Recently picked up and have been sorting out a Hornady LNL AP, so far only with 9mm's. Being a cheap person I've opted for the tube fed, semi-manual bullet feed, rather than the mechanized contraption.

After receiving the bullet feed die, I was surprised to read that it's not recommended for lead bullets. Well, it doesn't seem to like coated bullets either. Following the set up instructions, only about 2 out of 3 coated bullets (Bayou 147 TC's) drop and will be properly set into the expanded cases. Plated bullets do OK, but I've only done a few dozen of them with the LNL. So far, for coated bullets I've found that it's better to hand feed them into the case mouths immediately after the powder drop. Has anyone here been successful setting up their LNL's for coated bullets with the tubular bullet feeds? If so, please tell us how you set yours up.

Also, I added one of those LED light strips and now observe flakes of powder (AA#5, in my case) occasionally getting flicked out of the cases between the powder drop and bullet feed stations. My press is very solidly mounted; it mostly seems to be a function of centrifugal jerking. Probably another good reason to keep placing the bullets into the case mouths by hand. Any advice on mitigating "fugitive" powder?

I started out with the Hornady bullet feeder die, but found it to be far too finicky. I switched to the Mr Bullet Feeder die from Double Alpha (Mr.BulletFeeder by DAA Die Assembly Only). It works like a champ with jacketed, plated, coated and cast.

As to you powder issue, AA#5 is such a small, light ball powder that even a puff of breeze could cause powder migration. I think the only real solution for this is a relatively bulkier, heavy powder (Bullseye, BE-86, W231).

I put a small dab of grease on the stop ball detents on the underside of the shell holder plate and that seems to ease the transition between stations.

Stu

I recently changed from the RCBS bullet feeder die to the Hornady. I like the Hornady much more than the RCBS. I've only loaded jacketed bullets - w/o problems - so I can't speak to coated. In my experience, I had to get the two collets (A & B) in the correct orientation with very little movement between them. I run dummy cases into the die for 6 or so bullets to ensure I have it set correctly. Then I'm good to go.
If the upper and lower collets are not set correctly, the upper collet can retain a bullet, then drop it thru the lower collet into the case, spilling the powder. That happened a couple of times on the learning curve. The lub on lead bullets tends to gum up the feeding, so that's why the die isn't recommended for them.

__________________
"Your other right........."

There is a ton of info on the web on how to make the Hornady bullet die accept lead bullets. They say once you do modify it you can't go back.

I have had the same problems with the Hornady bullet feed. So I'm gonna be watching this thread. Carry On!

I have a 45 acp hornady bullet feed and also picked up the hornady aluminum feed tubes. I did not make any permanent changes to the die as I only used its own adjustments. It feeds bbi and precision bullets coated 200 grain swc's with no issue. It certainly speeds up my output.