Hornady Lock N Load AP issue

S

Snowolfleader

Inactive
I purchased a new hornady lnl ap and while setting it up i noticed that it would not always make a full movement when I pulled the handle. This in turn is messing up my shells and dies.

What i mean by not a full movement:

The shell plate moves at about a half turn. Instead of moving to the next stage it will only move part of the way there and I have to manually push the shell plate into the next position. Other times it will look as tho it has moved into position only to find out that its just far enough off to crunch my shell.

Heres what i have done so far to track down the issue:

1. Backed my dies up and slowly brought them down.
2. Taken same dies to my old single stage press to see if the issue persisted
3. Pulled the handle at different speeds
4. Watched a few videos on the proper use of the press.

I hope this gives the info needed. If more is needed then I will gladly provide any info needed.
 
One or both of the pawls need adjustment. If you Google "lnl ap pawl adjustment" you'll find plenty of discussions and instructions.
 
My older ProJector does the same thing sometimes... As a matter of habit I just bump the shellplate with my finger now... but FlyFish has the correct answer. Much of it has to do with shellplate tension... do you have the shellplate nut torqued down too much?
 
I suggest checking the indexing by cycling the handle about half way down and back repeatedly with no primers, cases, dies, or powder measure in place. When doing so the shellplate should index smoothly and easily to each index point. If the indexing is good in this test, the paw adjustments are probably fine. If the indexing is not smooth, the shellplate might be bad.

Next repeat the same test with empty brass. The shellplate should still index smoothly and easily to each index point. If not, the shellplate may be damaged, or (perhaps more likely) some of the brass cases are damaged.

Another thing that will cause the indexing to bind or be sluggish is primers that have not been fully seated into the cases. This is perhaps intended since you don't want ammo with high primers getting into your gun.

If none of the above prove to be an issue, the recommendation by FlyFish said is probably the next step.
 
1. Where are you at? I have helped many folks around this nation that can help. If you live within 100 miles of Omaha Ne. I can have you up and running tonight.

2. You say it is a new press. Is it a used press that is new to you, or is it brand new? This makes a difference. Some folk will get a press and just tweak the hell out of the pawls, even to the point of breaking them. Then they just sell the press.

3. Are you having problems of it not aligning up to the dies or aligning up to the primer or both? If its both the shell plate could be the problem. if its just the dies or the primer it could just be a pawl adjustment.

4. Now, remember the left pawl is for the primer adjustment and the right pawl is for die adjustment.
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5. when you are adjusting the pawls it is important to remember that if you need the shell plate to be advanced clockwise you need to turn the pawl adjustment counter clockwise and vise versa.

6. If you are still having problems PM me and I will give you my phone number and will talk you through it.
 
Another really important point in adjusting pawls. Think small, really small. 1/64 of a turn may solve your problems. If you start cranking 1/4 or 1/2 turn, it compounds the alignment issue.
 
Waldog said:
Another really important point in adjusting pawls. Think small, really small. 1/64 of a turn may solve your problems. If you start cranking 1/4 or 1/2 turn, it compounds the alignment issue.
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Well said Waldog. I have written paragraph upon paragraph trying to say the exact same thing. Your wife must love you. Now everyone read and reread what he just wrote until it is totally sunk in.

The only thing I want to add to what he just said is to do one pawl at a time.
 
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