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If you want all your reloading process to be done in one single pull of the lever, it is possible if you have the Hornady Lock N Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press. This press is huge, but it certainly comes with many features and everything a professional reloader will ever want.
In this Hornady Lock n Load review, we will be describing the features, why you will love them as well as the pros and cons of using this. Finally, we’ll help you decide whether getting this particular product would be the best choice to improve your reloading experience.
Hornady Lock N Load Review
Features of Hornady Lock N Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press
This is one big reloading press that allows you to do everything in one pull, so it comes with a lot of features and abilities.
- You only need to pull once to move the whole shell plate and have 5 cartridges pushed upward to their respective position.
- Comes with 5 dies slot that allows you to do 5 different things within a single pull. You can choose to use all 5 or leave some of them empty.
- Easy and fast bushing system on the Lock N Load Progressive Press removes the need to turn and adjust every single time you need to install your bushing. The bushing will remain locked inside the six lugs and all you need to do is remove the dies by turning it counterclockwise and insert another die which will remain at the same settings.
- Universal case retainer removes the need to change your shell plate with a suitable one for different calibers every time. This is also the reason that the EZject System is amazing as the case retainer makes it easy to lock it in place or push it out once the bullet is ready.
- List out the things you can do with a single pull: entry of an empty cartridge, priming, sizing/expanding with powder dropping, bullet seating and ejection of a finished cartridge.
Drawbacks To Note
However, such a great piece of equipment doesn’t come without a single flaw on it. As this is a very big investment to make, here are some things you need to know before purchasing the progressive reloading press.
- A beginner will be confused when they get this thing and trying to find their way into figuring out how to use this the best way. This progressive reloading press is only good if you find yourself in need of reloading thousands of rounds at once.
- The whole unit is not everything you need. You will have more things to purchase in addition, depending on what size you are reloading. Make sure to read up and know the size you are using.
- It is an expensive investment to make, that in itself is a drawback. And to add that up, you need to buy additional dies, with other things as well. Although this is still cheaper than other auto-progressive reloading presses.
Why Should You Buy This
A lot of people will want to know if this is something worth buying and, depending on their needs, will they ever find the necessity to invest more than $400 into a reloading press. Yes, it is a worthy investment to make, mostly because Hornady makes some of the best equipment to date. It is also precise in terms of powder dropping and the ejection/entry system.
The reloading press is smooth, saving your time from having to adjust anything at all during the process. You can be doing thousands of rounds 3 to 4 times faster than you would have usually. The bushings make it easy to replace the dies with the same settings. They lock those dies securely in place, saving so much time and hassle from having to twist and turn every time you change caliber.
But, here’s the deal breaker:
- Beginners are usually not advised to immediately get themselves an auto progressive press. Most of the time, it’s because you won’t be reloading a thousand round of 9mm on your first practice. If you are still exploring and practicing the correct steps of reloading, it’s best to get a single turret press.
- The set up can be confusing and overwhelming for beginners. Again, you were never advised to be suddenly equipped with a highly automated press without understanding how every die and process works.
- You don’t need to reload as many quickly. If you never find the need to reload thousands of rounds at once, there are many options out there which will cost much less while providing the same results.
- This is not a good reloading press for those who are on the exploring stage of different calibers. This is because you will need to set up 5 different dies every each time. It’s basically a lot of work to do if you are working on several different calibers at once.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q1. Does the reloading press work with Lee’s dies?
Answer: Yes, it does. All you have to do is take the die off the bushing and replace with any of Lee’s dies and you’re all set.
Q2. Does it come with everything shown in the picture?
Answer: It comes with a case activated powder drop, cartridge catcher and extra lock-n-load bushings. You will have to purchase your own dies and shell plates according to the caliber you are reloading. The reloading press works with pistol and Magnum rifle.
Q3. How does the metering insert work?
Answer: The metering insert works as a reference for you to figure out the scale of the powder you are using. While some people might think about making notes on where the right position to lock it to get the right amount of powder dropped, the official Hornady support team has confirmed that this is not necessary. Those numbers on are just for references while you still need to scale each drop carefully.
Conclusion
Hornady rarely disappoints its users with their products. From our Hornady Lock N Load review, we can see they have done excellent with their auto-progressive reloading press. A single pull of the lever gets the whole system moves smoothly and each of them is precise and accurate. You can easily finish thousands of rounds with this thing on, just remember to install them correctly while following the guideline like a bible.
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