Want to go single stage

[rugersol]

Otherwise, Lee recently came out with a "Breech Lock" Challenger that's more or less the same thing ... albeit, the bushings wouldn't be compatible with your LNL-AP.

Oh ya ... if it was $52 for the Breech Lock Challenger, vs. $132 for the Hornady, I couldn't really see payin' the extra cash. ... unless I already owned a LNL-AP.

Again, when you're talking only $30 difference ... if it was me, I'd "upgrade".

[gearguy10]

Also, I wasn't aware gearguy had a .50 ... then, by all means, of course!

I don't have a fiddy. Probably never will. Who knows?

But, if gearguy can't deal with .30-06 on the LNL-AP, I fail to see how the Lyman'd make him feel any more "at ease".

Oh, I can handle it. I just thought it would be nice to have a single on the side for small batches. I don't know. Maybe I'll stick with what I have. I would probably lean toward the Hornady just because of the LNL bushings and being able to switch back and forth, but I wanted to get some input from the experts. See if I was missing something.

[gearguy10]

how'd ya come to use IMR 4064?

Maybe I should have asked here first for recommendations for .30-06 powders, but when I decided to load some I looked through my Hornady, Speer, and other literature at powders for .30-06 and .30-30 (my other thread) and the IMR 4046 seemed to come up more often than others. I tried to get some Win748 or 760 and couldn't find any near me. I figured I'd give the 4064 a shot and pick up some other powders as I go. Varget was also on my list, but ...

[rugersol]

I just thought it would be nice to have a single on the side for small batches.

I do most of my "small batches" on my LNL-AP.

Maybe give that a try ... at least 'til it otherwise proves to be a problem?

[JJ]

I just thought it would be nice to have a single on the side for small batches.

I do most of my "small batches" on my LNL-AP.

Maybe give that a try ... at least 'til it otherwise proves to be a problem?

Didn't he already mention he had a problem loading his small batches

[Bessy]

Also, I wasn't aware gearguy had a .50 ... then, by all means, of course!

I don't have a fiddy. Probably never will. Who knows?

But, if gearguy can't deal with .30-06 on the LNL-AP, I fail to see how the Lyman'd make him feel any more "at ease".

Oh, I can handle it. I just thought it would be nice to have a single on the side for small batches. I don't know. Maybe I'll stick with what I have. I would probably lean toward the Hornady just because of the LNL bushings and being able to switch back and forth, but I wanted to get some input from the experts. See if I was missing something.

Like I said before any of the bigger presses can take the conversion bushings don't go hornady just because it has the lnl bushing built in. My point wasn't that you had a fifty, but rather since the classic cast is capable of handling that, it makes resizing a breeze for something like 30-06, although the throw is longer so keep that in mind. I've used the following single stages.

1. RCBS rock chucker ( newer manufacturer).
2. Hornady's new single stage.
3. Redding's offering.
4. An old blue pacific c style press
5. A bonanza
6. The lee classic cast.

I like the classic cast the best out off all those that I have tried. I strongly suggest you go out and look at some presses, play around with them, but your hands on the. If possible reload some rounds with them (or at least resize something). This will tell more than any internet keyboard jockey can.

I also prefer to use a single stage press for working up rifle loads, I'm not going to get into a debate with "other" people here about what is best, but I certainly understand where you are coming from. Remember gearguy, just because someone on the forum is the most vocal, doesn't mean they have the most experience or know what they are talking about (myself included). Ask around, talk to some of the guys who shoot bench cmp or bench rest, ragged comes to mind. They will tell you something totally different than someone who primarily loads bulk pistol, with some rifle sprinkled in for fun.

[Jackpine Savage]

Like I said before any of the bigger presses can take the conversion bushings don't go hornady just because it has the lnl bushing built in. My point wasn't that you had a fifty, but rather since the classic cast is capable of handling that, it makes resizing a breeze for something like 30-06, although the throw is longer so keep that in mind. I've used the following single stages.

If you install the conversion bushings on different brand press and set up your dies there, can you move them to the L-N-L AP without having to readjust them? I thought I remember reading something about having to come up with custom thickness washers to make that work.

[Bessy]

Like I said before any of the bigger presses can take the conversion bushings don't go hornady just because it has the lnl bushing built in. My point wasn't that you had a fifty, but rather since the classic cast is capable of handling that, it makes resizing a breeze for something like 30-06, although the throw is longer so keep that in mind. I've used the following single stages.

If you install the conversion bushings on different brand press and set up your dies there, can you move them to the L-N-L AP without having to readjust them? I thought I remember reading something about having to come up with custom thickness washers to make that work.

that's going to be true of ANY press. Even the lnl single stage will need a custom bushing to make it the same length of the LNL AP.

[bluelens]

I've been around reloaders for more than 40 years. 99.9% of them that have a progressive press also have a single stage press and still use the single stage press for certain loads. Changing calibers on a single stage press is much easier and faster than on a progressive. Buy the single stage once, and you will have it for your lifetime.

[rugersol]

talk to some of the guys who shoot bench cmp or bench rest, ragged comes to mind.

Yes ... yes, he does.

If you're looking for the ultimate in accuracy you might as well stick with a single stage press.

I would have to argue with that, at least when talking about the Hornady LNL. I have no less than $700 invested in measuring device’s needed for reloading, concentricity gage (Sinclair), case neck thickness micrometers (no china crap), high end 5 place micrometers, OAL measuring set ups that go off the ogive (tips are worthless for measuring OAL). I also have a VERY nice Harrell’s Precision single stage bench rest press. Harrell’s presses are known to be some of the straightest out there, read any precision reloading book and you will likely see them in there, hell even the Precision book put out by Sinclair uses a Harrell’s and Sinclair makes their own bench rest press! I have never once measured any irregularities in the ammo coming off the Hornady LNL, all my OAL's are perfect, no more than .0005" variance. Even with the LNL bushings the rounds come out straight as can be, as good as my other single stages, you just can’t do much better than .0005" runout. Hornady's shell plates are much nicer than the Dillon’s, and the floor plate must be ground flat as can be. My friend picked up a brand new Dillon 650 and was getting .007 spreads on his over all lengths, turns out the floor plate was not flat at all, all sorts of warped. He got a new one from them but it still varies by .003-004", apparently that is as good as they can do, kinda piss poor for a company with "Precision" in their name but to each his own. So I guess my point is I wouldn’t assume your giving up anything when using a progressive over a single stage, at least with some models. I personally think I would wither and die without my Hornady LNL.

You guys sure are hot on this guy to get a new single-stage ... you win a prize or something, if he does?

For those that can't seem to "keep up", he had one little issue, that about 10 seconds of video cleared up. What's the big deal?

[Jackpine Savage]

That's going to be true of ANY press. Even the lnl single stage will need a custom bushing to make it the same length of the LNL AP.

Ok, from watching the video I earlier in the thread I thought the LNL single stage and AP were compatible. Hornady missed the boat there.

Here's a video on calibrating the presses and coming up with a custom bushing. Sure would be nice to have a lathe (and the knowledge to use it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXaB_I4nrhY

[Bessy]

That's going to be true of ANY press. Even the lnl single stage will need a custom bushing to make it the same length of the LNL AP.

Ok, from watching the video I earlier in the thread I thought the LNL single stage and AP were compatible. Hornady missed the boat there.

Here's a video on calibrating the presses and coming up with a custom bushing. Sure would be nice to have a lathe (and the knowledge to use it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXaB_I4nrhY

You can figure out the difference by measuring your delta, and have someone make you a spacer for that delta. It should be pretty straight forward.

[RAGGED]

That's going to be true of ANY press. Even the lnl single stage will need a custom bushing to make it the same length of the LNL AP.

Ok, from watching the video I earlier in the thread I thought the LNL single stage and AP were compatible. Hornady missed the boat there.

Here's a video on calibrating the presses and coming up with a custom bushing. Sure would be nice to have a lathe (and the knowledge to use it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXaB_I4nrhY

Mine was about .127" shorter on the Single vs AP. That tolerance that would have to be right on to be worth anything, not +/- .002, they probably weighed the cost of holding that tolerance to less than .001" and decided the customers wouldn't pay for the extra. What they should have done was try and get it close like +/- .005" then furnish some shims with the presses.

If anyone has this issue let me know and I can make a bushing, it's not a big deal, I already have a chunk of stuck at the right size, it's just a matter of cutting a ring of it off. The best way to do it is make the spacer about .005" longer than you measured, then seat a dummy round in the AP, measure with a good cullet comparator set up, then seat a dummy round with the single stage, measure, repeat, once you are sure mill the final amount off the bushing and call it good. This is an issue with almost all presses, holding tolerances costs money, you could take 2 RCBS presses from the same shipment and I guarantee you the dies won't set up the same with .001" and any variance greater than that would make interchangeability worthless. My guess is Hornady made the difference .125" just so people wouldn't assume they are the same.

[Jackpine Savage]

Good info guys, thanks. I don't reload right now but it is on top of this winter's project list. I have a rock chucker in a box so that is what I'll start with. From my reading so far I'm leaning toward the LNL not too far down the road.

[Stradawhovious]

Get something heavy, cast, and with a standard threading. It will work fine. (rockchucker comes to mind)

Most of the time, when I need to, I just use my progressive as a single stage.