Best of luck! Get some sleep, tackle it in the morning.

Jim

[Jman]

In the sense that it's a Dilion case feeder painted red, no that's not true. In the sense that they both do the same thing in the same basic fashion, yes it is.

Your right. Similar, but not the same.

[SLM]

Buy me a ticket to Austria and I'll come help you!

First let me say if you've messed with the timing pawls AT ALL you have to get them reset before you do anything. An eighth of a turn on the adjustment screws in a massive amount of adjustment with those. IF you have to turn them, turn them very, very small amounts. Like when you think the screw might have turned but you really aren't sure stop and check. It's probably enough. If you can't get it perfect like when it came from the factory, give them a call. I've heard they are crazy good with talking people through the adjustments on the phone. I realize it's a really long distance call though.

Case wheel is not turning.

The engine is running but the wheel is not turning or only if I move it along by hand. I see the 2 nobs in the center turning but the wheel is just stuck all the time. No sorry thats not right if I only have a handful of cases in there it works. But as soon as there are more cases in there its stuck.

So I currently move the cases in by hand. Ok its good for environment as it safes electricity.

Anyone had/has this problem too?

Like somebody said, the two screws in the center of the plate are part of a slipper clutch system designed to not break anything if it gets jammed up tight. If it turns with just a few cases in the bowl but not with a bunch the two screws are too loose. They come from the factory a bit loose in my experience. Mine wouldn't turn with more 50 or so cases in it. I tightened the two screws so it now turns with 500 in it but still slips if needed. I checked for slippage by stopping the plate with my finger. It's gotta be able to slip to prevent breaking anything.

Cases are not feeding(and yes the timing is OK)

#2 V Block is not working at all for 9 Luger. #6 works sometimes but only for like 10 cases.

If I have the cam wire screwed in properly there is sooo much resistance that it takes really efford to move the press and the press also does not index properly anymore. If I have the screws from the wire only thightend by hand it work maybe 6 out of 10 times but only for a short while as the screws get loose soon and then nothing works anymore.

Are you referencing the cam wire that runs the case feeder slide? I'm not sure how it's possible to cause the press not to index unless you have it way, way out of adjustment. The adjustment vertically of the cam wire is terribly hard to explain without being there. It's kind of trial and error. Start with it set pretty low. On the top where it goes into the black plastic support set the stop nuts so there's about 1/4 inch (say 5mm) of rod in the plastic support. Work up from there, again in small adjustments. 1/2 of a turn on the nuts at a time. When you tighten those two nuts up make sure you hold the cam wire so it stays centered in the slider or you'll get some drag there. Been there, done that.

It's a fairly complex piece of equipment but with patience it works wonderfully. I've got mine where maybe 1 out of 500 rounds tips. When you get it set 600+ rounds an hour is a breeze.

[Chris Spiess]

Case wheel is not turning.

The engine is running but the wheel is not turning or only if I move it along by hand. I see the 2 nobs in the center turning but the wheel is just stuck all the time. No sorry thats not right if I only have a handful of cases in there it works. But as soon as there are more cases in there its stuck.

As mentioned elsewhere in this post you need to tighten bolts you see tuning to generate more friction on the case feed plate. You don't want to crank them down as tight as possible because there needs to be some give in case something gets jammed up there should be some give so you don't burn the motor up.

Cases are not feeding(and yes the timing is OK)

#2 V Block is not working at all for 9 Luger. #6 works sometimes but only for like 10 cases.

If I have the cam wire screwed in properly there is sooo much resistance that it takes really efford to move the press and the press also does not index properly anymore. If I have the screws from the wire only thightend by hand it work maybe 6 out of 10 times but only for a short while as the screws get loose soon and then nothing works anymore.

Make sure the cam wire is not dragging on the sub-plate. That can introduce a lot of resistance. Also if the press is not indexing, it sounds like the cam wire may be keeping the sub-plate from descending all the way? The cam wire on my press is adjusted almost all the way down as far as it will go. Move the press slowly and find where the cam wire is dragging, it may need some minor reshaping.

My press is set up for 9mm right now and I think I've got a #4 v-block installed.

Working at a casual pace, I can usually get a rate 400-450 rounds an hour out of my LNL without the bullet feeder; a concentrated pace gets me to about 600/hour. It takes some tweaking to get it all working as smoothly as we'd prefer it come right out of the box. Dilion presses are the same. Call Hornady tech support, I have always found them helpful.

[Mush from PA.]

Fritz,, Before you go adjusting anything... I had the same problem. I was not getting the case wheel (I can't think if the real name just now) that moves the cases in the black drum set on the pin at the end of the motor shaft. You need to make sure it is set on the "T" where the motor shaft turns the case wheel. I would hear the motor turn but the wheel would not move. I also had the case wheel not turn because it was jammed with cases under the wheel. Try taking the cases out of the drum and running the motor with out any cases.

Edited March 7, 2010 by Mush from PA.

[CocoBolo]

I have been using a lnl with case feeder for two years, when properly adjusted it works fine just as well as the one on my xl650. I don't like reading directions but am very mechanically talented so it took me a couple hours when I first set it up.

Tighten the clutch. The #2 works with 9 mm and 38 super. Do not tighten it leave it just a little lose. Also make sure your shell plate is snug. Only put about 200-300 cases in at a time when it starts taking more time to drop them its low so add some. If you get a loaded round mixed up in there it cause it to not drop cartridges. Adjust the little door at the top even for 9 mm or you will get some dropping on your head. Adjust that little rod that goes into the base so it just pushes the case in and goes into the shell plate about 1/16th inch. The undocumented trick is tilting the bracket at the bottom of the tube so it drops the cases in the right place, and adjusting the spacing so you get just one case at a time.

40 S&W is the hardest to adjust 9 mm and 38 Super as well as 45 are the easy ones.

I use my lnl for all the odd ball stuff I load so I switch calibers a lot it keeps me in practice adjusting the case feeder parts.

The Dillon basically has no adjustment and it just works when you have the right parts in it from the conversion kit.

[fritzthemoose]

The Hornady case feeder is the biggest crap I have seen in quite some time.

Very sorry to hear about your continued difficulties. Frustration and little things mechanical mix badly in my experience. Do you have a shooting acquaintance that uses the same set up?

What frustrates me is that I can't fix it for you over the World Wide Web thing. Walk away from it for now. It does work well. But you have to be friends with it. You're freaking it out a bit right now.

Check to make sure the clutch screws on the case feeder plate are adjusted correctly.

The cam wire should be centered in the shuttle slot. Probably the binding your experiencing.

Lower the ram (raise the handle) VERY slowly. Watch, listen and feel the shell plate near the bottom. You should NOT hear a tiny click followed by continued shell plate movement. The shell plate ball detents need to engage at the same time the pawls release the drive gear (the tiny click). Read your instructions to MAKE SURE of this adjustment. Best of luck! Get some sleep, tackle it in the morning.

Jim

Yes, the problem with the press going hard when the screws of the cam wire are tight is solved by now. The cam wire was not exactly centered and therefore, was scrubbing on the shuttle.

I will try the play around with the clutch screws later today.

Yes I am defenitly freaking out righ now lol. When I got the press the primer feeding system was not working at all as some parts where broken. Their customer service was great and I got all the replacement parts and some spare ones without problem but it took a few weeks. Now its something like that again. Why it cannot work out of the box? I mean its expensive enough so that you can expect it to work. The Lee case feeder worked great out of the box and is in my opinion far superior for around 5% of the price.

I never messed with the timing of the press did not touch it at all thats why I am so surprised. It worked great before I installed the case feeder but now every once in a while the timing is off. the shellplate can be moved around after indexing. But not all the time. No idea why.

The other strange thing is that the same case sometimes works without problem and sometimes not. If I try with the same case I would say that 50% of the time is tips and 50% not. Also I dont see a difference if its a Glock used or non-Glock used case.

[fritzthemoose]

Buy me a ticket to Austria and I'll come help you!

First let me say if you've messed with the timing pawls AT ALL you have to get them reset before you do anything. An eighth of a turn on the adjustment screws in a massive amount of adjustment with those. IF you have to turn them, turn them very, very small amounts. Like when you think the screw might have turned but you really aren't sure stop and check. It's probably enough. If you can't get it perfect like when it came from the factory, give them a call. I've heard they are crazy good with talking people through the adjustments on the phone. I realize it's a really long distance call though.

No I did not touch it at all and it worked fine before I installed the case feeder. Even now its not that it does not work all the time but sometimes the shellplate can be moved after indexing.

[Canuck223]

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Another Canadian on www.canadiangunnutz.com is having the same issues. I used to own the older Pro-Jector. Built like a tank, but as fiddly as a Swiss watch when something fell out of time.

[CocoBolo]

If cases are tipping going into the shell plate this is a sign that the shell plate is not tight enough. This allows too much space under the shell plate so the case tips. This could also explain the indexing issue. Just almost snug. You did put a little grease on the detent balls right?

The primer systems works great as long as you keep the powder and trash out of it. What trash, the corn you left in the brass. The best tool when adjusting the primer assembly is a flash light. Looking down in there center the hole in the slide when the ram is all the way up. Tighten down the plastic arm. It will work.

When you get foreign matter in the primer punch, raise the ram slightly reach under and push and let go the primer punch a few times and most times this clears the debris. Other wise take it out and wash it out with brake cleaner.

Operate the press at a nice smooth pace, its not a racing press it don't go that fast. I hit 500 an hour but that is about it.

[Jman]

Also, as a reference. Leaving something like 5 threads exposed above the top nut of the case feeder cam wire appears optimum. About 4 left on mine. Yes the shell plate screw must be more than finger tight. A good bump with a wrench while holding it in place with the other hand is fine. Also, "I" find that a little play in the V-block helps things along. Tightly screwed down it seemed to affect consistent case insertion. Be patient, work on one thing at a time before moving on.

[Hairtrigger]

[ but sometimes the shellplate can be moved after indexing.

I don't know about the new style but the older Hornady presses have roll pins in the main vertical shaft that if worn or damaged will allow free rotation

[fritzthemoose]

The Hornady case feeder is the biggest crap I have seen in quite some time.

Very sorry to hear about your continued difficulties. Frustration and little things mechanical mix badly in my experience. Do you have a shooting acquaintance that uses the same set up?

What frustrates me is that I can't fix it for you over the World Wide Web thing. Walk away from it for now. It does work well. But you have to be friends with it. You're freaking it out a bit right now.

Check to make sure the clutch screws on the case feeder plate are adjusted correctly.

The cam wire should be centered in the shuttle slot. Probably the binding your experiencing.

Lower the ram (raise the handle) VERY slowly. Watch, listen and feel the shell plate near the bottom. You should NOT hear a tiny click followed by continued shell plate movement. The shell plate ball detents need to engage at the same time the pawls release the drive gear (the tiny click). Read your instructions to MAKE SURE of this adjustment. Best of luck! Get some sleep, tackle it in the morning.

Jim

I fixed the issue with the case feeder plate. It still stops every once in a while but it got much better and I am sure I will get there.

The other stuff is still the same. I found in another forum that on some shellplates the lid that holds the retention wire is to small. Maybe thats it.

[ninefan]

On the case-slider V-block... make sure that it is centered with the slot in the shellplate as the case gets to the edge of the shellplate. One of my V-blocks needed the mounting hole egged out a little bit with a round file in order to line it up properly.

Also, if you are having some stiction on the up or down strokes make sure to check that the pawls on the ram are lubricated with some kind of graphite lube. I prefer Eezox for that application.