ammunition I bought an RCBS JR Press. I used that same press
for perhaps 30 years or more before getting a replacement for
it. That replacement is the Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic
Reloading Press and after using it for awhile I liked it so
much I retired the old RCBS JR and sold it to a new reloader
who will now get a number of years of service from it.
Hornady Classic Lock-N-Load Press
The Hornady Classic Lock-N-Load Press is a relatively new
addition to the Hornady reloading products line up. The
Lock-N-Load feature is really what is new as the press isn't
so different than the previous presses except for the
Lock-N-Load feature pictured below:
The LOCK-N-LOAD BUSHING SYSTEM is designed and intended to
allow you to load and unload dies with a simple twist of the
Lock-N-Load die bushing. Hornady says "the positive locking
action holds dies perfectly aligned and rock-solid." I can't
disagree with that but on a single stage press such as this
one, I for one don't get in a hurry and don't see the L-N-L
feature as important as say on their progressive tool which
is bought by folks who wish to save time on reloading their
ammo. It is certainly no handicap but the bushings are
somewhat expensive if you need a lot of them. I have perhaps
30 or more die sets and of those I regularly use at least
10-12 which would require 20-30 bushings minimum to have them
on the dies all the time as is intended. This would be a
considerable expense to someone who like myself uses a lot of
dies. However what I have done is to put the bushings only on
the dies I use most often and keep one bushing out that I use
in the press when using the rest of my dies. This approach
lets me have the benefit of the L-N-L feature's speed with
those dies I use most frequently and still use the press with
my other dies in a conventional manner with the other L-N-L
bushing in place. This is sort of a best of both worlds
approach I guess you might say.
The Classic L-N-L press is a massive press with loads of
strength and compound leverage unlike my old JR press. It
makes sizing and case forming operations much easier than the
older press I had without compound leverage. It also has a
wider opening which makes it easier to insert the bullets
into longer cases and there is also more room between the
case you are working on and the front of the "O" of the
press. I like that as it was often a bit cramped for my fat
hands with the old JR press. I made do obviously but I like
the extra freedom of movement for my hands. After using this
press just a short time I decided I liked it far better than
my old press and thus retired it and eventually sold it. I
now do all of my reloading on this press and am perfectly
happy with it and the out come.
The ammo I'm loading on it is proving to be very accurate
proving to me at least that the ram is properly and correctly
aligned and is loading quality ammo with minimal run out.
Combined with the Hornady Seater dies with the straight line
bullet seating and the collar to keep the bullet aligned
during seating the ammo I am now loading seems more accurate
than what I was loading before I switched to this combo.
Now just how this press will hold up over the long haul I
guess I'll have to tell you in about another 20 or 30 years I
suppose but I see no reason to assume it will do anything
other than continue to perform flawlessly for many years of
reloading. It is as I said a massively strong press with
plenty of strength to do the job needed and to last many
years, besides it comes with Hornady's No Risk Life Time
Warranty to back up the quality of it.
If you are in the market for a new single stage reloading
press I can highly recommend the Hornady Classic L-N-L to
you. I've been using it exclusively now for a few months and
am very pleased. It has earned the Graybeard Seal Of
Approval and a thumbs up.
Check out the Hornady Classic Lock-N-Load press and
other fine Hornady products at there website by clicking on
the Hornady Name above.
Hornady Manufacturing Company
P.O. Box 1848
Grand Island, Nebraska 68802
800-338-3220