Brief review of new Lock-N-Load AP

[parkgt]

Due to the favorable comment here and elswhere I just bought a New Lock-N-Load for reloading 9mm for USPSA. Thanks to previous posters for giving their insights.

I bought the Hornady 9mm dies, RCBS Lockout Die and a Hornady Taper Crimp. I don't use the expander, bought the pistol rotor and micrometer stem for the powder measure and the micrometer seating stem for the Hornady seating die.

I polished the shell plate up with the dremel and have no problems with erratic case ejection. Took me about 4 hours to set it up on a new bench I made for it and another couple of hours adjusting before I was really making ammo. Coming from thirty plus years of reloading on a single stage RCBS there was a little learning curve to my first experience with a progressive.

I can't say it is a good as or better than the Dillions. I can say that I am very pleased with the quality and operation of this machine and more than satisfied with the rounds being produced.

I am not easy to please; I have a tool and die background and thirty years of reloading rifle loads for sub 1/2" groups. I know good equipment and precision reloading.

I am very pleased with how this machine works and will not later regret that I didn't get a Dillion.

Edited October 23, 2008 by parkgt

[lugnut]

Yep- it's a great machine. Setting it up for the 9mm with the powder thru expander is tricky- but this allows the powder check with separate seating and crimp dies.

[SLM]

Welcome to the Forums.

I too really like my L-N-L AP. 400 rounds an hour is a breeze including the time to fill primer tubes, no feeders (case or bullet). Enjoy!

[parkgt]

Yep- it's a great machine. Setting it up for the 9mm with the powder thru expander is tricky- but this allows the powder check with separate seating and crimp dies.

Lugnut,

I am not using a power thru expander, not using an expander at all. What is the benifit? Am I missing something?

[lugnut]

Yep- it's a great machine. Setting it up for the 9mm with the powder thru expander is tricky- but this allows the powder check with separate seating and crimp dies.

Lugnut,

I am not using a power thru expander, not using an expander at all. What is the benifit? Am I missing something?

You don't use ANY expander? If you don't- how do you keep the bullets from toppling over?? Using an expander puts a slight bell on the case that allows you to place the bullet a tad more securely. It also provides a smoother path for the bullet to enter the case so you don't shave anything off (more of an issue with lead bullets). Also for 9mm you only use a taper crimp- the crimp is only to remove the flare/belling. If you don't use an expander.. what does the crimp die do?

One other thing. When I was reloading for .223 you didn't bell. But the bullets were tapered at the bottom (boat tail) so inserting them was very easy- taper crimp was all you needed. This is not the case for the 9mm bullets that I've used.

Edited October 23, 2008 by lugnut

[SLM]

I quit expanding when loading 9mm JHP/CMJ's quite a while ago. I keep the bullet from falling over with my fingers. Just hold it up until the nose starts into the seating die. I like using either the Hornady competition seater or Redding competition seater. I have both and prefer the Reddings just slightly. Nothing to it. I load Montana Gold bullets, btw.

If you don't use an expander.. what does the crimp die do?

If you use the Lee/EGW undersized sizing die... not much

When I load lead or moly for Production... Then I expand and the crimp die doesn't feel left out.

[parkgt]

Since I am new to pistol reloading I am a little unsure of some of the finer points. I have read that others loading for 9mm (not lead) do not expand.

I also have no problem getting the bullet started with the Hornady competition micrometer seating die. I have noticed some very minor shaving of copper off the Zero 125 gr JHP. It seams like I need to slightly crimp the case to get the diameter back to factory specs.

If this seems to be the wrong approach please share your thoughts?

[fayetteflash]

Anyone else had any issues with the .355 Powder Expander on the LNL? I had 3 rounds out of 100 that didn't get any powder. I diagnosed the problem today and found that it was from adding the Expander into the powder die. I'm using the new Hornady Zip Spindle Die set. It seems that the cases that didn't get powder weren't raising the powder drop all the way up. I swapped out the Expander for the standard insert for pistols and it ran perfectly.

[lugnut]

Anyone else had any issues with the .355 Powder Expander on the LNL? I had 3 rounds out of 100 that didn't get any powder. I diagnosed the problem today and found that it was from adding the Expander into the powder die. I'm using the new Hornady Zip Spindle Die set. It seems that the cases that didn't get powder weren't raising the powder drop all the way up. I swapped out the Expander for the standard insert for pistols and it ran perfectly.

I can see on occasion not getting a good enough bell with the PTEs since some of the cases may be slightly different in length- but I can't see why you didn't get any powder! Something doesn't sound right at all. You need the rotor to hit at the top ALL the time. It should get a full range of motion or darn close to it... but it has to hit the top. If it's not hitting the top- there is no way the PTE is going into the case as much as it should. The nipple should go ALL THE WAY into the case... it bells only at the shoulder of the PTE. Good luck.

[nxfedlt1]

Anyone else had any issues with the .355 Powder Expander on the LNL? I had 3 rounds out of 100 that didn't get any powder. I diagnosed the problem today and found that it was from adding the Expander into the powder die. I'm using the new Hornady Zip Spindle Die set. It seems that the cases that didn't get powder weren't raising the powder drop all the way up. I swapped out the Expander for the standard insert for pistols and it ran perfectly.

I can see on occasion not getting a good enough bell with the PTEs since some of the cases may be slightly different in length- but I can't see why you didn't get any powder! Something doesn't sound right at all. You need the rotor to hit at the top ALL the time. It should get a full range of motion or darn close to it... but it has to hit the top. If it's not hitting the top- there is no way the PTE is going into the case as much as it should. The nipple should go ALL THE WAY into the case... it bells only at the shoulder of the PTE. Good luck.

I had the same issue at first. You need to lower the whole set up so that the PTX runs deeper into the case. As it stands now, it sounds like the PTX is only making contact and not fully seated into the case before it triggers the powder throw.

[Jeff686]

Parkgt,

You might find reloading a lot easier and smoother if you use the expander. A little bell in the case mouth lets you place the bullet into the case anytime, before or after the shell plate has rotated, and you can.... wait for it..... let go of the bullet.

And, truth be told, you'd probably get better accuracy, since the crimp die would then have something to work with, and the crimp would be more consistent, rather than just letting the bullet dictate the final OD of the (non)crimp.

Oh, and I love my LNL-AP too! I think the quick change LNL bushings are great, and make changing calibers quick and inexpensive. I've had great success with the case feeder, and the priming system works well. Just keep that primer slider dry and clean. I blast it with compressed air every once in a while.

Everyone,

Hornady is working on a nice little powder stop slider dohicky. It allows for quicker and easier adjustment of the powder-through expander and powder drop. Instead of the powder measure hitting the stops at the top of the stroke, then passing those forces to the expander to add some belling, the powder stop dohicky stops the travel of the powder measure just before hitting the top of the rotor travel, but keeps the forces needed to bell the brass away from the flexible levers and rods. The dohicky has a adjustable bolt so you can find tune the depth of the belling die into the brass. Adjustment is much easier, since you don't have to move those collars around and try to adjust the depth by changing the travel of the rotor. Search my username to find some pics and video of it working...

Edited May 13, 2009 by Jeff686

[bubbadoc]

If you are not getting any powder in the case, two possibilities... a short case, or you set it up on a longer than normal case.

I hade the same problem when I started loading 9's on mine. I generally use my own pick up brass, but invariably some other brass gets in there when I pick up at the range. I had several that did not get powder. I noticed that on occasion the powder drop didn't go up all of the way. I had used a couple of cases that needed trimming (I guess) in setting up the powder drop. THe lengths were not that different, so... I kept an eye on the powder drop and at the bottom of the stroke manually lifted the powder drop the rest of the way to drop its load when it did not do it on its own.

I am now guaging all my 9 mm brass and rejecting some as needed...

[ben b.]

I suggest reducing the number of threads visible on the shank that extends down from the measure. Count the number of threads between the clamop and the powder measure body, Hornady suggests 7 (to me, on the phone, to diff't discussions). Then loosen the clamp, and move the shaft DOWN, so that there are about 2 less threads between the measure and the clamp. Tighten and start it up again. May or may not need to reduce the depth the powder die is set at, probably not.