Had the 650 for about 15 yrs or so ...and I've always primed on the press...never been a problem with Small pistol or Large Pistol primers ( and I load and shoot about 30,000 rds a year ...80% of which are 9mm / probably 8% .45 acp ....and about 10% in .357 Mag...( and only a few in .40 S&W, .44 Mag or .38 spl ....) ......
Dillon 650 and Hornady LNL Ap primer system ?
- Thread starter rebs
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drain smith
New member
I have 4 Ammo-plants, all 4 work perfectly. The first one I bought was new. After about two months I learned how to time it perfectly, and even made a kit to do this in about 3 min. here is the kit I made.
Now the first used press I bought was from a "GOOBER" that did nothing but bad mouth the Hornady press, stating that it was a piece of crap and in a year he had not been able to make one round of ammo. I finally got pissed and offered him $150.00 for the press and $100.00 for his case feeder, and told him that I was not interested in his Mr. Bullet feeder. He accepted my offer.
I C-clamped it to the bench and in 10 min I made my first round.The pawl for the dies was 370° off and the pawl for the primer was sheared off, and I had to replace it. Now this is when Hornady came out with the .22 and 30 cal bullet feeder. So my order to Inline and Mid way cost a lot more than the press.
Now my second used press was a little different. I saw a listing in craigs list for a case feeder. When I got there he explaned that the press was under water for 7 day during the flood but the case feeder was above the water line, but it sat for 3 years after the flood. I turned it on and it ran fine and he only wanted $200.00. While we were talking I looked into his trash can and there was the press so I asked him about it. He stated that it was frozen up. I offered him $50.00 for it. It took about a week to get it going again, and that was with the help of a torch and dry ice.
Now for the third used press,It is a complete Ammo-plant. He warned me that the priming system has not worked for at least a year, and now it is having problems with the dies lining up. So I took it apart and cleaned everything and timed it.The first three rounds of 9mm (because that is what he had set up on it) ran smooth but on the fourth the press jammed up. I took the primer drop tube off and found a primer sitting on edge jamming the slide. I took it back a part and polished it. I ran 6 more rounds with no problem and it jammed up once more. I took it apart and found the primer was up side down. BINGO. I grab a large primer and dropped it down the primer tube and it went down with no problem. I then took it apart once more and replaced the large primer drop tube with the small drop tube. I have now made 500 rounds with out a problem.
Now this proves one thing...It may not be the MICKEY MOUSE engineering, it may be GOOFY. GOOFY is that guy that is looking back at you in the mirror.
Now i do have a friend that has a Dillon 650 that had a full primer tube explode. He did not load for 9 months but still to refuses to prime on the press when he found out he was not the only one to have this problem. I have not heard Hornady having this problem.
My experience mirrors drain smith. I have a LNL and have loaded about 75,000 rounds. When it was new, I polished the primer slide and lubed with graphite. I have NOT had problems since. EXCEPT, when I try to seat a primer in S&B or AMERC cases. They are well known to have TIGHT PRIMER POCKETS. I also had to tweak the timing ONE TIME. I have not touched it since. My LNL primer system works perfectly.
I have also loaded on a Dillon 650. If memory serves me, (And, I could be wrong on this) if for some reason the 650 doesn't have a case in the priming station, the unused primer is dropped into a cup. The LNL retains it's unused primer for the next case. AGAIN, I COULD BE WRONG. You would have to ask a Dillon 650 owner for the correct answer.
I have also loaded on a Dillon 650. If memory serves me, (And, I could be wrong on this) if for some reason the 650 doesn't have a case in the priming station, the unused primer is dropped into a cup. The LNL retains it's unused primer for the next case. AGAIN, I COULD BE WRONG. You would have to ask a Dillon 650 owner for the correct answer.
Waldog, you are correct on the primer system of the XL650. Miss a case and the primer moves on to a ramp. Probably my only complaint with the 650, more of an inconvenience more then anything.
Timing. I've owned 550b, 650 and 1050. All have loaded over 50k on each, never a timing issue. In 12 years I have never had to adjust the timing on either of them. Maybe others have had issues but I have not.
One thing that I do and I bet the LnL is the same, is to clean the primer slides after loading about 2k of rounds. The reason for this is when you knock out the old primers the dirt and dust gets under the shell plate and into the primer slide. I do this more as a preventitive measure as the primer slide will stick eventually.
Another thing I'll mention is to make sure the press is secure to the bench. I learned pretty fast with my first 550b that if the press is not secure you'll have priming issues. I kept getting flipped primers when I first set it up. A call to Dillon got me through it.
Never owned a LnL and have nothing against them, I've just been to satisfied with Dillon support so I stay with them.
Of all the Dillon presses my favorite is the 1050, never seen anything like it. I picked up 2 used ones for $800 each. Haven't seen any for that price lately.
Timing. I've owned 550b, 650 and 1050. All have loaded over 50k on each, never a timing issue. In 12 years I have never had to adjust the timing on either of them. Maybe others have had issues but I have not.
One thing that I do and I bet the LnL is the same, is to clean the primer slides after loading about 2k of rounds. The reason for this is when you knock out the old primers the dirt and dust gets under the shell plate and into the primer slide. I do this more as a preventitive measure as the primer slide will stick eventually.
Another thing I'll mention is to make sure the press is secure to the bench. I learned pretty fast with my first 550b that if the press is not secure you'll have priming issues. I kept getting flipped primers when I first set it up. A call to Dillon got me through it.
Never owned a LnL and have nothing against them, I've just been to satisfied with Dillon support so I stay with them.
Of all the Dillon presses my favorite is the 1050, never seen anything like it. I picked up 2 used ones for $800 each. Haven't seen any for that price lately.
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drain smith
New member
joed
After every loading session I take my shell plate off and clean everything down with a rag and alcohol, that includes the shell plate the sub plate and the primer slide. Now I am so bad I clean the allen wrench off after it was used to remove a clean bolt before I put it away.
Now before I start reloading I put everything back together. The first thing I do is graphite the primer slide, then I drop the case retainer spring into the tub of graphite and give it a shake. I then put a drop of 90 weight on each of the detente balls before I reinstall the shell plate. I then pull the case retainer spring out of the tub of graphite and tap it off right in front of the v block and using a make up brush I make sure the case slide is well covered. Then I put the spring on the shell plate and I am ready to go.
After every loading session I take my shell plate off and clean everything down with a rag and alcohol, that includes the shell plate the sub plate and the primer slide. Now I am so bad I clean the allen wrench off after it was used to remove a clean bolt before I put it away.
Now before I start reloading I put everything back together. The first thing I do is graphite the primer slide, then I drop the case retainer spring into the tub of graphite and give it a shake. I then put a drop of 90 weight on each of the detente balls before I reinstall the shell plate. I then pull the case retainer spring out of the tub of graphite and tap it off right in front of the v block and using a make up brush I make sure the case slide is well covered. Then I put the spring on the shell plate and I am ready to go.
Most priming problems are caused by not keeping the slide and related parts clean from the primer dust. That's why you want to clean it every so often, either after every loading session or some number of rounds (I use 2k).
Use graphite, not oil on the slide, as oil will cause misery with the primer dust.
Probably OK, I've never used it. I have a paint brush that I use to get the dirt out, then wipe it down with gun cleaner and apply graphite. When you put the primer slide back in if it doesn't stick you're good.
I like the idea of using a can of air to blow the dirt out as was mentioned but have never tried it.
I like the idea of using a can of air to blow the dirt out as was mentioned but have never tried it.
Carriertxv
New member
Rebs that's what I've been using since getting my LNL a couple of years ago and hasn't missed a beat since.
drain smith
New member
This is an air compressor that is 12 psi.
Notice the air hose between the stools and the foot switch that is used to turn it on.
The dental pick is helpful in cleaning out small pieces. I also went to Walgreens to the makeup section and bought a large assortment of brushes.
I prime everything on my LNL-AP and have never had to time anything or had to adjust the primer depth on it. I have never had a jam up or had to take it apart while I was loading to get it to work.
I've got about 25000 rounds through it and it just keeps on working.
Everything I load on that press gets primed on that press and it works well.
I've got about 25000 rounds through it and it just keeps on working.
Everything I load on that press gets primed on that press and it works well.
schmellba99
New member
For the rounds I load on my LnL, i use the press primer. Had to make a few mods to the system when I first bought it, but have had no issues since then.
I tweaked the timing once, only had to make a hair's worth of adjustment on the pawls. That was about 8 years ago, no issues since then.
I'm interested in understanding how the kit shown above works though, mostly because I like learning new things like this.
I tweaked the timing once, only had to make a hair's worth of adjustment on the pawls. That was about 8 years ago, no issues since then.
I'm interested in understanding how the kit shown above works though, mostly because I like learning new things like this.
drain smith
New member
First of all I am an old geezer, with old geezer eye balls. I wear bifocals and when I look up from below the dies to see if the shell is centered all I see is a blur. So I made a kit that I can look down threw my bifocals.
The first thing you need is a # 16 shell plate and knock the detente ball up to where they barely touch the sub plate. When you do this it keeps the balls from assisting the timing.
Then I took a 380 shell and drilled the primer pocket out one drill size larger than a primer. Then I took a drammel and cut about 1/3 of the side of the brass off so I can see all the way down to the primer pocket.
Next I took a .223 brass and trimmed it down just past the shoulder.
Now the next thing you will need is a seating die and some play-doe. You want the smallest die you can get, mine just happened to be .45.
The last thing you will need, that is not in the photo is a brass rod about 16" long the same size as a small primer. I then put it into my drill press and using a file I removed .005 for about an inch.
Now to start timing your l-n-l. The first thing to do is to make sure that you get a primer to drop into the primer slide every time. To do this loosen the bolt on the L-N-L AP bracket to where the spring pulls it forward. Now drop the brass rod down the primer tube filed side down. Now pull the bracket back until the rod drops into the hole on the slide, slowly pull the bracket until you fell resistance. The primer drop is now perfect.
Now to time the primer place the 380 brass in so you can see the primer hole and slowly push the handle forward. If you see the primer hit the left side of the hole turn the left pawl clockwise, and if it hits the right side of the primer hole turn anticlockwise. Adjust until it comes straight up with out touching the hole. The primer set is now perfect.
Now for the die adjustment, first place the .223 brass in the shell holder. Then take your setting die and fill it full of Play-doe and smooth it off. lock the die in and slowly raise the ram up until it just touches the play-doe. Pull the die out and look at it the depression should be exactly dead center. If not adjust the right pawl until perfect.
The first thing you need is a # 16 shell plate and knock the detente ball up to where they barely touch the sub plate. When you do this it keeps the balls from assisting the timing.
Then I took a 380 shell and drilled the primer pocket out one drill size larger than a primer. Then I took a drammel and cut about 1/3 of the side of the brass off so I can see all the way down to the primer pocket.
Next I took a .223 brass and trimmed it down just past the shoulder.
Now the next thing you will need is a seating die and some play-doe. You want the smallest die you can get, mine just happened to be .45.
The last thing you will need, that is not in the photo is a brass rod about 16" long the same size as a small primer. I then put it into my drill press and using a file I removed .005 for about an inch.
Now to start timing your l-n-l. The first thing to do is to make sure that you get a primer to drop into the primer slide every time. To do this loosen the bolt on the L-N-L AP bracket to where the spring pulls it forward. Now drop the brass rod down the primer tube filed side down. Now pull the bracket back until the rod drops into the hole on the slide, slowly pull the bracket until you fell resistance. The primer drop is now perfect.
Now to time the primer place the 380 brass in so you can see the primer hole and slowly push the handle forward. If you see the primer hit the left side of the hole turn the left pawl clockwise, and if it hits the right side of the primer hole turn anticlockwise. Adjust until it comes straight up with out touching the hole. The primer set is now perfect.
Now for the die adjustment, first place the .223 brass in the shell holder. Then take your setting die and fill it full of Play-doe and smooth it off. lock the die in and slowly raise the ram up until it just touches the play-doe. Pull the die out and look at it the depression should be exactly dead center. If not adjust the right pawl until perfect.