Did Hornady fix their case feeder problems?

[jayjay1]

Hey guys,

I´m one step away from buying my first autoprogressive press with a case feeder.

Coming from a Dillon 550, which did its part very well, I was searching a lot, wanting to get the best (and not the bluest) machine for the buck.

Please no "blue is the best!" - fanatics in this thread, thank you.

I´ve learned, that the LnL AP has a lot of advantages above the Dillon 650 (lower costs, better powder measurer, more consistent OAL, half way indexing for solve the powder stray issue of the 650, and some more).

I´ve also found out the issues, the LnL has, because of feeding primers malfunctions if there´s some powder in the slide section and that the handle, with the round knob, will hurt in a longer session, when the roller handle of the 650 won´t.

But this are little problems which can be solved, so that I´m still leaning towards the LnL.

What I can´t accept, is the case feeder problems, that are widely reported and discussed in the whole reloading commuity.

https://www.google.de/search?q=case+feeder+issue+hornady+lnl&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=ecUKVLPtPMaK8Qed1IHgAg

What I want to know from you is, if this problem is still there with the new case feeders, or if it is fixed now by Hornady?

The case feeder issue is the only thing, that holds me back to order a LnL right now.

I hope you can and will help me in this,

best regards,

Jay

[Onagoth]

I don't have a new one, but my casefeeder definitely needed tweaking....raining brass was the biggest and most annoying problem. But it is easily solved.

[jayjay1]

If it would be raining brass, I would run with buckets.

No, sorry, seriously, there is so much info out there with case feeder problems.

If that isn´t fixed.....

[jmorris]

I´ve learned, that the LnL AP has a lot of advantages above the Dillon 650 (lower costs, better powder measurer, more consistent OAL, half way indexing for solve the powder stray issue of the 650, and some more).

Lower press cost, higher case feed cost.

Powder measure has no fail safe and have to buy another rotor for it to do well with small charges. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/615914/hornady-lock-n-load-powder-measure-micrometer-for-handgun-rotor-and-metering-assembly

It also doesnt come with a baffle but that is pretty easy to make too.

I never found much difference between OALs with my LNL's or other machines, all acceptable.

The half index is not a bad idea, having to adjust the paws to "time" your press kind of sucks until you figure out what your doing.

[Brassaholic13]

Had a LNL before my 650 and 1050. You're going to regret it. The whole case feeding mechanism is wonky and poorly designed on the LNL. Add into the fact that Hornady uses thinwall square tubing that can easily be crushed.... I was glad to sell the press at a loss.

[techj]

I'm quite happy with mine. Only problem that I had with the case feeder was with feeding 357 brass -- that was solved when they sent me a newer (I had mine for a couple of years) case feeder (for free - the WHOLE assembly) that was redesigned. It also reduced the times that it did 'rain' with 9mm cases.

The primer feeding problems that I had were always related to powder getting into the primer slide and under the primer ram. When I kept the press very clean there weren't any problems - this meant blowing any powder out every couple of hundred loads. About a month ago I contacted them about getting a replacement for the spring on the primer slide and was chatting with the rep...they had a newer design for the primer ram that had no lip on it. He sent me a large & small primer version and since I started using these I haven't had any problems at all unless I had a significant amount of powder that got into the slide area.

[blind bat]

Powder measure has no fail safe and have to buy another rotor for it to do well with small charges. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/615914/hornady-lock-n-load-powder-measure-micrometer-for-handgun-rotor-and-metering-assembly

It also doesnt come with a baffle but that is pretty easy to make too.

I never found much difference between OALs with my LNL's or other machines, all acceptable.

The half index is not a bad idea, having to adjust the paws to "time" your press kind of sucks until you figure out what your doing.

My LNL came with both powder rotors and a baffle.

[jester121]

I don't have any loads that pile up powder to the top of the case, so maybe that's why I've never had a single primer issue with my LNL. Powder just doesn't spill unless something is set up wrong

My case feeder didn't come with thin wall tubing, it's sturdy as can be. I'm still tinkering with it to get 40 cases to drop 100% correct but it's been a huge time saver. Like a Dillon or anything else there is a learning curve and some tweaking needed.

[jmorris]

My LNL came with both powder rotors and a baffle.

That is good news. The last one I bought was righ after the EZ ject version came out.

[jester121]

My LNL came with both powder rotors and a baffle.

Yep, the only powder-related add-ons would be the micro adjuster thingie, and PTX expanders if you want them (like $7 each caliber).

Someone on Youtube was making and selling a roller handle arm for the LNL a while back, but I can't remember who.

[jayjay1]

Well, many different meanings, which some say the opposite of the other.

Hm, obviously there are many problems reported:

https://www.google.de/search?q=case+feeder+issue+hornady+lnl&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=ecUKVLPtPMaK8Qed1IHgAg

But if you follow those discussions you are finding too people who are satisfied and others who gave it up, after having a case feeder and some trouble.

[xrayfk05]

Not a very fair way to compare, if you type Dillon 650 instead of Hornady you get double the amount of results

[RDA]

Not a very fair way to compare, if you type Dillon 650 instead of Hornady you get double the amount of results

Actually, you get about 1,790,000 results with Hornady LNL versus 92,600 with Dillon 650, about 5% of the hits.

That doesn't account for how many 650s are sold compared to LNL, and the propensity of the owners to report or complain about issues. But, the Google results do tell you something.

[jayjay1]

Ouch!

[RockyTheDog]

You may be lucky and get one that works. Some people do. If you're not, I can't begin to tell you how sorry you'll be. I have a bad one. It has over 150,000 rounds loaded on it. In the the three years I've had it I have never had a run of 100 rounds where I didn't have to take something apart to clear a jam. Not once. I've spent hours on the phone with Hornady and more hours watching youtube videos about how to fix it.(There's a reason why Hornady has hours of youtube videos about their problems and Dillon doesn't) I've had problems with every part of this press, primer feed, powder measure, case feeder,and the press itself. Its a bad design, poorly executed. My advice? If you have a problem with it,return it immediately. Actually,my advice? Dillon 650.

[moonman16]

RockyTheDog,

I'm slightly amused sir that you would put up with this Bad/Poor designed

press for 3 years and your struggles with it in making your 150,000 rounds.

I believe that's a 1000 rounds per week you struggled with,

every week for 3 years, GIVE ME A BREAK, if YOU think it

was that much of a piece of junk, you should have dumped it.

It only cost a few hundred $$$$ and NO WAY WOULD I STRUGGLE

FOR 3 YEARS MAKING 150,000.

Whoa, Wait you loaded 150,000 rounds with it, it served you well.

[jayjay1]

@moonman16:

I´m cruising the internet for nearly 5 days now searching for stuff comparing the 650 against the LnL.

The features of the LnL and knowing hornady as a really great bullet maker, made me want one.

But I need a case feeder, otherwise an autoprogressive press makes no sense to me.

Searching for those I got very different results.

Either they say "If you get this or that fixed, it is a great machine", or they say "Had one and am happy I sold it".

A lot of those guys said that they switched to a 650 and won´t look back ever.

I suppose you do have and use a LnL, right?

And you never had any problem with it?

More time shooting and less time reloading is the goal.

I don´t have the time and the nerves to carry the machine to working, like she should right out of the package.

After all the infos I got since now, the LnL sadly seems to be no option for me.

Edited September 8, 2014 by jayjay1

[moonman16]

JayJay1,

Go ahead and get the Dillon you really want one.

ALL PRESSES need to be TWEAKED at one time or another.

I have 2 LNL's one with one without.

I also have Dillon's.

I'm close to dropping the Hammer on purchasing a DILLON 1050.

Somewhere on the INTERNET is a comparison of the HORNADY,DILLON,LEE presses,

I believe Ultimatereloader.com did it (Gavin Gear) and he knows his stuff,

He ended up in the end GIVING HORNADY LNL-AP the overall nod by a slight margin.

ALL PROGRESSIVES HAVE ISSUES AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

You need to have PATIENCE with them AND RELOADING IN GENERAL.

HOW MUCH LOADED AMMO DO YOU REQUIRE MONTHLY/YEARLY?

Turrets, The Hornady LNL-AP, The Dillon 650, WITHOUT CASE-FEEDERS

are capable of turning out a boatload of ammo, so is the Dillon 550,

which is a manual index 4 station machine (you MUST really pay attention

with it to AVOID DOUBLE CHARGES).

The DILLON/HORNADY comparison battle will really rage on as it's a

DO YOU LIKE YOUR FORD OR CHEVY BETTER THING.

All colors of presses RED-GREEN-BLUE have good equipment, AND MARKETING HYPE!

If you truly need bunches of ammo, and a case-feeder, the Dillon 1050

is your machine (not cheap) and you should reload 4000 rounds a month

IN A SINGLE CALIBER WITH IT before changeovers (which are also expensive).

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CHOICES.

[jmorris]

I´m cruising the internet for nearly 5 days now searching for stuff comparing the 650 against the LnL.

The features of the LnL and knowing hornady as a really great bullet maker, made me want one.

You have also had at least two threads running for the last 5 days worth of opinions too.

You want the LNL to be as good as the 650 and cost less, I understand.

Just buy one and see if it does what you want it to, like a lot of us have done. If it does, great, end of problem. If it doesn't at least you will have an informed opinion of both and can add your name to the "had one and sold it" list.

As I said in your other thread LNL's don't retain their value as well as Dillon presses (that in itself should tell you something) and you couldn't trade a LNL for a 550, much less a 650.

[moonman16]

JayJay1,

There you have it jmorris has spoken. He makes nice stuff too!

You either really want the DILLON or are some kind

of a possible internet TROLL (look at your avatar)!

[jayjay1]

Not trolling around, am to old for this s....

To get a Dillon 650 in only one caliber with a case feeder, I have to invest much more over here, than you have, it´s roundabout 1.000 Euros, what is 1.300 Dollars.

That´s a lot of money for me and so I want to get a good base to make my decision - hopefully - only once.

jmorris is on another forum, where I asked nearly the same question, just to get as much info as possible with that.

I hope this is ok, didn´t want to bother anyone because of that.

But well, what I´ve found out on the Internet and a handfull of other forums I´ve searched, shows a pretty clear picture to me now, which shimmers blue.

Thank you guys for your patience and support.

Best wishes to ya,

Jay

Edited September 8, 2014 by jayjay1

[Brassaholic13]

When you buy your Dillon, since you're overseas... Get a few of these springs for spare parts:

13936 Casefeed Arm Return Spring

13937 Case Insert Slide Spring

13791 Indexer Return Spring

13965 Indexing Arm Spring

And then this part

13677 Ring Indexer

Those are the only things that have ever broken on my 650, and I'm in the neighborhood of depriming/resizing near 500k rounds on my 650 now. Granted, as Mr. Morris will probably point out, I'm running an auto-drive, but none the less, those parts will eventually wear out and break. Without them, your press is down.

[jayjay1]

Thanks for that tipps!

That will hopefully safe me of some weeks waiting.

[bessy]

JayJay,

Figured I would chime in..

I own an LNL have turned out many tens of thousands of rounds on it. I have struggled with my case feed for a while, but finally got working as it should.

You can make them run right, but it wasn't easy for me. and I still occasionally have an issue with 45/9mm not dropping from the feed wheel and causing the wheel to hang up until I pop them free... but from what I understand this happens with the dillion system as well.

I could detail everything I did, to make it run correctly. Problems can stem from a number of different places. From improperly manufactured shell plates (which is no longer an issue), to parts needing polishing. Ultimately I think the the LNL is a BETTER and SIMPLER press than the 650... but it falls short in it's implementation. Where as the 650 while a more complicated design, is implemented EXCELLENTLY.

I know every press is different and every press has issues... if I wasn't so vested in the LNL, I would be considering swapping to a 650 of 1050.

As it sits now... I'm happy with how LNL works, and it meets and exceeds my needs. I just wish it would have SHIPPED that way.

Many of the problems I have troubleshooted in the LNL stemmed from very simple issues. For instance... the push rod that runs the actuator on the case feeder was rough... and not polished. I struggled with this for weeks. I couldn't figure out why the arm that attaches to the lower end of the tube was bending up ward after extended use... I had polished all the bearing surfaces.. Finally I pulled apart the push rod and noticed the machine marks and roughness... any side load on that at all and it would bind. I chucked it in a drill and polished it up... bam everything ran like a champ. So my questions is why didn't it shipped polished?

Hornady has been very good to me and replaced and furnished me with new parts. I can't fault their customer service, but I do sometimes I do get parts that are quite frankly...just no good... or need finishing work.

I vote for the 650...

[jayjay1]

Thanks man for your honesty!

I highly appreciate that, and, after all what I found out, I think the 650 is the smaller problem, so....

Under blind men, the one-eyed is king.

(German saying)