Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Users

[Allen Humphrey]

Curious how many people routinely use the Hornady Progressive. I load exclusively rifle ammo for Across The Course shooting, so a lot of 223 and 308. While I'm very happy with it now, I did have to overcome a few issues to make it as reliable as I wanted.

The biggest problem was the powder drop insert for 223. The early design was an inverted cone that centered the mouth. That taper angle would crimp the mouth of the case when a powder kernel would jam the rotation a little bit, especially with annealed cases. Problem was solved by a counterbored surface. I think Hornady is making the new ones like that.

The second big issue is the primer slide transfer shuttle. A single grain of spilled stick powder would prevent it from fully seating in position. The primer ram would then damage the slide if you didn't detect it quick enough. Managed to solve that with a new design that has a relief cut. Seems like most progressive presses require some amount of aptitude to keep in top running order.

 

[spaniel]

I haven't had a problem with the powder drop. Yes, the primer shuttle can be a bit temperamental. I size off the progressive as a) I may need to trim anyways, and b) it introduces a whole bunch of shaking and popping into the process.

 

[DiRTY DOG]

Mine works better now that I've sworn off priming on it, even as a seperate solo operation. It just can't reliably prime without seemingly random hickups. Not worth the effort to constantly tinker with it.

 

[charlie b]

The Lee Loadmaster had quite a few quirks. One was priming. It was set up to prime on the upstroke. If you were doing an "all in one" operation that meant sizing, priming, neck expand, powder drop, seating and crimping all at the same time. No feel at all to it and a LOT of force required on some cases.

I ended up doing two things. I modified the press to prime at the bottom of the stroke. A separate operation that I could feel the primer seat. I also split the operations. Decap, size, prime, expand the neck (when necessary) in one session. Next setup would be a powder charge, bullet seat, crimp (when necessary). That way I had a good feel for the bullet seating as well.

IMHO all of the 'automatic' primer feeds have their problems. For volume loading I just accepted that I would get some cases with the primer flipped, especially in small primers.

 

[ronsatspokane]

I only use mine for pistol and bulk 223. I never use drop powder measures for anything that requires precision. But yeah, you have to stay on top of them. Checking that the shell plate is tight frequently, insuring that the primer feed is clean regularly, insuring that the rotation cams are tuned and you need to check your loads as they initially come out to insure that the setup is what you think it is. Particularly when it comes to shoulder bump on rifle brass.

 

[Pirate69]

"Managed to solve that with a new design that has a relief cut."

Allen,
Is this something that is available for sale? That issue is my biggest problem with the Press.

 

[praveen]

I use it frequently for handgun cartridges. Takes a while to change between cartridges so its better if you are loading in bulk for one cartridge/caliber.
All my rifle sizing operations are on the LNL. That is smooth and fast.
For rifles, depriming, priming, powder charging and bullet seating are done on other presses.

 

[divingin]

Curious how many people routinely use the Hornady Progressive. I load exclusively rifle ammo for Across The Course shooting, so a lot of 223 and 308. While I'm very happy with it now, I did have to overcome a few issues to make it as reliable as I wanted.

The biggest problem was the powder drop insert for 223. The early design was an inverted cone that centered the mouth. That taper angle would crimp the mouth of the case when a powder kernel would jam the rotation a little bit, especially with annealed cases. Problem was solved by a counterbored surface. I think Hornady is making the new ones like that.

The second big issue is the primer slide transfer shuttle. A single grain of spilled stick powder would prevent it from fully seating in position. The primer ram would then damage the slide if you didn't detect it quick enough. Managed to solve that with a new design that has a relief cut. View attachment 1689372Seems like most progressive presses require some amount of aptitude to keep in top running order.

They've gone with plastic for the shuttle? Mine is cast aluminum.

I did have the top plastic piece break that holds the shuttle actuating rod (that bent metal wire that pulls the shuttle back) - I screwed a piece of aluminum bar stock on top while Hornady sent me a replacement - the repair is still holding after I don't know how many years, and the replacement part is in a drawer somewhere.

How do you get powder in the primer area? (Note: I don't use the AP for rifle ammo.) I occasionally slosh some powder out when a primer sticks to the decapping pin and reseats itself, but it doesn't make it as far as the primer channel. That's flake powder though, so maybe different.

 

[Allen Humphrey]

They've gone with plastic for the shuttle? Mine is cast aluminum.

I did have the top plastic piece break that holds the shuttle actuating rod (that bent metal wire that pulls the shuttle back) - I screwed a piece of aluminum bar stock on top while Hornady sent me a replacement - the repair is still holding after I don't know how many years, and the replacement part is in a drawer somewhere.

How do you get powder in the primer area? (Note: I don't use the AP for rifle ammo.) I occasionally slosh some powder out when a primer sticks to the decapping pin and reseats itself, but it doesn't make it as far as the primer channel. That's flake powder though, so maybe different.

The powder usually shows up in 223 loads with Varget that fill most of the case. The index motion can knock a few kernels out if I get a little too zealous on the pull. The plastic transfer bar in the picture above is my design with a relief cut. The factory replacement metal ones are pretty pricey.

I broke the cam wire bracket too, which I fixed in a similar manner as you. I ultimately replaced it with the new version from Hornady.

 

[divingin]

The powder usually shows up in 223 loads with Varget that fill most of the case. The index motion can knock a few kernels out if I get a little too zealous on the pull. The plastic transfer bar in the picture above is my design with a relief cut. The factory replacement metal ones are pretty pricey.

I broke the cam wire bracket too, which I fixed in a similar manner as you. I ultimately replaced it with the new version from Hornady.

Someone on this site had a procedure that mitigates the snapping of the plate into the index detents:

Remove the shellplate and invert it on your bench.

With a hammer and a small punch or hollow tool (like a tiny nut driver), tap the ball bearing carriers slightly deeper into the shellplate.

Reassemble and test. You can drive them back from the top if you go too far.

With 9mm (where I had a lot of powder being thrown out on indexing), it completely cured that problem. Now I just need to get a spring-loaded decapping pin that fits Hornady dies so I don't get reseated primers (which also tosses powder as it binds the plate up then suddenly releases.)

 

[Allen Humphrey]

"Managed to solve that with a new design that has a relief cut."

Allen,
Is this something that is available for sale? That issue is my biggest problem with the Press.

It is. PM sent

 

[JaoeyP]

I have 2 APs. One I bought early 2022, the other was probably 10 years old when a friend gave it to me. He had issues getting it to prime reliably.

My 2022 models runs great. I mostly load on it but will case prep 223, 6arc, and anything else I didn't spend $1.25/piece of brass. I was case prepping my GT on it but headspace would vary too much- I would randomly get cases that the shoulder got bumped .008-.011". I tried a few things to fix but still couldn't get it nailed down. I plan to call Hornady one day and pick their brain just haven't do so yet. I did replace the LNL bushing at the sizer die station. Found it was damaged but the random oversizing persisted. I've loaded thousands of rounds of 223, 20P, 6mm Arc, and 6GT on this press. I use a powder funnel die for anything I want to be especially precise, and the dropper for everything else (although I'm always surprised how precise of ammo can be made with a powder dropper).

The other AP I have did have issues priming. I replaced some of the primer parts as it was a generation behind my 2022 press and haven't had any issues with it since. I primarily keep this press as a backup or so I don't have to change out the case feeder attachments going from 6gt to the other cartridges.