Brand new Hornady LnL Progressive issue, 9mm

[poopshooter]

Hey guys, any idea what could be causing my cases to be coming up crooked enough to get caught on the mouth of the Size/decap die? I have checked and it is not an indexing issue, and also the bench/press is level. About every other case bites in and needs to be tilted (towards the center of the shell plate) before I can run it up in. Its super annoying, I want to reserve sending the press in as a last option. The have sent me new bushing receivers in case that was holding my die crooked but no luck. I am willing to by some upgraded dies to replace the Lee’s but I’m not sure that will help as tighter tolerances could cause more bite. Should the case be able to wiggle a decent bit when it’s loaded into the plate with the spring retaining? Hope someone else has seen this before.

[DWFAN]

Is your shell plate screwed down all the way?

I have that problem, but maybe 1 or 2 in a thousand.

Have you noticed if its a certain brand/type of brass?

[Jman]

I have.

It's the Lee die. Just get a Dillon taper crimp die for the sizing station.

If you're timed right this will fix the issue.

Jim

[59Bassman]

My RCBS sizer will do this when I have not tightened the shell plate properly. When the plate is torqued down, this will happen about once every 500 rounds.

[poopshooter]

thanks guys, I will get the recomended die and make sure the plate stays tight. There are times that i know its tight but it still happens, I almost feel like the clearance it too great. If the die doesnt fix the issue I will borrow someones 9mm shell plate and see if it fits up the same.

[poopshooter]

I have.

It's the Lee die. Just get a Dillon taper crimp die for the sizing station.

If you're timed right this will fix the issue.

Jim

will that decap?

[mizer67]

I have.

It's the Lee die. Just get a Dillon taper crimp die for the sizing station.

If you're timed right this will fix the issue.

Jim

Perhaps I'm ignorant, but why would a taper crimp die in the sizing station help?

He still needs to size and deprime, and that can only happen in station #1.

[mizer67]

I have.

It's the Lee die. Just get a Dillon taper crimp die for the sizing station.

If you're timed right this will fix the issue.

Jim

will that decap?

No, it won't.

I think he must have meant Dillon's sizing die, unless I'm missing something.

[noylj]

Some people screw the sizing die down until it kisses the shell plate and then lock it down. I always run a case into the die to be sure the die is properly aligned.

This is true for EVERY press in the world. I always use a die to align things when I set-up each die. I am always making at least two inert "dummy" rounds during die set-up and then function testing in my guns.

Also, for the Dillon 1050, I always lower the tool head down and into the press body before I tighten the tool head down, thus ensuring it is properly aligned.

Back in the '80s, I had some carbide dies that weren't made for a progressive press and the case mouth would often catch. I went a couple of year where I had my left hand down and aligned the case to die. The early RCBS carbide dies had almost zero chamfer.

[poopshooter]

I was just poking around Midway and saw that Redding makes a set that is mentioned as having a generous chamfer and designed for progressives. Expensive but kinda sounds like what im looking for.

[dsmw5142]

I was just poking around Midway and saw that Redding makes a set that is mentioned as having a generous chamfer and designed for progressives. Expensive but kinda sounds like what im looking for.

Funny you mention that... I had the same problem you mention with Redding dies. I assume it was the tight tolerance at the mouth. Regardless of what the ad reads (I remember seeing the same thing), the tolerances are pretty tight. I purchased the Hornady new dimension dies and couldn't be happier. Give them a try. I now use them on both of my LNL's and have no issues. I broke the end of the zip spindle on one after about 30-40K rounds. Hornady replaced for free and sent me some extra little pieces too.

[poopshooter]

right now with the Lee dies (same set i used to use on a turret press) im noticing how sloppy the bullet seating is. I'm tring to get 1.095 oal with a 124mg jhp (has to be that short for the CZ chamber) and it has been swiging over .01 variation. 1.102 thru 1.088. the plug at the top of the seater actully wiggles, its only got a rubber o-ring to help with the huge sloppy threads, and soft aluminum to boot.

[98sr20ve]

Flip the lock rings over and raise the ram and tighten the die with the ram up and a case in all the stations. Also, make sure the shellplate is tight. No reason for you LnL to not work with Lee dies. None at all. Mine was fine with the Lee dies. It had other issues but not anything related to the dies. In fact the cases were nice and tight in the shellplate with the spring creating constant pressure on them.

[poopshooter]

I messed with it some more tonight, shell plate tightness is def. not the issue, i tripple checked it. its so strange because all the other stations line up nicely. i know someone with those New Dimention dies, i'll have to screw one in and see what it looks like.

[lugnut]

Try different dies like others have said. I checked out a friend's press for similar issues- although I can't recall which position. After close inspection I noticed the die bushing hole in that specific position was NOT lined up with the case when it was indexed properly. This was very noticeable. Hornady replaced the press and all was good after. Please- check all other possibilities first- I'm sure this is not a common problem as I know many others that use the LNL without issue.

[Mush from PA.]

(try this for trouble shooting) if you de cap the brass (and run ith through the shell plate and sizer die again) it runs through with out any problem?? I had the same problem with range brass, not so much with brass I shoot. Look for raised or high primer or where the fireing pin strikes the primer. I have noticed any raised primer can tilt just a little and not allow the case to go into the sizer die with out my assistance. When this happens look at the case and primer to see if the case is cracked or the primer is proud. I have noticed the primer has a square hammer hit on the primer.

I keep thinking if I cut a small grove in the base plate to allow any raised primer to go through with out touching the plate the problem would go away.

[CocoBolo]

The shell plate is tight when you run the bolt down till the shell plate drags then back it off just enough so it does not drag. Actually I run mine with a slight amount of drag, when loading 9 major to keep powder from slinging.

I had another guy tell me his was tight, I went over and I could drive a truck under it, go figure.

I started out on the LNL with Lee dies, they work but, they are a pain in the caboose, I sold them off and went with Hornady dies, the Dillon's aren't bad either.

Pay attention to how you are operating the press, nice and smooth right? Well with the Lee dies I had a hard time being smooth.

There are two index's on the LNL, one you find on the primer storke, the other I found when it was off so far that the powder was missing the case. So maybe you better have a closer look see. If you are using the PTX expander you will find out real fast if your index is out as it will destory about every 3rd case.

[rocice]

I've been using the Redding dies - http://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/20-handgun-die-sets-in-titanium-carbide - on a LnL ap and have not had any issues.

[hueycrew]

Didn't see this in anyones posting.

I had an issue with my LNL AP. The lugs on the bushing (that is screwed into the press) were cracked and broke off. Caused the bushing(that holds the die) to index. The sizing station and powder drop were the first to go. Hornady sent me the repair parts to fix my press. After that my problems went away. I still use the Lee dies - though switching to an EGW undersize die for 9mm.

[poopshooter]

Try different dies like others have said. I checked out a friend's press for similar issues- although I can't recall which position. After close inspection I noticed the die bushing hole in that specific position was NOT lined up with the case when it was indexed properly. This was very noticeable. Hornady replaced the press and all was good after. Please- check all other possibilities first- I'm sure this is not a common problem as I know many others that use the LNL without issue.

I'm ordering new dies tonight, hoping differant tolerances will solve the issue. With no retaining spring or die in the station and i run it up it does apear to be off center by just bit. just that station.

Dave you ready for this weekend? My shoulders are killin from digging post holes for walls, we got real walls im even gonna paint them -craig

[poopshooter]

i went with Dillon Dies

[Crunchy Frog]

I use Hornady, RCBS, and Dillon dies in my LNL depending on caliber. My 9mm dies are Dillon and run fine in the LNL. The only issue is that the Dillon rings are not split lock rings and might not hold their settings in the bushings as well as the other brands. I don't load large quantities of 9mm ammo right now; if that changes I might buy a set of lock rings so that I can truly "set them and forget them".

I have had only one die related problem with my press and (surprisingly) it is with the Hornady dies. My expander die will not adequately expand the shorter .38 Special brass to accept lead bullets. I called Hornady and they didn't seem to have heard this before. I told the tech that I had the die at maximum depression-contacting the shell plate and it was not doing the job. They told me to turn it down even further; I was skeptical but tried it; it did not work. Hornady's other suggestion was that I shelve the expander die and use a PTX in the powder measure die. I've done that but get the occasional (sometimes not so occasional) dented case mouth. I've since been using my old RCBS #2 die which has an adjustable expander plug.

[noylj]

Crunchy Frog: I find the Hornady expanders to be among the best, and mine certainly expands and flares the .38 Special cases I have. I would ask Hornady if you can send it back for inspection. There may have been an error when machining it.

The problem I have had with most expanders is they don't expand the case, over the length that the bullet will be seated, enough for lead bullets. For 9x19, most of my cast lead bullets are 0.357". This means that the case should be expanded to 0.356" ideally and and 0.355" at a minimum. This has led to me ordering custom expanders. Otherwise, I find that I either swage the bullet down in diameter, and lose accuracy and get leading, or I get a bulge in the case where the bullet pushes out on the thinnest wall section.

If your problem is simply flaring/belling the case mouth, you can use the expander to expand and get a PTX that will simply flare. Lee makes their Universal Expander Die that only flares and DOES NOT expand. I think that there is a flare-only PTX made by powerfunnel.com?