Local source for Hornady or Dillon?

[M1911]

When I first got mine I was having all kinds of problems. I was getting upside down and sideways primers. I was in a rush to set it up and failed to take the large primer tube out and put the small one in. .

Doh!

 

[Bigtuna]

I finally got around to setting up my lnl this weekend and it was pretty easy for a complete noob. Followed along with the supplied DVD to put it together, the same day cranked out my first batch of 357's to try out. Glad I went with the Hornady.

 

[Fitz]

Wow. You guys weren't kidding. These always do turn into a red verse blue thread eh?

Fitz

 

[swampy]

Its no accident that Lee products have been around for as long as they have. The quality is there.

Lee stuff always made me wonder. I suppose the ammo cant suck if they are still around. It's not like there is so much of a tolerance where the ammo can be off and still fire properly (safely). Lee seems up front like they are one of the last few companies around that dont intend to make so much profit where their machines are stupid expensive.

I wish it was more of a widely used brand on this fourm so I could get a better feel. In the end I usally go with the more expensive known brand rather then going with the cheaper unknown.

 

[EddieCoyle]

i have never owned a LNL and i'm not knocking them. But i heard the casesffeder is not the best. ????

From the drop tube up, it's the same casefeeder that Dillon uses.

The case feeder is fine, but early on, the setup instructions sucked. I got one of the first case feeders that Hornady made available (I think I ordered it the day they came out). The instructions that came with it were really bad. I had to go through a lot of trial and error to get it working. They're much better now.

Dillon includes the necessary casefeeder parts with their caliber conversion kits. Hornady includes all of the parts necessary for every caliber with the case feeder. The tricky part is figuring out which parts to use with what caliber. Once you've got that right, the casefeeder works very well.

 

[mac1911]

dont let availability drive your final decission. If you want a hornady LnL order one on back order and wait. I think in part of availability has to do with year end issues, inventory taxes, vactions, short work weeks on and on.

Now if price is a factor: If you are loading many Ks of a particular round a progressive is the way.
I have never used either dillon or hornady myself but did get a chance to check both out side by side. Yes the hornady looks like a simpler machine.

I went with a Hornady clasic for a few reasons.
1. I found it more reasonable to purchase the single stage press and all the dies I plan on reloading for...9mm,45acp,9x18,30-06,.223, .32S&W.
If I where to purchase all the needed extras for the LnL I would have gone over budget.

I have alot of time to reload. more than time to shoot.

 

[EddieCoyle]

The reason why they're hard to get is simple: They're selling them as fast as they can make them.

 

[Mikie]

I have 2 Dillon SDBs, one for 9mm and the other for 40s& 10mm(These now cost about $360 each. I also have a Lee Pro 1000. I bought the Lee for 45s and since have expanded its use to load 38/357mag and 44/44mag on it. Adding a calibur is roughly $80. For the entry price of ~$150 the Lee is tough to beat. The priming system is not as foolproof as the Dillon but replenishing primers is a lot faster. I would never buy a Dillon 550B because it doesn't have auto indexing. Now that I am also interested in reloading 223s I am thinking of going for the Dillon 650 but to include auto shell feeding it looks to be a $700 investment.

 

[Fitz]

Thanks for the help folks. After exchanging a few emails this week, I stopped by Rileys this morning and picked up a Dillon 550b, 9mm conversion kit and a set of 9mm dies. They also had an RCBS tumbler for the right price although they were out of media. No luck at Lowes, Aubuchon Hardware, Wildlife Taxidermy or Ace HArdware for the media either. Oh well. At least I can get set up and load the clean 9mm brass I do have. Good thing I'm off of work tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Fitz

 

[JimB]

Thanks for the help folks. After exchanging a few emails this week, I stopped by Rileys this morning and picked up a Dillon 550b, 9mm conversion kit and a set of 9mm dies. They also had an RCBS tumbler for the right price although they were out of media. No luck at Lowes, Aubuchon Hardware, Wildlife Taxidermy or Ace HArdware for the media either. Oh well. At least I can get set up and load the clean 9mm brass I do have. Good thing I'm off of work tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Fitz

know anybody with a Grainger account, they sell it in i thing was either 40

or 80# bags.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Go to a larger PET store, and get into the lizard/snakes section, and look for a bag of crushed walnut shell "bedding Material", and that's the best (and cheapest) polishing media for a tumbler. The hardware stores do NOT SELL that kind of product. About $8 a bag.

Or, you could go to Louis O Beede and sons in Lowell, MA and get their 50 pound bag of crushed corn cob, a second choice for media. About $10 for a bag, I recall.

DO NOT use Kitty Litter as a polishing media!

Thanks for the help folks. After exchanging a few emails this week, I stopped by Rileys this morning and picked up a Dillon 550b, 9mm conversion kit and a set of 9mm dies. They also had an RCBS tumbler for the right price although they were out of media. No luck at Lowes, Aubuchon Hardware, Wildlife Taxidermy or Ace HArdware for the media either. Oh well. At least I can get set up and load the clean 9mm brass I do have. Good thing I'm off of work tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Fitz

 

[Fitz]

Go to a larger PET store, and get into the lizard/snakes section, and look for a bag of crushed walnut shell "bedding Material", and that's the best (and cheapest) polishing media for a tumbler. The hardware stores do NOT SELL that kind of product. About $8 a bag.

Or, you could go to Louis O Beede and sons in Lowell, MA and get their 50 pound bag of crushed corn cob, a second choice for media. About $10 for a bag, I recall.

DO NOT use Kitty Litter as a polishing media!

Sweet! Looks like the kids and I are heading to Pet Smart tomorrow. Thanks!

We don't have any kitty litter in the house so I didn't attempt it. I did rub a bit of black beauty sandblasting media through my fingers out in the garage but felt it may be a bit too abrasive so I held off. Press is mounted and mostly set up. I've been spending the evening researching why different books reference different COAL numbers. I'll post and ask for help if I can't figure out the answer.

Thanks again!
Fitz

 

[DukeInFlorida]

HINT: The books are published by the bullet manufacturers, Each manufacturer makes their bullets differently. And, they publish the data based on using their own bullet. Use a book that most closely describes the bullet you are using, and then use that data.

 

[lord1234]

have you tried....petco?

 

[DukeInFlorida]

We don't have many of the larger pet stores here in Maine.

Petco is one of them that DOES carry the product!

 

[Fitz]

We don't have many of the larger pet stores here in Maine.

Petco is one of them that DOES carry the product!

Petco and Pet Smart are right up the road. We'll be trying the latter first since the kids want another fish for the tank in the living room. Duke, do you need me to send you a bag? I'll be happy to pick up the tab as you've helped me out substantially.

Thanks,
Fitz

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Heh, thank you for the offer, but I get mine a few times a year when I am near to a store. I have two tumblers full of new media (both sizes of Dillons!) and a spare bag in reserve.

BTW, I always tell students to use "OLD" media (I never throw it away.... keep the old stuff in a bucket) to do a "rough tumble", to get the nasty dirt, etc, off the brass. Let it run in old media for about 20 minutes, and then let it run in the good clean stuff for a couple hours. That way, the new media stays sand/dirt/muck free longer......

Don't forget the turpentine and NuFinish in the tumbler media for about 15 minutes BEFORE adding any brass. That allows the turpentine and NuFinish to get absorbed without forming "concrete" on the brass.

It's a simple thing to swap out media, new for old and vice versa. Well worth doing, for the sake of keeping the new media cleaner. Eliminates my need to use fabric sheets..... haha (sorry...)

 

[EddieCoyle]

(I never throw it away.... keep the old stuff in a bucket)

Bad idea.

All of the primer residue that you tumble off the cases ends up in the media. The longer you run it, the higher the concentration. Primer residue contains lead styphnate, which is easily absorbed and poison.

You can get 50 pounds of corn cob media for $22 delivered. Why keep using something that's going to poison you so that you can save (literally) a few dollars?

I tell all my students not to poison themselves.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

hahaha I haven't fallen over yet, nor do I have lead poisoning. Then again, I do have some compulsiveness to acquiring more and more lead for casting.

 

[M1911]

hahaha I haven't fallen over yet, nor do I have lead poisoning. Then again, I do have some compulsiveness to acquiring more and more lead for casting.

When was the last time you had your blood lead level checked?

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Six months ago. It's part of the annual checkup.

When was the last time you had your blood lead level checked?

 

[M1911]

Six months ago. It's part of the annual checkup.

Excellent. Most doctors don't test for it unless you ask, and you need to do so before you get there, as they usually don't stock the correct vial for it.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Well, living up here in the STICKS of Maine, I get a few things checked every year:

* Lyme disease - Lots of nasty ticks around.
* Lead exposure - Cause I handle a LOT of it
* General and overall health - Cause I'm getting older.....

So far, so good! I don't take any medications whatsoever! No heart issues, no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no other ailments.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Patriot]

Well, living up here in the STICKS of Maine, I get a few things checked every year:

* Lyme disease - Lots of nasty ticks around.
* Lead exposure - Cause I handle a LOT of it
* General and overall health - Cause I'm getting older.....

So far, so good! I don't take any medications whatsoever! No heart issues, no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no other ailments.

Thanks for asking.

Have they found a cure yet for your terminal case of opinionitis?

 

[DukeInFlorida]

No.... but they are working on it. I'm in charge of the foundation doing the research.... Please send me your donations for the on-going research...... hahaha

I'll make sure it all gets put to good use.

 

[turbo38gn]

Very nice thread, I'm pretty new here, although I signed up about 6 months ago.. I've progressed in the hobby and ready to make the move toward reloading. Been researching for a week now, I think I'm getting it, but the choices and the fan base for each is confusing. I started out with a suggestion to get a Dillon 650, then the RCBS, now I see Lee, Hornaday and a few others. Guess the pocketbook is ultimately the final decision maker. I use lots of ammo from 9 to a SW500 and most everything in between.. just don't want to spend a fortune on this, but don't like to have regrets either..what to do... I'll keep reading and researching till I fell confident or I just get more frustrated.. I welcome any input, maybe I should start a new thread for myself, but first I'll look around the data base and see what's there...

 

[BostonBullit]

just to update the thread, I was over at BassPro in Foxboro this afternoon and they had a Hornady Lock-N-Load AP press sitting on the shelf. of course I already ordered one from somewhere else but wanted to post it here in case anyone local is hunting for this model. they also seem to have a reasonable in-stock supply of...supplies. few different powder brands, hornady and other bullets, some brass, tumblers, pullers, just about everything. no Hornady XTP in 10mm but that's the story everywhere

 

[Patriot]

just to update the thread, I was over at BassPro in Foxboro this afternoon and they had a Hornady Lock-N-Load AP press sitting on the shelf. of course I already ordered one from somewhere else but wanted to post it here in case anyone local is hunting for this model. they also seem to have a reasonable in-stock supply of...supplies. few different powder brands, hornady and other bullets, some brass, tumblers, pullers, just about everything. no Hornady XTP in 10mm but that's the story everywhere

What was the price?

 

[BostonBullit]

What was the price?

I think it was $430 but don't quote me on that, was trying to find the tumbler I wanted and manage explaining to my 5yo what all the stuff was in a way that wouldn't have him going into daycare babbling about .."all the guns daddy showed me"

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Hahahahaha You KNOW that's gonna happen anyways!

I got my dad in trouble when I was like 7. Just back to school, from summer vacation, and the teacher was asking us to stand up, and tell everyone what we did for summer vacation. Actually, my vacation sucked, but I recalled that my dad showed me this neat revolver with mother of pearl handle grips. Soooooooooooo.. I stood up and told everyone how me and my dad went out west, and he shot a grizzley bear with the gun! Sounded pretty neat to me!!! Everyone was ooohing and ahhhing.... I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat...

Few days later, my dad was FURIOUS with me.........

Seems Ms. 2nd Grade Teacher (can't remember the bitch's name) KNEW that grizzley bears weren't in season while we were "out west", and called my mom to ask if we really did that... I think she was gonna turn poor old dad in...... At least Ms. KillJoy didn't tell the rest of the classmates about my little "fib".............

I've had better summers since!

"This past summer, I went on an African.............................." oh never mind......

in a way that wouldn't have him going into daycare babbling about .."all the guns daddy showed me" [/B]