Hornady Load-N-Lock

[Anvil Dave]

After 35 years with my single stage, time to move up to a progressive press. I like the Hornady Load-N-Lock. Does anybody have one? How do you like it?

[Silhouette Shooter]

I just bought the new Lee cast iron press , converted to lock-n-load . Spent primers go through the ram  into a vinyl tube , NOT ON THE FLOOR.

Lock-n-load is GREAT , but you cant beat the DILLON!   

[fourfingersofdeath]

I have had a Hornady ProJector, which was the first of the Hornady progressives (at least on the current frame shape, I don't know about earlier versions, if any), it was a pig and I never had any real success with it. I then went to a Dillon 550, which was ok, had a few hiccups with the primer feed but fixed ok. Sold it to a friend when I needed to feed children. Went without for a long while and picked up a Lee1000 in a deal, didn't want it, but started using it, now have three. They are OK, but. You have to pay attention, moreso than the classier presses. I am about to retire and am going to set up with new gear. I was going to go blue, but after studying the market carefully, I realise that if I was going to cover all of my reloading I'd need a lot of toolheads, which is ok, but I'd also need a lot of powder measures, which is not ok, I know you can swap them, but I did that once not going there again. The Dillon powder measure does not lend itself to easy adjustment, it is really designed to set and leave in the toolhead. The beauty of the Hornady, I feel is that you can just buy different inserts and drop them out at the touch of a button. Brilliant. It is still not a cheap system to set up, but the reality of having one powder measure (maybe two if you are doing rifle and pistol and just unclicking stuff and swapping inserts, etc around is good, the Dillon is better in a way, the whole toolhead can be removedf in seconds, but to say load 38 target wadcutters and to swap to 38SWC service match loads, I press the button on the powder measure remove the insert and replace with the other insert, click out the wadcutter seating die and click in the SWC seating die. A bit slower than swapping over the Dillon, but the change cost me aboout $20-30, not a hundred or more.

Load one or two? The dillon isprobably the go, load 3x 38 loads (target, service and cowboy rifle), 9mm, 38 Super, 38S&W, 44Special, 44Magx3 (cowboy, silouette and rifle hunting loads), 44/40, 45Coltx2 (hunting and cowboy), 45ACP, 30/30, 2x rifles, hunting and cowboy, 32.20 (it will be 2xrifles shortly), 222Rim, 223, 22/250, 220Swift, 308x4 rifles, 3006x 3 rfles, 444 Marlin, 45/70, I am about to load the 8mm Lebel as well, but I think that will be done separately, the Hornady Lock and load is obviouly the better choice. Now, I'm sure I missed a few guns there. Oh hang on wahat about the Black Power loads? Hang on, what about the poor ol 303, the Russian 7.62x54 and the French MAS loads? I'm going to dazzle myself with science here I can see. Mick.

MIck.

[Silhouette Shooter]

P.S.
THE LEE I BOUGHT IS A SINGLE STAGE PRESS. THE NEW LEE CAST IRON TURRET WILL NOT CONVERT TO THE LOCK-N-LOAD.