by JFettig on Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:42 am
I picked up the LNL yesterday and loaded about 100 rounds of 9mm. I used LEE dies with the factory crimp die. Its taking a little getting use to remembering to prime and insert cases and bullets etc.
Right now I'm using the standard metering insert, I have the pistol insert ordered. I have had a couple issues with powder drop, so far its been dropping +/- .2gr at a 7gr drop(blue dot). I've had it not drop powder a few times, I think it might be that I've been too gentle with the press and the powder doesn't settle into the insert. Other than that, the powder has been dropping reliably +/- .2gr, most of the time .1gr.
I didn't run graphite through it like some people recommended thats possibly it.
The shell plate for 9mm had burrs on 2 of the stations that I had to take a dremel and stone to, I tried filing it away but the shell plates are very hard material.
The ejector doesn't work with the FCD and doesn't really work with 9mm anyway. Its kind of strange that it works with .223(I ran a couple cases past it to try it) I ordered another ejector to modify. I figured out how to make it work and potentially keep it from getting in the way of the FCD.
Theres no real good way to see that you have a primer in the priming system without having a wood dowel and make a flag. I loaded up 2 rounds without primers... luckily these flakes are bigger than the flash hole and only a small amount of powder spilled.
I picked up a hornady scale at first, what a horrible scale! Its supose to be "magnetic" so that you get quick readings, the dang thing wouldn't keep bouncing! I had it set at 6.8gr, dropped my powder in the pan then it said it was too high, so I upped it to 6.9 and it was about right, but it kept moving so I upped it to 7.0 and it was too high again, all the way up to 7.3gr. I returned that and got the RCBS 750 electronic scale. Its nice, I'll prime a case, tare it then drop the powder and I don't need to dump it to check it. I dropped a lot of powder before I was confident to load a few rounds.
Most of the rounds I loaded up I did one at a time, just ran the 1 case through the 5 dies. I bought a powder check die to watch for this problem I'm having, I also bought a expander for the powder drop so I can actually check the powder drop with the spot it will open up.
I can't believe how much I ended up spending on this setup. I calculated it out, if prices stay the same and I order the 7.5 cent bullets it'll take me 10,000 rounds to pay it off. Luckily I load a lot of .223 55gr v-max rounds for varmint hunting, it'll only take 2-3000 to pay it off that way.
I'll probably start a new thread with pics in a week or so.
Jon