Lock N Load AP Shell Plate .308/.45 question

[igofast]

Hope someone might be able to help me since many of you are using the LNL AP.

I sent this question to Hornady:

I have one of your LNL AP presses. I reload for a number of calibers including .308 and .45. For other companies, the shell plate is the same for both calibers, but I noticed that you have a specific plate for .45(#45) and .308(#1). Could I run .45 on the #1 plate or .308 on the #45 plate? What issues would I have?

And got this back:

If you were to purchase one of the shell plates you would need to buy the one corresponding to the caliber wanted to ensure it will work correctly with our press.

What I didn't include, and why I'm asking here, is that the #45 shellplate has been backordered for longer than a month, but the #1 I can get fairly quickly. I'm not so concerned about loading 308 on a progressive - as I have a single stage for my accuracy loads - but I'm wondering if anyone has experience loading .45 off the #1 plate? Conversely, if I were to decide wait for the #45, I'm curious if anyone tried loading .308 on one?

[FJ540]

I started with the #45 plate and found it didn't catch the .25-06 case very well off the case feeder.

I currently have the #1, which holds the rifle brass loosely.

Sorry for the confusion, it's been two years since I first tried running things through.

[Seismic Sam]

Well, I was about to call BS on 45 ACP and 30-06/308 case heads being different, because they use the same shellholder for single stage and turret presses, but I checked my Hornady #9 manual, and it turns out that 30-06/308 case rims are .473" in diameter, while 45 ACP rims are .480" diameter. So yes, for something where the case is stitting down into a holder rather than going in a slotted shell holder from the side, there is some difference.

[rugersol]

I've always used a #1 fer 45 ... it's a pre-ez-ject... and machined by Hornady fer to work with my new ez-ject sub-plates!... still, case-feeder not withstanding, I bet it's ok! ...used to never be a #45 Hornady shellplate!

[igofast]

Thanks all. I poked around the interwebz and it seems they come to the same conclusion: 45 works pretty well in a #1 plate, but not as smoothly as it would in a #45. So far no info on the other way around(308 in a #45). Guess I'll keep waiting.

[FJ540]

See updated post - my memory was backwards on my compatability issue.

[minnhawk]

#1 works fine for .45acp -- loaded over 500 rounds during Christmas. The steel spring keeps them pulled in tight against the plate.

[DanM]

I bought a new Lock n Load AP from John Boy at Gun Stop for Christmas to load .45 ACP and I'm still waiting for the #45 shellplate. Lots of things are on back order lately.

[rugersol]

... shot in the dark! ...

... but, Gouger Mtn has been tryin' to sell pre-ez-ject Hornady LNL-AP shellplates fer years now! ... it's a long-shot, but one of 'em might still have a #1?!

... 'course, ya'll hafta find someone to turn the groove in the bottom, fer the ez-ject ... but if ya got 'nother shellplate, I suspect most any of the machinists on the board here, could do that purdy easy?!

... or, jest pay the extra $20 ... http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shellplate-Lock-Load-Proj/dp/B0029LF8XM/ (2 in-stock, as of this post! )

[igofast]

Apparently I just needed to post, Brownells shipped the #45 plate today. I'm very excited to get the press up and running.